Fixing Us First
Essay19 total reviews
Comment from gypsycaravan
I read all the entries and then placed my vote on this one. I am not blown away angry at the website changes, but I agree there is much to be changed. People need to change their attitudes and look at themselves before booing big brother. There are many things we users can change by the way we review, vote, comment, message, etc. After reading this, I will definitely try to do a better job of each of those things. My issue with the amount of reward for prose as opposed to poetry is carved in stone and it needs to be changed to be fair to all writers. I would also like to see a separate category for essays, to go along with poetry, short works (should be short stories), novels, and scripts to make it easier for people to choose the correct category they wish to review. I also think there should be a member dollar/cents reward for reading all entries in a contest or a vote only able to be cast after reviews on each entry. I like your idea of no entry in a month if you have already won a contest that month in that category. Gives more people an opportunity for success. Thanks so much for writing and posting this.
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I read all the entries and then placed my vote on this one. I am not blown away angry at the website changes, but I agree there is much to be changed. People need to change their attitudes and look at themselves before booing big brother. There are many things we users can change by the way we review, vote, comment, message, etc. After reading this, I will definitely try to do a better job of each of those things. My issue with the amount of reward for prose as opposed to poetry is carved in stone and it needs to be changed to be fair to all writers. I would also like to see a separate category for essays, to go along with poetry, short works (should be short stories), novels, and scripts to make it easier for people to choose the correct category they wish to review. I also think there should be a member dollar/cents reward for reading all entries in a contest or a vote only able to be cast after reviews on each entry. I like your idea of no entry in a month if you have already won a contest that month in that category. Gives more people an opportunity for success. Thanks so much for writing and posting this.
Comment Written 08-Dec-2014
Comment from mommerry
Second last paragraph you have used THEIR when it should be THERE. The rewards for reading poetry should be different than the rewards for reading prose - esp. long chapters of a novel. You have some good ideas.
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Second last paragraph you have used THEIR when it should be THERE. The rewards for reading poetry should be different than the rewards for reading prose - esp. long chapters of a novel. You have some good ideas.
This rating does not count towards story rating or author rank.
The highest and the lowest rating are not included in calculations.
Comment Written 08-Dec-2014
Comment from Imogen JH
Be wary of using abbreviations. Example, you may know what CEC stands for, but do all your readers? When did the ability to vote for yourself come about, I never knew that. Slightly bizarre concept, but give your reader the information required when you write facts like that.
I once had someone question one of my 5-7-5 poems. She thought one word was three instead of two syllables. Turned out she also had an entry and was mischief making. I shot her down. So be careful about looking too deeply into reviews.
What you get in reviews will fall far short of what you will get in a booth. One of the biggest problems here is knowing when the contest vote begins. A simple solution would be to message people who have reviewed any contest piece. But 'FanStory' doesn't do simple.
As for the types of contest entered. Well anyone can knock together a 3-5-3. It really does come down to the lowest common denominator.
I totally disagree with this being the best writing site. It is a good poetry site. Writing? It's second division. I can point you in the direction of better if you want to write seriously.
All in all, a good thought provoking piece worthy of a read. Don't take my disagreeing personally, Disagreeing is what makes the world go around, and I'm an expert at it.
Good writing, best of luck.
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Be wary of using abbreviations. Example, you may know what CEC stands for, but do all your readers? When did the ability to vote for yourself come about, I never knew that. Slightly bizarre concept, but give your reader the information required when you write facts like that.
I once had someone question one of my 5-7-5 poems. She thought one word was three instead of two syllables. Turned out she also had an entry and was mischief making. I shot her down. So be careful about looking too deeply into reviews.
What you get in reviews will fall far short of what you will get in a booth. One of the biggest problems here is knowing when the contest vote begins. A simple solution would be to message people who have reviewed any contest piece. But 'FanStory' doesn't do simple.
As for the types of contest entered. Well anyone can knock together a 3-5-3. It really does come down to the lowest common denominator.
I totally disagree with this being the best writing site. It is a good poetry site. Writing? It's second division. I can point you in the direction of better if you want to write seriously.
All in all, a good thought provoking piece worthy of a read. Don't take my disagreeing personally, Disagreeing is what makes the world go around, and I'm an expert at it.
Good writing, best of luck.
Comment Written 08-Dec-2014
Comment from LIJ Red
I give so many fives because I skip the ones that are too fouled up to help, ones I just don't understand, and ones I don't like to have to judge-those from broken hearts or
intense faith, because I'd be too lenient. There are plenty
of sound, smooth works posted I can give fives to. No, I am
no great help to struggling novices. They'd get mad anyway
if I rewrote their work! I do occasionally find a way to make a good work better-and I like those moments!
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I give so many fives because I skip the ones that are too fouled up to help, ones I just don't understand, and ones I don't like to have to judge-those from broken hearts or
intense faith, because I'd be too lenient. There are plenty
of sound, smooth works posted I can give fives to. No, I am
no great help to struggling novices. They'd get mad anyway
if I rewrote their work! I do occasionally find a way to make a good work better-and I like those moments!
