It would be great if we could use a story as a jumping off point for a conversation board or forum of some kind where everyone’s “responses” read like a conversation and didn’t show up as stories on their profiles.

You can already do that both on the medium app and on the web by using the “Write in Medium” feature. This, in my opinion, distinguishes Medium from all other online writing platform that I know. This feature, where you can initiate and branch off new ideas (that your thought spawns new thoughts) was a great feature with now obsolete social network “branch”.

Anyway back to the point. Be it story, be it nonfiction, this branching off is a great feature for which I really enjoy using Medium so much. Which also brings to mind how ideas get “forked” if you will. Story as a jumping off point, but also feedback as a jumping off point. I love this feature.