I sympathize with authors hoping for feedback from readers. Otherwise, it must be like throwing a stone into a bottomless well -- no splash, no echo, ...

On the other hand, reviewing stories is something like what I get paid for, which makes it work. I do it though, irregularly, and with varying standards. Once in a while I even hit the top reviewers list (shoulder dislocated from patting self on back ).

It might help if the reviewing process was easier to figure out, but readers will do what they do no matter what. Some of them would review if they could be annonymous, but I'm not sure how an author would compare anonymous and signed comments, even when the signature is a nic.

Interesting discussion, thanks!