Should the posting limit of 20,000 be increased? - Page 2 - Writers Forum

Ilasir Maroa · 05-04-2008, 09:54 PM

I don't see the big deal. People who post shorter pieces will continue to do so if the limit is expanded, and people who post long ones will continue to do so if it isn't. I don't see why increasing it is a big deal at all. Somehow, I doubt it would make much of a difference in the mength of posted work. Also, while all my posts have fit in the current limit, I would much prefer to only have to quote one page when I do a line-by-line review. From a critiquing perspective, I see a larger char limit as a benefit.

papertears · 05-04-2008, 10:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JosephB

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honestly, if you can turn pages physically, whats the difference in having two posts?

hell, what are chapters for?

The problem is the writer has to format two posts instead of one. I also don't want to break my short story up at all if doesn't have "chapters."

It's not a huge deal, but it would be nice.

shame on me twice. i am just finishing a course in short story writing and have been dealing with the terrors of revising a piece that gets carried around on a little jump drive. no one seems to have the same platform and not even everyone that is reading and helping me revise it understands that I can't afford MS Word, so document portability is something i should be more sensitive to.

i imagine you were posting this as i was posting how i somehow read "char" and switched it to "word" when i was thinking about limits...

apologies anyhow, because this is an outstanding point. i hadn't thought about what a pain portability and maintenance of your work online is. if you can avoid splitting a short story up it saves the author time, frustration and creative energy loss.

~pt

JosephB · 05-04-2008, 10:18 PM

Quote:

From a critiquing perspective, I see a larger char limit as a benefit.

Good one, Ilasir. I don't do inline crits often, but this makes perfect sense.

You are correct also about this --- None of this effects the length of the stories I write. There are certain limitations associated with posting on line, but I don't let that effect my writing. Even the longer stories posted here aren't as long as the average short story you'll see in print.

Papertears, no problem. Thanks!

Note: From what I can see, no one who has voted against the character increase has posted anything that required multiple posts. So, easy for you to say folks. And still curious as to why you care.

Loulou · 05-05-2008, 03:08 AM

I have a dog in this fight/hunt and she's a real sassy bitch.

First off what harm can it do have 50,000? Those complaining that it makes no difference.... if it makes no difference then why comment? To some it would make a difference.

It would definitely be easier to critique a piece that's in one hearty lump. The times I've not realised there's a second part and dissed a story for not being 'whole' and then recieved hate PMs and been asked to leave and I'm exaggerating, I'm exaggerating!

And it would be nice not to have to split a 3,500 word story. It would just be more complete. Tidy. Size matters. In this instance anyway.

I vote for great, massive, golomoth posts!

Loulou · 05-05-2008, 03:10 AM

Oh, and while we're increasing things... can avatar size be increased too? It used to be that the system would just resize and take anything. Now I had to shrink my picture so small it looks like my daughter drew me with wax crayons. Can I get a request to be more defined here?

Sam Winchester · 05-05-2008, 07:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Loulou

I have a dog in this fight/hunt and she's a real sassy bitch.

First off what harm can it do have 50,000? Those complaining that it makes no difference.... if it makes no difference then why comment? To some it would make a difference.

It would definitely be easier to critique a piece that's in one hearty lump. The times I've not realised there's a second part and dissed a story for not being 'whole' and then recieved hate PMs and been asked to leave and I'm exaggerating, I'm exaggerating!

And it would be nice not to have to split a 3,500 word story. It would just be more complete. Tidy. Size matters. In this instance anyway.

I vote for great, massive, golomoth posts!

Sorry, Loulou, but I don't agree with you at all. Most of the people on this forum have other lives, their own novels to complete, and many other things to attend to. We're all here voluntarily to help each other, and it takes a hell of a long time to read and critique a piece that's over 20,000 characters, much less one that's fifty! Think of the people who are going to have to read over the work, looking for each and every mistake, all because people don't want to post in two different sections! That's insanity, if you ask me.

Sam.

Loulou · 05-05-2008, 08:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sam Winchester

Sorry, Loulou, but I don't agree with you at all. Most of the people on this forum have other lives, their own novels to complete, and many other things to attend to. We're all here voluntarily to help each other, and it takes a hell of a long time to read and critique a piece that's over 20,000 characters, much less one that's fifty! Think of the people who are going to have to read over the work, looking for each and every mistake, all because people don't want to post in two different sections! That's insanity, if you ask me.

Sam.

I do see your point Sam - I understand about people being busy - but maybe those who are could just read however much they want to read of a longer piece. Like perhaps the first few paragraphs. Be honest in your crit, say you're pushed for time. Wouldn't bother me at all if someone said that. I'm grateful for any comments, long or short.

valeca · 05-05-2008, 08:12 AM

I'll vote no for one reason: I've repeatedly recommended that members not post work in its entirety. Only post the part you think needs the most work/feedback/help.

