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Thoughts about a new feedback policy...

By Carl | Posted: 02 December 2008

Views: 427
The majority of the submissions to the site are of very high quality. It is a shame that they aren't getting the feedback they deserve.

I am considering a new policy regarding how the site works in order to increase the amount of meaningful feedback people receive via this website.

My proposal is (there are several versions I'm considering):

(a) An author shall only be able to receive feedback on his or her work if he or she has already commented on three or more pieces by other authors.
(b) Alternatively an author can only receive as much feedback as he or she has given (or a multiple thereof). E.g. giving one feedback gives an author 'credit' enough to get four back :D

In both cases, there could be different kinds of member depending on how much feedback he or she has given as a member - e.g. start as a 'newbie', progress to a 'writing mentor', with different facilities available to each kind.

For instance votes by longer standing members could carry more weight than votes by newbies.

I don't really want to implement this kind of thing but I believe that a good writer has to be a good reader. The whole point of this website is to improve your writing. One of the main ways of doing so is to read and evaluate.

Implementing this might kill the website stone dead if visitors are too reticent to comment, of course.

IF YOU AGREE OR DON'T AGREE WITH THE PROPOSAL PLEASE LET ME KNOW BEFORE I IMPLEMENT IT.

I will also be implementing the following things:

(1) there shall be a competition for the most valuable reviewer (i.e. person who provides the most meaningful feedback each month.)
(2) I shall be introducing an 'editors choice' section where I/somebody shall personally pick some articles to be highlighted each month.
(3) I shall be implementing an e-mail newsletter, containing links to selected articles each month - probably based on the editors choice and also the competition.

If you have further ideas (e.g. the chat room idea) please let me know!
All articles on this website by Carl are copyright ©Carl and should not be reproduced without the author's prior written consent. All opinions are the opinions of their respective authors and are not necessarily the opinions of The Writers' Circle.
Comments 
will2power
02 December 2008
I can see your quandry. However, there are some changes I might suggest before trying to implement something like that. One thing I've noticed, is that the writing submissions aren't really categorized. Since I stick with mostly Science Fiction and Fantasy, with occasional horror tales--I'd like to be able to find stories in that category to read and review. But to be honest, I have little if any interest in Poetry, nor would I feel qualified to give anything other than a leyman's impression of poetry. If everyone else is submitting Poetry, then you can see how that might turn someone off after a while being forced to review writings that aren't in their area of interest. 

However, if you had more defined categories of submissions--Historical Fiction, Mystery, Crime Drama, Love, Science Fiction, Horror, Comedy, Satire, etc. Then I think it would be easier to implement. If you are going to submit A comedy, then you should review some other comedies before being allowed to receive feedback. Add some means of giving extra credit for reading and reviewing outside your area. Hope this helps.
rubyblaze
02 December 2008
Hi Carl,

I think encouraging members to parcticipate in leaving feedback for others work can only take this site forward.

There are good ideas in both version (a) and (b).  Im all for the idea that to be able to recieve feedback you must be prepared to leave comments, critique and considered feedback on others work.  As you say learning to read and evaluate pieces of work that are not your own can only improve your writing. 

I've learnt a lot on this site not only by reading others work but also reading the constructive critisim left in the feedback.

Rewarding those leaving reviews is a brilliant idea and hopefully also increase feedback.

E-mail newsletters, editors choice and eventually chat rooms are the way to go and bring new members and new life to the writers circle.

Good ideas without a doubt and i hope they can be implemented.

Thanks Ruby
rubyblaze
02 December 2008
This is a comment on will2powers feedback.

I do understand that poetry is something people tend to love or hate and of course everyones opinion is valid.
However, i do not think for one moment that 'everyone' is submitting poetry, rather the opposite in fact.

Nobody who dislikes poetry has to read it let alone leave feedback about it.
There are numerous different genres of writing on this site that you can critique without ever having to do so for poetry.

Maybe everyone could write a note at the top of the work they wish to submit which will tell the readers exactly what their work is about e.g horror, sci-fi, fantasy etc. Then you can choose whether or not you wish to read that particular piece.

Please don't just dismiss other genres of writing as there is a place for everything and it could broaden your reading experience.

Thanks Ruby
will2power
02 December 2008
rubyblaze, 

My comments were not intended to dismiss any genre, nor suggest you get more of one than you might another. 

I am merely stating that if you make the submissions easier to browse by area of interest, you might experienced better results. Right now, you have to go through each and every page of everything submitted in order to find a genre that interests you as a reader. 

It's the same reason why libraries instituted the book classification systems that they use. If you make it easy for people to find what they want, then they are more enclined to act on it.
rowland
05 December 2008
I fully support your ideas. Since the circles inauguration the input has increased considerably and to give credibility to the site there is a need for some fairness and a proper system for giving and receiving critiques. 
Regards Rowland
louise
12 December 2008
I think Carl's idea is a good one. I would have nothing to say regarding poetry as I don't like it, but if someone comments on poetry then they get one point, or something. 

Then with so many points they can download their work for comment in that particular field?

So, if I comment on a few chapters of a novel I get one point; two novels another point. Then after that I can download my work in that criteria for comment. Does that make sense?

(Blimey, no spelling errors identified!!)
louise
12 December 2008
Also, though people are very busy this time of year. Probably why it's slow.
writer113
17 December 2009
categories for the submitted work would be a good idea. It would make finding items of interest much easier. 

It sounds like you are thinking of implementing a "critter.org" system, which would be a good thing. Hard to manage though. 

I disagree with: (b) Alternatively an author can only receive as much feedback as he or she has given (or a multiple thereof). E.g. giving one feedback gives an author 'credit' enough to get four back.

The reason is basically that if several people want to place feedback on a written work, they can't if the author hasn't made enough feedback comments in his/her own right. I doubt many people would leave heaps of feedback without knowing they were going to get that many in return. 

Just my thoughts.
Shakespril
16 March 2010
That sounds reasonable!

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