Your Opinion about threads.

[Carl East]

What is it that makes a thread good or bad? Has it anything to do with who started it do you think? Or is it more to do with how interesting the topic is? I ask because when you look at the board sometimes, you see threads that are huge yet the topic is trivial, even boring in some cases.

Let's take an example, and this, in no way means I believe this thread to be boring. But take ABS thread for instance, 'The Bohemian Hangout,' It makes you want to join in, but at the same time the day to day topic has to at least interest you.

Then you'll get the political threads which I personally avoid like the plague (you can lose friends in those things, lol) and although on occasion the topic is an interesting one they tend to be long winded. Just my opinion.

Then there's the fluffy ones, the ones where you've got to see my new kitten or share a moment with a picture of my new born baby. Again, absolutely nothing wrong with that kind of thread but why do they get so big?

We've had threads that started with nothing more than a 'goodnight all,' and ended up being bigger threads than those that people talk about. It all seems very strange to me, so what's your view?

Carl

 

[ABSTRUSE]

Carl,
I think it depends on the overall mood of the day or the topic, some folks like this place to escape from work or a dull homelife, others use it to connect to new friends and share part of themselves.
I put up Abstrusions as a virtual cafe'/bar to hangout in as if it were a real place to meet and chat, or share things about various topics.
the hello and goodbyes let us know when friends are coming and going.
the political or daily event threads are a good way to vent...lol.

It's a virtual cornucopia of something for everyone, or something to take your mind off of something.

~A~

PS...support my cafe'

 

[Guest]

Hi Carl. I see no rhyme or reason to the popularity of some threads. I whinge about my serious topics getting neglected, but what else is new. Sometimes I feel silly, sometimes flirty. I don't think I'll be posting anything political anymore though.

Often I just look for certain posters, vs. the topics. It's always good too see you about though.

Perdita

 

[doormouse]

I'm with perdita on this one.

I see who's posted, what was said...

So can we make this a nakie thread? Huh huh? can we?

 

[CharleyH]

Well, I don't know how the hell the tffa&c got so huge since really, only a handful of people post there, LOL, but I do know it was started as a mere thanks and built itself into a monster to keep some flirtatious sluts (I won't name anyone) from insulting eachother with useless banter on a diverse string of other people's threads.

I try to respond to both serious threads about topics of interest, or silly threads depending on my mood. Why are some of the silly threads so popular you ask?

Well, why are reality shows so popular, and why doesn't the universe end like everything else?

 

[Lucifer_Carroll]

why doesn't the universe end like everything else?

Right, right. Listen, Loki is working on it, but he's been a little delayed what with being bound under the Earth with a snake dripping poison into his eyes. If you'll just be patient, we'll bring you the end of the universe any time now.

Mortals, so impatient.

 

[gauchecritic]

It could be because it's summer time, it may be that I've been posting here longer than I ought, it's probably just that part of the AH cycle which I dislike.

Every few months or so someone moans about there being nothing authorly in the Authors' Hangout. (Me twice, Mab at least once) and now your rather obtuse angle on it. (fence sitter)

Another oft recurring theme is "The Clique" and once more in your fence sittering posture you broach this subject too.

The make-up of the AH changes by the month, new faces taking the place of leavers.

But I must admit I much preferred the "Golden Age" of Lit. When most threads were about writing with the occasional light thread interspersed. Obviously quite a few posters left the AH as it became less 'writerly' and moved into that "Golden Age". I don't recall there being quite as much politics then or sociology or psychology except as it applied to writing. This was only a year to 18 months ago.

Anyway, back to the question.

I think you'll find Carl (you fence sitter you) that consciously or not some posters will reply predominantly to posters from whom they can expect at least a stroke back. (I'm talking about the sociological phenomenon of stroking a la Desmond Morris) or in a thread that they feel sufficiently strongly to not require strokes.

If you're not familiar with stroking, put simply it's merely replying in kind. "Hello how are you?" is a stroke. "Fine how's yourself?" is a return stroke. "So what about that big bang theory then?", "Well it's certainly interesting but I'm not convinced" is the same thing.

So quite often, threads will be wholly posted to by friends and associates with very occasional input from others.

The number of threads that I've unsubscribed from recently is rather large, mainly because I've simply lost interest. The list used to be at least a dozen or maybe 20 long (for which I have notification switched on) now it's more like 5 or 6.

