Buying extra 6s
<< Thread Modifed February 7 at 5:53PM >>
I was just thinking. Since members can buy pumps to promote a story or poem. What about buying extra 6s to rate a story or poem higher, when we are out of 6s?
RE: Buying extra 6s
That's an interesting idea, Terry.
Have you posed it to Tom?
I think 10 6's each week - without purchasing - would be wonderful.
RE: Buying extra 6s
Great idea, Terry! Of course these extra stars would be purchased with real cash, and not member dollars. To balance the playing field, it might also be an idea to award members with an extra six star after every thirty reviews they write. So if a member wrote sixty reviews in one day they would receive two six stars above the default allotment. If they wrote thirty reviews over six days they would receive one extra six, etc. etc.
What do you think would be a reasonable price, $5 each?
RE: Buying extra 6s
Gloria, I don't know what the price would be. But a packaged price could be established. X dollars buy Y number of 6s.
Your idea of adding 6s tied to a number of reviews is good, maybe do both.
I'm not sure how popular buying additional 6s would be. It would be a new source of income for Tom.
Since contests are not based on ratings, I don't see any impact on contests.
The only impact would be on the rankings. I don't think the majority of members care much about rankings.
Only once since I have been a member has someone told me my 5 review should have been a 6. I never reviewed that person again.
I suspect most of us have disagreed with a reviewer and the rating. But I don't think it's common to solicit a 6.
Having more 6s available, though purchasing or earning them most likely would not create a problem. But I'll leave that to more experienced, knowledgeable folks to debate.
nor84
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RE: Buying extra 6s
Message edited:
The purpose of the six star review as defined by the site was and still is to acknowledge a work that is far beyond the average posting; therefore, in the normal course of things, it would be rarely given. We are not all capable of writing something that warms your heart, brings tears to your eyes, or keeps you on the edge of your seat wondering what will happen next. Most writing on Fanstory would fall in the 3 to 5 range. I don't see the need to have more sixes if people are reviewing according to the site guidelines.
site guidelines are listed under the QA section below the heading "community." Here they are:
Six Stars (Exceptional:
Simply Outstanding)
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Five Stars (Excellent: Enjoyable and no revisions needed) |
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Four Stars (Good: Adjustments needed) |
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Three Stars (Below average) |
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Two Stars (Below Average: Needs lots of work) |
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One Star (Poor: Major revision required) |
RE: Buying extra 6s
i don't think buying more sixes is a good idea...
karenina
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RE: Buying extra 6s
Hmmm.
Purchasing extra sixes may generate income for Tom--but it will skew towards those who have the cash to buy them. I don't.
If anything, perhaps the reward system would level the playing field ~~ for every thirty reviews, you earn an extra six > maybe with a limit of a total of ten sixes per month.
Many do not care about rankings. (I do not) -- But many live for them!
Already there seems to be constant muttering about friends only awarding friends six stars.
There may be trouble on the horizon if someone is teetering on the edge of the top ten, or top-five and suddenly an onslaught of sixes comes his/her way.
(Hence, in any case, if this were adopted, I'd like to see a limit of ten stars extra per month)
As for the "guidelines" comment.
A "Guideline" is, by definition, merely a recommendation, not a RULE which must be followed.
Some adhere strictly and give out threes or fours.
Some do not.
Neither should be judged or criticized.
If Tom makes the star system mandatory, we'll all still be dealing with subjective evaluation.
I'd love to see a respectful dialogue about this!
Any other opinions out there?
nor84
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RE: Buying extra 6s
I've been here since two thousand six, and when I joined five stars was the maximum review possible.
No one ever thought that the rating system was mandatory. Its purpose was to help writers improve their craft by telling them the truth about weakness in their present writing and helping them grow by showing them learn the things they did not know.
Because of the truthfulness of reviews at the time, there are two former fanstory members that I know of who are publishing books for money through Amazon. There may be others that I don't know about. Those two former members learned from constructive criticism received here, and now they're making money.
Some people who have joined recently want to learn how to grow as writers; and there are those who couldn't care less. There are complaints in the reviewing form and in other forums about receiving nothing but glowing praise and five and six-star reviews. People seek reviews that point out, gently, where they can improve and then teach them how to do it.
I recommend awarding four stars with praise for what is good in the posting and general instruction about what isn't.
The star system was meant to be helpful. It was never mandatory and never will be.
I see no point in giving out six stars unless the work is "exceptional" as stated in the site guidelines, and I certainly wish more people would adhere to those guidelines. They are helpful to those who want to learn how to write. I know they were for me and for many others.
karenina
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Rank: 21
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Rank: 25
RE: Buying extra 6s
As a member since 2007, I am aware...
I had some terrific mentors then, as I do now.
As disciplined a reviewer (and teacher) as Alvin T. Ethington was, he had the most endearing way of sharing his considerable knowledge in private...
(At least with me!)
I loved hearing from him "pre-review" with a heads up that my Pantoum was formatted wrong.
He taught, I learned, and no fours were required.
I understand your point of view.
If not for the likes of Alvin I would not be a published author.
We should not assume because someone prefers not to reduce stars, they have not PMd the writer with a series of suggested edits or ideas.
I think we both want the same thing...
Respectful insight and reviews that help us grow...
RE: Buying extra 6s
Some people do not review well, or with thought and care - they use their "review" as a springboard to talk only of themselves, but with frequent "reviewing" they churn out quite a lot of reviews. If getting extra sixes were tied to number of reviews, they would "earn" the extras.
Other people review at length and with great thought and care, and each review is considered and helpful - but because they take time for each one, their number of reviews would be fewer - but a six from such a quality reviewer would be very meaningful.
It's a conundrum. I don't think extra sixes should be bought, as that penalises those who do not have the money to do so, or to those who choose not to pay extra real money.
Perhaps offering thirty a month with no weekly limit might work. Otherwise a raise to eight a week would help, or even ten, but with the possibility to carry over any unused ones to the following week ....
Some weeks I use only four or five, but other weeks I would be glad to offer seven or eight.
RE: Buying extra 6s
When I joined in 2011, we could only award a person a sixth star once a month. Personally, I've often thought it would be great if we could go back to that.
Another thought I've had for ages is that you can't award any sixes until the end of the month and then you have them all to award those special peices that in your own opinion deserved a six. I think that might be a bit complicated though.
Other than that, I like the idea of being awarded an extra six after you've written x amount of reviews. But, that also opens the door for those who copy and paste the same review to everyone regardless of the quality of the peice they are reviewing.
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