Advice to New Fanstorians
Viewing comments for Chapter 4 "Posting & Reviewing for Newbies "Tips and advice for the new members
31 total reviews
Comment from Wendy G
An excellent chapter for the book, very thoughtful and well-written, and the notes for HOW to review are very relevant. There are very few quality reviewers, and I know I fail, especially if I don't see any room for improvement. In your piece I like that you showed us by specific examples how our reviews can be more helpful.
So many people do just try to fill the 150 characters. (And that is hard for the very short poems like 1-6-1 or even 5-7-5 syllables, when there is very little to comment on.)
However, I frequently do make suggestions, after spending considerable time on a piece, and then I get a cut and paste response only, and all my suggestions are ignored, even things like removing the annoying extra character/symbol gremlins which are a simple edit. That is disappointing to me.
Anyway, I hope many will read your carefully prepared piece, and will take your suggestions on board, older as well as newer members.
Wendy
reply by the author on 12-Jan-2024
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An excellent chapter for the book, very thoughtful and well-written, and the notes for HOW to review are very relevant. There are very few quality reviewers, and I know I fail, especially if I don't see any room for improvement. In your piece I like that you showed us by specific examples how our reviews can be more helpful.
So many people do just try to fill the 150 characters. (And that is hard for the very short poems like 1-6-1 or even 5-7-5 syllables, when there is very little to comment on.)
However, I frequently do make suggestions, after spending considerable time on a piece, and then I get a cut and paste response only, and all my suggestions are ignored, even things like removing the annoying extra character/symbol gremlins which are a simple edit. That is disappointing to me.
Anyway, I hope many will read your carefully prepared piece, and will take your suggestions on board, older as well as newer members.
Wendy
Comment Written 12-Jan-2024
reply by the author on 12-Jan-2024
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Thank you so much, Wendy. You're right, it can be disappointing when you take the time to do a thorough review with helpful advice and you get no response or just a thank you, but I've found that's usually pretty rare.
Most people have responded very well when I write a lengthy review. The worst is when they thank you and say how helpful it is, and then don't do anything different in subsequent posts. I usually quit reviewing them at that point. But even that's not a total waste of time because I do enjoy the reviewing process and writing the reviews.
I've stopped reviewing short poems for the reason you stated--there just isn't enough to say without padding it with all the "Have a great day" type statements.
Comment from Dolly'sPoems
The posting advice is brilliant here, especially the font size, I have seen some posts recently that are so small they are impossible to read. Similarly your tips on reviewing are spot on. You have brought your own experience into play here and I hope the Newbies read your wise advice Jim. A fine post, love Dolly x
reply by the author on 12-Jan-2024
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The posting advice is brilliant here, especially the font size, I have seen some posts recently that are so small they are impossible to read. Similarly your tips on reviewing are spot on. You have brought your own experience into play here and I hope the Newbies read your wise advice Jim. A fine post, love Dolly x
Comment Written 12-Jan-2024
reply by the author on 12-Jan-2024
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Thank you very much, Dolly. I actually enjoy the reviewing process--the analyzing of what I like or the things I think could be better and what they might do to make them better. I always try to give examples or suggested corrections too. Jay Squires and lancelot are great for me in that respect, because if they don't like the way I say something, they will give me some alternatives. I especially like giving alternate ways to write a line of a poem if the meter is off.
Comment from jmdg1954
Very informative chapter, Jim. If the "newbies" really want to learn and be a productive cog in the FsnStory wheel, they should refer back to this post.
One of my pet peeves, which irks me to no end is the thoughtlessness in a reply to a review. We are required a minimum 150 charectors and many times put our heart and soul into a review. And the writers reply to our well thought out, informative, suggestion packed review is.... Thank you.
Are you kidding me? Two words, eight chsrectors. That's all you have time for?I find that a slap in the face and I tend not to read them.
Sorry. I took up a lot of your time with my rant.
Great thought into your post and should prove helpful.
Oh in case I don't have enough charectors...
HffhhjgttfvcxstujjjhhyggcRggggf356)))5??fghijjjj
Have a good night,
John
reply by the author on 12-Jan-2024
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Very informative chapter, Jim. If the "newbies" really want to learn and be a productive cog in the FsnStory wheel, they should refer back to this post.
One of my pet peeves, which irks me to no end is the thoughtlessness in a reply to a review. We are required a minimum 150 charectors and many times put our heart and soul into a review. And the writers reply to our well thought out, informative, suggestion packed review is.... Thank you.
Are you kidding me? Two words, eight chsrectors. That's all you have time for?I find that a slap in the face and I tend not to read them.
Sorry. I took up a lot of your time with my rant.
Great thought into your post and should prove helpful.
Oh in case I don't have enough charectors...
