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Advice to New Fanstorians

Viewing comments for Chapter 1 "Reviewing for New Fanstorians"
Tips and advice for the new members

50 total reviews 
Comment from nomi338
Exceptional
This work has reached the exceptional level

Thank you so much. I am in total agreement with all the fine points you mentioned. I have a warning to all who are not yet aware of, they will praise your work highly, become your fan and ask you to become their fan. This is fine on the surface, but be careful, once you become their fan, you will be bombarded with their challenging posts which are never promoted higher than twenty cents, and that only rarely. Once you have become their fan you are basically stuck. This has happened to me, and I find it a disgusting waste of time as they never improve. I try to be kind, but I do not have the time.

 Comment Written 11-Jan-2024


reply by the author on 11-Jan-2024
    Ah. That's when you can go to your profile and stop those notifications. I find it necessary especially if they never reviewed my works. Thank you for the exceptional rating for this, Nomi!! Hugs!
Comment from patcelaw
Excellent
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This is excellent advice for any new fanstorian I have found it. I review most of the work some of the people who never promote their work. I will not review however, there are times when someone will have a post that is only two cents and yet because of the subject type, I will review and M, quite pleased. When I do, I have been known to give a six to somebody who only wrote a poem that had no promotion. I wrote it because of the subject and what the message was saying.

 Comment Written 11-Jan-2024


reply by the author on 12-Jan-2024
    That's wonderful, Patricia! Keep encouraging the way you do!
    Hugs and blessings!
Comment from BethShelby
Excellent
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These are really good suggestions. I will post some of my own. I have a problem with people who never do any reviewing. I realize it may be for lack of time, but It comes across as arrogance, like I have something worth reading, but I don't care to read what you wrote.

 Comment Written 11-Jan-2024


reply by the author on 12-Jan-2024
    It could really be a symptom of illness for all we know. I had your same reaction, too, about one non-reviewer. But someone mentioned he had some personal issues and that's why.
    Thanks for reviewing and for adding to the book already! Hugs!
Comment from Mustang Patty
Excellent
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Wow - you really did an excellent job of telling the newbies what to look for in their reviewing AND the best way to rack up points and member dollars.
It is a daunting task to make comments on someone's work - you never know when you will offend. (Trust me - I have the scars to prove that!)
Well done, and thank you for sharing,
~MP~

 Comment Written 11-Jan-2024


reply by the author on 12-Jan-2024
    Thank you, Patty! Of course, you are welcome to add to the book as I'm sure you have gained a lot of wisdom over the years. Hugs!
Comment from Debi Pick Marquette
Exceptional
This work has reached the exceptional level

I am singing your praises and thinking, yay, some direction for the newbie and it ended up giving me a little info I didn't know. I have been saying we needed something that helps to understand more about the rating as It was not as it appears on the rules. Now when we come upon one who clearly doesn't get it, there's a place to point them.

Like Karenina, when welcoming new people & have taken many under my wing and made myself available for any questions that come up. When new I was in constant contact with Tom, so hopefully it cuts down on his load. And close to a year later some are still coming to me for help and have formed great frendshps.

Yes, you are definitely a creature of habit. Bless you for doing this post and book. This is awesome!

 Comment Written 11-Jan-2024


reply by the author on 12-Jan-2024
    Thank you, Debi! Appreciate you sharing and the super rating, too!
    I know you can add some great advice to the book, too!
    Hugs!!
Comment from davisr (Rhonda)
Excellent
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Helen, my dear, you have given great advice! I know it's difficult for newbies to know what to do, and some even feel it's okay to be nasty to other writers to get some psychological advantage. I like the way you took a positive slant on your advice, assuming newbies to all desire to learn the norms here. I believe most do, and your post is invaluable. I hope other writers jump in and add to your book. As for me, you just about said all I would have and more.

Hugs,Rhonda

 Comment Written 11-Jan-2024


reply by the author on 12-Jan-2024
    Thank you so much, Rhonda! There are two new chapters already with great advice! I know you can add some but I also know you're pressed for time. Maybe you can share how you juggle family time, work, writing, while reviewing to promote? You don't sleep, do you? Hugs!
reply by davisr (Rhonda) on 12-Jan-2024
    Awww, Helen, you're too kind. I don't get as much sleep as I should, that's for sure, lol.

