Question to the mods. Is it possible to get the older stories locked so that no new replies may be accepted? I think that anything over, perhaps, a year old would fall into that category. They should still be there imo so that we can read them and learn from the critique but to have them continually updated with new critique seems to me poinless after a year. I would hope the author has taken on board all comments and moved on since then, potentially in both style and experience. I realise that this might make it harder for some to reach their posting threshold for submission of stories, but I think here are enough new posts for that not to be a problem. Anyone else agree or am I barking up an empty tree?
It's an issue for an administrator. And there is two sides to it. One it does keep things tidy but as new members come in old stories can serve as example issues and members often like to hang on to old work. Functionally it's something the site software can do as part of its database maintenance.
Please read How to Use the Writing Workshop. The Writing Workshop is the only place on the site where it's not only acceptable, but actually encouraged, to respond on old threads. It doesn't matter how old the piece of writing is, or whether the original writer ever sees the critique. The person who benefits most freom the critique is the critiquer. So yes, you are barking up an empty tree, or taking a leak on a tree that needs no moisture.