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Viv
Challenge Admin
Joined: 24 Apr 2003
Posts: 71
Location: Texas
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 Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2008 5:25 pm Post subject: Them star-rating things: how to use them |
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First, I don't run this site, so I'm far, far from the official voice here. I'm just a writer and a reader. But I've been here a while and seen some things.
And Folks, it just ain't helpful to read a story, rate it with one star, and have done. Now I'm not saying there aren't stories that deserve one-star ratings, and I've probably assigned more than a few over the years. But if you decide to one-star a story, please have the courtesy to PM the author and give gentle constructive criticism on how to improve the story. No flaming, of course, but an explanation is just polite. Imagine how startling it can be to pour your soul into a story, get up the courage to post it, and then see a one-star rating next to it, with no explanation.
Now, for all I know, you folks who've given one-star ratings have sent out PMs already, and if you have, Good on you. For anybody who hasn't, please consider doing it, or changing your rating.
I just think it ain't right to use the anonymity of the star rating system here to be mean. |
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NancyBrooke
Challenge Admin
Joined: 11 May 2003
Posts: 160
Location: In a motel 6 by the airport
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| Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2008 8:19 pm Post subject: |
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Hear, Hear!
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NB Duchess of WHY TF Cant'chu Punctuate, First Duchess of F*&(ing &*ll yur comma placement sux!
Nazgul #3 in charge of ducking & sniggering
Garo golf a conu ned i eneth aran an ir ho delitha ad |
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NeumeIndil
Joined: 06 Jun 2005
Posts: 1084
Location: St. Louis, Missouri, USA
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| Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2008 11:26 pm Post subject: |
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*golf clap* Nicely said.
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An Infinite Source of Pervy Wisdom. |
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Robbie
Site Admin
Joined: 22 Jun 2003
Posts: 1100
Location: Sydney, Australia.
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| Posted: Fri Feb 22, 2008 8:36 am Post subject: |
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Viv - if there is any suspicion of problems just let us know. We know who did what. We'll never tell you who gave you a bad rating, but we can check for mallicious activity and rectify it if there is a pattern.
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Rob
www.crackingegg.com |
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Alassante
Virtual Village Mod
Joined: 10 Dec 2004
Posts: 20
Location: Hitchhiking to Rivendell
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| Posted: Fri Feb 22, 2008 11:16 am Post subject: |
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Would it be possible to set up the star ratings so that the person HAS to leave a review if they rate you (good or bad)? Because thats the only thing that gets me. If something is rated down because someone doesn't like it, it would be helpful to know what it was they didn't like or thought could be better. Everyone can make improvements and I'm far from saying my work is always deserving of 3-5 stars. Some people might not want concrit but IMO thats the only way to improve. But most of the time the one-two star doesn't come with a review explaining it. I wouldn't mind the bad rating so much if I knew WHY.
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Rhapsody
Joined: 11 Apr 2004
Posts: 1153
Location: Maglor's Lap
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| Posted: Fri Feb 22, 2008 5:25 pm Post subject: |
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Viv, just a thought: why don't you start a wiki fic on reviewing, leaving concrit, ways to go about it and all of that? This way a word like concrit becomes more tangible, but might be useful for those who feel a bit impressed by writing a review. Just an idea.
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I have not lost my mind - it's backed up on disk somewhere...
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Nazgul #5 in charge anything liquid or edible things
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Viv
Challenge Admin
Joined: 24 Apr 2003
Posts: 71
Location: Texas
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| Posted: Fri Feb 22, 2008 5:59 pm Post subject: |
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I'm not really an authority on leaving reviews, honestly. Most of the reviews I leave are squees.  And as hard-ass a beta as I used to be, I've mellowed a lot. I'm not even sure how I'd start telling people *how* to concrit... |
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NancyBrooke
Challenge Admin
Joined: 11 May 2003
Posts: 160
Location: In a motel 6 by the airport
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| Posted: Sat Feb 23, 2008 9:00 am Post subject: |
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| Rhapsody wrote: | | Viv, just a thought: why don't you start a wiki fic on reviewing, leaving concrit, ways to go about it and all of that? This way a word like concrit becomes more tangible, but might be useful for those who feel a bit impressed by writing a review. Just an idea. |
A good idea, though, Rhapsody ... do you feel like taking a shot at starting it?
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NB Duchess of WHY TF Cant'chu Punctuate, First Duchess of F*&(ing &*ll yur comma placement sux!
Nazgul #3 in charge of ducking & sniggering
Garo golf a conu ned i eneth aran an ir ho delitha ad |
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Alassante
Virtual Village Mod
Joined: 10 Dec 2004
Posts: 20
Location: Hitchhiking to Rivendell
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| Posted: Sun Feb 24, 2008 12:57 am Post subject: |
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I'm not sure about this idea personally. It you make it seem too complicated to leave a review, people might get intimidated and just not bother at all. I know when I read a long document on another site about how to leave a proper concrit/review I felt it was alittle too strict or formulated. This is just my opinion of course but I'd rather people say what they think or feel about my writing, even if its not the best concrit. Those who can write good concrit will and the ones who just say - 'I loved it' or 'this isn't working for me' are welcome to say just that too. There is a document that goes into a ton of detail about how to review on another site. If someone wanted to talk to that writer about posting it here too - I'm sure she would.
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Nagzul #2 - The Nazgul of Shmoove
Crucio! Because stupidity should be painful!
http://alikat7.livejournal.com/ |
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Robbie
Site Admin
Joined: 22 Jun 2003
Posts: 1100
Location: Sydney, Australia.
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| Posted: Sun Feb 24, 2008 1:09 am Post subject: |
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We thought about linking rating and reviewing. We also discussed taking off th rating altogether.
