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Young Writers Society


A quick survey



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Sun Jul 10, 2011 5:58 pm
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Matt Bellamy says...



1. Should we continue with Review Teams on Review Days?
Yes! I think it gives the day a nicer feel because people are working together in a way and it feels more like a joint effort.

2. Which should have more emphasis in Clubs: the Wall area or the Discussions area?
I think the discussions area is more important really, but that's thinking about the Coexist religion club. For other clubs, e.g. F.R.E.D.'s club, it's more the wall area because not much discussion takes place. So... it depends on the club! But I'd say discussion is more important for most clubs.

3. Why do you think the blogs section is less popular these days?
I think it's because people have Facebook and other things to talk to each other about their lives now, as well as the chat room. And maybe because YWS is a little bigger than it was before and people only look at their friends' blogs. I'm not sure though. I don't think it's anything to do with the layout or anything like that, but more like external factors e.g. other methods of communication.

4. How would you improve YWS?
Erm... that's a huge question. I'll have a think and get back to you!

5. If you participate in storybooks, what would make them better?[/quote]
Not applicable.
Matt.

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Sun Jul 10, 2011 7:10 pm
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Rydia says...



1. Should we continue with Review Teams on Review Days?

Yes! I love the comradely feel that you get when you're part of a review team and it's nice to have that little edge of friendly competition. It also makes the accomplishment feel a little more. When you only have time to write one or two reviews on review day, that feels like so little compared to the overall number. But! When you're in a team and only have time to write a couple, there's more a sense of 'every little counts' because the number of reviews your team does is lower than the overall amount. So it looks like you're contributing more!

It also allows a closeness between members that we don't tend to see in the forums these days. New members and old members get the chance to interract and make immediate friendships because they're on the same team. It's like YWS chat times ten and it's great!

2. Which should have more emphasis in Clubs: the Wall area or the Discussions area?

It's hard to say. In most of the fun clubs the wall gets used a lot more, like Salt and Burn the Bones. In more serious clubs though it's the discussion section. At a push I'd say the wall but that's only because I'm part of more fun clubs than serious ones!

3. Why do you think the blogs section is less popular these days?

Blogs are becoming more popular outside of YWS and it's very hard to update two blogs regularly. In the last year I've been encouraged to create two blogs outside of the site and while I only use my more recent one regularly, it's still taking my attention away from YWS blogs. I check up on my friend's less often and post on mine less often and it all has a knock on effect.

I don't know how you could change this though. The reason I'm falling in love with my blog outside of YWS is that there's a whole world of viewers out there. It's very nice to talk to writers but this other blog allows me to reach out to a greater variety of people and a greater amount.

4. How would you improve YWS?

It's always steadily getting better. Most of the time I don't even think it could be better but then you prove me wrong. I think it would be quite cool if the novels could work almost in the sense that they had a mini forum to themselves. Like so that when you click to view a person's novel, there's seperate tabs for the novel and reviews on the novel and comments/ discussion on the novel and maybe somewhere the author can have for updates or general comments, plot overview. I think I'm just getting silly and over complicating things though.

5. If you participate in storybooks, what would make them better?

I'd love storybooks to survive for longer without getting strained/ forced but all my attempts to make them do so seem to fail. So I'm not sure.
Writing Gooder

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Mon Jul 11, 2011 5:04 am
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CuteJackRussell says...



1) Despite the standard of the reviews dropping during that period where the review teams are in place I would have to say, yes. People like it and it motivates people to write reviews and the pints are based on quality so it wouldn't make a difference if you did heaps. Also it is a great chance for members to meet other members and have a bit of fun, so in my opinion, yes would should keep going with it.

2) I think both are equally important, but the wall area is usually used more, I know that for a fact. The discussions area is all down to members creating discussions and encouraging people to post in them. Besides if the people in a club don't like to post in the discussions area then they shouldn't feel they have to and vice versa withe the wall area.

3) I think people read blogs when they first meet a member so they can get to know them a bit and then after that they just use the chat. I still don't think there is any real reason, probably members don't feel like reading through pages and pages of blog entries.

