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In a further attempt to understand and improve the Eunuch Archive, we have a question for both authors and readers of the FICTION Archive. In your answer, please indicate whether you are an author of any stories or if you only read the stories.

How is the Fiction Archive useful to you?

I joined the archive over thirteen years ago.

I have written many stories under a few names like: ( Dens7, Wayne7, and Littledick) there may be a few more as I have lost count.

I also read lots of the Gay type stories but do read some of the others.

I also read some of the forums but used to go through more forums than I do now.

Suffering from Depression and dyslexia I haven't posted any new stories for some time now but visit both the forums and Fiction Archives usually daily.

I think the moderators do a fantastic job and thank them for the time and effort they put into the community.

Read 135 times, including by 44 registered members of the Eunuch Archive and this is all the suggestions that we have for the Fiction Archive to discuss at the MoM? As we look at ways to improve the Archive, it would help to know its utility for members. How is it being used? What's it good for?

JesusA wrote: Sat Aug 02, 2014 11:10 pm Read 135 times, including by 44 registered members of the Eunuch Archive and this is all the suggestions that we have for the Fiction Archive to discuss at the MoM? As we look at ways to improve the Archive, it would help to know its utility for members. How is it being used? What's it good for?

I started reading the fiction first, which initially piqued my interest in castration. I eventually became a member so I could contribute several of my own stories. As I became seriously interested in becoming a eunuch, I began gravitating toward the issues and discussions sections. After I was castrated, I no longer had any interest in reading the fiction anymore.

I think it would be way too complicated to set up a search by a "key word" but it would be nice if we could. That's my comment. NC

I don't think we have many left that use the Archive. It's had so few new stories lately that we seem to have lost most of those interested in it. I almost never see any posts from those that used to post about the Archive all the time.

Here's an idea:

Add a board to the story section of vBulletin. Make it a moderated board, but allow PDF attachments to it, which would only be seen by regular members after it has passed inspection by a moderator. It wouldn't be integrated into the regular Archive, but it would allow people to post new stories without overwhelming one story moderator. Any moderator of the site could release them. This could be easily done without anyone having to write new software. Possibly, we could have separate boards for straight, gay, minor, and other category stories.

Although those left here possibly don't care one way or the other about the Archive, I think a vibrant Archive is vital to the this site. I just came back, after being away all day and found two posts. In days past, I might have found twenty or more.

Remember that all things rise and fall and then rise again - fashion for one and I suspect the fictional stories for another.

I will say that only two years ago, my short stories really sold fast but now they getting them published is very slow.

I've only ventured in there once before, but I had to view each letter individually, view the HTML source, and search that locally to find what I was looking for.

I have suspicions my interests and the fiction archive don't overlap all that much, but I haven't proved it yet.

I have a few stories and I would like to post them, but as I see it's not easy and I have to wait for months to see them in the Archive. If it would just like post a new topic to a forum I would do it.

In other hands the current Archive is not transparent. There are only a few ways to categorize the stories. It's like a poor car shop: I can select the color and the car type (city, off-road, cabriolet), but I can't select the other attributes (radio, seats, GPS, fuel type...etc.) so I have to check every car in the shop to find what I want... a red, city car with gps, radio, two seats and electric-powered.

I agree with Slammr, a forum-like Archive would be much usable and inspiriting for contributors. I would prefer not attaching the stories but posting straight to the comment. It could make easier to correct the discovered mistakes after the publishing. Not to mention that it would be easier to search with the integrated search function or the browser "find on page" function.

I know every change is hard but changes are the essence of the progress and the way of survive.

Yeah, I'm going to agree, that's the main issue that I think is going on, is that it's become a bit of a hassle to both post new stories as well as read them.

I know Cainanite is busy, I know someone would have to code a new script, I know you're doing the best you can, I know why there's a password protect now, and believe me, this isn't bashing you guys. I know why things are the way they are

All I'm saying is that the average internet layperson is lazy, and they don't like delayed gratification, and they don't want to go through any hassle. They just want to come into the archive and say "hey, stories! Maybe I'll check it out!" And keep checking them out on impulse. When then see that they have to register for an account, most of those impulse-readers decide "nah, never mind," and leave. Same thing with potential new story authors. They read stories and say "hey, I could write a story too!" And they go looking for a submission form, only to find that rather than a submission script, they have to e-mail it to someone and wait a long time for it to be approved, and so they decide "nah, never mind."

Again, I understand why these things need to happen. But at the same time, what they're basically doing is filtering out all of the casual users who decide they'll try it "just for fun," because when they run into any hassle, they're quick to change their minds and decide to not bother because of the waiting and the mental "what if"s involved. When they run into obstacles, they're more likely to talk themselves out of it. So the casual readers, the thing that makes a site huge rather than a niche intrest of devout readers and authors, get filtered out, and we're only left with the people who are serious enough about it to put forth the effort.

