People are quick to assume the worst in everyone. It's funny how users judge another as greedy by just using one privacy setting. It is only here in AFF that a setting can be viewed as a source of competition. Like everything authors do is solely to gain followers.

Maybe authors want that added layer of protection. Maybe authors want to limit their readership to only those who are really interested, those who would commit and take the extra step to subscribe.

One of my friends use this option in her stories. You could read her comment in the previous post.

I use this in my gallery. I wanted to delete it but my history in graphic making is documented there. So I kept it. I only want my past subscribers to see it so I used that option. With the stigma attached to this setting, I am quite relieved that no one would bother with my gallery. Plus, I could keep my artworks safe from lurkers who use them without permission. HMP.

When the subscribers-only setting was first introduced, it didn't have the option to subscribe to stories. It is literally locked, only users who subscribed before could access it. There was no chance for readers to view it. So, other users asked boss if he could allow new readers to access the fic and he did.  Thanks boss.

Now, all I see are users complaining about it. Give the feature a chance. The problem is that when users see the word subscribers, they see red, they see numbers, they see the featured section and assume the worst. when there are other reasons why someone would use this option.

The author is limiting the number of people who could access her fic. If the foreword piqued our interest, subscribe. It's free. Read the first chapters. If it didn't satisfy us, unsubscribe. Honestly, authors would rather have us unsubscribe than stay subscribed when we are no longer reading the fic. If you feel bad for unsubscribing, don't. Author had the guts to use that setting knowing the consequences. An erratic subscriber count is the least of their problems. I encourage you to unsubscribe.

Or if you see them as subscriber-hungry, ignore them then. Using that setting doesn't guarantee subscribers. Some may subscribe but they could unsubscribe just as fast if they don't like what they see. There are other stories out there. 

I don't understand. If you are a normal reader, I don't think this should be a problem. Subscribe. Unsubscribe. Subscribe. Unsubscribe. Ignore. Ignore.

So I would assume that these people complaining are silent readers, the lurkers. Because suddenly author decides to lock his/her fic and they can't silently read. If you obviously enjoyed reading her fic and looked forward to reading every chapter, why don't you subscribe? Is it embarassing? You could keep your subscriptions list private. You don't want author to know you are reading? And the only thing keeping you from reading the fic is what... a button. A subscription. It's free. You don't get  karma point deductions. You don't like AFF giving author karma, then? Is it that hard to press the button? 

In the end, it is your choice. Get mad at the world for authors hiding their fics from you or do the noble thing and support author by subscribing.

So why is this Keeper dedicating a post to this. Simple. I am forever loyal to AFF and I tend to like all features simply because boss made it with our best interests in mind. 

-Keeper

/hey, I am not forcing you.  You have a brain and a pair of hands, with five fingers each, use them. It's your choice. An online Keeper can't make you do anything.