    I think that's a great idea for a chapter!! I'll get right on it.
Comment from Wendy G
Excellent
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Thanks for a great article. Can I ask a question? When they say there is a bonus certificate on this newly posted work for two reviews, and after that you need to promote it, what is the amount the first two reviewers get? They do surely get a significant amount (the first level if you put a treasure chest on it?) Is that what you are referring to as the Bonus Reviewing Round? Surely they get more than 2 cents for being one of the two first reviewers?
I have the same problem as you re the first page - I rarely get there, even though I never have the problem of forty reviews to reply to. Lol.
I don' think I fit any of those categories as I do promote everything, but I promote my longer pieces higher because they take longer to review. But now I am worried about being a "Sneaky" promoter because sometimes I wait to see if my work will resonate or not. If it does get a couple of favourable reviews I jump in and promote. But I assumed the "bonus certificate" meant they were awarded at the basic rate.
Wendy

 Comment Written 11-Jan-2024


reply by the author on 12-Jan-2024
    Lol. That's totally fine to be a "sneaky" promoter! I was just having fun with the different types of promotion. I omitted the regular promoters like you and me and Jim, who pointed it out. I should update that.

    As for what the default payout for unpromoted works. For poetry it's 20 cents and for prose, it's 52 cents. It's so much more to promote poetry!

    Thanks for reviewing and for the great comments, Wendy! Hugs!
Comment from Sandra Stoner-Mitchell
Excellent
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I think this will be a valuable tool for Newbies, Helen. I wish I'd had someone point out the FS hidden rules when I first joined. It took me a few years to understand the ranking system, etc.

I also like the idea of a Multi-Author Book for this, as I'm sure many have some excellent tips to share. Well done, my clever friend. :)) Sandra xxx

 Comment Written 11-Jan-2024


reply by the author on 12-Jan-2024
    Yes, Beth and Jim have already given great advice. I know you can, too. Thanks for reviewing! Any more improvements with the asthma? How did the doctor appointment go?
    Hugs and prayers!
Comment from Wayne Fowler
Excellent
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Thank you for this very enlightening post.
I didn't see myself in your list: 'the milquetoast promoter' - the person who offers only modest return for reviews. Or the 'over-poster' - one who posts ad nauseam with occasional floods of posts, pushing other works off the front page.
I try to post no more than every 4 days, but with the 80 Ben posts, followed by 40 Tony chapters, and then 40 more chapters on what will follow Tony, I post every 3 days, feverishly reviewing for dollars (as well as for fun) in between.
Add to that 'moments of inspiration' posts and contest entries and I become a milquetoast over-poster. (frowny face here)

 Comment Written 11-Jan-2024


reply by the author on 12-Jan-2024
    Lol. I think you do just fine. But what do you do when you get complaints from your wife about the time you're spending here? I didn't bring that up but it's a concern, too! Thanks for the humorous review, Wayne! Hugs!
reply by Wayne Fowler on 12-Jan-2024
    smiley face here
    My beautiful bride is in the same room and we communicate a lot (except when she would like me to just be quiet for a little while) sheepish face here.
    But mostly, I get up 1-2 hours before her and stay up a while later. (She's the normal one, not me)
Comment from jmdg1954
Excellent
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Helen, good morning.
This is an excellent idea to create this chapter book. Your first chapter is jam packed with information. So many newbies try to make a name for themselves before knowing more on reviews, therefore annoying the original writer.

I reposted one older piece in 2023 (it's not my customary style to do this), but I assumed that the current reviews got calculated into the rankings only because I found a number of writers who reposted quite a bit. I'm glad to read that it does not work this way

Sorry to ramble on...
Great info,
John

 Comment Written 11-Jan-2024


reply by the author on 12-Jan-2024
    No, I'm glad you noted that. I bolded that sentence for this very reason. Long ago, Phyllis Stewart repromoted a book and I noticed how her ranking kept sinking and I asked her about it and that's what she told me. So I took note! Thanks so much, John! Hugs!