Writing Challenge Comments, Questions, Answers

How many votes should each voter be allowed in the Writing Challenge?

  • One

    Votes: 20 57.1%
  • Two

    Votes: 15 42.9%

  • Total voters
    35
  • Poll closed .
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Re: Writing Challenge Questions, Answers, Comments -- (Formerly: Proposed Competition

I'd only want the challenge once a month too. I think the chance of losing interest if it's more often is pretty high.
 
Re: Writing Challenge Questions, Answers, Comments -- (Formerly: Proposed Competition

Who are these people?

I thought I'd joined a fairly relaxed sedentary bunch who churned out monster 3000 page epics; not a group of flighty teenagers who are high on red cow and E additives.
 
Re: Writing Challenge Questions, Answers, Comments -- (Formerly: Proposed Competition

Just call me Cul, and for the record I only wanted one entry per month, not eleven
...
Whoops! My bad. I thought you were in support of the 'more than one entry per month' idea. I see now you weren't. Eleven was, of course, just a random number I wrote to illustrate my point.

Naming names would be a problem if it were in the negative sense, don't you think? If we were, say, voting on Worst Story, then it should be anonymous. But naming the stories you liked should be okay, I think. The people you voted for would certainly be happy, and the rest shouldn't be upset at any individual for not voting for them. I wouldn't, let's put it that way. I would be disappointed at the fact that I didn't get enough votes, but that disappointment would be there regardless of anonymity.

Here's the biggest problem with the automated system - how will we determine the 'legitimacy' of the votes? We both agreed that you shouldn't vote for yourself; but if I'm answering an anonymous poll, what's stopping me from doing just that?
Do I have to take part in the voting process? I just figured I'd post my piece each month and leave it to others to do the voting.....
I think it's important that we all vote, Manarion. It's sort of unfair, otherwise, to expect others to read and vote for your piece, if you're not reciprocating.
 
Re: Writing Challenge Questions, Answers, Comments -- (Formerly: Proposed Competition

Well, when you put it that way, I guess I can vote-depending on when and where it's taking place of course. My internet access is pretty temporary right now, and I don't know what site it's going to take place on. Is voting already going to start, or are we going to wait a while? I may not be ABLE to vote, depending.....
 
Re: Writing Challenge Questions, Answers, Comments -- (Formerly: Proposed Competition

All in all I feel a simple poll will suffice. I think we want to make this as streamlined as possible, this isn't American Idol, it's a fun way to collectively exercise our creativity in public each month.
 
Re: Writing Challenge Questions, Answers, Comments -- (Formerly: Proposed Competition

I think we should have a points system...
I think this system is little more fair, as it rewards the people who were better received 'on the whole', as opposed to polarising, love-it-or-hate-it entries.

No, the simpler the better, I think. This is not the Hugos or the Nebulas, it's a friendly contest, and these are not stories that people will be slaving over for weeks. (At least I hope they won't be slaving over them for weeks. The prize isn't sufficiently grandiose to inspire that kind of effort.) If people get too serious and there are any hints that it is polarizing the community, moderators will pull the plug on the whole thing very quickly.

If it's a success, this will be something that comes around every month (it's not looking good for fortnightly, Cul), and everyone will have a chance to try again in a few weeks.


So far, a lot of people who did not think they could write a story in a mere 75 words have done it. They went outside of their comfort zone and met the challenge. I hope that everyone feels good about themselves just because they took part.

I, personally, am very proud of everyone who contributed something (or will contribute something). We have a wonderfully creative group here. I hope this monthly challenge will be a celebration of that fact.


And Karn, nobody has to vote if they don't want to. Those who wish to sit in silent admiration are welcome to do so.


Devil's Advocate said:
Here's the biggest problem with the automated system - how will we determine the 'legitimacy' of the votes? We both agreed that you shouldn't vote for yourself; but if I'm answering an anonymous poll, what's stopping me from doing just that?

The honor system is good enough for me.
 
Re: Writing Challenge Questions, Answers, Comments -- (Formerly: Proposed Competition

Well, I certainly feel better about myself, to a point at least....



I'm not sure if I'll do this every month, but I'll certainly try to get something in when I can.
 
Re: Writing Challenge Questions, Answers, Comments -- (Formerly: Proposed Competition

You know what? You guys are right. I was over-thinking it a little. It's just a friendly little exercise, more than anything. There's no need to go all-out with the voting process.

I still feel, though, that there shouldn't be a 'limit' on the stories. If someone wants to submit more than one piece, I think that should be okay.

As for voluntary vote, Teresa, I agree that the silent admirers are not required to vote. I was referring to the participants; they, I think, should vote. Otherwise, it seems a tad unfair, in my opinion.

For example, for those who download via file-sharing websites and software (like bittorrents), you're not 'forced' to share files. But it is generally considered bad practice to just download, say, a 175mb episode of a TV show, then shut it off as soon as you're done, denying others the opportunity to download the same from you. The 'accepted' practice is that you should try to share at least as much as you download.

Not that I'm advocating file-sharing of copyright TV shows, of course. That's just wrong! Don't do it.
 
Re: Writing Challenge Questions, Answers, Comments -- (Formerly: Proposed Competition

Do I have to take part in the voting process? I just figured I'd post my piece each month and leave it to others to do the voting.....