And I think I've said this before, but to me the archive is a HUGE deal. It was the very thing that finally let me express myself. Because the archive was so easy to access, a shy person like me was able to come in and read stories. Because I kept coming back to read stories, I started getting interested in posting my own. Because I decided to post my own, I started posting on the message boards. And because I started posting on the message boards, I stumbled on to topics about HRT and chem-castration trials for the first time. And because of that, I was able to finally discover myself and transition.

I think you'd be surprised, this is how a LOT of people express themselves before actually getting serious about it. They'll write about it in the privacy of their own rooms, imagining what it would be like, indulging the fantasy but being too ashamed to talk to anyone about it in real life. Then they stumble on to the archive and say "oh, wow, other people just like me writing stories!" And that is the way that they can slowly discover who they are.

Remember when I first joined the forums and I was all "The odds of me actually following through with it are slim to none, but I enjoy the fantasy?" Yup... thanks, fiction archive for helping me realize that I did deeply want it.

So PLEASE, whatever you do, please know that the fiction archive is an absolutely invaluable resource, a place to give voices to those who would never speak about it anywhere else. And frankly, I feel like joining a forum is a WAY bigger step than reading/posting stories. To me, posting stories just meant that I was interested in it, I could just be a completely "normal" guy posting, it didn't mean anything, where actually coming in to a message board and talking with people was a WAY bigger step, because that meant that I was actually joining a group with those who had done it, and I wasn't ready for that at first.

Anyway, that's my two cents. Again, I know why we need the password protect and the forum posting rule, and I know we don't have a story-submission script, but at the same time, it would GREATLY help pick the volume and the interest back up if the archive became less restrictive again, and more open to casual readers and casual authors who just read on a whim and post on a whim and don't really want to commit to being involved long-term yet.

And I'll admit, I have been thinking about getting back into writing stories myself, but the wait times involved are deterring me too. (And it's not a personal thing. Again, I know Cainanite is busy. He can't change that, and it's nothing personal against him. Please, please, don't take it that way. This isn't a personal attack on anyone saying "you need to work harder." All I'm saying is that it would benefit the archive if we could find some way to make the story-submission process faster and easier. It's harder to get up the gusto for writing when I know there's no guarantee on when it will be posted. Delayed gratification just isn't as much of an impetus.)

I read the archive most days and have submitted 1 story

There are three problems that I have with attached PDF files.

1. Database size for backup/restores

2. PDF can't be edited once posted, and the requests for changes would require deletion and reuploads. Members would also be able to delete posts later. If what we had had been in PDF form already, the nightmare that it's been for reposting would have been even worse.

3. Adobe itself. Every time I launch PDF reader here, there's drama. Always has been.

We're going to discuss this in more depth at the MOM.

How useful is the Fiction Archive to me? First I have to admit that The Fiction Archive is what brought me to the full site. I was just a reader, until I decided to go ahead to finally submit a multi-part story, recently posted.

Utility: Being straight I tend to read straight stories, but don't ignore ones identified as gay if the description interests me. The Archive provides multiple ways to sort the existing stories: Alpha by title, Alpha by author, Index two sorts by audience theme and index three sorts by general story theme. For me this is helpful in narrowing down to topics and stories I like.

New stories: I understand the limitations of the posting process in its current state. I am not qualified to offer input on how to make it better. The process is clearly outlined and the human element adds value to the archive. The responsibility taken on by the moderator is a huge one for a volunteer position. The results are fewer new stories published in a range of time. But the benefits are clear: the stories are formatted well for reading and having a human moderator keeps stuff that would otherwise violate the rules of the board and potentially the law from getting out and wrecking the archive for everyone.

Regarding some of the suggestions in this thread:

* A keyword search might be something I would try to use, but the current indexing fits my needs.

* There are other options on this site for sharing stories. The forum could have a section called stories. But it would have drawbacks: it would still need a moderator and the formatting would suffer. There is a current 'comments' section for stories but in the forum version the story posting could get feedback from readers in a way that is more intuitive. I am not sure why people don't use the comments on story option but reply to forum posts is more natural. If it were multiple 'chapters' then they would be separated by comments, making the reading a challenge, also there would be no practical way to organize the stories. There is a 'fictitious story' forum on the LPSG that allows the author to post directly to the forum, take a visit to see the limitations I stated above. (link if interested: http://www.lpsg.com/fictitious-stories/)

My input:

* I like the ability to 'favorite' stories for easy access to re-read. I have starred many stories, I would like to be able to see/find the stories I starred. It would be similar to the "Top Rated' link on the main page, just MY ratings as opposed to the entire site's. So a link might be called 'My Top Rated Stories'. But that might be the same as Favorites, so redundant.

