[Poll] Best thing you can get from a reader as an author

[TinaMigarlo]

I'd be happy with readers who actually read the book. From beginning to end. No skimming, no skipping. To simply read the thing. Sounds simple, I know.

On the Internet, in the Web novel era, vanishingly rare. Even among the readers who enthusiastically engage in robust comment exchanges, few of them read it. From beginning to end.

I've been on at least seven sites like this one, with e-novels. Everywhere it's the same. Far more skimmers and skippers than readers. Everywhere I've ever been. (I've been tilting at windmills for about three years, and over that span it's become much worse.) On Wattpad, I had about 30,000 "readers." Not viewers. Readers. How many truly read the books? Maybe 120. AO3 was maybe the best. I had about 80,000 "readers" there, and probably about 1,500 actually read the books from end to end. (I left AO3 when I realized I was competing for the most part against illicit p@rn.) Dumping AO3 was a shame. I had nearly as many readers as RR and this site have registered members. But even there, most of them skipped around. Loved the books, left great reviews, skipped to the end, loved it.... but didn't read it.

It's a shame. A real shame.

okay. this is true. I honestly have this one reader. read the entire work, and talked about it. Yeah, it was the greatest thing ever. I feel like I got the most out of any little thing they dropped, because any opinion that reader has, is "informed". A person reads one chapter or part of it. WHat is that. Or you get yards of critique on your cover art/blurb. I'm like, you haven;t read a word I wrote, chill. But its all part of this game. The rules are? whatever the readers say the rules are. I'm not in "charge" of &^%$ as an author. The reader is! Being an author is like having a pet cat. The cat's in charge, when you analyze it.

 

[ElijahRyne]

You can talk about the best thing which made you the happiest from a reader if you want to.

Giving me 1 billion+ USD. That would be the best thing a reader can do. So far however participating and commenting is the best I have gotten.

 

[LuoirM]

Under the table

 

[Ral_062]

To be honest? Having readers is the best feeling for anyone who loves writing.

That's just for me~

 

[Dawnathon]

Giving you their firstborn child? In this economy? Kids cost too much for me to be raising other people's.

 

[JordanIda]

okay. this is true. I honestly have this one reader. read the entire work, and talked about it. Yeah, it was the greatest thing ever. I feel like I got the most out of any little thing they dropped, because any opinion that reader has, is "informed". A person reads one chapter or part of it. WHat is that. Or you get yards of critique on your cover art/blurb. I'm like, you haven;t read a word I wrote, chill. But its all part of this game. The rules are? whatever the readers say the rules are. I'm not in "charge" of &^%$ as an author. The reader is! Being an author is like having a pet cat. The cat's in charge, when you analyze it.

Yes well, that is why on six web novel sites out of seven, I've decided to take my ball and go home.

Readers who don't read don't make the rules for us unless we choose to impersonate whipped dogs.

I respectfully decline.

I have one and a half feet out of the last of the seven. As to SH? Still lurking. I like it here. But I'm not convinced there are any readers.

 

[Makimaam]

Readers who reread the entire book to pick up hints and clues and then theorize about it.

 

[Worthy39]