4) Perhaps delete the old forums so that it is easier to navigate around young writers society. I have no better suggestions, the site is already pretty good and I love going on here and having fun getting to know people, reviewing works and learning more about the thing I love, writing.

5) I wouldn't know, I don't really use this forum.
Hello,
I doubt you will take the time to look at this signature, you are all busy people and I respect that, but if you do know this. Every bit of criticism on my writing has helped and every bit of advice you have given me has also helped. So thank you, for everything.
From CuteJackRussell xoxox
  





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Tue Jul 12, 2011 1:28 pm
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Nate says...



Keep the responses going! Thank you to all who have taken the time so far. If you haven't taken the time, why the heck not? It's five questions! ;)
  





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Tue Jul 12, 2011 2:56 pm
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Demeter says...



1. Should we continue with Review Teams on Review Days?
Why not, if it makes people review more and like it. I myself haven't been a very avid team member, though. I guess it sort of brings extra pressure, even though it's supposed to be a fun way to get more reviews done.

2. Which should have more emphasis in Clubs: the Wall area or the Discussions area?
The Wall area. At least in most the clubs I'm in. I can well imagine that in some clubs, discussion is more used/important.

3. Why do you think the blogs section is less popular these days?
Mostly because of the statuses. When the Feed was introduced, I noticed myself doing fewer and fewer blogs. I still love the blog section, but I know I'd have written more blogs in the past months if it weren't for the status update option.

4. How would you improve YWS?
Right now, I find it quite perfect. I know this probably isn't the response you might hope for, but I can't think of anything right now that I'd want to be "better".

5. If you participate in storybooks, what would make them better?
(pass)
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Tue Jul 12, 2011 11:02 pm
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Alz says...



1. Should we continue with Review Teams on Review Days?
I think they're a good idea. They seem to get everyone excited for the Review Day.

2. Which should have more emphasis in Clubs: the Wall area or the Discussions area?
From what I have seen, the wall is used more frequently. On the other hand, I know that the discussion area is important in some clubs. But as a general rule, probably the walls.

3. Why do you think the blogs section is less popular these days?
I think after the feed section came in, people started posting statuses instead of writing a blog post. With less blog posts, less people are interested in looking in the blog section.

4. How would you improve YWS?
I think it's pretty great right now. :)

5. If you participate in storybooks, what would make them better?
I agree that having them set up more like a SB would be really cool. It would make things much easier to access and probably encourage more people to join.
The beautiful part of writing is that you don't have to get it right the first time, unlike, say, a brain surgeon. - Robert Cormier

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Wed Jul 13, 2011 12:23 pm
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MiRaCLeS says...



1. Should we continue with Review Teams on Review Days?
Yes, personally, I really liked the review teams. I think that they make me feel a bit more pressured to review. It's also a great way to meet new people on YWS. It's also generally, really good fun.

2. Which should have more emphasis in Clubs: the Wall area or the Discussions area?
I guess this depends on what club it is. There are those that focus more on the wall area and those that focus on the discussion area. But I think most of the clubs focus on the wall area.

3. Why do you think the blogs section is less popular these days?
I don't know. I've never been all that into blogs and things like that and I also haven't written any blog entry of my own or read many others. I guess it might have something to do with the feed area, considering it's easier and quicker to tell everyone what's happening and all that.

4. How would you improve YWS?
Well, I kinda miss the character counter. Although I think I'm the only one. Another thing, is what Kyllorac has said, emphasise the nomination system a bit more. A mobile version would be awesome as well. :)

5. If you participate in storybooks, what would make them better?
I don't participate in storybooks. So, I wouldn't have a clue.
  





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Sat Jul 16, 2011 12:53 am
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Snoink says...



1. Should we continue with Review Teams on Review Days?

Yes! It's fun. :)

2. Which should have more emphasis in Clubs: the Wall area or the Discussions area?

Walls.

3. Why do you think the blogs section is less popular these days?

The feed.

4. How would you improve YWS?

I responded to the email that you sent us a while back just now and answered that question, so hopefully you'll get that! :)

5. If you participate in storybooks, what would make them better?

Make each storybook more centralized. Also, make them organized more like the novels section. Or a novel/club hybrid thing? So, not so much forum-based anymore and make them look like the clubs section.
Ubi caritas est vera, Deus ibi est.

