I usually notice that they don't live because a bunch of people will disappear with no word and never return or that you wait forever then poof everyone declares it dead without waiting to see if it really is. It can be a boredom factor or that it is slow to get to the actions but I find that Kyelin is right. It falls on human behavior and the circumstances that life throws the writer. I have been on a short break because my husband had to go to the ER and now need to be watched after. He is better now but it still put me off for a few days and sometimes it is too long for people to wait.