I have been writing in this fandom since halfway through 2011, most of my work going towards my flagship title, The Lost Element. For a number of years, feedback was consistently pouring in with every update. A few dozen a chapter and at times even an entire page of 50 comments or more. Over the past few years, consistent feedback has become increasingly sparse with only a handful of dedicated readers having anything of substance to say regardless of which story gets updated. This may be partially due to the fandom’s decline over the course of the show’s lifespan, but it is frustrating nonetheless.

Nothing is more discouraging to a writer than getting little to no feedback at all. And I am an author that welcomes all forms of feedback, positive and negative. I want to know what I’m doing right and what I’m doing wrong. Where I am excelling and where I can improve upon. Not just with The Lost Element, but with any story that is in my gallery.

If anyone is interested in reviewing my works or providing feedback of any sort, it would be deeply appreciated.

Regarding your main story, it's 2.1 million words long. Archive Panic is a real thing, and pretty much ensures that once your work has so much to catch up on or else be locked out, all you'll be left with are the dedicated.

As for the others, I understand. I've had only a few stories over the years, but even my short one didn't get many comments despite a generally-positive reception. Probably just need to get lucky enough to get it featured and let the people roll in to give it a look and feedback.

7224455
When I read it, there were several major issues I mostly noticed. Firstly, the pacing was very, very slow. Taking time to enjoy a scene is one thing, but it seemed to creep along at a snail's pace. We don't need to know about every time James goes to the bathroom or cooks breakfast, which, by the way, takes at least a thousand words. There is a decisive lack of meaningful conflict in the later section of the book, which leads to padding out scenes or plenty of unneeded sex scenes. I do have a very big issue with the way you handle your sex, but it's mostly a personal thing I won't list here.

Then there's the main character. He's actually a good person. Almost too good. If anyone is seen disagreeing with him, they're either reproved or embarrassed. His opinion is the only one that seems to matter, like the entire world revolves around him and his constant well-being. For example, his major issues in the book is how he handles all the love he's received from the ponies in his life. Everyone he comes across falls in love with him in some measure--I use hyperbole here, obviously. It begins to get not only annoying, but predictable and uncomfortable. If all we see is how James is able to become polyamorous with every mare you like, it begins to be almost unbearable.

When it comes to villains, it seems like every new arc, there's a new one with little buildup, with the exception of a few glimpses of Chrysalis. Hey, Diamond Tiara is dealt with. Who'll be the new villain? Uh, Nightmare Moon. Well, looks like we redeemed her. What next? Um, Discord. It all seems like it was written on the fly.

Speaking of which, references do not make a story. It seems like the story is too reliant on pop culture references to old video games and Cartoon Network shows. What if we don't understand? We won't care. Even if we do understand, we won't care.

Finally, I think you introduced too many elements, (so to speak), that it'll be hard to follow up and give an adequate conclusion to all of the components or characters you've given time to show. You have your Button Mash, your Scootaloo, your Gladesong, your Mane Six, your princesss, your Mitta, your Queen Novo, your entire Project H subplot, your imminent war with the changelings, your obscure video game references, your dream sequences, your sex relations, the list goes on... and you honestly think you can do something satisfying with all of it? It's too much to juggle and not have it all come crashing down. A story should not be crammed with everything imaginable to satisfy the author. You forget about things until it's too late, or some things fall into obscurity, and tying everything together suddenly becomes impossible or Herculean. You'll end up like the end of Game of Thrones. Again, it's probably hyperbole, but I highly doubt you can pull this off successfully.

It's gotten to the point where I don't care about the story anymore. I try to distance myself from it. I don't care anymore about these characters because they become intolerable, and I don't care anymore about the story because there's nothing to be invested in.

7224455
Some have already pointed out all the problems with the story, so I won't repeat. But I might be able to add another problem that's stopping comments, or even new readers entirely.

HIE stories weren't a dime a dozen in 2011, and a new one didn't appear in the New Stories bar every 5 minutes. None of which are any good or even trying to be original at this point. Add in that, by its strict definition, this is a Displaced story, and those who hate that genre might just skip this one by default.

Granted I've never read the story that this is for, and I never will (because there is literally nothing in it that I like, just from what little I know of it), but I skip this kind of story anyway.

Not sure if this is any help. But there's my two cents.

7224508
You are quite literally the only person in years who has voiced these kinds of complaints about The Lost Element, even back when you were a regular reader. Just you. And I have no idea why.

I appreciate your feedback, though since I've seen numerous other in-depth commenters more or less defying your analysis with unintentional rebukes, I must take this with a grain of salt.

Though I never did forget this little appreciated gem you left under the story two years ago. How do you go from that to this? What changed along the way?

7224455 I think your story is breaking one of the main tenants of writing:

The story isn't complete when there's nothing more to add; the story is complete when there's nothing left to remove.

When you can still take out several chapters without affecting the main plot (if there even is such a thing in your story), you have a problem on your hooves.