"The mark of your ignorance is the depth of your belief in injustice and tragedy. What the caterpillar calls the end of the world, the Master calls the butterfly." ~ Richard Bach

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Wed Jul 20, 2011 12:18 am
Jasmine Hart says...



1. Should we continue with Review Teams on Review Days?

I don't really know anything about Review Teams because I was gone a while, but I'm all for anything that gets quality reviewing done, so if this does it I can't see why not!

2. Which should have more emphasis in Clubs: the Wall area or the Discussions area?
Personally I have more interest in the Discussion area as it's usually what I'm looking for if I click into a club.

3. Why do you think the blogs section is less popular these days?
I didn't notice! I like to read the blogs when I come on here. It may be less popular because of the fact that we can now post on our walls, or maybe it's just a summer slump.

4. How would you improve YWS?
Em...I think it's improved a lot recently, not sure I'd change anything, I'm still enjoying all the recent changes.

5. [b]If you participate in storybooks, what would make them better?[/b]
I used to but not so much any more. This is mostly because I don't have time and because I prefer reviewing. One thing I found was that some got posted in a lot so it was hard to keep up with and then if I had too much to read to catch up on what was going on or if my character got a bit lost I'd stop posting. I think a longer required minimum post length would help with this, so there'd be a nice chunk from one character and then another rather than a sentence from one, two from another... but some storybooks already do this. That was a bit rambling. Basically I'd focus on quality and lengthening rather than post frequency.
"Just like moons and like suns,
With the certainty of tides,
Just like hopes springing high,
Still I'll rise."
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Wed Jul 20, 2011 1:04 am
Griffinkeeper says...



1. Should we continue with Review Teams on Review Days?

Yes! They are a lot of fun!

2. Which should have more emphasis in Clubs: the Wall area or the Discussions area?

I think there should be a greater emphasis on the discussion side of things. Wall posts tend to be ephemeral, but discussions can be easily looked up.

3. Why do you think the blogs section is less popular these days?

I don't know. But it might help if friends blog posts show up as a notification?

4. How would you improve YWS?

New Features: Sanctum.
Clubs: Add Advanced reply to the discussion boards and add more categories for clubs.

5. If you participate in storybooks, what would make them better?
I think Snoink has a good idea by making storybooks more like clubs. The only problem would be that the clubs are all jumbled together, so it would be difficult for people to find the storybooks among the clubs.
Moderator Emeritus (frozen in carbonite.)
  





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Thu Jul 21, 2011 4:20 pm
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RacheDrache says...



1. Should we continue with Review Teams on Review Days?

If they're effective, I think so. I know that back in May, the review teams really swept me up. But it's also no fun when you get on a team that's far behind. Tremendous fun when you're on a team that's neck and neck with another team that has members you know well enough to get a friendly trashtalk going with. Not much of an answer, I realize, but maybe you'll get something from it.

2. Which should have more emphasis in Clubs: the Wall area or the Discussions area?

I don't use the Club discussion boards at all. They don't ever really become discussions, just maybe two or three people who write a couple big posts and then it fizzles out. So I say Walls area.

3. Why do you think the blogs section is less popular these days?

The only blogs I follow regularly are yours, Nate, and Snoinker's. I'm sure there's a way to subscribe to blogs and I should go find that out now. But I only ever click on the Blogs section if I'm bored with other parts of YWS. I read when the title catches my eye, but in the end, I feel bad if I don't have at least some personal connection with the blogger. Maybe if there were a filter on it like the Review Queue on the front page, where I could narrow it down to just the people I follow?

4. How would you improve YWS?

Is it okay if I just jump off into the wild blue here? I fully understand that coding is time consuming and complicated, and don't expect any of this. But just to kindle some ideas...

I looooove the idea of review tutorials and other tutorials that people could do for points, as well as a grammar quiz or game (heck, I'd design it myself if my coding skillz weren't limited to the impressed bbc basic) to help get young writers up to speed more quickly. I spend a lot of time as a reviewer explaining grammar and things such as the importance of proofreading and spacing paragraphs (by the way, the "Story formatting" button never works for me). A lot of times, it just doesn't occur to a new writer to do any of those things. I know the feeling of excitement and eagerness to post all too well. Unfortunately, bad grammar, lack of paragraph spacing, and typos are probably the number one turn off to someone reviewing a work, and they often result in the impersonal, horrifying "You need to work on your grammar and spelling" comments that make people cry and never want to post again.

