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Fully agree with everything that’s been said. And in answer to your direct question, @jak7139, if you would indeed like to start on Echoes then I’d dive in at the beginning as @TheExecuter says and see how you find the premise. Personally I think the quality improves a lot somewhere around the time the story reaches 1956, but maybe that’s just an incentive to keep on reading? ;)

Being given a vote by someone you hadn’t realised was reading along is always a strange one. It’s a double-side coin, I always found. When Echoes was new and hardly anyone commented on it, I was always as heartened as I was mystified to see that people would, for example, chuck it a vote in the ACAs. Of course I was always appreciative of the support, but as you’ve all said, even the most seemingly trivial comment perspective would always brighten my day far more.

Reactions did a lot to kill off the old “Good job!” style comments, of course. But we relitigate that one every few years and it’s hard not to bring it up without sounding like Socrates bemoaning the advent of writing.
 
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I don't even pay any attention to notifications anymore. Just look at the watch list and unread lists.
"Wait, you can do that?" Jak looks shocked, stunned. "That would be so helpful." He checks something inside himself. The air shifts. "So you can. Thanks!"

He turns to DB. "That does indeed sound strange. Lots of people are silent reader types though. I was, until I started writing my own AARs. How did commenting work before reactions were added? When were they added? They seem like such a core part of the forum now."
 
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He turns to DB. "That does indeed sound strange. Lots of people are silent reader types though. I was, until I started writing my own AARs. How did commenting work before reactions were added? When were they added? They seem like such a core part of the forum now."

I'm amused because I left before reactions were added...and now, I forget they are there and still comment manually...

It means I'm old...right?

Let me take another pull on my whiskey...
 
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Trying the hardest he can possibly try not to lapse into a 'thing were better in my day' register, DB chimes in:

"Wait, you can do that?" Jak looks shocked, stunned. "That would be so helpful." He checks something inside himself. The air shifts. "So you can. Thanks!"
Whenever we have the commenting discussion, I think it explains a lot that more people seem not to know about this. I've no idea how I know about it, mind, only that my bookmark to the forum is actually my 'Watched Threads' tab so it's my landing page whenever I log on. With notifications, I don't get any unless I'm up to date in the thread. So I'd miss a lot if I didn't keep an eye on when my watched threads were last active to get more of a sense of how much discussion is happening where. It's a great feature! :D

He turns to DB. "That does indeed sound strange. Lots of people are silent reader types though. I was, until I started writing my own AARs. How did commenting work before reactions were added? When were they added? They seem like such a core part of the forum now."
It was much more, well, reactive I suppose! You'd get the whole range – people quoting bits of chapters they like and giving play-by-play responses (although quoting was a nightmare back in the day, if my memory's not playing tricks), people popping in just to say they were still following along, people who would show up after every chapter with a 'Nice work! :)' and leave it there. (@stynlan , old-school commentAAR sans pareil, always exhibited the best of this all-encompassing approach.)

When reactions were trailed, many of us assumed that the latter two types of comment would likely disappear in favour of clicking the like button on an update to let the authAAR know you're there and reading along. And I think for the most part this has happened. But prophecies of doom are a fool's art form and we've obviously still got a wonderful community here regardless.

What I will say, speaking personally, is that I do believe a comment is always better than a reaction. They are the lifeblood that keeps AARland alive, after all. It would be no fun hanging out here if we only engaged with each other by sending out our opinions and receiving blank a mute stream of ticks and thumbs.
 
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"I do tend to see the 'Like' button as a 'I have read the update and am current' option. Even if I do click it, I still leave a comment. Comments are, as I'm sure we're all aware, great. The 'Love' reaction I reserve for updates/posts that I thought were really well done or detailed. Stuff a step beyond the usual chapter. The other reactions are kind of self-explanatory."

Jak refills his glass and stands in front of the fireplace, ready to make an announcement. I hope I'm not overcomitting, he thinks. You know what happens to most New Year's resolutions...

He clears his throat after downing the shot.

"You know what, I'm going to do it. I'm going to try and read at least one chapter per day of Echoes, Mission, and Tomorrow. It may take a while, but I should get caught up eventually if none of you post multiple times a day."
 
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He clears his throat after downing the shot.

"You know what, I'm going to do it. I'm going to try and read at least one chapter per day of Echoes, Mission, and Tomorrow. It may take a while, but I should get caught up eventually if none of you post multiple times a day."

Excellent! I hope you get sucked in... :)

Uhrm...about multiple chapters a day though...I can't promise that as I posted two chapters this past Sunday...sorry. I needed to wrap up a particularly fascinating party scene...and it all wouldn't fit easily into one chapter...

I will confidently say that you WILL catch up eventually. The story has an ending, and we will reach it, God willing.
 
