Messages

RE: I wish people were more genuine

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It might make reading novels difficult if everything was anonymous. It also wouldn't mimic the real world. However, reviews COULD be without a real problem.

RE: I wish people were more genuine

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It might make reading novels difficult if everything was anonymous. It also wouldn't mimic the real world. However, reviews COULD be without a real problem.

RE: I wish people were more genuine

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I see Gloria brought up the topic of the 'gold star reviewer' or to give its correct title 'recognised reviewer'.

I'm pretty sure no one knows what this is, and those that do don't really care. I was made one many years ago and I take time and care when I'm reviewing. I'm also use the site guidelines.

I believe the site guidelines are there to provide assistance and more of an even playing field on the site. I like them and use them.

I rarely give out 6 star reviews and rarely a three or less.

But what I do get is a lot of mutes. I earnt my reviewing rating and it is frustrating when folk who purport to want critique don't appear to want to listen and the same mistakes occur time and time again, so you end up giving up which is a shame.

I had one of the top writers a few years back ask me to critique more of their work (actually to edit one of their books) and the first one I did got me muted, seemingly forever and it wasn't even that bad.

I am also a qualified proof-reader and editor as well as having qualifications in creative writing, screen writing and English literature (although none of these are my day jobs - I just enjoy them). I am also a published author. I publish in the traditional manner of submitting work for consideration as opposed to self-publishing.

I wouldn't have been able to do this without FanStory and the reviews I received. I'd never written a story before I joined (short stories is my thing now!). I joined as an already published poet (shocker I know).

I regularly got less than 5 stars and one guy used to correct my work with lines through it and red ink (I kid you not) and he was brilliant.

I haven't been active recently as I'm recovery from reconstructive surgery on my ankle and leg but because of the way things have been going on site, I had reduced my time here anyway. I also have a full time job as well.

The want or need for a good reviewer, recognised reviewer, or someone who gives insight and critique seems to be on the decline. It's frustrating and that's why many are inactive and don't review as much as they used to.

Folk look to the ranked reviewers more than other types of reviewers which are based on volume alone. (this is a common response I used to get when more actively reviewing).

One of the other reasons for my reduced presence is that there is hardly anything for me to review. I am mainly interested in fiction prose and there's very little of it about these days. The majority of prose is non-fiction.

Competitions / contests proliferate the site postings. Folk used to write for the fun and joy of it and it showed in the writing. Most flash stories here don't even have a proper story structure. A lot of the poetry pieces feel wrangled to fit a format or word count (there are some sublime pieces which transcend this but most don't).

When folk are giving out advice to only write very short pieces or never give less than 5 stars, things won't change.

And let's also be clear, that basically popularity equals success on the site - and I don't mean the writing. If can smooze people, cajole and come across as a 'good guy' you'll do well. That's the game and that's okay.

So, the best thing to do, if you want serious or more honest reviews is to a bit of research. Read the comments, check folk out and then see if you can get their attention. Other folk do this, which is probably why one gets muted by writers you've never reviewed (apart from the cliques that is).

RE: I wish people were more genuine

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I know just how you feel, G-man. I have been a recognized reviewer for many years. I then went for a self-publishing company, and have been told by at least one person that she would rather get three stars for me than five from anyone else. I don't know when you joined, but I joined in two thousand six. I reviewed and helped to women in particular who are now selling books on Amazon and very popular because of my help, and help of other fanstory reviewers.

I use the site guidelines, but I don't review is much as I used to. Some people post things that are so bad that you know there's no helping them. Their work isn't formatted correctly, and it's loaded with spelling errors, etc.

The site is filled with members who are not
interested in writing, they just want to win contests and climb the meaningless rankings. I've got several of those year-end statuettes. They're just something else to dust.

It's not going to get better around here because only a few of us care.

RE: I wish people were more genuine

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You haven't addressed the very simple question: If your goal is to help people become better writers, why do you think it necessary to lower a star rating to do so?

RE: I wish people were more genuine

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Because I follow the site guidelines.

The goal is to help folk. It's an indication of where a piece is for the writer. That can be incredibly beneficial.

Also I have never lowered a star rating in my life. No one starts with five stars or six. People have got to get away from this idea that something has been taken away.

I review objectively. Did it blow my socks off? No, not a six. Was it technically sound and a good story structure and appealing? Yes, that's a five. No, that's a four.

It's an award not a deduction. To say it's been taken awa or lowered is just not right. The site guidelines give the indicators. 'How many stars 6should I award?'

I'm not going to get into an argument about it. I have seen many pieces littered with 5 or above where folk have ignored any advice they've been given and come at you for awarding a four when everyone else has given a standard 5, even with advice.

If you remove the star system, a lot of the site's features don't work. But they can also be manipulated.

People have got too soft. you want to see the feedback you get in the real world. The vast majority of reviewers here are kind, even with a four star review.

If all folk want is a pat on the back and a five star review then they're not interested in learning and improving, so I pass them by.

It's folk who purport to want it and then don't like it and the plain nasty reviewers who are the issue (although that again can be very subjective).

But at the end of the day, stars / ratings are awarded not lowered. I go into every piece with an open mind and see how it speaks to me.

RE: I wish people were more genuine

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Absolutely, G-Man! Posting is sort of like turning in a term paper to a teacher. Teacher awards what the paper merits based on its overall quality or lack thereof. Not every paper is an "A."

I follow the site "guidelines" and I have since I joined. I usually hit skip when I see something that's going to need extensive correction. If the writer takes no pride in the document and ignores or doesn't understand basic English grammar, spelling and punctuation, then I'm just wasting my time and the writer's too.

RE: I wish people were more genuine

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I agree with you both. There is no purpose in getting into an argument. What did you mean Gareth when you wrote: "If you remove the star system, a lot of the site's features don't work. But they can also be manipulated."

RE: I wish people were more genuine

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If you remove the star system, it takes away the rankings, pieces of the month etc as without them there's purely the reviews content to go on and that doesn't fit algorithms.

You can affect rankings, places etc by using the stars especially the sixes and fours strategically. One "top writer" years ago did it to me a lot when I got close to them in the rankings, they went in and reviewed selected pieces with fours and below. (They admitted doing this and other things on their own blog web page off site). Folks also give their favoured writers sixes for below par work.

It's everyone's choice how they rate. But it's something that can and does happen.

RE: I wish people were more genuine

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LOL. So true and expected. The year I earned poet of the year a member went into my portfolio and gave me one star reviews one after the other while I was asleep until I woke up to my new day and muted him. Envy is a thing.