Poor Prose Writers, You Still Here?
A Rambling Essay or Something Like That100 total reviews
Comment from GeorgieBoy
The reason I liked this submission is that it is so honest and so much like listening to an easy conversation. You are a natural writer, I really appreciated this prose.
As to whether I have suggestions? No, I don't. I always appreciate the feedback I receive from reviewers that take time to offer suggestions and corrections, that I feel I should do the same. It is time consuming, but you get rewarded in the end, because your work is corrected very fast and efficiently.
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The reason I liked this submission is that it is so honest and so much like listening to an easy conversation. You are a natural writer, I really appreciated this prose.
As to whether I have suggestions? No, I don't. I always appreciate the feedback I receive from reviewers that take time to offer suggestions and corrections, that I feel I should do the same. It is time consuming, but you get rewarded in the end, because your work is corrected very fast and efficiently.
Comment Written 26-Jul-2014
Comment from judiverse
You've hit upon a great problem. Although poetry and prose receive equal treatment in terms of pay-out, the time and effort that it takes to review a long prose work is greater. I've written some 50-word stories for prompt contests that receive more attention than my longer works. It breaks the bank, as you noted, to promote a work all the way to the top spot. Perhaps breaking up longer works into two or three parts would increase interest in reading prose. Although it isn't likely, the Site could up the ante for reviewing prose so it would more commiserate with the time and effort involved. You address a real problem in this, and describing some of your own experiences with the number of reviews you've received for poetry versus those received for prose. It would be great to encourage more prose reading. judi
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You've hit upon a great problem. Although poetry and prose receive equal treatment in terms of pay-out, the time and effort that it takes to review a long prose work is greater. I've written some 50-word stories for prompt contests that receive more attention than my longer works. It breaks the bank, as you noted, to promote a work all the way to the top spot. Perhaps breaking up longer works into two or three parts would increase interest in reading prose. Although it isn't likely, the Site could up the ante for reviewing prose so it would more commiserate with the time and effort involved. You address a real problem in this, and describing some of your own experiences with the number of reviews you've received for poetry versus those received for prose. It would be great to encourage more prose reading. judi
Comment Written 26-Jul-2014
Comment from maggieadams
I have had the same thoughts of you, and spend oodles of money promoting my work...I am mainly a prose writer and my fans and the ones I follow are too. I really try to stay up with reviewing and sometimes, I lament how long it takes me, but I get caught up in the stories and really enjoy them, so, I guess it is the just reward. However, I glance at how many reviews a poem receives over our prose, and I do think it is inequitable. Maybe, there could be a different scale...more money rewarded for reviewing prose. Thanks for starting this conversation.
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I have had the same thoughts of you, and spend oodles of money promoting my work...I am mainly a prose writer and my fans and the ones I follow are too. I really try to stay up with reviewing and sometimes, I lament how long it takes me, but I get caught up in the stories and really enjoy them, so, I guess it is the just reward. However, I glance at how many reviews a poem receives over our prose, and I do think it is inequitable. Maybe, there could be a different scale...more money rewarded for reviewing prose. Thanks for starting this conversation.
Comment Written 26-Jul-2014
Comment from Eric1
Hi Micheal, your piece above makes a lot of sense to a reviewer, I personally hate reviewers who, when you have written a poem, ramble on about what happened to them when they did it, not one reference to the work put into the poem itself! so frustrating, I write a lot of long poems, so suffer the same fate as a prose writer, I must admit, I don't read long stories for that reason, they are long!.
What needs to be done is that FS pay on a sort of sliding scale, for example,500 to 1000 words 52 cents, 1000 t0 2000 would be say, 82 cents, and over 2000 would be over 1 dollar according to the length. Just a suggestion that might get people to read more.
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Hi Micheal, your piece above makes a lot of sense to a reviewer, I personally hate reviewers who, when you have written a poem, ramble on about what happened to them when they did it, not one reference to the work put into the poem itself! so frustrating, I write a lot of long poems, so suffer the same fate as a prose writer, I must admit, I don't read long stories for that reason, they are long!.
What needs to be done is that FS pay on a sort of sliding scale, for example,500 to 1000 words 52 cents, 1000 t0 2000 would be say, 82 cents, and over 2000 would be over 1 dollar according to the length. Just a suggestion that might get people to read more.