To be honest, the ratings are fun, but pretty useless really. Cause more problems than they are probably worth. Plus, you may get a FANTASTIC new story, but only 10-20 ratings which will never top the several hundred from stories from the early days that have had lot of reads.
Just ignore them. What matters are reviews.
(And no - don't make reviewing complicated. A two word "Great Story" probably makes you has happy as a 1000 word essay on the brilliance you demonstrated in examining the complex interpersonal relationship betwwe the two leading characters of your story, and that you could practically touch the simering evil of the guy who as danlging them headfirst over a bubbling cauldron of oil.)
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www.crackingegg.com |
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Rhapsody
Joined: 11 Apr 2004
Posts: 1153
Location: Maglor's Lap
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| Posted: Sun Feb 24, 2008 8:11 pm Post subject: |
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| NancyBrooke wrote: | | Rhapsody wrote: | | Viv, just a thought: why don't you start a wiki fic on reviewing, leaving concrit, ways to go about it and all of that? This way a word like concrit becomes more tangible, but might be useful for those who feel a bit impressed by writing a review. Just an idea. |
A good idea, though, Rhapsody ... do you feel like taking a shot at starting it? |
I had a draft essay that I wrote a year ago and send it off to beta, it just never came back. But that had more to do with writing reviews and how to respond to it, so I am not sure if that would fit the bill. I just don't have the time to dig it up.
For the MEFA's, I am not sure if you followed it, this was brought up again during post mortem and it came to the surface that people rather wanted to have a practical essay with pointers than feeling left in the dark on how to approach it. Leaving a review remained a thing that felt rather big to tackle and actualy getting tips or review strategies helped them. Also I am not sure how many people who review, actually see the forum and come across this post...
Anyhow, it's a suggestion, nothing more.
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I have not lost my mind - it's backed up on disk somewhere...
Maglor's bard & Celegorm's play pal
Nazgul #5 in charge anything liquid or edible things
Icon made by Carnage in c minor. |
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Viv
Challenge Admin
Joined: 24 Apr 2003
Posts: 71
Location: Texas
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| Posted: Sun Feb 24, 2008 8:14 pm Post subject: |
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| Rhapsody wrote: | | I had a draft essay that I wrote a year ago and send it off to beta, it just never came back. But that had more to do with writing reviews and how to respond to it, so I am not sure if that would fit the bill. I just don't have the time to dig it up. |
I would love to beta this and get it out there for folks to read, if you find it.
If not, maybe we could collaborate on recreating it? Maybe in the collaboration thread of this forum? I didn't realize that reviewing was such an art, but I guess it is. I could certainly use a few pointers. |
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Rhapsody
Joined: 11 Apr 2004
Posts: 1153
Location: Maglor's Lap
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| Posted: Wed Feb 27, 2008 9:22 am Post subject: |
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| Viv wrote: | | Rhapsody wrote: | | I had a draft essay that I wrote a year ago and send it off to beta, it just never came back. But that had more to do with writing reviews and how to respond to it, so I am not sure if that would fit the bill. I just don't have the time to dig it up. |
I would love to beta this and get it out there for folks to read, if you find it.
If not, maybe we could collaborate on recreating it? Maybe in the collaboration thread of this forum? I didn't realize that reviewing was such an art, but I guess it is. I could certainly use a few pointers. |
I don't consider it an art personally, I do think it comes more easy for some to write them. I mean, I just write down first impressions, what I loved ect. I started out in this fandom as a reader & reviewer before I dared to actually to bring any of my writings to the public, so that's another thing probably. When I read that writers want feedback (also on this thread), there has to be a way that we can encourage readers to speak up their minds without being feared that: a) what they will say won't be good enough for the writer (trust me, I have seen reviewers truly mistreated badly, also when giving good and well thought out concrit. When I observed that a year ago, I wrote that darned essay.), b) not sure how to say it (after all a review is public to see for all too), even if it are just a few lines. Many psychological factors weigh in too, for example erotica pieces are generally well read, but people do not want to review because there is still a some sort of stigma on it (this also came out during MEFA post mortem I thought) of being 'caught'. Having a high hit count and hardly any reviews does not mean your story is bad, I'd say on the contrary.
Anyway, enough soap box time for now, RL has me by the scruff of my neck again. When that calms down, we have to see what we can do Viv. 
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I have not lost my mind - it's backed up on disk somewhere...
Maglor's bard & Celegorm's play pal
Nazgul #5 in charge anything liquid or edible things
Icon made by Carnage in c minor. |
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eiranae
Quiz Admin
Joined: 21 Mar 2006
Posts: 0
Location: Just to the left of barmy.
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| Posted: Wed Feb 27, 2008 12:03 pm Post subject: |
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Just my two cents, but when I read an amazing story, I do feel a little intimidated leaving a review. If I love the story, I want my review to reflect that. Honestly, my writing and grammar just aren't up to par with some of the brilliance on this site.
I do try to leave reviews for stories I love, but I usually go away thinking, 'Wow, I sounded like a real idiot there.'
Eiranae |
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Viv
Challenge Admin
Joined: 24 Apr 2003
Posts: 71
Location: Texas
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| Posted: Wed Feb 27, 2008 12:24 pm Post subject: |
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I think you leave excellent reviews, eiranae. You know I do grammar stuff for a living? Well, I don't see anything at all wrong with your grammar.
But with what you and Rhaps have said ... wow, I didn't realize it could be intimidating to leave reviews. But I can see now how that could be.
I've had a few instances where I've left a review and the author has reponded defensively. Most of the time I just shrug and move on, because it makes total sense for an author to defend his or her work, especially if I've been presumptuous enough to nitpick on it. I figure the important thing is to know where the other person is coming from.
When I have serious concrit, I generally PM the author rather than leave a snarky review. So, that's an option, too, I guess. |
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