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Karou WindStalker Registered User
Joined: 17 Nov 2006 Posts: 631 Location: Highland lakes, NJ, USA
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Posted: Sat Jul 03, 2010 8:35 am Post subject: Site issues? |
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_________________ Independent Business Owner ... Ask me, if interested in learning more.
Everything in its Own Season <- Current Story!
Last edited by Karou WindStalker on Mon Jan 10, 2011 12:05 am; edited 1 time in total |
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AmigaDragon Registered User
Joined: 05 Dec 2004 Posts: 840 Location: Far Northern Minnesota
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Posted: Sat Jul 03, 2010 3:44 pm Post subject: |
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I had that last night, it's back up now. _________________ "Cogito, ergo es. I think, therefore you is." Ray D. Tutto (King of the Moon) to Baron Munschaussen |
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Karou WindStalker Registered User
Joined: 17 Nov 2006 Posts: 631 Location: Highland lakes, NJ, USA
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Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2010 5:32 pm Post subject: |
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Many of your readers?
I have not heard or read anything about any dissatisfaction with how stories are put up on the bookshelf.
I like it being in .PDF ... it helps save the formatting that I have put into my stories.
If this is how others want things, then it will be on their heads when I don't share with them my stories ... for they shall reap what they sow.
I, personally, like reading the unfinished works, as they give me ideas ... and often they stimulate my brain to work on my own stories.
It's not fair to the readers who don't speak up in the forums to remove stories that they've enjoyed reading, simply because some nimrods decide to throw a hissy fit because they can't do a 'Save As' on their own computer so they get the download to work with the system they want to use.
Mike, if these people persist in their activities, I shall request that you remove my story, in its entirety, from the files on the bookshelf. I shall then only share with those who view my FA account and visit Joe's site.
And I would like those who demanded this change to think on their actions .. for it is counter to everything that the bookshelf was originally created to be. A repository of stories, to peruse at your leisure. It never mattered to me that a story wasn't 'complete' ... it made me use my imagination to think on what might happen next.
Now, before I rant any more, I shall bid everyone a good day, and remind them that authors thrive on feedback ... if their stories aren't read, then they can't know where they might need to improve. _________________ Independent Business Owner ... Ask me, if interested in learning more.
Everything in its Own Season <- Current Story! |
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AmigaDragon Registered User
Joined: 05 Dec 2004 Posts: 840 Location: Far Northern Minnesota
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Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2010 6:09 pm Post subject: |
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Karou WindStalker wrote: | Many of your readers?
I have not heard or read anything about any dissatisfaction with how stories are put up on the bookshelf.
| I haven't either Quote: |
I like it being in .PDF ... it helps save the formatting that I have put into my stories.
| Same here Quote: |
I, personally, like reading the unfinished works, as they give me ideas ... and often they stimulate my brain to work on my own stories.
| ditto Quote: |
Mike, if these people persist in their activities, I shall request that you remove my story, in its entirety, from the files on the bookshelf. I shall then only share with those who view my FA account and visit Joe's site.
| Does that include those of us who don't have FA accounts? _________________ "Cogito, ergo es. I think, therefore you is." Ray D. Tutto (King of the Moon) to Baron Munschaussen |
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Karou WindStalker Registered User
Joined: 17 Nov 2006 Posts: 631 Location: Highland lakes, NJ, USA
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Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2010 6:21 pm Post subject: |
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_________________ Independent Business Owner ... Ask me, if interested in learning more.
Everything in its Own Season <- Current Story!
Last edited by Karou WindStalker on Mon Jan 10, 2011 11:16 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Alexi Registered User
Joined: 08 Feb 2009 Posts: 426 Location: Virginia Beach
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Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2010 8:06 pm Post subject: |
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The feedback that I have been getting back from readers has been invaluable.
I have to agree with Teric.
I also like pdf. format as it allows me to differentiate dreams and real time with a simple font change. _________________ "Liven a dream, Oh you're on top. My mind is aching, oh it won't stop. That's how it happens, living life by the drop."- Life by the drop. Stevie ray Vaughan. |
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mwalimu Registered User
Joined: 08 Nov 2002 Posts: 782 Location: Normal, IL
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Posted: Thu Jul 29, 2010 12:19 am Post subject: |
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Since it seems I'm the one who was weighing in against .pdf in the other discussion, I'll respond to this...
First, there are others who who are obviously happy with or who prefer .pdf, and I'd be the first to tell you not to make any major changes to your site based on the opinions of one reader, even when it's me.
Second, while I may be annoyed by a couple of aspects of .pdf, as you've pointed out every other format has its drawbacks as well. None is perfect, and sometimes you have to choose the one with the least amount of problems. .pdf might not be what I'd choose, but neither is it a deal-breaker as far as being a reader of said fiction.
Finally, I never commented or gave an opinion on the chapter vs. whole novel question, so I shall do so here. If an entire novel is already completed, my personal preference is for the whole novel in one file. But it's a minor preference, not a deal-breaker by any stretch. And this doesn't even apply to novels that are incomplete and are being written/posted a chapter at a time, where you have fans interested in seeing the next chapter as soon it's released - to those I'll say please, post the next chapter as soon as it's ready. _________________ mwalimu
My webpage -*-*- My LiveJournal
Badgers and mushrooms and snakes, oh my! |
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tobi3B Registered User
Joined: 07 Jan 2008 Posts: 645 Location: Germany Siegen
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Posted: Thu Jul 29, 2010 9:38 am Post subject: |
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I would also say please donīt change the site. I like the weekly update with one chapter of some stories and I also prefer PDF as reading format.
and as a pointer if you remove stories who arenīt complete put on the way to it you can wait several month to a year and more for finishing. Not good . _________________ Whether a black cat brings misfortune or not, depends on whether one is a fur or a mouse.