Comment Written 26-Jul-2014
Comment from GWHARGIS
I did the same math when I first started, but you know what? I suck as a poet. Yes, I will get my money up just by reviewing the poetry section, but like you said, you have to read prose for a week to get ten bucks. You can get that in a day. I make sure I read at least two chapters or essays every day. But if you compare it to food. It's a lot easier to toss back a handful of m&m's than it is to toss back a few porterhouse steaks. Maybe prose should be a different cash out reward. Or maybe you could get double reward points. Great essay and valid points made.
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I did the same math when I first started, but you know what? I suck as a poet. Yes, I will get my money up just by reviewing the poetry section, but like you said, you have to read prose for a week to get ten bucks. You can get that in a day. I make sure I read at least two chapters or essays every day. But if you compare it to food. It's a lot easier to toss back a handful of m&m's than it is to toss back a few porterhouse steaks. Maybe prose should be a different cash out reward. Or maybe you could get double reward points. Great essay and valid points made.
Comment Written 26-Jul-2014
Comment from Sanku
You have posed a question and you have answered it too.Many of the reviewers who review here are writers who want to get as many reviews as possible and for that they need to collect member cent pumps. unless one promotes it with at least one dollar one would just get eight reviews maximum.With two cents reward ,you would get eight reviews for a poem.One "fan" once wrote to me frankly( he messaged me) that he cannot review my poem for two cents because he needs to collect as much money as possible to promote his. so the reason is very clear Here most of those who review do it to notch up member cents .many times I have reviewed 2 cents poems because I liked them .I think a higher reward should be offered to those who read prose .I would very much like to read prose and i do that often because I dont write regularly and I am happy if I get about 25 reviews. I am here basically for the pleasure of reading and to try my hand occasionally in writing ,mainly by entering the contests.Any way I liked reading your ranting ramble or rambling rant .(I have read your poems too)I once struggled to collect money to offer one dollar for a story of mine .I got eight reviews.! They should offer more for reading prose and promoting also should be made easier.
Thanks for writing this.
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 have posed a question and you have answered it too.Many of the reviewers who review here are writers who want to get as many reviews as possible and for that they need to collect member cent pumps. unless one promotes it with at least one dollar one would just get eight reviews maximum.With two cents reward ,you would get eight reviews for a poem.One "fan" once wrote to me frankly( he messaged me) that he cannot review my poem for two cents because he needs to collect as much money as possible to promote his. so the reason is very clear Here most of those who review do it to notch up member cents .many times I have reviewed 2 cents poems because I liked them .I think a higher reward should be offered to those who read prose .I would very much like to read prose and i do that often because I dont write regularly and I am happy if I get about 25 reviews. I am here basically for the pleasure of reading and to try my hand occasionally in writing ,mainly by entering the contests.Any way I liked reading your ranting ramble or rambling rant .(I have read your poems too)I once struggled to collect money to offer one dollar for a story of mine .I got eight reviews.! They should offer more for reading prose and promoting also should be made easier.
Thanks for writing this.
This rating does not count towards story rating or author rank.
The highest and the lowest rating are not included in calculations.
Comment Written 26-Jul-2014
Comment from Tsukuyomi969
I feel like the only thing I can tell you is don't trouble yourself with the people who didn't take the time to properly review your work. Their voices are not the ones that will teach you. People who leave detailed reviews, good or bad, are the ones who are trying to help. Those who decided to review even though they didn't even bother to read the piece are trash and should be discarded. Nine reviews are worth than ninety, if they help you and your writing.
That said, I usually tend toward the prose myself. I don't have the mind for poetry, so I don't generally read it. I skip it on the reading list and head for the short stories :)
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I feel like the only thing I can tell you is don't trouble yourself with the people who didn't take the time to properly review your work. Their voices are not the ones that will teach you. People who leave detailed reviews, good or bad, are the ones who are trying to help. Those who decided to review even though they didn't even bother to read the piece are trash and should be discarded. Nine reviews are worth than ninety, if they help you and your writing.
That said, I usually tend toward the prose myself. I don't have the mind for poetry, so I don't generally read it. I skip it on the reading list and head for the short stories :)
Comment Written 26-Jul-2014
Comment from Twilightspire
Hmmm. I believe this question gets brought up at least once a month. Well for as long as I've been here it's been brought up once a month.
The solution is...there is no solution. Unfortunately, the problem seems to be unsolvable. I very rarely read poetry and if I do, it has to be from someone I already follow. Every single "fake piece of money" I get is all from prose. Now you ask why I brought that up.