Comment Written 08-Dec-2014
Comment from Spitfire
A breezy write and I'm guessing the author is M.C. Sounds like his style. Anyway, your spot on when you mention improvement starts with honest reviews and ratings.
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A breezy write and I'm guessing the author is M.C. Sounds like his style. Anyway, your spot on when you mention improvement starts with honest reviews and ratings.
Comment Written 08-Dec-2014
Comment from humpwhistle
I have a couple of suggestions for 'membership', Mikey.
Stop people from 'signing' blind contest entries.
And stop paying top dollar for very short stories, just to rack up ranking points.
Just my two cents.
Peace, Lee
reply by the author on 08-Dec-2014
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I have a couple of suggestions for 'membership', Mikey.
Stop people from 'signing' blind contest entries.
And stop paying top dollar for very short stories, just to rack up ranking points.
Just my two cents.
Peace, Lee
Comment Written 08-Dec-2014
reply by the author on 08-Dec-2014
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I made it as plain as I could now. That's a somewhat automatic format for me. I don't really think about it. Usually people still recognize my style, what ever that might be. I thought the story was good and I wanted people to read it. I suggested to Tom a while back there should be a default font and format for contests. He said he'd think about it. Some of the styles are pretty distinctive, so I'm not sure there are any truly blind contests here. mikey
Comment from RPSaxena
Hello Friend,
Nice piece of Essay Non-Fiction,
These lines are noteworthy:
"Give honest reviews. Participate in the contests and voting. Stop cheating your fellow writers with meaningless reviews that say nothing. Read the work and give your opinion."
I would like to add 'Free and fair opinion backed by proper justification, only with the object of bringing improvement in the writer's coming pieces of work.'
A reviewer should try to encourage the writer without hurting his feelings and without bothering about 'the Stars'. I think so.
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Hello Friend,
Nice piece of Essay Non-Fiction,
These lines are noteworthy:
"Give honest reviews. Participate in the contests and voting. Stop cheating your fellow writers with meaningless reviews that say nothing. Read the work and give your opinion."
I would like to add 'Free and fair opinion backed by proper justification, only with the object of bringing improvement in the writer's coming pieces of work.'
A reviewer should try to encourage the writer without hurting his feelings and without bothering about 'the Stars'. I think so.
Comment Written 08-Dec-2014
Comment from Nosha17
And I am not giving this a six because I know who wrote this! The style is yours alone! I give it for the honest opinions that you have expressed here and concrete ideas for improvement. I agree with you totally about the contest entries where people just blindly write all is fine. I always correct people's poems or stories and say they should edit before entering (I don't often review haikus, so the syllable count is irrelevant)I do not like contests for the very reason you mentioned, favouritism; it seems like a wasted effort, according to contest entrants who vent their frustration in messages to me. I absolutely second your proposal for more winnings for essay writers. I also feel there is a big deal of difference between a haiku and one of my 8-12 verse poems(five minutes' effort compared to 4 hours or more)I agree with your views on some reviewers' dishonest reviews. I read a poem or story, can't remember which-it was not good-so I checked what others had written and most said it was excellent- but I found it had so many errors of spelling and syntax, a completely false review. That bothered me a lot. I gave it a four and edited it. It didn't really deserve a four, but having been given a three myself in the past by a heartless person, I didn't want to destroy the person's enthusiasm. Great write as always! Faye
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And I am not giving this a six because I know who wrote this! The style is yours alone! I give it for the honest opinions that you have expressed here and concrete ideas for improvement. I agree with you totally about the contest entries where people just blindly write all is fine. I always correct people's poems or stories and say they should edit before entering (I don't often review haikus, so the syllable count is irrelevant)I do not like contests for the very reason you mentioned, favouritism; it seems like a wasted effort, according to contest entrants who vent their frustration in messages to me. I absolutely second your proposal for more winnings for essay writers. I also feel there is a big deal of difference between a haiku and one of my 8-12 verse poems(five minutes' effort compared to 4 hours or more)I agree with your views on some reviewers' dishonest reviews. I read a poem or story, can't remember which-it was not good-so I checked what others had written and most said it was excellent- but I found it had so many errors of spelling and syntax, a completely false review. That bothered me a lot. I gave it a four and edited it. It didn't really deserve a four, but having been given a three myself in the past by a heartless person, I didn't want to destroy the person's enthusiasm. Great write as always! Faye
Comment Written 08-Dec-2014
Comment from tfawcus
You make a number of good points here - the main one being that the site is only as good as its membership. Contests like this one that invite the membership to present its views are one visible sign of a healthy site. It would be good to feel that this was more than an opportunity to 'get it off your chest'. Wonderful if the committee could respond to some of the points made.
This rating does not count towards story rating or author rank.
The highest and the lowest rating are not included in calculations.
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You make a number of good points here - the main one being that the site is only as good as its membership. Contests like this one that invite the membership to present its views are one visible sign of a healthy site. It would be good to feel that this was more than an opportunity to 'get it off your chest'. Wonderful if the committee could respond to some of the points made.
This rating does not count towards story rating or author rank.
The highest and the lowest rating are not included in calculations.
Comment Written 08-Dec-2014