HffhhjgttfvcxstujjjhhyggcRggggf356)))5??fghijjjj
Have a good night,
John
Comment Written 11-Jan-2024
reply by the author on 12-Jan-2024
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Funny guy! I agree about the simple "Thank yous," especially when you ask them a question in the review and get no reply other than "Thank you" or the twice as long "Thank you very much." If a certain fellow wasn't such a good writer, I'd drop him too for his usual replies.
Comment from Wayne Fowler
Excellent.
You mean we should actually 'earn' reviewing dollars?????????????????
(smiley face here)
Your notes on posting are very helpful. Thank you for being so precise.
Your comments on reviewing cut me to the quick! (sometimes) I admit to 'scratching for dollars' - sometimes. I try very hard to offer meaningful reviews. I know that my brevity is a result of laziness. And it may come across as rude (or some form of rudeness). I want to blame typing with three fingers and an occasional thumb, but it's just being lazy mostly.
Because of your post, I will endeavor to mend my ways.
BTW: "I really liked the characters, and it was very well-written. You are a great story teller. Good luck in the contest, and I hope you have a great day. Blessings, Jim." - Did you copy and paste this from a review of one of your posts? Because I'm quite sure I've received several word-for-word. (smiley face here)
reply by the author on 11-Jan-2024
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Excellent.
You mean we should actually 'earn' reviewing dollars?????????????????
(smiley face here)
Your notes on posting are very helpful. Thank you for being so precise.
Your comments on reviewing cut me to the quick! (sometimes) I admit to 'scratching for dollars' - sometimes. I try very hard to offer meaningful reviews. I know that my brevity is a result of laziness. And it may come across as rude (or some form of rudeness). I want to blame typing with three fingers and an occasional thumb, but it's just being lazy mostly.
Because of your post, I will endeavor to mend my ways.
BTW: "I really liked the characters, and it was very well-written. You are a great story teller. Good luck in the contest, and I hope you have a great day. Blessings, Jim." - Did you copy and paste this from a review of one of your posts? Because I'm quite sure I've received several word-for-word. (smiley face here)
Comment Written 11-Jan-2024
reply by the author on 11-Jan-2024
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Actually, no, I just made that up based on many of that sort I've received, just like you have.
Glad you found this helpful, Wayne.
Comment from tfawcus
It's easy to forget how much we take for granted when we've been on site for a while. You've put together a number of useful tips here. How I wish Tom would establish a discreet area where posts such as this could be easily referenced.
reply by the author on 11-Jan-2024
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It's easy to forget how much we take for granted when we've been on site for a while. You've put together a number of useful tips here. How I wish Tom would establish a discreet area where posts such as this could be easily referenced.
Comment Written 11-Jan-2024
reply by the author on 11-Jan-2024
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Thanks, Tony. I appreciate that. I'm with you. I wish I had been able to read posts like the chapters in this book when I first joined. It would have been helpful.
Comment from Sally Law
Thank you for all the great advice, Jim. Wow! FanStory ought to have you host a training camp. I especially like your good manners. I appreciate that about you. You're a real gentleman.
Honestly, kindness goes a long way with us womenfolk.
Sending you my best today as always,
Sal :))
reply by the author on 11-Jan-2024
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Thank you for all the great advice, Jim. Wow! FanStory ought to have you host a training camp. I especially like your good manners. I appreciate that about you. You're a real gentleman.
Honestly, kindness goes a long way with us womenfolk.
Sending you my best today as always,
Sal :))
Comment Written 11-Jan-2024
reply by the author on 11-Jan-2024
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Thank you so much, Sal. I've always found politeness and kindness to go a long way in human relations. You can be much more persuasive and taken seriously that way.
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I totally agree. Thank you again! Sal ;))
Comment from Carol Clark2
Thanks for the great information in this post, Jim. I especially found helpful the sections on text background colors, and copying and pasting from Word. I needed to read those before I posted today! Your point about telling why you like something is valid, as it gives added insight to the author. Carol
P.S. When I looked at the reviews, mine was not there, so I wrote another. Thanks for letting me know.
reply by the author on 11-Jan-2024
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Thanks for the great information in this post, Jim. I especially found helpful the sections on text background colors, and copying and pasting from Word. I needed to read those before I posted today! Your point about telling why you like something is valid, as it gives added insight to the author. Carol
P.S. When I looked at the reviews, mine was not there, so I wrote another. Thanks for letting me know.
Comment Written 11-Jan-2024
reply by the author on 11-Jan-2024
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Yeah, I guess it got deleted when I disabled the previous post. Glad you got your 10 points and 84 cents with this review, Carol. And thanks for doing it twice!
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Thanks for your generosity!
