Rumple Rolled by new Favorites list

[Rumple Foreskin]

Manu is tinkering with a new listing of favorite stories, poems, and authors called the "Favorites Portal." The tally will be taken from the "Favorites" list on our homepages. You can find a link to the test site on the Lit home page. This may work, Favorites Portal, sneak peek

Now, I'll be honest, for a change, and admit I hadn't placed anything or anyone on my list. But with basketball over for the night, I decided to take on that chore.

Here's the good news: It works in real time. You enter, it lists.

Here's the bad news: It's a pain. You can only enter one item at a time and it must be accompanied by a verification code. And then the data base manager is, well, quirky. For instance:

carsonsheperd, you don't exist. Sorry, to break the news like that, but facts are facts and the fact is I entered your handle about every way I could imagine and for my troubles kept getting: ERROR no record matches your query. When I entered "Whole Heart" I got a l-o-n-g list of possible story titles. But while "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" was there, "Whole Heart" was not.

There were other hassles, but check it out for yourself. If you also hit snags, pass the info along to Manu. If he's on the data base.

Rumple Foreskin

 

[angelicminx]

Thanks babe. Maybe one day I'll make that list, lol.

 

[BlackShanglan]

I'm a bit baffled, though, Rumple - I can see Carson listed on the favorite authors list. People have evidently been able to add him at some point?

 

[wishfulthinking]

I just checked out my favourites, and someone got removed. There is just a blank space.

But what are people's views on this? positive, negative? Is it just another popularity contest?

 

[BlackShanglan]

Life is a popularity contest. Fortunately, one can eventually notice that the prizes are meager, the trials tedious, and the company uninteresting. Then it's fairly easy to walk away from.

 

[LadyJeanne]

I've seen the positive side of the list. I gained a new reader because an author completely unknown to me had placed me on her list, and he had liked her stories so much that he checked out her favorites page to see who she liked to read.

I'm lax about updating my list because it is a pain, but I add authors or stories/poems that I run across that I'm likely to forget unless I add them to my list.

What I'd love to be able to do is add an author or story to my list directly from the author's profile or story. If there were a button at the end of a story asking if I want to add it or the author to my favorites list, I'd be really happy.

 

[Rumple Foreskin]

Life is a popularity contest. Fortunately, one can eventually notice that the prizes are meager, the trials tedious, and the company uninteresting. Then it's fairly easy to walk away from.

I'm sure you meant that's the case in most places EXCEPT for the AH, right?

I never could figure any reason to list my favorites. I'm not impressed with my own opinions and felt pretty sure anyone else who cogitated upon that point would agree. On the other hand, anyone who does take the time and trouble to enter a story, poem, or author on their list (ten each, max) must either have a world of time on their hands or really like what they've just read. So, why not?

Rumple Foreskin

 

[wishfulthinking]

I've solved one problem. If anyone gets offended they are not on my fav's list, I can say - strange, but I am sure you were on it, wait a second, there looks to be a glitch..."

 

[Rumple Foreskin]

I've solved one problem. If anyone gets offended they are not on my fav's list, I can say - strange, but I am sure you were on it, wait a second, there looks to be a glitch..."

A new revenge tool, very nice, Wishful.

Shang, after some trial and a lot of error, I did manage to get carson's name to come up, once. But then when I tried to pull up Whole Heart, I got nothing but heartburn, as already mentioned. Then I tried to pull up carson's name again, and no luck. The initial failures may have been due to my screwing up the entry and the second set might have resulted from his name already being on the list. But the error message was the same both times.

Some names are tricky. Dr. Mabeuse may be Mab, Doc, or Zoot to us, but to the data base he better damn well be Dr_Mabeuse or you're SOL. That took a fair slug of time for me to figure out.

Rumple Foreskin

 

[sincerely_helene]

Personally, the whole thing kind of intimidates me and gives me a complex, and I can see others feeling obligated to add their closest friends because of it (which is mildly unfair to all parties involved). I'm already pretty nervous being a new writer, and it bothers me to constantly have to be reminded that I'm not a "favorite".