So, the quizzes on grammar and the like could really help out the new members who don't know the Way of Things yet.

Same for the review tutorials. The "that waz sooooooooo awezum u rock" reviews make me sad when I see them, as do the reviews that say something without explaining something. Also, I know a lot of reviews (myself included, sometimes) read a work and think, "That was soooo good, what could I possibly say to make it better?" And then don't comment. I think that's the very YWS tendency to get to a work and want to pick out all the stuff that needs to be fixed in it in search of perfection or something. But, in the end, even just comments on why you liked something so much, or your interpretation of a poem or story, can help the writer out immensely. A review tutorial could explain that.

Another thing that'd be totally awesome would be a more organized or streamlined or similar-adjective Knowledge Base, or perhaps a sidebar for when I'm reviewing. I don't always have the time to explain this aspect of grammar or show-don't-tell or why adverbs are better left out, and that's when I go to the Knowledge Base and find an article that explains it. But there are so many. And some overlap. And it takes me a while. Maybe I should just pull out the links and paste them into a Word Doc for easy access. Though Kyllorac has her list... I could bookmark that.

Something I've been meaning to ask is, what's the difference between the Writing Tips, Ask an Expert, and Writer's Corner? They overlap in my head.

The genre-tagging instead of having to place a novel or work in a forum would be cool. Also, would it then be possible to search for a review by tags? I could look for my favorite thing to review, the first chapter or prologue of a fantasy? Or there'd be a review queue thing with suggestions to review based on what I've previously reviewed?

I'm also still in favor of trophies or medals that a reviewer can award at his or her own discretion (by his or her own points) to a writer who does something well.

Again, just tossing out ideas in complete ignorance of how complicated they could potentially be.

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Wed Jul 27, 2011 6:01 pm
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lilymoore says...



1. Should we continue with Review Teams on Review Days?

I suppose I can't give the best opinion on this because I've never been able to participate in a review day before. Actually, if we have one this weekend, it would be the first one I'd be able to take part in. (Please tell me that we're having one. *crosses fingers super hard*)
But from the leader of a previous Review Team, I did definitely see it boost team spirit and build a community bond.

2. Which should have more emphasis in Clubs: the Wall area or the Discussions area?

Sometimes I wish that certain clubs had more activity in their Discussion area than they do. But each club is different and I think for some, the Wall area is more key to it's activity than it's Discussion area.

3. Why do you think the blogs section is less popular these days?

Maybe everyone's life has just become a whole lot less interesting?

4. How would you improve YWS?

My big one is a mobile version. YWS works great on my iPod but when I'm away from town and away from the internet, I would like to be able to check YWS on my phone. But that is in no way an easy task.

5. If you participate in storybooks, what would make them better?

Free cupcakes!
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Sat Sep 10, 2011 5:31 pm
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Blues says...



1. Should we continue with Review Teams on Review Days?
Yes! They were great fun! It made me really motivated to do as many as we could. It'd be nice if we could have something reminding YWSers to make sure they review recent works of active users though - the mods did say it later on in review day (I was new (well I still am) when it was review day and I didn't realise that most of the works with 0 or 1 reviews were of very old works of members who weren't active.) but apart from that it was great! I love how you can only be assigned to a team. It makes it random so we can meet more people :)

2. Which should have more emphasis in Clubs: the Wall area or the Discussions area?
Depends on the club. Something like The YWS advice club should have more emphasis on the Wall area but Coexist should have more emphasis on the discussion.

3. Why do you think the blogs section is less popular these days?
The feed area. The blog area is hidden though. There should be a bit more emphasis on blogs, they're really fun to read! Maybe if blog posts could be featured (not on the Index page but on the person's profile) it'd help.

4. How would you improve YWS?
It's pretty good already! :D If there was a page with all the forums as well as the literary and community it might be better.
  








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