Simple. This is a site to learn and share. Yes, it would be overly simple to jump on, read five zillion poems and be set to post your work for the next twelve years, but if you are serious about getting better and enjoying yourself, you will put in the extra work, no matter how unfair it is. I simply don't want to be a poet, so I have no inclination to read poetry no matter how simple it is. If you study both prose and poetry, you get the same amount either way AND still learn how to write better.
Can it be changed? Probably. I'm sure they could make it so prose was worth more, but then the poets would start to complain.
It's like having two children that need a candy bar cut up into two perfect halves or you love the other more.
Overall, you have to look at what you get out of it. Not the funny money, but the experience. There are plenty of writers that write well and some not so good (heh heh) on the site, but at least you learn what to do or not do. That is the real money.
-T.J.
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Hmmm. I believe this question gets brought up at least once a month. Well for as long as I've been here it's been brought up once a month.
The solution is...there is no solution. Unfortunately, the problem seems to be unsolvable. I very rarely read poetry and if I do, it has to be from someone I already follow. Every single "fake piece of money" I get is all from prose. Now you ask why I brought that up.
Simple. This is a site to learn and share. Yes, it would be overly simple to jump on, read five zillion poems and be set to post your work for the next twelve years, but if you are serious about getting better and enjoying yourself, you will put in the extra work, no matter how unfair it is. I simply don't want to be a poet, so I have no inclination to read poetry no matter how simple it is. If you study both prose and poetry, you get the same amount either way AND still learn how to write better.
Can it be changed? Probably. I'm sure they could make it so prose was worth more, but then the poets would start to complain.
It's like having two children that need a candy bar cut up into two perfect halves or you love the other more.
Overall, you have to look at what you get out of it. Not the funny money, but the experience. There are plenty of writers that write well and some not so good (heh heh) on the site, but at least you learn what to do or not do. That is the real money.
-T.J.
Comment Written 26-Jul-2014
Comment from Jacqueline M Franklin
Hi Michael,
You bring up good points. The amount one gets for a review should in all fairness reflect the the length. The longer the work, the more one gets paid. I've seen it work on other sights that way, and very effective. Much more equitable for all.
I wish it were done the same on this site. I find, if a writing doesn't hit me with interest right out of the gate, I bypass it. Not fair, but I just don't have the time.
Nice rambling, my friend.
Cheers & Blessings
Keep Smilin'.... Jax
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Hi Michael,
You bring up good points. The amount one gets for a review should in all fairness reflect the the length. The longer the work, the more one gets paid. I've seen it work on other sights that way, and very effective. Much more equitable for all.
I wish it were done the same on this site. I find, if a writing doesn't hit me with interest right out of the gate, I bypass it. Not fair, but I just don't have the time.
Nice rambling, my friend.
Cheers & Blessings
Keep Smilin'.... Jax
Comment Written 26-Jul-2014
Comment from vapros
Michael, this system is very like Homo Sap, in that you are not likely to live long enough to notice any further evolution. Poetry reviews for money, and little Bonus Reviews for your member cent pumps, and the rest goes under the bus. There is also money in the prompts, but you have to write to the electorate. I find that tough, but it keeps me at the keyboard.
Prose is the red-headed stepchild, and figures to remain that way. Time is money, in a manner of speaking - funny money. Prose writers are the same. As you noted, you can't promote prose enough to attract reviews.
My own approach is to not care, and I really don't. That will not work for everyone, of course. Literary excellence is not the primary goal here, but before I joined, I seldom wrote anything. Now I do, so I have to be pleased, but I don't have to embrace this process.
To answer your question, I can't think of a solution to the problem of prose and prose writers. Sorry. Be well.
Bill
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Michael, this system is very like Homo Sap, in that you are not likely to live long enough to notice any further evolution. Poetry reviews for money, and little Bonus Reviews for your member cent pumps, and the rest goes under the bus. There is also money in the prompts, but you have to write to the electorate. I find that tough, but it keeps me at the keyboard.
Prose is the red-headed stepchild, and figures to remain that way. Time is money, in a manner of speaking - funny money. Prose writers are the same. As you noted, you can't promote prose enough to attract reviews.
My own approach is to not care, and I really don't. That will not work for everyone, of course. Literary excellence is not the primary goal here, but before I joined, I seldom wrote anything. Now I do, so I have to be pleased, but I don't have to embrace this process.
To answer your question, I can't think of a solution to the problem of prose and prose writers. Sorry. Be well.
Bill
Comment Written 26-Jul-2014