That's your choice.

One of the inspirations for the new "contest" is the monthly equivalent for photos. I often vote in that, even though I have no means (other than my laptop's webcam) for entering (which I don't) and even though I'm an "I like what I like" person when it comes to judging images. :eek::eek:

Do whatever you feel comfortable with. :)
 
Re: Writing Challenge Questions, Answers, Comments -- (Formerly: Proposed Competition

As far as the voting system goes I'd say keep it as simple as possible - and the most simple is one Chron = one Vote. However, if we only have 20 Chrons voting on 20 stories, we may not get any clear leaders (just a few people with 2 votes) and so maybe some slightly more complicated system would be better. Ideally, we should have announced the voting system first, but this is a learning curve.

Since it was decided only one story per person, that shouldn't be changed now. If we do allow more next time then the votes should be for a story, not a member. I thought that went without saying. Same goes for voting for oneself.

I also think you might get burn out if you hold more than one competition at the same time. It will do no harm if people have to wait for the next one.
 
Re: Writing Challenge Questions, Answers, Comments -- (Formerly: Proposed Competition

I don't think we ought to get too bogged down in the competitive attributes of the competition. No-one is going to post the culmination of their life's work. Six people "winning" with two votes each simply shows that in strong competiton, each is equally (though, propbably, differently) appreciated.

To wheel out that saw: It's the taking part that counts.
 
Re: Writing Challenge Questions, Answers, Comments -- (Formerly: Proposed Competition

I'd go with a fortnightly comp, Teresa, but it looks as if I'm in a minority here.

I'd also agree with the easiest voting possible. The trouble is with such a lot of entries, there could well be a tie, as Dave mentions. While that's no bad thing in the credit stakes, it makes it difficult to decide who gets the honour of setting the next month's theme - unless we have a penalty shootout among the leaders eg a story in 10 words!
 
Re: Writing Challenge Questions, Answers, Comments -- (Formerly: Proposed Competition

Unfortunately the software only allows for one vote per person, or infinite votes per person, so it looks like it will be as Dave says, one Chron, one vote. As for ties, they're no big - we only ever get a small number of votes in the photo challenge, and ties are actually rare. If it is a tie, we could always run a second, shorter, tie-breaking poll with only the winners...
 
Re: Writing Challenge Questions, Answers, Comments -- (Formerly: Proposed Competition

Who would have thought a fun exercise could get bogged down in so much minutia? Or is it competition that brings out the "fair" questions?

But I would not agree that it was just assumed that you should not vote for yourself. It is certainly bad form in a friendly election, but mostly done in the world where there is something riding on the outcome. --- Do you vote your shares for your idea in a shareholders meeting? Can you imagine Reagan voting for McGovern?
 
Re: Writing Challenge Questions, Answers, Comments -- (Formerly: Proposed Competition

Or, in the event of a tie, the mods could have a swift vote amongst themselves between the tied stories to avoid dragging things out with multiple public votes.

It doesn't really matter though; just a bit of fun for everyone.

With regards to timing, I'm happy with whatever. Monthly, bi-monthly, whatever the consensus is I'm happy to go along with. it's nice to have something to do as a warm-up that doesn't get deleted once I'm done.
 
Re: Writing Challenge Questions, Answers, Comments -- (Formerly: Proposed Competition

Wow, some really good ones so far. Choosing one is going to be tough.

And Peter Graham has been lured into posting something creative that's not an illustration of a point about technique! I never thought I'd see the day.
 
Re: Writing Challenge Questions, Answers, Comments -- (Formerly: Proposed Competition

And Peter Graham has been lured into posting something creative that's not an illustration of a point about technique!
Well, not a point we're equipped to notice, let alone deal with. :(


As to voting for oneself, why do it? The entry is there for all to see (and thus whether it may deserve a lot of votes or not) and the prize is one of esteem. The person to whom this matters most is the story's author, the one person who will know whether it garnered less honest votes than will have been reported.

Where votes really matter (in terms of the importance of the result to the public at large, e.g. elections for Parliament/Congress/etc), we assume that all of the candidates vote for themselves (if the live in the constituency, that is).
 
Re: Writing Challenge Questions, Answers, Comments -- (Formerly: Proposed Competition

Who would have thought a fun exercise could get bogged down in so much minutia? Or is it competition that brings out the "fair" questions?
Parson, have you never sat on something like a church committee?!

Or, in the event of a tie, the mods could have a swift vote amongst themselves between the tied stories to avoid dragging things out with multiple public votes.
I'm happy for Teresa herself to choose the winner, except this might put her in an invidious position if she is one of the tied-toppers. What about inviting someone like I, Brian or jd worthington (if they haven't entered, that is) to act as a kind of guest of honour to choose a winner if there is a tie?

Ursa, you're absolutely right about esteem. It might be an idea to remind people, though, before voting starts.

We don't know how much support months 2 and 3 will garner, but if it seems this stupendous turn out isn't a fluke, and the numbers preclude multiple entries from one person, perhaps we could have an overspill thread where people can post without the entry counting for votes, and on which others could comment. (Those who didn't want to be critiqued could make this clear.)
 
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