Speeding Up Lit Publication?

[Gil_Raleigh]

So let me first say, I appreciate the effort that goes into keeping this site alive and functioning. Please do not find me to be ungrateful or unfeeling towards the amazing human beings who keep this digital wonderland afloat.

But is there a way of tapping members to help handle the requests to publish, thereby speeding up the process? More volunteers = more hands on deck = more stories published, or at least faster.

I've been waiting since Friday/Saturday and I'm not mad about waiting -- I just notice it's past the 72 hours and rather than flip out, I figured I'd offer to help?

Am I just a n00b who doesn't know the ropes? If so, please let me know.

Again, I do not want to offend anyone or come off as an asshole who doesn't appreciate the site handlers.

Cheers,

Gil Raleigh

 

[sr71plt]

You've got a longer wait, mate. Submissions are up to about six days currently.

This is gripe #1 in popularity here. Your discussion needs to go straight to the editor. Nobody else can do a thing for you except join in ineffectually on the twice weekly yammering on the issue. You can e-mail her (Laurel) through the PM system, upper right corner of this page.

 

[lovecraft68]

My last one went up on day 4.

But as recent as a year ago it was a steady three days(except for contest time as they get precedence) I imagine there are more stories being submitted than before

 

[Gil_Raleigh]

Oh, I didn't realize. I'm sorry

 

[jdnunyer]

As hard as it is to wait for your first story to appear, it gets easier after you've submitted more.

Don't worry, you didn't come across as an asshole by any means.

Welcome to the discussion boards!

 

[lovecraft68]

Oh, I didn't realize. I'm sorry

No worries and in case you did not know. NEVER click pending, it puts you in the back of the list.

 

[Tyro999]

Again, I do not want to offend anyone or come off as an asshole who doesn't appreciate the site handlers.

Cheers,

Gil Raleigh

The "site handlers" number exactly two. Laurel handles the writers and story approvals, and Manu handles the hardware/software.

 

[tnwriter]

Story approvals-TNWRITER-Old man discovers

The "site handlers" number exactly two. Laurel handles the writers and story approvals, and Manu handles the hardware/software.

All this may well be true. BUT when a chapter is rejected 6 times and a volunteer editor cannot be found, what else can an author do except, quit the site.

 

[PennLady]

All this may well be true. BUT when a chapter is rejected 6 times and a volunteer editor cannot be found, what else can an author do except, quit the site.

The author can a) ask Laurel directly why it's being rejected if the reason for rejection is not clear enough and b) look on the Editor's Forum for help, as opposed to the Volunteer Editor's list. A reason is given for a rejection, if you click on the "rejected" link on the submissions page. It's usually in the form of a question, i.e., "Was there underage sex?" or "Did you check your punctuation?" And sometimes things are just rejected by accident.

 

[tnwriter]

Publication

The author can a) ask Laurel directly why it's being rejected if the reason for rejection is not clear enough and b) look on the Editor's Forum for help, as opposed to the Volunteer Editor's list. A reason is given for a rejection, if you click on the "rejected" link on the submissions page. It's usually in the form of a question, i.e., "Was there underage sex?" or "Did you check your punctuation?" And sometimes things are just rejected by accident.

Have done all of that plus written Laurel, to no avail!!

 

[glynndah]

Have done all of that plus written Laurel, to no avail!!

You need to be sure to PM Laurel, not email her. The email never, ever works.

 

[PennLady]

Have done all of that plus written Laurel, to no avail!!

Glynndah's right -- if you want a response from Laurel, your best bet is to use the "Private Messages" link at the top right of the screen. Make sure PMs are enabled, then click on that link and enter "Laurel" (sans quotes) in the To: field, and write your message.

 

[O2]

Speeding up

Laurel has answered my questions to my satisfaction a few times and rather promptly. At Lit patience is absolutely a virtue.

 

[BuckyDuckman]

The "site handlers" number exactly two. Laurel handles the writers and story approvals, and Manu handles the hardware/software.

Is this accurate? If so, it's remarkable and commendable.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

All this may well be true. BUT when a chapter is rejected 6 times and a volunteer editor cannot be found, what else can an author do except, quit the site.

Did you read why the submission was rejected? Prolly not, huh.

 

[sr71plt]

Is this accurate? If so, it's remarkable and commendable.

Yep, unless they're hiding someone they haven't told us about. I've heard they are a devious lot.

 

[HeyAll]

It would be a big mistake if Lit sped up the publications IMO.

It sounds good in theory, but what would happen is your new story would be drowned in a sea of other stories. So even though your story would come out quicker, so would everyone elses. It would backfire.

