Paige Hawthorne: Blog

Many of you wait until a complete story is posted to cast what would seem to be a judicious vote. But could you inadvertently be casting a less influential vote?

Other readers vote early and often. (The latest vote counts, but it cancels out the previous one.) Do these early voters have more impact on a story's readership than the wait-until-it's-finished voters?

Perhaps. Anyway, here's my thinking:

Someone who votes when Chapter One is posted will cast, say, one vote out of one hundred. A late voter may be one out of a thousand. The former will have, to some degree, more impact - his vote represents a higher percentage of the total at the time he marks his ballot.

So what? In the end, one vote is one vote. An early vote is one of a thousand by the time the story is complete. Right?

Maybe, maybe not.

Think back to that Chapter One and its 100 votes. A reader score will then be posted; a score which can affect who decides to read the story. And who decides not to.

Each subsequent chapter plays out in a similar manner. But by the time votes are cast after the final chapter is posted, the reader score is more or less settled. Those last votes have less impact. At least in affecting new readers.

So while it's true that the Chapter One vote has shifted from one in one hundred to one in one thousand, that early vote carried more weight - it encouraged readers to dip into the story. Or discouraged them from doing so.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Maybe.

Paige

PS Of course when a vote for one story is measured against all votes for all stories ... well, a grain of sand and all that.

Three editors - - Thorny, Steve and Omachuck - - worked diligently on "Winter's Woes". Any and all mistakes are 100% their fault. Faults.

Grammar, spelling, punctuation, syntax, plot inconsistencies, lack of character development … each and every gaffe can be traced directly to the Editorial Department. It's not by accident that they're housed in the bowels of this building. Talent finds its own level. Credit due.

Conversely, this author is fully culpable for any and all creative brilliance. Credit due.

Paige

The first chapter of my latest story - - "Winter's Woes" - - has slithered through the cracks. A mod must have been on the nod so now the tale is available for … well, for whatever you misbegotten readers do with stories about women.

Hey, mod on the nod. Poetry.

The three editors - - Thorny, Steve, and Omachuck - - worked like … well, how should I describe it? Like distracted schoolboys gazing longingly out a classroom window.

You may notice that some of the early chapters are relatively short. I lengthen them toward the end as the plot focuses and various storylines converge. And, I hope, as the pace accelerates.

We'll see.

Paige

My latest story - - "Winter's Woes" - - is finished. So, ordinarily, the 17 readers still hanging around could proceed apace to the site and begin to … do whatever it is you do with a new Winter saga.

Except. "Woes" is now in the hands of the draconian Editorial Department in the basement of this building. I'll try to exert some damage control on the creative side, but that won't mitigate the time loss. No one knows when, nor if, the tale will ever surface.

Complicating the complications, one editor, thornfoote, had the temerity to write his own story - - "Retribution". My understanding is that his lips are so tired from reading his own prose that he needs some recovery time in a rehab clinic before turning to "Woes."

I checked "Retribution" out. It's actually not horrible. Not that you should read it. In fact, please don't. Heaven knows where some encouragement might lead the lad.

Paige

A 'Winter' fan reminded me that there are three ways for readers to voice their opinions on a story. Voting, of course. Second, there is the Comments section at the end of each story. And then there is the option to email an author - - directly or through the SOL internal process.

What about an additional method?

How about adding a public response mechanism to our blogs? In other words, give voice to those readers who would like their observations to be read in the SOL forum. Let them have the opportunity to post their opinions of a blog in the blog section itself.

My thinking is, that for one reason or another, my blogs draw more emails than my stories. And some of the responses are brilliant. Deserving of a wider jury.

It would mean simply allowing readers to publicly comment on a blog, just as they currently can do on a story.

I believe it would help inform and animate our site. Maybe.

Paige