I miss the exercises that proliferated not so long ago (one of which became the Snippetsville group). I miss the questions about How do I sort out this mess? which are very few and far between. And I miss the threads that make us think or give advice (good and bad) about "how to write". My own miserable attempts (the ginger thread) sink after about 4 posts because I'm not able to make myself understood about what I'm asking.

I've just realised that this is exactly the sort of meandering, complicated reply that makes you avoid threads with answers like this.

I'll finish here.

Gauche

P.S you know I'm joking about the fence-sitting right?

 

[Just-Legal]

You know, with me, it depends on thread title, and a little of who posted it. If its a majorly long thread there's a good chance I'll avoid it, unless its one where you can jump in at the end because I don't want to have to read back through 40+ pages TBH!

 

[Lucifer_Carroll]

Threads, why do I do certain ones?

I see something and click it and if I have anything to say about anything on that page of threads, I'll post it. Otherwise I won't.

There you go. Ask a vague question, get a vague answer.

 

[Guest]

I don't try to analyze them. I just take each thread for what it is. If I have something to say about it, I post it. If I don't, I don't.

I think people try to analyze stuff way too much. Just read it and enjoy it. Quit asking why.

 

[Joe Wordsworth]

I usually only skim things for debate content and nudity and dirty talk.

 

[sincerely_helene]

Ditto.

(and I sometimes look for my name.)

 

[Rumple Foreskin]

What Gauche said--me too. What Dr. Mabeus has said--me too.

And IMHO, Joe Wordsworth and Sincerely Helene deserve gold stars for honesty.

Rumple Foreskin

 

[Joe Wordsworth]

A gold star. : )


...groovy.

 

[Carl East]

I'm with perdita on this one.

I see who's posted, what was said...

So can we make this a nakie thread? Huh huh? can we?

Go for it. lol

Carl

 

[ferociouskittycat]

Go for it. lol

Carl

purr-fect

 

[Lisa Denton]

There are certain threads with whatever, it doesn't matter, subjects that just take off.
Jokes, slightly bent views and opinions, the person who started the thread and who's posting at the moment you stop in to visit, all become even more important than the original subject.
I stop by Abs cafe for the reasons others do, I look at the latest news, I rarely post there because its so fast paced and I don't want to interupt, but I love the thread.
Perhaps this will become one of those. No one will remember why it was started or what the original subject was, but if it gives writers and readers a chance to get together and laugh, cry, joke and converse then it is a success.
Just my opinion.

 

[ABSTRUSE]

Lisa, you chicken shit, just jump in anywhere.

 

[Lisa Denton]

And if Abs posts on a thread it will either be a fistfight or freefallin orgy so hang on to something or somebody.

 

[ABSTRUSE]

And if Abs posts on a thread it will either be a fistfight or freefallin orgy so hang on to something or somebody.

Is not bitch, oh....you're goin down now.

 

[Lisa Denton]

Is not bitch, oh....you're goin down now.

I like goin down, but I'm not posting on your thread again, 587493 replies since I started to reply, hell, even I forgot what I was talking about.

 

[ABSTRUSE]

I like goin down, but I'm not posting on your thread again, 587493 replies since I started to reply, hell, even I forgot what I was talking about.

Getcher ass over there, it's slow enough for even you to handle.

 

[Lisa Denton]

Getcher ass over there, it's slow enough for even you to handle.

You all went from talkin about washing cars to shoes to guard dogs to topics for tommorow while I lit a cigarette. Now what was we talkin about on whoevers thread this is?.............. Just kidding Carl.

 

[Lisa Denton]

Go for it. lol

Carl

O.k. get ready for the vampire sex thread.

 

[Green_Gem]

I am not an A/H regular, am not part of any clique and definitely not big on 'stroking' so I avoid threads which are of a flirty, silly or chatty nature.

Generally I only take notice of threads which hold interest for me and they will be the more 'writerly' ones, some of the comments on news happenings, and certainly ones started by authors whose opinions and work I enjoy and respect. I endorse Gauche and dr_Mabeuse's sentiments about the Hangout sometimes devolving into recipe swopping and chat room banter, but it doesn't hassle me much since if there is nothing that captures my attention, I just leave and look in a week later. Oh yes, and I want to add that while I often don't respond to Perdita's threads, I do read them because of the interest value.

Green_Gem