Those are my simple thoughts. I know that this site is maintained by people who don't get paid for it and get that the resources don't always exist (time, skill set, etc.)to do everything in the world. For me, the site and the archive provide an outlet and would rather have it as is then not at all.

Originally I joined the archive despite the fiction stories. I thought they were totally stupid at the time. I joined because I was a eunuch (though not 100% so) and I wanted to be with others like me. And then I was taken aback by how many weren't actual eunuchs here. Initially it disappointed me. But I've gotten used to it all and even like this place it's people after all. -Can't do without as a matter of fact. And desperately want to go to a MOM someday. So as far as the stories go I've hardly ever read them yet. Someday I will and I really do like the idea that they do exist for several reasons. And when I have time I will write one of my own too.

I don't read the stories as much as I did but I just might attribute it to "getting older". I still enjoy some I have selected (or earmarked or listed) when not busy with other things. I am not a lover of the violent stories or some that are bretty bizarre. I like the funny ones and the ones where the one being operated on is happy with what is happening. Biology Class comes to mind ans well as many of the Simon stories.

Often I read one when on a day when I need a "pick me up" . Not for sexual release or anything but to life my spirits. I guess that is why I really love the ones with happy outcomes or make me laugh. Life is full of enough things to make one squirm without reading that type of story.

JesusA wrote: Fri Aug 01, 2014 3:40 am In a further attempt to understand and improve the Eunuch Archive, we have a question for both authors and readers of the FICTION Archive. In your answer, please indicate whether you are an author of any stories or if you only read the stories.

How is the Fiction Archive useful to you?

The Fiction Archive was very important as a reader, and is still important too. I was surfing on the net with the search terms "castration" and "ball busting" I came on the site of BME, where I read some stories about men who were or got castrated or had their testicles seriously damaged. They were written in the first person and I read them as a report of their personal experience. Maybe they were, maybe not, but for me went a door open to a subject I was struggling with and made find the Eunuch Archive. They made believe there are other real persons like me struggling with the same subject and the Eunuch Archive proofed there are such real people. As a member of the EA with real men and eunuchs, the function of the Fiction Archive changed to me. By reading the fiction of others I could safely follow them in their fantasy and find what I liked or not. It opened safely the door to my repressed subconsciousness. Fears, pain, friendship, pleasure, fun, punishment, staying a boy, castrated as a boy, castrated as an adult, eunuch friendships, self castrating as a boy or as an adults, projecting castration to the past or future, to an other, real or fictive culture, identifying with the castration of animals, absurdism like fishing with testicles of boy scouts, miraculous vanishing body parts, selling penises as hotdogs. This made my struggle more bearable, lighter. The factor "If this or If that." in the stories, to explore fantasy and subconsciousness, is very important.

It learned me too that castration and penectomy are not only a desire for an new and own identity or a funny play, but has much to do with a culture of repressed sexuality = a boy masturbates or has sex with a girl and has to loose his balls. What is wrong with masturbating and exploring sexuality? Why this feeling of guild?

It learned me that I hate incest. Meeting a castrated boy in the story who is happy to get fucked by his father or uncle, is the end of the story, I can't read any further.

It learned me that Identify myself with the men and boys who get or are castrated and that I like to be comforted in that situation. This says a lot about me also as an intact man.

The quality of the stories is very different, but that doesn't matter. I have printed many stories and later discarded because of the fear someone would see them and because I thought this whole subject was sick.

As a writer: I have two stories in Dutch in the initial phase and don't know whether I shall finish them. - one about friended happy castrated adults and a second about friended happy castrated boys.

Today I read less stories and still like them. There are less contributions in the department "Story Reviews & Author Feedback". In the old system I used the email address of the authors to write them how I liked their story and some friendly reactions and with someone an email correspondence. For me has the star rating replaced that. Recently I used for the first time the possebily to leave a comment which is only related to the story you just read at that moment.

Well I stil check nearly day to see if more stories are posted. I miss Bboy and the frequent postings but that was the past. It was an unexpected thrill to see the large batch that was posted. There waw one even by Nathan included. NC

nonconsensual (imported) wrote: Fri Aug 15, 2014 10:17 am Well I stil check nearly day to see if more stories are posted. I miss Bboy and the frequent postings but that was the past. It was an unexpected thrill to see the large batch that was posted. There waw one even by Nathan included. NC

You can thank Paolo for those past posts of stories, not Brian. He slaved his ass off running stories for folks for years. We will be visiting this issue at the MoM next week. The stories will survive one way or another.