While I don’t think any author owes anyone personal explanations I will say that I think it’s always good to try and keep your readership updated. Something as simple as: “I’m going through some personal stuff right now” or “I’m dealing with writer’s block…” will probably do a lot in terms of keeping angry readers at bay. Of course you’ll still have the trolls/readers who just think they’re owed episodes daily/weekly, but I’m not sure how to get rid of those. 
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AMEN sis! I’m lucky not to be popular enough to have had this problem, but I’ve seen others get the hate mail and I’m like, how dare you! People have lives out of episode. Personally I try post updates as much as I can but sometimes life gets in the way and I can’t update
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Thank you for this thread, Jo.
I think it’s quite bizarre the sheer number of people that are so incredibly entitled that they have the gall to demand updates. I’m not even referring to the specific troll that’s harassing everyone right now, I mean in general. The amount of times I’ve seen people gloss over almost anything an author is excited to share, just to bombard them with “when will you update” questions is frustrating.
As a full time student who battles with very poor mental health, writing is almost never guaranteed for me. Sometimes I’ll have a random spur of energy and I’ll randomly write a thousand words in like an hour, other times the very thought of writing or coding makes me exhausted, and the latter is far more frequent. It’s not fair to expect people to drop everything they’re doing to accommodate to your needs. You take what you get. The most of us are not being paid for what we’re doing, and it is purely because we enjoy it. Part of that process is pacing yourself in a manner that’s comfortable to you.
I understand that once you publish you have some responsibility to provide content for your readers, and vanishing for months with no communication is not a professional thing to do. But a majority of complainers are upset they haven’t received an update in weeks which is just absurd.
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It’s time like this that I wish that instead of making readers read Episode Official stories to access the rest of the app that they’d make them code a full 3 episodes so they can see what it’s like. 
I know it wouldn’t ever happen (and it probably shouldn’t) though.
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Like any reader, of course I’m going to enjoy seeing that an author updated a story I love, but I need to emphasize like others in the thread that authors don’t owe us a certain frequency to updates. It’s good to keep that in mind no matter which end you exist on - writer, reader, or both.
It would be different if readers were paying authors for content in what functions as a binding, mutually understood agreement. (Insert any example of video game kickstarters that took everyone’s money and then disappeared here.) But this is not that. A lot of people have lives and jobs that don’t involve writing for Episode and things happen. It’s really lacking in compassion to say “why can’t you update x already, it’s been y months.” Either accept what an author is giving you or find something different on the app. I’m not going to be bullied and pressured into being a frequent updater, end of story.
Even if someone is using Episode as major income and they don’t write, then their reads can and probably should go down because they’re not writing for their job. I don’t want anyone to starve or live on the street; I’m just saying you can’t expect people to read your work and keep you in trending and recommend you when you’re not attempting to maintain the income in the unstable job you chose.
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I dont think readers should really expect anything from authors, but I also don’t think authors should get so upset when people ask when the next episode will be out. (Unless its written rudely.)
I admit it gets annoying, especially if you’re stressed out and doing your best, but I try to take it as a compliment. They want to read my story!!!
On the other hand, a reader can ask nicely and add more than just when is ch. 6? They could add a nice compliment along with it and it might not be taken as badly?
I agree that if a story is published slowly, I might lose interest, but I’m not going to get angry with that author. I just wont read, or I’ll wait until it’s complete.
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It doesn’t bother me when an author updates at all but as long as there is some communication that they haven’t abandon a story. I only say this there is one author loved her stories so much use to update regularly then suddenly nothing no communication on Instagram nothing.
But there is one who takes that long to update I don’t bother reading any of their stories until there completed.
But I do believe stories should show when it was last updated so readers won’t waste passes on a story that won’t be completed.
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I don’t understand these readers at all. As I’ve seen, popular authors actually do try to update frequently since they get paid based on the number of their reads. Others basically write for fun, and we all have lives outside Episode, so… Why don’t they just start reading something else while they’re waiting for updates? Come on, we have thousands of stories to choose from! I personally read so many stories that I’m constantly behind with everything, even if an author updates like, every second month.
And honestly, while I’ve never been harassed by fanmail asking for updates, I’m planning not to publish my next story until the whole thing is written, because I’ve seen this so many times that I started to get stressed out every time my story was on hold for a few weeks. Because I didn’t have time for writing. Or I didn’t really feel inspired.
I think the problem is really that some readers don’t understand that writing because of the pressure will only result in worse content and shorter episodes.
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Okay, but I actually think this is a great idea. It would save some grief at least, maybe.
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Okay, is it bad that I don’t really understand people who do this (complain instead of finding other things to read I mean) I mean I’m lucky if I can stay caught up on my favorites anyway due to my own writing, work, my sanity… I guess it kind of just baffles me now that people don’t just find other things to read if they’re all caught up on everything. I mean there are plenty of completed stories on the app.
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I don’t know if it’s bad, but I don’t understand it either. I barely have any stories in my favourites that I’m caught up on. I mean, I think it’s fine to ask (nicely!) if an author doesn’t update for months, but I personally don’t mind waiting. If it’s been a long time, I appreciate if there’s an option for recap though
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Definitely agree with this!
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I don’t know if this is a bad idea or not. But personally I’m scared that I don’t have the patience to continue after 3 episodes (only when it comes to me, for you guys then I don’t know) because I have a lot of idea bursts that can distract me easily from my main topic. So, because I don’t want to disappoint future readers, I don’t update each week but instead when I’m finished writing everything will I hit the publish button.
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I don’t think anyone likes waiting a long time for their favorite stories to update, but at the end of the day, authors are not obligated to updating their stories. That’s how I look at it. Sure it really sucks when an author stops updating or doesn’t update often enough, but I don’t think it’s my place (or anyone’s place) to push a standard on an author. I feel for authors who are constantly bombarded with DMs or comments asking them to update, because it’s never helpful and can be very discouraging.
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Honestly I’m not an author and even I get pissed when i see some of the disgusting comments to authors I know one author get death threats seriously because the MC slept with the LI best friend it’s a story not real like nobody deserves death threats.
But I never harass any author but I follow a lot on Instagram a majority will keep readers up to date on what there doing whether delays or not.
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bump 
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bump.
I understand it can be very anticipating to have a story updated only twice a year, but keep in mind, these authors aren’t paid to complete a story for you.
They take the time out of their days to write with great quality just so you can spend at least 15 minutes to read it for FREE. These readers have no idea what an author is dealing with in their personal life. They also have a life to deal with.
Some have kids, jobs, or other situations to deal with. It’s great to know other readers care about the story! But it’s so inconsiderate because they’re writing it for FREE for you!
Some readers even give death threats just because a story is taking too long to update?
If readers truly want a completed story, just read the trashy featured ones where authors are actually paid to have it completed 
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I don’t think we should hold authors to any standard when it comes to updating. It’s always up to them, not the readers. If the readers are unhappy, then they can tell the author (politely). But the author is in control, and they can do what they want with their story. I’m not saying readers can’t want an author to update or have expectations, as long as they don’t impose those expectations onto others. Readers can read stories that update often, or just choose to read stories that are already complete.
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I’m ok with waiting one or two months, but there are authors that take like one year to publish one chapter… Like what
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