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although quoting was a nightmare back in the day, if my memory's not playing

Yes...yes it was. <Shudder>

The new quote function has made my binge reading / commenting style possible...as I can read whenever I have a free moment with my phone...and just store up commentable sections as I go.

That's really nice.
 
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"You know what, I'm going to do it. I'm going to try and read at least one chapter per day of Echoes, Mission, and Tomorrow. It may take a while, but I should get caught up eventually if none of you post multiple times a day."
That's really lovely! I hope you enjoy what you find, and please do drop a comment or two in the thread as you go. I'd love to hear what you think, especially about the older material.

Oh and I can definitely promise not to post multiple updates a day. Before I published today's chapter, the last update went up in August 2023. Along with @El Pip I am a great proponent of the Zeno school of AARcraft, that you will finish eventually just so long as you never fully stop. :D

Yes...yes it was. <Shudder>

The new quote function has made my binge reading / commenting style possible...as I can read whenever I have a free moment with my phone...and just store up commentable sections as I go.

That's really nice.
Oh God, yes, it's coming back to me now… Going into the BB code and breaking up whole posts… Clipping bits that you like then having to format it all manually for a response… Not being able to click back to reference the post you were quoting…

Dark times, truly. We're blessed to be living in a more enlightened age.
 
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Whenever we have the commenting discussion, I think it explains a lot that more people seem not to know about this. I've no idea how I know about it, mind, only that my bookmark to the forum is actually my 'Watched Threads' tab so it's my landing page whenever I log on. With notifications, I don't get any unless I'm up to date in the thread. So I'd miss a lot if I didn't keep an eye on when my watched threads were last active to get more of a sense of how much discussion is happening where. It's a great feature! :D

Indeed. I just set it up that way when I first started on the site and constsntly forget no one else does this for some reason.
 
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coz1 leans up from his position at the bAAR with bemusement and excitement all at once, "What a wonderful day. First of all, many congratulations Denss for finally getting to that point! It is a soul releasing thing to reach such a milestone. Years be damned. Months even. It is the cementing of not just completion, but so too determination. Have a drink on me!

An epilogue remains, in two brief parts,
Which I shall expect some time around 2026 or so. ;)

Wow. Congratulations!

What does finishing an AAR feel like?
As above, an amazing thing. A weight lifted. A thing pulled through thick and thin, hard times and bad. I've done short ones, but the lengthy ones...when they are complete? Not much better feeling outside of sex and...well, even that might not be a good enough comparison. I've never birthed a child due to my sex, but I imagine it feels something close to that.

"I've heard many good things about the longer-running AARs. But eighty pages...that's a lot to get through."
Piffle! 80 pages?? What's that? That's nothing. ;)

I promise, the author WANTS to hear comments from new readers on even the old stuff he or she wrote. This is especially true for longer stories.
Yes. Yes they do!

Being given a vote by someone you hadn’t realised was reading along is always a strange one.
Ahh...but you do not consider those that not only may read along but also want to support our strong writAARs. Strong works. I often vote on things I have not ready fully. But I know of them because others have pointed them out. I check it out too. May not comment (bad coz1!!! BAD!!!) but I know.

How did commenting work before reactions were added? When were they added? They seem like such a core part of the forum now.
Added many years ago now, it seems, but maybe it was just yesterday. Who may know? If someone pays with you with a thumbs up, well you've got recognition at least. If someone pays you with a coin, then you have currency. And a comment is a coin. It is gold. THE currency that keeps this place going and thriving as much as possible.


Many congrats on the latest chapter, @DensleyBlair. I cannot promise I'll get to it immediately, but I have been waiting as have so many of us for quite some time. I imagine you have as well. Well done, my friend. Well done!"
 
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Piffle! 80 pages?? What's that? That's nothing. ;)

:D

Indeed.

Of course, my largest work is only 22 pages...which sounds paltry...until you realize that the last four forum pages are almost ENTIRELY just chapter updates. Almost no comments, nothing else but chapter after chapter...after chapter.

There are 56 chapter updates in those four pages...nearing on 115k words...basically half of everything written so far is in those last four pages.

Looking at a work by page numbers is just not really a useful measure, IMO.

And I have happily read things like El Pip's masterpiece that is over 300 pages! But he has a tradition of trying to post only one update per page...

That all to say that I am exhilarated by the prospect of continuing to birth my story...but also cognizant of the reality that I will probably never write something this long ever again...

I'm not sure I have enough time to go through the years of planning it took to get this far.
 
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Piffle! 80 pages?? What's that? That's nothing.

I was about to scoff at such a comment...but people have started catching up on TBTM recently and I have realised that we are 44 pages and 44 chapters in, and have just about gotten halfway through the prolouge to the actual story...
 
