Announcement: The 7/16 Writers’ Challenge
Last week I left open the possibility that we might add a second round to the first ever Spec Faith Writers’ Challenge, creating a poll for the entries that received the most thumbs up so that readers might decide which is their favorite. I’m not closing the door to that possibility, but I realized that the entries posted later in the week need some time for readers to read them.
Rebecca LuElla Miller on Jul 23, 2012
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Last week I left open the possibility that we might add a second round to the first ever Spec Faith Writers’ Challenge, creating a poll for the entries that received the most thumbs up so that readers might decide which is their favorite.
I’m not closing the door to that possibility, but I realized that the entries posted later in the week need some time for readers to read them. After all, fifty-some comments are a lot to get through, and all the story-start entries deserve consideration. So next week I will either post the list of the entries receiving the most thumbs up or the poll where you can choose your favorite.
In the meantime, I hope you take a minute or two to read the challenge entries you haven’t looked at yet. Enjoy!
I’m wondering about “liking” posts… I gave “thumbs-up” and commented to my 3 favorites already- is it okay to “like” 5 or 6? You didn’t give us a limit but I just wonder if we can get an accurate impression of what is “liked” most if some people only choose their top pick, and others “like” everything that catches their interest. I’d like to comment on others, but I feel like they might think “how can you say something nice, but I’m pretty sure you didn’t give me a thumbs-up”, but then if I give lots of thumbs-up does it give the thumbs less value since I’m giving it to something that wasn’t one of my top picks? If it were a poll I’m pretty sure we could only pick one. What difference would that make to which one is on top? And then there’s the dynamics that many of the voters are also writers and does that cause any bias in the voting? Obviously, I’m over thinking this too much, but felt the need to let these questions loose- see if others are wondering similar things or what anyone else thinks.
I like that this hasn’t felt overly competitive to me- I appreciate the positive atmosphere. The suggestion to comment on what grabs us, and to give thumbs up to the ones we like most seems to have helped to create this positive atmosphere- as well as the fact that there are just so many genuinely nice people participating, and such fine writing samples being submitted. Great job setting the positive atmosphere, Becky! Thanks.
Yay! Maybe I’ll get a comment. lol :3
I think I upvoted… 4? 3? I figured that it was a upvote all the ones you like.
Patrick, I left it open-ended. There’s no way to enforce any rules on something like this (vote for only 3, for example. How would we know if someone voted for six or eight?). I’m glad you feel it’s been a positive atmosphere. I really want that so writers feel it’s a safe place to have their work read. And I want readers to come and give their input. If we get nit-picky and snarky, I think readers will bail in droves (assuming, of course, that droves are reading. 😉 )
Julius, I hope you get comments. I’d like to see everyone get something helpful. I’m personally not finished reading, so I expect to write a few more comments myself, maybe even give a few more thumbs up. 😀
Becky
Wow, it was fun to read all the entries! I happened on the original posting when it was fresh, and so there weren’t any entries at the time and my mind didn’t leap to any ideas from the prompt, so I didn’t enter one of my own (I should’ve just subscribed to the comments to watch for some). This was a great idea. 🙂
Becky,
I think it would be great fun to continue the tale! Can’t wait to hear what’s decided.