Comment from Navada
Very, very sage advice - thank you! This is so accurate and well written and I really wish more people would heed point 4 in particular! This was mostly affirming for me, but it prompted me to reflect that I need to review a little more carefully and productively sometimes, especially when I'm tired! Do you find that if you use the Paste into Word function (top line, fifth from the left above the text box) that it sufficiently transfers your formatting from Word documents without needing to use Notepad?
reply by the author on 11-Jan-2024
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Very, very sage advice - thank you! This is so accurate and well written and I really wish more people would heed point 4 in particular! This was mostly affirming for me, but it prompted me to reflect that I need to review a little more carefully and productively sometimes, especially when I'm tired! Do you find that if you use the Paste into Word function (top line, fifth from the left above the text box) that it sufficiently transfers your formatting from Word documents without needing to use Notepad?
Comment Written 11-Jan-2024
reply by the author on 11-Jan-2024
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Thanks so much, Navada. I've never noticed that button before and will have to experiment with it. I'll let you know what I find. It would be great if it does.
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You're very welcome! I'm just trying to avoid having to use Notepad. I've never used it yet. I don't think there are too many formatting issues in my writing - I always check posts carefully using the View function, but I don't know whether author view is different from what others see.
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I've been doing some experimenting with the Paste from Word button. It does preserve the formatting, but it still leaves it double-spaced. It doesn't look that way in edit mode, but it does in display mode which is where it really counts.
But I did discover something else, though, that I think I will try and which will avoid having to use Notepad. There is a Paste as Plain Text Button just left of the Paste from Word Button that tells you to do a Ctrl+shift+V. Doing this will paste your text from Word and strip all formatting, but it WON'T come over double-spaced. You will still have to put back your bold, italics, and blank lines, but at least it cuts out the intermediate step of using Notepad. It will save me a little work anyway.
If you don't mind the double-spacing, just use the Paste from Word button.
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BTW, you really don't have to use the Paste from Word button. All that does is tell you to do a Ctrl+V. You can always just do that directly without first hitting the Paste from Word button.
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Oh. I thought it might help with the formatting. Okay - point taken! :)
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Aha - helpful! I will check that out. Thanks, Jim! :)
Comment from Kaiku
Let me see, what prompted you to write this? The part I appreciated was the comment about 'reviewing with substance'. The one I get a lot is, "you used very descriptive words and each line had the correct syllable count'. Honestly, sometimes I find it difficult to put in 150 characters, especially for a 5-7-5 prompt.
reply by the author on 11-Jan-2024
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Let me see, what prompted you to write this? The part I appreciated was the comment about 'reviewing with substance'. The one I get a lot is, "you used very descriptive words and each line had the correct syllable count'. Honestly, sometimes I find it difficult to put in 150 characters, especially for a 5-7-5 prompt.
Comment Written 11-Jan-2024
reply by the author on 11-Jan-2024
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That's exactly why I don't review those unless it is particularly clever. There's just not enough to say.
I read the first chapter in the book by Helen this afternoon, and that's what prompted me to write it.
I once muted a guy because he gave slight variations of the same review (which was crap) for everything I wrote. This was in the early days before I knew about promotion, and only would get 2 free reviews. He took up one of them three times in a row with his drivel.
Comment from lyenochka
Fabulous advice, Jim! I loved how you gave specific advice and detailed examples of how to post and how to review. I know I have my favorite fonts and I always use 20 for the font size, but your examples really helped! Wish I knew you when I was a newbie!
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reply by the author on 11-Jan-2024
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Fabulous advice, Jim! I loved how you gave specific advice and detailed examples of how to post and how to review. I know I have my favorite fonts and I always use 20 for the font size, but your examples really helped! Wish I knew you when I was a newbie!
This rating does not count towards story rating or author rank.
The highest and the lowest rating are not included in calculations.
Comment Written 11-Jan-2024
reply by the author on 11-Jan-2024
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Thanks, Helen, and thanks for the advice on how to add to the book. I haven't reviewed your first chapter yet, but I will soon. I read it, and that's what prompted me to write mine. This should be helpful to newbies if they can find it.
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Thank you for doing this, Jim!! And thanks to you for teaching the HTML to add a clickable link!
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The sad part about that is that html links no longer seem to be allowed in reviews, though I don't know about responses to reviews or Author Notes. I asked Tom why not, and he didn't really give me an answer, only a hint about not allowing ads. My answer to that would be that if someone is using links to promote products, then report them and let FS deal with it on an individual basis.
You are still able to use them in PMs, but don't let on to Tom, or he might take that away too!
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You know, I wonder if it's back. My guess was the blocking of links was to avoid copyright issues? But I asked why it was stopped because often in my reviews, I'd give a link to helpful grammar or poetry sites. To a reply of a review, I am able to put in websites.
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Good to know. I told him that, as examples of points I'm trying to make--especially with poetry--for the convenience of the reader, I like to provide a link to a FanStory poem of mine or others. Didn't serve to phase him any. Let's see if he changed his mind about it.
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The html worked fine in my notes so if you clicked on it, it took you right to Gloria's post.
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Great! Good to know. Thanks!