[br]Feed Me![br]Adopted from Valenth |
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anthony Site Owner
Joined: 12 Nov 2001 Posts: 1304 Location: Norway
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Posted: Thu Jul 29, 2010 2:46 pm Post subject: |
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The site(and weekly updates) is the ONLY reason I get up at an 'reasonable hour' on saturdays...
Of course, I like 'all in one' files, but if I have to choose between weekly updates or complete stories more seldom?
I'll keep on setting my alarm clock for 'way too early' on saturdays.
As for .PDF, it's a format that can be displayed on many different platforms, but on all but the largest screens it's completely trashed.
Portable Document Format.. my @SS!
It's designed for page layouts first, not portability.
So, if you decided to add some sort of 'ebook' format to the site, atleast on some of the more popular stories...
(Besides, I kind of 'accidentally' preordered the new Kindle today... ) _________________ "My name's Lion, Anthony Lion"
A fur with a license to purr...
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Like my Avatar?
Why not surf over to www.micecomics.com and tell Mary what a stellar job she did... |
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Concolor Registered User
Joined: 19 Nov 2001 Posts: 832 Location: South Carolina
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Posted: Fri Jul 30, 2010 2:56 pm Post subject: |
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I like PDF. It can achieve the look/feel of the printed page, which allows a lot more leeway than "just words" can accomplish.
I like one-chapter-at-a-time posting, if that's how it's being written.
Sure, I'll take a full book if it's already done, but come on! I've been working on GW since 2001. The feedback I've gotten from the various readers has enriched the story quite a bit, IMHO. In particular I like all the suggestions everyone had for additions to the Sound Track. And getting the 'what-if" juices flowing via reader speculation is a true joy.
Mike, if my $0.02 means anything, I'd rather you didn't change the site setup.
In any fashion.
Just sayin'. _________________ Oddly enough, my life is based on a true story. (Ashleigh Brilliant) |
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Asalis Registered User
Joined: 08 Oct 2004 Posts: 2020 Location: Fort Worth, Tx
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Posted: Fri Jul 30, 2010 11:20 pm Post subject: |
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I've no problems with PDF as well. Putting it in plain text in a URL coding just doesn't have the same versatility. Plus I like the chapter hyper links for if I have to stop in the middle of reading a story I can click the last chapter I was in to get to the point I stopped quicker. As for the individual chapter posting verses full story posting, that i'm a bit conflicted on because i can see many POV to this discussion.
With full story posts after all chapters are in the reader obviously wants to see a story from beginning to end because they don't want to actually wait for the next chapters. They want it all done so they can read it from beginning to end in one go. They also probably want it in PDF because it loads faster and doesn't take it's time trying to synchronize adobe with the browser. However for the writers who use this story as Mike pointed out, sometimes with this simpler format the readers content can sometimes suffer because it can't handle things like text differences.
On the other hand if the writer posts it a chapter at a time that allows readers to give a little critique on the stories and let them know on what areas they can improve on and so forth. Though as I mentioned above and from what I've observed personally I've found that many readers out there see an incomplete story and figure they don't wanna bother with it so they don't wanna read it until it's finished. For some this could also do with the fact that they don't like cliffhangers. As a result the writer doesn't get the feedback he or she is looking for and the story is ultimately dropped. As for the PDF aspect, me personally as a writer, I like PDF because it displays my work exactly as I intend for it to be read, plus i can add hyperlinks to the chapters header to direct the user to the desired chapter. Programing that in HTML which I do dabble in is not an easy thing to set up. It takes far more time to set up and utilize than it does for PDF which you just highlight the chapter header text and set up where you want it to link to and your done. HTML you have to create an individual page for each chapter, then create a table, decide on how you want to link it to the website and where, and then write the code on how it links to it. And if you wanna create a header on the page so the user can select what chapter then you have to write a code like for each of those too within the header coding. From that view PDF is just far simpler to utilize than having to do it all manually. There is however a way to get the website to post pages directly but the catch to that is they have to be in .txt format. That's the most basic form of documentation and doesn't have any kind of bells or whistles that the program you wrote it with has.
Making it cater to the users who read on it might allow for them to get their enjoyment but it really takes it out for us writers to the point that content would probably come even less knowing that nobody is gonna view our stuff until it's finished. I can't speak for anyone else but for me that would be a bit discouraging considering I'm looking for critiques and I'm just not getting any. And knowing that i wouldn't get any until the story is finished puts more pressure on me to get it done. As such my writing quality might suffer for it. Though I understand there's no time limit set but still I'd feel pressure to get it done anyway because i wouldn't get any information until it's done. Then when it's done and people actually give me feedback I'd have to go back and change it all again with what didn't work and next thing I know I'd be putting in more work into what should be a hobby just to please everybody and it just wouldn't be fun anymore at that point. I'm not looking to get my work published, I just want people to read and enjoy.
I'll step off of my soapbox now and let someone else state their views but i'm just letting you know how i feel. As for my story, Mike I think I need to talk to you on that later on Yahoo when you have the time. _________________ Asalis: (uh*sah*lis)
We, dig, giant robots!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7PjQnw_E0U
I hate the DMV |
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anthony Site Owner
Joined: 12 Nov 2001 Posts: 1304 Location: Norway
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Posted: Sat Jul 31, 2010 5:22 am Post subject: |
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Can't say I noticed...
Too busy enjoying the stories... )
But .PDFs formatted for 5x8 or A5 would be nice.... _________________ "My name's Lion, Anthony Lion"
A fur with a license to purr...
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Like my Avatar?
Why not surf over to www.micecomics.com and tell Mary what a stellar job she did... |
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