Comment from Sally Law

Excellent

Thank you so much Bill-- this is very helpful. I have had many contest entries that did not win. I prefer just to enter my work now as those seem to do the best anyway. Prose short works is my forte, and very little is offered now in the way of contests.
Just fanned you.
Sally :+)

 Comment Written 06-Mar-2019

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reply by the author on 06-Mar-2019

Good morning Sally and thanks for your excellent review, I do appreciate it very much.

I'm in my eleventh year here at Fanstory and I basically joined this site strictly for the contests. However, in the last few years that portion of Fanstory has fallen apart. As I said in this essay that you so graciously reviewed, "the contests have been taken over by the "syllable syndrome" and short poems with 10 words or less." Which I am not a big fan of.

And, for prose writers, such as yourself, the outlook is even bleaker as far as contests are concerned.

Thank you Sally for becoming a fan. I truly appreciate that. Have a great week, my friend...Bill

reply by Sally Law on 06-Mar-2019

I was just talking to my middle son about this. He is reading a book about our modern culture about the effects social media. He says we are dumbed down by our interactions on social media and our inability to understand complex and deep thoughts. Our reading these days for the most part, is short and quick, moving on to the next thing. Shallow and fast reading creates a shallow and fast culture. Most longer prose on FanStory barely makes it to 15 reviews in my recent observation. I think readers see the length and move on. Wow, you have been a member for a long time. I joined in mid-August 2018. Sal :+)

Comment from easyeverett1

Exceptional

Hi Bill. I don't know if you remember me from years ago but I was a member from late 2005 through late 2012. I dropped out of FS back then and didn't write anything except my work obligations until last September when I rejoined to reconnect, if there were any reconnections left to be made and to get away from professional demands back to aspirational choices for pleasure. Anyway, your essay covered all the irritants here on site and I think you mediate the solutions quite well. I have entered three contests in a year and two months back on site. I finished first in two 'Faith' entries and second in another site contest but I can't remember what it was about. However, I have had a poem nominated for POM every month since I rejoined. Your 'vote for friends' not for quality is spot on and it is, as you say, not surprising at all. But my vote total over this many months has blown apart the integrity of applied probabilities forever. I just was a little embarrassed about my naked vote totals so I wrote to "Tom" and requested my ;poems not be considered for POM in the future because I am just too sensitive and easily humiliated. I really write here for one reason. I happen to be bipolar and writing poetry has mitigated the severity of my condition since early childhood and though I didn't write to be read until University and after that only to write until my wife found FanStory on the net and I joined. I have not responded to your review of 'Buried Burdens' but I am seriously considering retiring and framing your review on two or three hundred web sites and two or three hundred places in our home and all relatives homes. Just kidding of course but you know how to dissect and recognize poetry and I appreciate that immensely. Take care and one hell of a job on this piece. I hope administration reads and takes heed. easyeverett

 Comment Written 29-Nov-2018

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reply by the author on 29-Nov-2018

Thank you my friend for your exceptional review and rating, it truly is appreciated.

Things have changed a great deal since 2012, for the worse, in my opinion It's no longer the old Fanstory from years ago. That's basically why I wrote this piece. However, things remain the same and I doubt seriously if they will ever revert back to the Old Fanstory that so many of the long term members enjoyed so much.

Thanks again and it's great to have you back with us. Take care of yourself...Bill

Comment from MissMerri

Exceptional

This is a well-written and definitely thought-provoking essay. You have covered so many aspects of the writing contests, many of them points I've also pondered, or things I've wished were different. I've grown very tired of the syllable count restriction. It would be so nice to have contests that permitted a few more words from the writers. After all, words are our tools, so why not allow us to use them? I really liked your idea of making people wait a few weeks if they've won a contest recently, before entering another one. The site contests are different. They can be entered months ahead of time, so that might not work. But, you have listed many good ideas here and I hope Tom will consider all of them. Your work is organized and flawlessly written, in my opinion. How did it do in the contest? MM

 Comment Written 27-Oct-2018

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reply by the author on 28-Oct-2018

Thank you very much, MM, for your exceptional review and rating. I appreciate your kind words.

