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Anansi View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Anansi Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Reciprocal Reviews
    Posted: 07 Aug 2020 at 4:20am
Speaking personally, I have a bit of a reviewing frenzy in the first week - then life somewhat gets in the way - and am slower to return reviews - but always return all reviews before the next round. Even single sentence ones. 

As others have pointed out, if you miss that initial frenzy - you will probably get less reads. 

Usually I get about 75% of reviews returned. 

The only exception to this was the final round of Flash last year where I got about 20% of reads returned. That was irritating. A final round phenomenon maybe. Less people. 

Right. Now to catch up on my reviews.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jenspenden Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Aug 2020 at 9:12pm
I've been doing NYCM contests since 2013, and my review habits have changed over time. For a while, I participated with the feeding frenzy and went crazy reviewing stories the first week or two after each round. I used to review about 100 stories/round (er, minus the later rounds when there are fewer participants/stories). 

Nowadays, I take my sweet time returning reads, lol. It's not that I won't, it's just that I have learned we have over a month (sometimes longer) to return reviews. So, what's the big rush? I just don't kill myself to review/return reviews like a madwoman anymore. I generally spread them out up until the next round.

Of course my new method means I don't get nearly the number of reads I used to, but it's okay. I still get what I want out of the contest (fun challenge, reading great stories, meeting other writers). Smile
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote fioOxf Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 31 Jul 2020 at 4:31pm
Originally posted by DanielleDahl DanielleDahl wrote:

I posted late too and have zero feedback :(
I will definitely review anyone who is so kind as to read mine lol! 

Have a snoop at the 'for newbies' post and pop a link to your forum in your signature - at the moment, you don't have it there, as far as I can see, and it's the best way to get return reads when you've left reviews on stories https://forums.nycmidnight.com/this-is-for-all-you-new-people_topic12975_page1.html 

As for me, after a lockdown involving 3 rounds of short story, two of micro and a screenwriting, I've been taking time off the forums. When you have that many reviews to return, it just feels too onerous. I'm starting again now, and I usually have a burst the last 10 days before the results come out. I know I'm not the only one... 
My experience definitely isn't 'leave 11, get 1'. It's more like 'get 2 for every 3 or 4', which is good enough for me... 

Right. Time to get back to some return reads ;)
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jimiflan2 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 31 Jul 2020 at 2:16pm
Originally posted by azhcanedition azhcanedition wrote:

For me, I guess I would like to have my story be good enough that it causes people to comment or review first, then I will definitely return the favor.   

The problem with this is that there are just SO MANY good stories to read, how will people pick your story out of the many to read. The one thing you see time and again is “I came for the title and wasn’t disappointed” / “your title really grabbed me”
 


Originally posted by azhcanedition azhcanedition wrote:

For example, if I'm commenting about any kind of errors that a fine tooth comb is run over my story and I get the sugar coated equivalent of a failing grade on a school paper. 

I don’t think this will happen with this group. I think you will get good solid critiques, but the crowd here are very friendly
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote Jhill Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 31 Jul 2020 at 6:46am
Originally posted by Zelda Zelda wrote:

Am I the only person who loves this forum's setup? More complex forums confuse me, ...

I'm with Zelda on this one. :)
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote azhcanedition Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 31 Jul 2020 at 1:32am
For me, I guess I would like to have my story be good enough that it causes people to comment or review first, then I will definitely return the favor.   
 
I admit that I have some misgivings about reviewing first for a reciprocal.    I overthink and run worse case scenarios in my head (anxiety issues).    It's nothing anyone has actually done, but I fear an almost strange bias that sinks in.  
For example, if I'm commenting about any kind of errors that a fine tooth comb is run over my story and I get the sugar coated equivalent of a failing grade on a school paper. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Guests Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Jul 2020 at 2:46pm
Am I the only person who loves this forum's setup? More complex forums confuse me, like NaNoWriMo's, for example. I can't use their forum to save myself. I say, thank goodness this forum is arranged as it is! But that's probably just me! Embarrassed
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jennifer.quail Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Jul 2020 at 10:31am
Originally posted by Seacore Seacore wrote:

Originally posted by nixie nixie wrote:

Originally posted by Seacore Seacore wrote:

I think one factor is this archaic forum build.

There are far more advanced forum builds out there that are more user friendly and intuitive, including methods of prompting users when their story has been reviewed. Yes, some of that functionality exists here, but it's buried and hard to use.

Free software / get what you pay for.

That said - it's worth remember that we aren't paying for this forum, either - it's a courtesy thing that NYCM provides, and then gives us permanent access to. So - *we're getting what *we paid for too ;)

That said Flarum is out in beta, and i keep hoping... (cuz omg the ability to tag your post with group, challenge, genre, object would eliminate Master Lists forever....)

The case that we aren't paying for the forum doesn't hold much water given the expense and size of this competition. A small fraction of the fees could be easily invested into better infrastructure.

I was going to say, given the comparatively-astronomical fees this competition charges compared to others, with only the top couple finishers getting a high payout, most of the prizes being software downloads, and the allegedly-professional feedback being of limited to no value most of the time, and their pushing the forums as one of the 'benefits', updating it something more stable might be a reasonable use of their entry fees. If they can afford to make donations for show, they can use that percentage to think about an upgrade instead. 

(Seriously, actually FREE boards I've been using for years have updated their platforms.) 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (2) Thanks(2)   Quote Seacore Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Jul 2020 at 8:14pm
Originally posted by nixie nixie wrote:

Originally posted by Seacore Seacore wrote:

I think one factor is this archaic forum build.

There are far more advanced forum builds out there that are more user friendly and intuitive, including methods of prompting users when their story has been reviewed. Yes, some of that functionality exists here, but it's buried and hard to use.

Free software / get what you pay for.

That said - it's worth remember that we aren't paying for this forum, either - it's a courtesy thing that NYCM provides, and then gives us permanent access to. So - *we're getting what *we paid for too ;)

That said Flarum is out in beta, and i keep hoping... (cuz omg the ability to tag your post with group, challenge, genre, object would eliminate Master Lists forever....)

The case that we aren't paying for the forum doesn't hold much water given the expense and size of this competition. A small fraction of the fees could be easily invested into better infrastructure.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote MuffinMom Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Jul 2020 at 6:20pm
Originally posted by DanielleDahl DanielleDahl wrote:

I posted late too and have zero feedback :(
I will definitely review anyone who is so kind as to read mine lol! 

I'm trying to find your story, and I did a search on your username, but I haven't found it. If you can post it to this thread or IM it to me, I'd still love to review it!
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