Discussion of "StoryMash Suggestions" by NateG

Thanks for the support. I really like the ideas suggested, especially the one about new chapters to a story being listed so we can all view the continuation of a story. I think we all should support continuing ideas as opposed coming up with new stories each day. In the end, most of us are writing to see our ideas come to completion. We may have a developing idea but fail to capitalize on it because we cant continue to the end. More ways to reach out to each other and support ideas may help us all develop.

I like NateG's ideas. Does anyone understand descent rank? It seems that there should be some "kharma" advantage to providing a good continuation to someone else's story which helps your own something like this:

The weighting of my own vote on stories (including my own?) should depend on:

A) The average vote of a continuation I've made to another's story.
B) The originating author's vote on the merits of my contribution to their story.
C) The number of votes I've contributed to other stories.
D) The number of replies made to comments I've posted.

It would be nice to be able to edit stuff after it's published or move one of our chapters to the "attic" if we've developed a better version.

Here is another idea:

When you vote on a story, bring up a dialog which asks for a comment. If a comment isn't entered, the vote is either:

1. Not registered at all
2. Given 1/4th the weight of votes with associated comments.

Entering a comment with a vote should also boost one's own "kharma" somehow.

Once a story is published, there should be an option for any member to edit it. These edits would be tagged by user. The reader would then have the option of reading:

1) The "Pure" original version

2) Version with edits made by the original author

3) Version with edits made by people the original author invites.

4) Version with edits by other authors:
e.g.
I want to see edits by:
NateG (X)
Sandman (X)
an_dochasach ( )

5) Version with all edits. (even unregistered users could fix minor typos and such)

The author (or any author?) could publish a link to a "directors cut" of a story which would contain hand selected edits.

I know it would take some work to implement. Maybe we should patent it!

Another suggestion:

Allow the author to nominate charities who would receive revenue for clicks on some stories. Check out goodsearch or care2 for examples of how this can work.

I like this one! That would be killer if we could pick a charity to send proceeds, great idea!

Another suggestion (sorry I'm so prolific with the complaints!):
Allow HTML or BBcode in the comments to make it easier to highlight things and make suggestions.

I really enjoy coming to this site and reviewing what's going on. All the suggestions seem pretty good to me, but I'm sure they'll take time to implement. I would like to see an option on the home page to select stories by genre (romance, childrens etc.) It would make it easier to choose something to suit your mood at the time.

Great idea to select stories by genre!

Allow authors and others to go back to previous revisions using cvs,svn,Apple "Time machine" or ZFS snapshots.

Allow "stories" section to be sorted by:
timestamp
votes
comments
genre
times read (bias towards unread!)

At the moment it appears to be random, I published "Dark moon sonata" this morning and I can't even find it, much less any reader/voter/commenters

Let us vote in .1 increments, there are many stories that I thought deserved more than a "4" but not a "5", also, if a vote is less than "3" a comment should be required.

NateG. I was thinking that too, or at least make it a vote of 1-10. I agree with your comment about comments being required also.

I now understand how the "stories" link works, it shows the latest story beginnings. The latest chapters of existing stories tend to get lost unless someone happens to stumble upon it and vote it up to a level. So maybe adding a "watch this story" notification for additional chapters of stories you're interested or stories you've written? I'd like to see this site succeed, but I've found very good chapters are buried on page 8 or 10 and the bias towards "latest story start" will tend to create lots of beginnings without middles or ends.

I like that flag idea for "watch this story"!

NateG, I wish they'd employ your email suggestion. There are questions I'm dying to ask you.

Maybe a classification field as well. Fiction; Non-fiction (personal experiences); fantasy; sci-fi; sci-fi fantasy. etc.

Gotta another one, how about a better system for judging this "contest"... Thoughts???

I like Xylith's and NateG's ideas. maybe have winners in each field to help cut back on nonsense. This site has got to be making enough to do it that way. Oh well last post. not comming back.

I've been keeping a close eye on the site for the last month, and have had 2 entries at the top of the contest at different times. I never expected anything from the contest - there are some great pieces on here - but I'm totally baffled by the voting. Can someone explain how the vote count for a piece doesn't alter, yet the rating hops around almost hourly? It's not a complaint - just curious!

PS - Congratulations to the winners. Better luck next time Nate - you wrote some good stuff last time.

Thank you, really it's not so much about the winning or losing, it's more about it being fair. If I write piece that other people judge to be good enough, then great, if not then such is life. There are some really good writers on here (yourself included). It just didn't seem like a realistic contest ya know? But whatever, so it goes.

Absolutely right - I write on here for fun, nothing else. If I were to win - great! - but if not, c'est la vie. I just find it odd that a rating can change from 4.5 to 4.2 overnight, yet no-one has added a vote to the piece. I can't think of a way that this can happen sensibly. Is there a way of emailing the StoryMash people, or do you contact tech support?

You can email them directly, go to the blog section and they have some email addresses

I ended up with a couple of drafts saved and I wanted to delete them. It would be nice to search an author too

Seriously. Do it now, StoryMash.