Is the Story Hour Forum on Life Support?

[spyscribe]

From my perspective allow these threads to continue to float with constant bumping on the first page - it will send a loud and clear message to the authors that their work is still appreciated. My other fear about moving these threads is selfish. Another forum might divide traffic. I think a fair amount of folks head to the SH page looking for a PC update and seeing none, might try another SH.

I think pogre is 100% correct.

If the idea behind putting large but "non updating" threads to another forum is to give newer, smaller, threads more time on the front page to gain attention, I think it's very likely to backfire. After all, why should someone who regularly reads threads in the "legendary authors" forum check the "story hour general" forum at all?

People talking about their dogs in Piratecat's thread or speculating on when jonrog or Sep will next update is not what keeps other threads off the front page. We now have 40 threads per page. If a thread has fallen to page 3, it's because 80 other threads have had a post since.

If you shunted off all threads with more than 30,000 views that haven't updated in the last month, you're talking about a reduction of fewer than 15 threads. (Most of which haven't had any other activity in at least that long and so aren't on page one anyway.) That's a drop in the bucket.

There are just a lot of story hours out there. It's a good thing, but it means it takes a while for even the best to gain traction.

(Add salt to taste.)

 

[Emperor Valerian]

I like things the way they are, really. I personally don't see what the fuss is about... my little SH has its couple viewers. If more come, hooray! If they don't, it's still personally fun for me to write one, so it'll keep it going. And I look being able to go from writing my SH to looking through PC's, Sep's or any of the others in one forum for ideas for my own campaign.

 

[megamania]

Maybe not the best place to say this but- I just started my fourth ongoing Storyhour. I am sooo addicted to story telling.

Check 'em out if you would like.

 

[el-remmen]

I am not sure about an added level of complexity on how to deal with threads in this forum.

While an archive for completed story hours makes sense - I think "abandoned" story hours (over 6 months w/o an update) should probably just sink or be locked and only be re-opened when requested by the author b/c he has an update ready.

But still there are a lot of details to work out about this. . . I mean, I have three "complete" threads of the same story hour would those go to the new forum, or would they stay in this one until the whole campaign is completed?

What about story hours that were wrapped up by the closing of a particular plot arc, but were never continued?

 

[howandwhy99]

A Storyhour Archive option sounds like a good idea to me. I know the default thread cut off is page 4 in the normal forum. This means all the new stories are competing for limited space and a handful are constantly being "bumped" so they can remain at top for their fans.

It would be nice to have a a more comprehensive "Files" section with the completed stories. Maybe a small review ability could be added in too? (so you don't have to point and guess at completed stories)

That said....





I am hereby announcing the grand, triumphant, harrowing (for the author), RETURN of the STORYHOUR for:

THE ONE TRUE GAME​

The story will continue again in its once-per-day format. I know I may not be the best writer here, but I hope the readers have enjoyed it so far. Look for new posts in the coming days.

 

[megamania]

Maybe not the best place to say this but- I just started my fourth ongoing Storyhour. I am sooo addicted to story telling.

Check 'em out if you would like.

Just started the more stylized Storyhour using pictures and text blended.



As far as the topic on hand. There seems to be no perfect way of doing it. To leave the "big name" sites up detracts from the less known / checked out writers but to remove it will deter many readers from adventuring within a new storyhour also.

I just hope the "big names" appreciate their readers. I appreciate the few I have and the two - three that respond the most.

 

[Enkhidu]

I had mentioned it half jokingly above, but one of the better methods (in my opinion) for generating new readers are threads dedicated to pimping story hours. And, after seeing the concerns in this thread, its time for another one.

/me goes off to start right said thread.

 

[barsoomcore]

Folks looking for an archive of Story Hours ought to check the Story Hour Archive.

I'm not 100% sure, but I think that's what you're talking about. Maybe it's just me.



(I'm also not sure what happened to the Story Hours I laboriously uploaded there, but that's a different question)

 

[Brother Shatterstone]

/me goes off to start right said thread.

It has my support for now, just keep it civil (as you all always do), and keep your pimping of your SH down to a minimum. (I don't want to hear the same "complaints" I'm getting now about individual threads being pimped.)

Also since you have that thread I think people should stop pimping there story hour in THIS thread, lets leave this one to solving the issues that’s troubling alot of you.

 

[Enkhidu]

It has my support for now, just keep it civil (as you all always do), and keep your pimping of your SH down to a minimum. (I don't want to hear the same "complaints" I'm getting now about individual threads being pimped.)

No worries. Check the guidelines I set for the thread to see why!