I can live with it, though. It's kind of the same premise of the current voting process anyway, in my op.

 

[English Lady]

I wanted to use my fabourites for ages but couldn't work out how to do it until a thread appeared here and i asked...you go through your user CP, story submission bit and go from there, i've added a few so far, I quite like it, its cool to have a list of those stories I love to go back and revisit at will...same goes for favourite authors. cuts out the buggering about with the search thang.

I think the portal is just a bit of posturing really but heyho. I don't know how many people would be swayed by someone being top of the favourites list...

 

[doormouse]

Are these snags new though?

I've had to add authors instead of stories because the search couldn't find the story I specified... Not that I mind, everyone on my fave list is there for a reason

Kewl, I won't hold my breath waiting for my name to appear on it lol

 

[angelicminx]

I'm a bit baffled, though, Rumple - I can see Carson listed on the favorite authors list. People have evidently been able to add him at some point?

I did carsonshepherd...

 

[flawed_ethics]

I actually noticed something like this when trying to add a story by thesandman yesterday. I attributed it to my own shortcomings (of which there are many), but this news helps to releive my doubts. I did finally manage to add his story to my 'Favorites'' list, after all.

I think it's neat thing, like the option to add favorite authors/stories to one's bio page. It is nothing more than a popularity contest in the end, but in some instances it can carry weight. For example, if I were to check out Killermuffin's or Weird Harold's profiles and see a list of authors/stories listed, I would be encouraged to treat such listed items with more reverence.

 

[Rumple Foreskin]

Are these snags new though?

I've had to add authors instead of stories because the search couldn't find the story I specified... Not that I mind, everyone on my fave list is there for a reason

Kewl, I won't hold my breath waiting for my name to appear on it lol

doormouse, oh ye who has neither viewed, voted, nor left a PC on my Earth Day entry, one other thing I couldn't pull up was your M.I.K.E. story. Your name wouldn't come up either until I capitalized it. Then it showed up, with the "d" in small caps, along with another, similar, name. Very strange.

Minx, as I mentioned earlier, I did finally manage to call up carson's name, once. But whenever I tried "Whole Heart" I always came up with a long list that didn't include that story.

I'm soooo confused.

Rumple Foreskin

 

[impressive]

What I'd love to be able to do is add an author or story to my list directly from the author's profile or story. If there were a button at the end of a story asking if I want to add it or the author to my favorites list, I'd be really happy.

YES! YES! YES!

Okay -- other stuff:

Rumps, you can add an item based on it's "ID" (that 6-digit # at the end of the URL). I had the same problem when trying to add Mat's "First Time" poem. Those words just produced WAY too many matches and her poem was not on the first x# of hits.

As for it's value ...

From a reader's perspective, the number of stories on Lit is overwhelming. Case in point -- I tried to start a thread last week to get folks reading a random new story. No one bit. We don't want to experiment. We want the "good stuff" spoon fed to us through a Top List or a Favorites Portal or comments on the Feedback Portal. So, a Favorites Portal is just another tool for the reader who can't be bothered to take (more of) a chance.

From an author's perspective, a Favorites Portal -- just like the Feedback Portal, Top Lists, Hs, etc. -- is a way to get more RVCs. Exposure. No matter why we write, I think it's safe to say that (by virtue of posting here) we want to be read.

 

[Guest]

Life is a popularity contest. Fortunately, one can eventually notice that the prizes are meager, the trials tedious, and the company uninteresting. Then it's fairly easy to walk away from.

AMEN and HALLELUJAH!

 

[Rumple Foreskin]

Rumps, you can add an item based on it's "ID" (that 6-digit # at the end of the URL). I had the same problem when trying to add Mat's "First Time" poem. Those words just produced WAY too many matches and her poem was not on the first x# of hits.

Once again, Impressive has more than lived up to her name. I had no idea what some fool ID was. Many thanks.

Rumple Foreskin

 

[cantdog]

I'm a bit baffled, though, Rumple - I can see Carson listed on the favorite authors list. People have evidently been able to add him at some point?

In your post, Rumple, you misspelled it. "sheperd" for "shepherd." Maybe you should try again?