I think the pacing is pretty good, where the new list is just over 1 page. So the majority of new stories are on one page. And the majority of new stories are on the category hubris for the first day. For the incest category, occasionally some stories won't be seen because of an overflow. But that's rare.

If I had to guess, I think Laurel does that one person, which is why you see roughly the same number of stories published each day.

Authors would be angry seeing their brand new story debut on page 2 or 3.

 

[jdnunyer]

It would be a big mistake if Lit sped up the publications IMO.

It sounds good in theory, but what would happen is your new story would be drowned in a sea of other stories. So even though your story would come out quicker, so would everyone elses. It would backfire.

I think the pacing is pretty good, where the new list is just over 1 page. So the majority of new stories are on one page. And the majority of new stories are on the category hubris for the first day. For the incest category, occasionally some stories won't be seen because of an overflow. But that's rare.

If I had to guess, I think Laurel does that one person, which is why you see roughly the same number of stories published each day.

Authors would be angry seeing their brand new story debut on page 2 or 3.

Excellent point.

 

[PennLady]

It would be a big mistake if Lit sped up the publications IMO.

It sounds good in theory, but what would happen is your new story would be drowned in a sea of other stories. So even though your story would come out quicker, so would everyone elses. It would backfire.

Yeah, this is the pro and con of sites like SOL that have close to immediate approval. They have about five pages of new stories, I think, but obviously things get pushed back as more stories get approved. I have no idea on that site how many people might click through to see all the new pages.

 

[sr71plt]

I don't think speed has that much to do with getting it published on the Web site (except maybe in crying some off who just decide the wait isn't worth submitting). Laurel is reviewing everything submitted, isn't she? She's not just sloughing any that were submitted off. So, she's not controlling the speed, really, is she? There are a finite number of stories she can review in a day as long as she's doing it by herself. She doesn't control the number submitted. Therefore, the speed of being posted is controlled by those submitting, not her.

 

[PennLady]

I don't think speed has that much to do with getting it published on the Web site (except maybe in crying some off who just decide the wait isn't worth submitting). Laurel is reviewing everything submitted, isn't she? She's not just sloughing any that were submitted off. So, she's not controlling the speed, really, is she? There are a finite number of stories she can review in a day as long as she's doing it by herself. She doesn't control the number submitted. Therefore, the speed of being posted is controlled by those submitting, not her.

To a point. LushStories, though, has a number of people who vet the stories, not just one, so that definitely has an effect on the posting time. If Lit were to move to a model like that, then stories could be posted quicker because more people would be available to look them over.

I agree, if fewer stories were submitted, then Laurel could obviously get through them faster and hence post them faster. But if more people reviewed stories, they could be posted faster as well. Two variables, I guess.

 

[sr71plt]

To a point. LushStories, though, has a number of people who vet the stories, not just one, so that definitely has an effect on the posting time. If Lit were to move to a model like that, then stories could be posted quicker because more people would be available to look them over.

I agree, if fewer stories were submitted, then Laurel could obviously get through them faster and hence post them faster. But if more people reviewed stories, they could be posted faster as well. Two variables, I guess.

That's sort of irrelevant to how it is on Lit., which is what the thread is about (and I did specify that Lit. doesn't control the speed of publication that much as long as it only has one submissions editor: There are a finite number of stories she can review in a day as long as she's doing it by herself.).

 

[SecondCircle]

To a point. LushStories, though, has a number of people who vet the stories, not just one, so that definitely has an effect on the posting time. If Lit were to move to a model like that, then stories could be posted quicker because more people would be available to look them over.

I agree, if fewer stories were submitted, then Laurel could obviously get through them faster and hence post them faster. But if more people reviewed stories, they could be posted faster as well. Two variables, I guess.

I dunno. This seems pretty relevant to what's being discussed. The Queen were to enlist some worker bees or something, that would help speed up the process. Because that would change that finite number of stories that could be edited or reviewed or whatever you call it.

And that is something she could take upon herself to do. It sorta surprises me that as popular as Lit is, that she hasn't made this leap yet. That is her choice.

Now I do agree with Pilot on the idea of "the wait ain't so bad."
A week seems meager when you look at how long a lot of writers have to wait to hear back.

That being said, it does seem that on a free literature site, that caters to mostly short stories read and written at no expense, something could be done to shorten the turnaround time.

It's just choosing to find the means to do so.

 

[sr71plt]

It's only relevant if you are talking directly to the Web site owners about it and not just increasing the frustration by only musing about it on the forum to others with no leverage here.

 

[glynndah]

It's Laurel's name on the line. She owns the site. Given the current climate, I certainly wouldn't want to trust this site to anyone, not even someone well-vetted.