Is there any possible way to indicate if an author had stopped writing, or, unfortunately passed on?
There are so many stories I would love to see completed but I know that in many cases that is impossible, unless another author picked up the thread and ran with it. Maybe an Admin Blog entry on the Author's page?
Is there any possible way to indicate if an author had stopped writing, or, unfortunately passed on?
As indicated elsewhere often we do not know if an author has passed on or is in long term hospital care or has dementia or is simply overworked.
Some authors do give some warning in their blogs about future or current heavy spells of work, operations etc. but can we expect Lazeez to read every blog, question every three month absence.....? I think not.
There may even be authors who do not want such information publicly disclosed.
Where Lazeez has definite information on an author dying he usually posts an entry in the authors profile. But he doesn't always have that information. Sometimes an author give the relevant codes for a friend or family member to make a blog entry about their status, but that's not always possible.
Sometimes an author give the relevant codes for a friend or family member to make a blog entry about their status, but that's not always possible.
It's one thing to give someone the information, it's another entirely for a non-technical family member to understand how the story processing system works, or even what's required.
I have no clue how to provide non-resident family members with that information, and again, many writers don't want to admit what types of stories they're writing to their families, even after their deaths--in which case the survivors may simply choose to ignore their family member's 'perversions'.
My family generally know what I've written, and what my next story is about, but that doesn't mean they could submit my stories for me, or even know how to contact Lazeez.
My family generally know what I've written, and what my next story is about, but that doesn't mean they could submit my stories for me, or even know how to contact Lazeez.
Contacting Lazeez is reasonably straightforward and, I suspect, doesn't need a password.
Home page, top right click "webmaster" and you get a message screen. I've used it and Lazeez was very prompt in dealing with the relatively trivial matter so that works.
As for posting a story under your name - how is he to know it is not a stranger butting in?
I have... toddler.
I also have... new job responsibilities.
I also have... new city move.
I also have... house selling euphoria.
Basically -- I have the crazies.
Basically -- I have the crazies.
You only have half, the rest of the family are residing with me.
How about setting the Author as Inactive/Away if they don't log in to the site for over 3 months?
How about setting the Author as Inactive/Away if they don't log in to the site for over 3 months?
It's not unusual for a story to take 3, 6 or 12 months to write a book, especially if you write and edit the entire thing before you post it. Thus 3 months is an unrealistic time limit. Hell, many authors take 8 to 10 years to complete their first book (though they generally don't start and halt posting during that period, though they may take time off between their other stories).
True, however as an author, do you completely avoid SOL whilst you're writing? I'm not talking about not posting for 3 months, I'm talking about not logging in for 3/6/9/12 months*
*delete as applicable.
True, however as an author, do you completely avoid SOL whilst you're writing? I'm not talking about not posting for 3 months, I'm talking about not logging in for 3/6/9/12 months*
I don't, personally, as everyone here understands from my constant posts to the forum, but I've noticed that many authors don't check the site, or answer their author emails, when they're not actually posting stories to the site. I don't know how widespread that practice is, but even if it's rare, it argues for a longer inactive period. I'd suggest either 6-months or the more likely 1-year mark. (I believe the current period is two years before a story is marked as being inactive.)
(I believe the current period is two years before a story is marked as being inactive.)
I thought an author's stories remained active as long as they logged into the site within the last five years.
I thought an author's stories remained active as long as they logged into the site within the last five years.
Once a story is posted it's active in that it can be read. However, there are a number of story states, one of which relates to an incomplete story called 'Incomplete and Inactive' which means the author started to post it but never finished posting it. It's given the above status and the Dreaded Yellow Stripe to help show that. I think it's after a full year of no update, but it may be longer.
If an author goes in active and doesn't even log on to the site to read stories their stories are moved behind the firewall and made available only to Premium members. The story is still Active in it can be read, but it's limited access.
I hope this helps.
Thanks Ernest. My thought was about CW's reference to 2 years. Was that an error on his part or was he referring to something else?
Thanks Ernest. My thought was about CW's reference to 2 years. Was that an error on his part or was he referring to something else?
I think in may have just been a minor error on his part. The evidence it's 1 year is with Dual Writer's LA Fun which is listed as incomplete and inactive with the last post as 23 Oct 2016 - just over 1 year ago but not 2 years.
have just been a minor error on his part.
Could be. I know I got confused about what they were discussing.
It seemed to start out with setting up a new system that would let readers know if their favorite author was still around. I always respond to my readers' feedback, although I know there are authors who don't. If my readers want to know if I'm around all they have to do is send me a message. I certainly don't need some type of 'electronic leash' to report my comings and goings. Of course that is my personal opinion.
They were talking about authors being inactive, and CW brought up the topic of inactive stories and a 2-year limit/period. I had never heard of a 2-year period and wasn't sure what he had in mind.
Was that an error on his part or was he referring to something else?
I'm not sure what I was thinking. Maybe I was averaging 1 year (for the dreaded yellow stripe) and 5 years (for a story to be moved to Premiere status only), rounded down. :(
(I believe the current period is two years before a story is marked as being inactive.)
Stories become inactive after 1 year without being updated. Stories go behind the pay wall if the author does not login to SoL for over 5 years. An author can go without updating a story without it going behind the pay wall even though it might go 10 years without being updated.
Well I was using 3 months as a finger in the air value :)
There are other alternatives, such as an automated e-mail to the author's account after 6 months with a "click here to remain active" type link, and if that doesn't get clicked on, the account is tagged as inactive after 12 months without logging in.
Of course this is all a moot point if Lazeez decides it's not worth the hassle :)
This is the first time I scrolled the forum so I apologize if this subject is stale. I'm a constant lurker but I do not rate or vote stories as a rule. I have posted a few stories here and in my case, I have stopped posting because I can't think of a new story for the nonce.
One of my favourite series is the Howley-Howard stories by Vlfouquet. the 2nd story stopped suddenly & I assume the author has died because his personal website stopped uploading at the same time as he stopped here.
I've got to admit, I just recently discover I'd fallen victim to the dreaded "Yellow Tag". Seems I was posting one story, got busy posting a second to the same site, and completely forgot about the first story. Sadly, not a single reader thought to ask "What happened to my story?" :( I'm guessing they all got caught up in the second story and, like me, forgot about the first.
By the way, I posted the rest of the chapters so the story is listed as "Completed". :)