 

[Rumple Foreskin]

In your post, Rumple, you misspelled it. "sheperd" for "shepherd." Maybe you should try again?

Cant, I figure the odds on my screwing up are approximately 100-1 in favor. However, I tried several variations and even did a copy and paste of the name from one of Carson's stories. For some reason, the regular spelling worked, once. After that, nada.

It's not a consistent thing. "doormouse" wouldn't come up until I tried "Doormouse". Then two variations, including the one I wanted, showed up. And the stories "Whole Heart" and "M.I.K.E." never would show their heads.

I wouldn't be surprised at all it the problem was 100% me. But judging from some of the other posts, that's not the case.

Rumple Foreskin

 

[Colleen Thomas]

Personally, the whole thing kind of intimidates me and gives me a complex, and I can see others feeling obligated to add their closest friends because of it (which is mildly unfair to all parties involved). I'm already pretty nervous being a new writer, and it bothers me to constantly have to be reminded that I'm not a "favorite".

I can live with it, though. It's kind of the same premise of the current voting process anyway, in my op.

You write very well Helen, have a little faith in yourself.

When you choose to see anything, voting, favorites, ect. as a contest, you end up only competing with yourself. And that's a competion you can never win.

You have talent. You can certainly tell a story. The only thing you lack is time. You can't rush that. You have to build a readership, so do what you can to get exposure (contests are great for that) and be patient. Before you know it, the accolades will come.

 

[elfin_odalisque]

You write very well Helen, have a little faith in yourself.

When you choose to see anything, voting, favorites, ect. as a contest, you end up only competing with yourself. And that's a competion you can never win.

You have talent. You can certainly tell a story. The only thing you lack is time. You can't rush that. You have to build a readership, so do what you can to get exposure (contests are great for that) and be patient. Before you know it, the accolades will come.

I'm not entirely sure I agree with you, Colly.

The idea of lit dinosaurs promoting fellow lit dinosaurs smacks a bit of some of the things you harangue against with the government.

I have not listed any of my favorites although I keep a word document of my favorite stories ( including Bets and many others of yours).

Favorites are, by their very nature, personal and biased, and act as a limiting factor on the new talent that is just about to join.

 

[CrimsonMaiden]

I just checked out my favourites, and someone got removed. There is just a blank space.

But what are people's views on this? positive, negative? Is it just another popularity contest?

That was Lady in Disguise, wish. She got deleted.

 

[Colleen Thomas]

I'm not entirely sure I agree with you, Colly.

The idea of lit dinosaurs promoting fellow lit dinosaurs smacks a bit of some of the things you harangue against with the government.

I have not listed any of my favorites although I keep a word document of my favorite stories ( including Bets and many others of yours).

Favorites are, by their very nature, personal and biased, and act as a limiting factor on the new talent that is just about to join.

I think favorites are a very author friendly idea. I have recieved several mails from people who found my stories through thier favorite author's favorites list. Conversely, I know a few readers thanked me for having so and so in my favortites, as they also found that author enjoyable.

It's a simple reality, that the key to building a readership is having people read your works. It's also a fact that you will pick up only a few reads after the story is no longer new. The new list and the top lists, are functional ways to get more reads. Favorites are as well. Story feedback forum is too. Contests being the best way.

I think it advances all of us, because no two favorite's lists are going to be a like. Anyone linking from an author in my favorites list will find not only that author, but if they enjoy him/her that author's favorites.

just my 2 cents

 

[Rumple Foreskin]

Having been hanging around here for over three years, I probably qualify as one of the dinosaurs. If there is a cabal of old farts meeting in some hidden spot, exchaning secret handshakes and passwords before swapping votes, that's one more social circle I've missed.

Four of the most popular writers now posting stories at Lit joined in 2004: Carsonsheperd, Evil Alpaca, Brightlyburn, and Penelope Street. I'm sure there are others, I just happened to notice their names. IMHO, being known can help, but it's skill, not seniority, that does the most to produce high scores, big view totals, and all those odd letters.

Rumple Foreskin