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A middle-aged woman slips through the front door and stands awkwardly, checking her phone repeatedly as if anxious that she has the wrong address. Finally, she ordered an old fashioned from the bar.

I understand that we're celebrating @DensleyBlair completing Echoes of a New Tomorrow?

She waits for a moment to be contradicted. Hearing none, she raises her drink.

Congratulations indeed!
 
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coz1 crushes the sugar cube as he looks to @Cora Giantkiller , "Indeed we are." He pours the bitters with the bourbon and smiles, "And it occurs to me...are we all writing the longest works ever?"

He rubs the twist of the orange peel over the rim of the glass as he looks out over the bAAR, "Or are we all just enjoying ourselves? Amusing ourselves and hopefully others?"

"I think so," he muses as he hands over the drink, "For twenty plus years, I most definitely think so." :)
 
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Which I shall expect some time around 2026 or so. ;)
I suppose in the grand scheme of things, yes, 2025 is some time around 2026 :D

Ahh...but you do not consider those that not only may read along but also want to support our strong writAARs. Strong works. I often vote on things I have not ready fully. But I know of them because others have pointed them out. I check it out too. May not comment (bad coz1!!! BAD!!!) but I know.
You know, I'd be lying if I said I hadn't ever done this too. I like to think I go out and make a point of commenting in the thread afterwards, but I'm sure I've slipped up more than I'd care to imagine.

Either way, I know we can all agree that sharing the love, however we do it, is only ever a good thing

Many congrats on the latest chapter, @DensleyBlair. I cannot promise I'll get to it immediately, but I have been waiting as have so many of us for quite some time. I imagine you have as well. Well done, my friend. Well done!"
My thanks to you old friend! Cheers!

A middle-aged woman slips through the front door and stands awkwardly, checking her phone repeatedly as if anxious that she has the wrong address. Finally, she ordered an old fashioned from the bar.

I understand that we're celebrating @DensleyBlair completing Echoes of a New Tomorrow?

She waits for a moment to be contradicted. Hearing none, she raises her drink.

Congratulations indeed!
Cheers Cora! Thanks for the toast :D

He rubs the twist of the orange peel over the rim of the glass as he looks out over the bAAR, "Or are we all just enjoying ourselves? Amusing ourselves and hopefully others?"
Oh, absolutely. If I'm starting from the point of trying to second guess what other people would like to see of me, I'm already doomed. Every single thing I create, ultimately, comes from a sense that it would bring me pleasure to have it in the world.

And with that, DB fills a celebratory magic mug of hot cocoa and hunkers down in his armchair till the morning.
 
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I suppose in the grand scheme of things, yes, 2025 is some time around 2026 :D

Reasons why I've determined to keep writing. Fifteen years went by in a blink of an eye. I might not have enough time to finish if I slack off!

;)
Oh, absolutely. If I'm starting from the point of trying to second guess what other people would like to see of me, I'm already doomed. Every single thing I create, ultimately, comes from a sense that it would bring me pleasure to have it in the world.

Also why I've persisted putting out chapters despite minimal comments and the almost assured reality that no one is up to date on the story. Eventually, they might get to it...and, as far as I think, the story is a worthy thing to tell...and telling it gives me pleasure.
 
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Accepting the drink gratefully, she considers it for a second.

"My little story is a piker compared to some of the others on here, but I was astonished to realize that it is currently more than fifty thousand words--more than novel length, at least according to the SFWA. It's longer than any of the other AARs that I've written on here, and much longer than anything that I've written outside of this context.

"I've never been able to stick to a piece of fiction this long, and I think the fact of an audience helps: the little dopamine rush that comes when people read it, or try to guess what's happening next. And sometimes one of the comments will get me thinking, and that changes the direction of the story slightly or inspires me to fill in some bit of world-building. But I wouldn't enjoy it if it was just a game of anticipating what other people want from the story.

"Honestly, do you really want an artist who gives you what you expect? Do you want to see your own mind reflected back at you, really?"

She takes a sip and smiles. "And if I did want to sell out," she says, "my wife is always there to talk me down."
 
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Reasons why I've determined to keep writing. Fifteen years went by in a blink of an eye. I might not have enough time to finish if I slack off!

;)
This...
Also why I've persisted putting out chapters despite minimal comments and the almost assured reality that no one is up to date on the story. Eventually, they might get to it...and, as far as I think, the story is a worthy thing to tell...and telling it gives me pleasure.
...and this!

It took me 13 years to really start telling this latest story I wanted to tell and while I do not lack for readership (thank you every one!) it gains less and less new ones the longer it gets. Yet...I...want to tell it. And to think, it was suggested to me not to. Didn't stop me then and won't stop me now. It should never stop any of us if we have a story to tell. Someone here will read it. I promise.