Yes, you're right, the site contests for real money would not work. As you said, they can be entered weeks and even months in advance.

However, the daily writing prompts and the member sponsored contests certainly would. I've been pushing this idea for a very long time without any response. If the waiting period between each win was only 5 to 7 days this would allow those who have never won a contest to have a decent chance to get that first win. Also, it would bring back many long-term members who have simply given up because of favoritism and fans voting for their favorite writers regardless of how good their entries are.

Thanks again, MM. It was great talking to you. Have a very enjoyable Sunday my friend...Bill

Comment from BlueTiger

Excellent

Hi Bill,

I think you brought up some good points in this essay. I actually do agree with you that there should be contests open specifically for less experienced writers; it seems like that would be a great way to encourage newer writings to keep working on their craft. The 'syallable syndrome' thing made me laugh - but on that I also agree. Thanks for putting this out there, I love Fanstory but there's always room for improvement.

 Comment Written 22-Aug-2018

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reply by the author on 23-Aug-2018

Thank you very much for your excellent review, I do appreciate it.

Yes, I agree with you, Fanstory is a great place to write, but as you said, there are so many ways to improve it to make it fair for all writers. In my opinion, there's just to much favoritism involved here and I don't believe that will ever change.

Thank you, my friend, for your thoughts. Have a wonderful day...Bill

Comment from poetwatch

Excellent

Thank you Bill. You pointed out some very specific topics. On the funny money contests I've seen some fantastic writing that didn't get the votes because those with sound got it, or friends got it. I don't think sound should be allowed in poetry or writing contests. We are poets and writers, we pen the words and make your heart sing. As for members getting involved in voting where the real money is at... nah, but I would like to know and read what the other writers wrote. Just their writings not their names.

 Comment Written 22-Aug-2018

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reply by the author on 23-Aug-2018

Thank you for your excellent review, I appreciate it.

Yes, as I said in the essay, there are just to many frequent winners and that's simply because of favoritism. Many great entries are passed over and don't receive votes because one of the more popular writers is a contestant.

This has caused me to stop joining contests regularly, unless there's one that I want express my opinion, such as this one.

Thanks again my friend. Have a great day...Bill

Comment from Phyllis Stewart

Exceptional

I agree with most of this, but THIS in particular:
Possibly, one of the reasons why more members don't participate is because we not only have to pay to sponsor a contest, we also have to pay to join it. That's a double-whammy and it certainly doesn't seem fair at all. If the site removed one of these fees, maybe more members would sponsor contests.

We did try once to get new prompts by writing some of our own. Afterwards, nothing changed. We're still seeing "stuck in an elevator" and all the oldies.

 Comment Written 22-Aug-2018

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reply by the author on 22-Aug-2018

Thank you, Phyllis, for the exceptional rating, I really do appreciate it.

Yes, just a few years ago Tom opened the forum so that the members could suggest new ideas for the writing prompts and we did. There was many, many great suggestions made. And, the site used several of them for awhile. But now, as you said, we're back to the oldies and that's probably where we will stay.

Thank you again and have a great day...Bill

Comment from rama devi

Excellent

RIGHT ON! I fully agree with all points, and I admire your ability to articulate it with lucid conviction. Very effective essay. I love the closing note, too, candy coating to the critique of the site.

I stopped participating in daily contests years ago. I never win site ones either, but still enter them because I like the challenge of the forms. Still, it would be nice to see new creative prompt assignments in both types of contests.


This has great pacing and draws the reader in. Superb sentence mechanics too. Just a few comma nits:



But,(NO COMMA) the suspense is not over once the magic number of 5 has been reached.


Competition is on every menu here(COMMA) and I'm sure each member has their favorite writers, which is only normal.

As far as voting for your friends goes, that's something that most assuredly happens daily and(COMMA) most likely, it always will.


I hope a lot of members read this. You might want to send a copy to TOM! I hope some positive actions stems from this as well.

Warmly,
rd

 Comment Written 21-Aug-2018

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reply by the author on 22-Aug-2018

Hello Rama.