Sam Winchester · 05-05-2008, 08:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Loulou

I do see your point Sam - I understand about people being busy - but maybe those who are could just read however much they want to read of a longer piece. Like perhaps the first few paragraphs. Be honest in your crit, say you're pushed for time. Wouldn't bother me at all if someone said that. I'm grateful for any comments, long or short.

But people say that they don't want comments like "this was good," or "I liked this," and that's essentially what you're asking for. I like to give as detailed a critique as possible, so much so that some people have actually been offended because there were so many places were I'd highlighted mistakes (or grammatical errors) in red. But that's me. I like thorough critiques. To be thorough on a piece 50,000 characters long would take ten minutes to read, and probably another half an hour to properly critique.

Sam.

JosephB · 05-05-2008, 08:19 AM

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We're all here voluntarily to help each other, and it takes a hell of a long time to read and critique a piece that's over 20,000 characters, much less one that's fifty!

Don't read it then Sam. That's why people add a word count.

I posted a story that was over 4200 words and got plenty of feedback. So apparently, people do want to read longer stories and critique them. Who are you to say they shouldn't or can't?

Bottom line: The people who write longer stories are happy to read and critique other writers who do the same.

Most of us have lives? C'mon. So you are implying I don't; and the people who read my stories don't either? Yeah. I think that's what you are saying.

Loulou · 05-05-2008, 08:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by valeca

I'll vote no for one reason: I've repeatedly recommended that members not post work in its entirety. Only post the part you think needs the most work/feedback/help.

I see the sense in this Valeca but I do like to read complete short stories. I may be in the minority so I do appreciate that it wouldn't work for all but I personally feel I need to see the whole story to give a reasonable review. That said, I'll do my best with fragments or chapters. I guess I like to see all forms. Isn't that what makes it great here? That we see it all - long, short, half, full.

Sam Winchester · 05-05-2008, 08:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JosephB

Don't read it then Sam. That's why people add a word count.

I posted a story that was over 4200 words and got plenty of feedback. So apparently, people do want to read longer stories and critique them. Who are you to say they shouldn't or can't?

Bottom line: The people who write longer stories are happy to read and critique other writers who do the same.

Most of us have lives? C'mon. So you are implying I don't; and the people who read my stories don't either? Yeah. I think that's what you are saying.

I'm not saying that at all, Joe. What I'm saying is that the character limit on site is fine at present. If you want to post longer stuff, do it in two posts. What's hard about that? I'm not asking people to do brain surgery. It's a simple matter of putting it in two posts. That way it keeps everyone happy.

Sam.

JosephB · 05-05-2008, 09:06 AM

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Only post the part you think needs the most work/feedback/help.

Well, sometimes a comment on the plot is pretty helpful. Unless you don't count that as something that makes a good story. Pretty hard to do, based on a snippet.

Anyone who visits the Workshop with any regulatory could see that:

A) People post longer stories

B) People read and critique them.

This is how people use the site. Please explain why, if it's not a technical constraint, why it should be more difficult than it has to be.

Quote:

What I'm saying is that the character limit on site is fine at present. If you want to post longer stuff, do it in two posts. What's hard about that? I'm not asking people to do brain surgery. It's a simple matter of putting it in two posts. That way it keeps everyone happy.

Why should you have to post and reformat (which is often needed) twice or three times if you could do it just once" Why is this so hard to understand? And just what is it that is making you unhappy?

Why does the paper have to be 8 1/2" x 11"? Make it 8 1/2" x 5 1/2". What's so hard about taping the two pieces of paper together? It's not rocket science!

Selorian · 05-05-2008, 09:12 AM

Why is it so hard to post in two posts?

The reasoning was explained, Joseph, if you aren't able to grasp it, then please stop repeatedly asking.

EDIT: Ok, let me explain this a little more, although I already have.

Different lengths have been tried many times, and the length that seems to garner the quickest amount of feedback are pieces that fall at around the fifteen hundred word limit. Anything any longer and feedback slows considerably. For people that are known, it isn't such a big issue to post works that are longer because people will read them, but for new members, who don't know the dynamics of the site, it means that they may not get any feedback at all. You may choose to agree or disagree, but it is the truth.

And really, the amount of complaining over the work involved in having to make a second post is funny. How hard is it? It screams laziness if you ask me.

valeca · 05-05-2008, 09:22 AM

My point, Joseph, had nothing to do with technical issues. And I agree that plot is important to a good story. Why the snarky overtones? I don't (and didn't) disagree with many of the reasons for lengthening the word limit, I just gave my reason for voting no--which seemed the thing to do, and cuts off the many, "So you vote no. Why?" questions.