ETA - But will they comment? Aye...there's the rub. ;)
 
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The ancient one came bustling back into the bAAR which had more people in it than since the holiday party. A smile beamed across his wrinkled face, but then he fished his cell phone out of his robes.

"This thing has been buzzing all day with the activity in here," he glared at the phone as he tossed it back and forth between his hands like a hot potato. Then he stowed it back in one of his pockets. "Glad to see it though."

He walked over to where @DensleyBlair was snoozing in his leather chair next to his papers, notebooks, and half finished mug of cocoa. He left a note scrawled in gold ink on a heavy stock card that said merely, "Congratulations." He made sure to place the card carefully on Densley's sleeping form without disturbing him.

"Definitely had to congratulate him, one of the great folks who hangs out here on such an accomplishment," Chac explained as he joined the knot of folks who were gathered around @coz1 by the main bar counter.

A middle-aged woman slips through the front door and stands awkwardly, checking her phone repeatedly as if anxious that she has the wrong address. Finally, she ordered an old fashioned from the bar.

I understand that we're celebrating @DensleyBlair completing Echoes of a New Tomorrow?

She waits for a moment to be contradicted. Hearing none, she raises her drink.

Congratulations indeed!
Accepting the drink gratefully, she considers it for a second.

"My little story is a piker compared to some of the others on here, but I was astonished to realize that it is currently more than fifty thousand words--more than novel length, at least according to the SFWA. It's longer than any of the other AARs that I've written on here, and much longer than anything that I've written outside of this context.

"I've never been able to stick to a piece of fiction this long, and I think the fact of an audience helps: the little dopamine rush that comes when people read it, or try to guess what's happening next. And sometimes one of the comments will get me thinking, and that changes the direction of the story slightly or inspires me to fill in some bit of world-building. But I wouldn't enjoy it if it was just a game of anticipating what other people want from the story.

"Honestly, do you really want an artist who gives you what you expect? Do you want to see your own mind reflected back at you, really?"

She takes a sip and smiles. "And if I did want to sell out," she says, "my wife is always there to talk me down."
"Also, didn't want to miss the return of @Cora Giantkiller to the bAAR. She was one of the early keepers of the flame here," Chac added. "You should be honored that coz is making your drink. He doesn't do that for just anyone, especially not for any of us new folks who haven't earned our stripes."

coz1 crushes the sugar cube as he looks to @Cora Giantkiller , "Indeed we are." He pours the bitters with the bourbon and smiles, "And it occurs to me...are we all writing the longest works ever?"

He rubs the twist of the orange peel over the rim of the glass as he looks out over the bAAR, "Or are we all just enjoying ourselves? Amusing ourselves and hopefully others?"

"I think so," he muses as he hands over the drink, "For twenty plus years, I most definitely think so." :)
Not wanting to test coz while he was tending bar for a change, the ancient one went behind the bar himself and found the good mezcal. He poured himself a glass and then went to the edge of the knot of folks still gathered. From the side he said, "Offering another somewhat muted toast to Densley and his accomplishment." Then he held the glass up momentarily before bringing it down to take a sip.

"You know what, I'm going to do it. I'm going to try and read at least one chapter per day of Echoes, Mission, and Tomorrow. It may take a while, but I should get caught up eventually if none of you post multiple times a day."
"A bold promise, @jak7139 . Wish I could make that commitment. I have all of those in my reading queue but find it hard to keep up with the ones I'm already currently reading. I suppose I will just have to promise to get to them," he replied, and then sighed.

There are 56 chapter updates in those four pages...nearing on 115k words...basically half of everything written so far is in those last four pages.
"You definitely have a good novel there, sir. Love your shorter work, and catching up with that. Maybe when you are done you should try getting it published?" Chac offered.

And if you do read an AAR for longer than two chapters, comment on it.
"And here I was thinking folks had heard more than enough from me. I've actually been using the emojis more lately," Chac admitted.

Euraisa walked into the bAAR and looked about. "Gentlemen, I need some information." He looked a tad uncomfortable and added, "I have a question that I am not sure is proper to ask. Ahem...if we have a AAR that ISN'T in the Paradox universe....where would we display it? I have come upon a interesting...game. A wonderful, amazing, game that I think many would enjoy. But....it was created by a indie company...and well, I want to make sure I won't be chased down and arrested for trying to...share it with the many readers."
The ancient one glanced around quickly to see if @Eurasia was still here. He had never seen Eurasia in the bar during his days here. The place was certainly drawing out the veterans these days and he appreciated that. He wasn't sure he could make out Eurasia but he was glad he had come in with a question and received an answer.

Then the ancient one found a stool and sipped on his mezcal happily as the conversation continued.
 
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