Thank you very much for your wonderful review, I appreciate it.

It's good to hear that you agree with all the issues in my essay. As you well know, things are changing quickly here at Fanstory and not for the best.

I personally don't believe that we will ever see any of the suggestions that I offered take place. Fanstory is growing more and more each day with new members. Each time that I log-on I see several new names that I don't recognize.

My point being, Fanstory is flourishing right now and I don't think Tom would do "anything" to offset all this new business coming in.

The sad thing is, out of 30 or 40 reviews that this essay has received so far, everyone agrees that these changes should be made. However, I believe that we're at the point now where we either accept the way things are or simply leave.

Thanks once again, Rama, for your wonderful review and also for the corrections (which I have completed). Have a great day, my friend...Bill

reply by rama devi on 22-Aug-2018

Thanks for your kind response. Happy to help. I am not surprised that so many agree. Sadly, I agree with you, as well, that the changes are not likely to happen. Tom rarely makes the changes I've suggested over the years. In fact, I can't recall one instance in which he followed up even when he said he would. As site owner, he makes his own decisions, of course. Personally, I would have left FS many years ago if people did not keep sponsoring my membership. That's been going on for six years! I still visit intermittently and review but rarely post.

Have a great day too!

Warmly, rd

Comment from mally mack

Excellent

Hello There and Good Afternoon

I am actually quite shocked how political this site actually seems to be. It is tiresome that premier authors aren't able to be featured nearly as often to even allow their work to circulate. Moreover, it seems there are many cliques in here as well. Not everyone is apt to try to help others. In addition I feel that there are times other writers try to use thoughts of others. I am always sure to copywrite everything I post on FS.

Best Wishes to you

 Comment Written 21-Aug-2018

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reply by the author on 22-Aug-2018

Hello Mally, how are you? First of all, let me wish you a belated welcome to Fanstory. And, thank you for your thoughts on these subjects, I appreciate it.

I totally agree with everything you said in your review. Especially, about the cliques. If you visit the forum, you will basically find the same members participating. However, that's just "one" of the less important things.

There's just to many to list them all. But still, Mally, this is by far the best writing site online. I know that because I have tried them all over the years.

I wish you the very best during your stay here at Fanstory. If I can be of any help to you, please let me know.

You just have to jump right in, feet first, and show these people what a great writer you are. The most important thing is, don't be intimidated.

Good luck to you, my new friend...Bill

Comment from Ulla

Excellent

Hi Bill, this is certainly a lengthy essay but very worthwhile to spend the time reading. I actually agree with most of what your saying. There are far too many short poems around. I've just entered a site sponsored six word poem, where I say just that.
But Haiku and some other Japanese forms of poetry do have merit. They are not as easy as they may seem. As a prose writer I also lament the fact that there's far too few prose contests on offer. I enjoyed your essay and good luck.
I found one minor thing:
is harder to win then it would be to impeach Donald Trump. = ... than it would be to impeach Donald Trump.
All the best. Ulla:))

 Comment Written 21-Aug-2018

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reply by the author on 21-Aug-2018

Thank you, Ulla, for your excellent review, I appreciate it.

Yes, I agree with you, the short poems are taking over the site and they certainly don't present a challenge for the writers that really want to test themselves.

Thanks for catching the typo. Have a great week my friend and take care of yourself...Bill

Comment from meeshu

Excellent

you make some excellent points. most salient to me is the contest fixes you suggest. I enter only cash contests and then forget them. they seem to be a poker game with only six players and the rest of us watch. it is redistribution of wealth amongst the closed cabal of these six. where is Bernie Sanders? I really don't worry about it. I could do better on a street corner with a "will write for food" sign. breaking up this little syndicate will be like kicking water uphill, good luck, Cedar...................meeshu

 Comment Written 21-Aug-2018

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reply by the author on 21-Aug-2018

Hello Meeshu. Thank you for your excellent and humorous review, I appreciate it.

Hey, I totally agree with everything you said my friend. There are many writers here that feel exactly the way you do.

I would have quit a long time ago, but hell, it's addictive.

Have a great day...Bill