Why So Many Newby Writers Without a Device

[Cyberman tM]

Originally Posted by shibamistress

I don't even know how people get karma points!

Tell a few good jokes in the lounge once in a while. Worked for me :-)

--

On topic: I like to see what devices other people are using - simply out of curiosity, to see how often I recognize a device.

I would assume that an author who self-publishes eBooks would need at least one device simply to understand how they work - to see how fonts might feel or how much margins are acceptable.

Re: what to put in the device field - perhaps it could be changed to be a selection of checkboxes? There are several devices "officially" recognized on this forum, and for anything else there could still be an "other" option.
(And perhaps a "None of your business" checkbox too :-)

[queentess]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Queentess has accurately portrayed my intentions (if not my gender )

Hey, I tried. I thought I remembered a thread where you had written about how people mistake you for male because of your avatar, but now that I'm thinking about it, that was "Watkins" (I can't even remember her full user name!).

ETA: Pretty sure it was CWatkinsNash and her prior avatar...

So consider it that I was using "she" in the generic, non-gender-specific way, much as I say "he" for gender-neutral stuff

[queentess]

Originally Posted by Cyberman tM

Re: what to put in the device field - perhaps it could be changed to be a selection of checkboxes? There are several devices "officially" recognized on this forum, and for anything else there could still be an "other" option.
(And perhaps a "None of your business" checkbox too :-)

Too limiting, and doesn't allow for sass.

[OneandonlyDoc]

Originally Posted by queentess

Too limiting, and doesn't allow for sass.

There could still be an "other" checkbox with the option to write something...? Maybe?

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by queentess

Too limiting, and doesn't allow for sass.

We could use more sass around here. It would balance out the snide that seems to be more popular for whatever reason.

[neilmarr]

I've just read every post in the eight pages so far of this thread. Know what interests me and proves the point I wanted to make in my OP?

With one exception, none of these newly introduced and welcomed posters for whom this thread was posted have responded.

In eight pages, so far, the average number of previous posts by those joining in runs into the thousands.

Why this strange anomaly? Well, I don't need to spell it out, do I?

There have been some fascinating points made and some interesting side-issues raised. All worth reading, marking and learning from. That's what communities are about. Many thanks, lads and lassies.

Oh, the exception: NATIVE is the only newcoming ebook author to respond to a thread clearly headlined to catch the eye of a special group of new people.

Native has a dozen posts now (and I've just made sure that this welcome new member gets good Karma for the obvious intent to contribute to our community).

Best wishes to all. Neil

[Hellmark]

Originally Posted by Cyberman tM

Tell a few good jokes in the lounge once in a while. Worked for me :-)

One thing I've always wondered is how karma gets effected when you give someone it. Is it like cash, where you spend what you've earned, therefore reducing the total amount you have, or something else entirely. I know various factors are in play, and you are also limited to how much you can give, but I'm not entirely sure how karma works.

[elizilla]

The max amount of karma you can give is based your own current karma score. When you give it, it costs you nothing. But you can't gift the same person over and over while gifting no one else. My current score lets me give other people a max of around 2500 karma points. I have received 100,000 or more karma points from one approval from a single user who had huge karma and was therefore able to give lavishly.

And yes, I've been following this thread and doubting that the people neilmarr is complaining about, will ever see his post. Anyone who reads this is not the problem here, regardless of what device they use. He's just sharing his frustrations here, with people who actually care. I'm the admin on another, completely unrelated forum, and we have these users too - the people who can't be bothered to understand even basic things, are about 95% of the workload for the forum admins. You could spend days writing messages to them trying to teach them how to use the forum, to no avail. They either ignore you or flame you, and there are always more where they came from.

[anamardoll]

Originally Posted by neilmarr

I've just read every post in the eight pages so far of this thread. Know what interests me and proves the point I wanted to make in my OP?

With one exception, none of these newly introduced and welcomed posters for whom this thread was posted have responded.

This SURPRISES you? No offense, and I'm sure you didn't mean for it to be taken this way, but I thought your opening post was incredibly hostile. It took me several pages to work up the moxie to respond and I pride myself on being a smart-ass.

If I'd been a newbie, I never EVER would have stuck my head out in this thread. Dear god, how could one? The opening few pages has a freaking MODERATOR basically saying yeah, those advertising newbs are such jerks. I cringed, because I HAVE sent new authors here to advertise because I was excited about their book and wanted to show them an outlet to post in.

Sorry, mate, just because your olly-olly-oxen-free call didn't snag a bunch of newbs posting here doesn't prove anything, I'm afraid.

[queentess]

Originally Posted by anamardoll

If I'd been a newbie, I never EVER would have stuck my head out in this thread. Dear god, how could one? The opening few pages has a freaking MODERATOR basically saying yeah, those advertising newbs are such jerks. I cringed, because I HAVE sent new authors here to advertise because I was excited about their book and wanted to show them an outlet to post in.

Yeah, same here. And it's only been two days. I rather think writers should be writing (and going to their probable day job), not checking in to the News forum on MR every day...

[anamardoll]

Originally Posted by queentess

Yeah, same here. And it's only been two days. I rather think writers should be writing (and going to their probable day job), not checking in to the News forum on MR every day...

Speaking of, Joe Konrath's post this week about how You Should Be Writing both amused and shamed me.

[OneandonlyDoc]

Originally Posted by queentess

Yeah, same here. And it's only been two days. I rather think writers should be writing (and going to their probable day job), not checking in to the News forum on MR every day...

...we all have to stay sane somehow when the characters start chewing on our brains....

[anamardoll]

Originally Posted by neilmarr

Oh, the exception: NATIVE is the only newcoming ebook author to respond to a thread clearly headlined to catch the eye of a special group of new people.

And oh-my-god, I finally remembered where I've seen you before. You're the "hey-could-I-please-have-feedback-on-my-site's-new-BUNDLE-SALES-oh-no-I-didn't-really-WANT-feedback-I'm-just-coyly-asking-for-the-free-advertising-and-now-I'm-going-to-argue-why-all-the-feedback-is-wrong" guy.

Yes. You -- of all of us -- are the one who needs to be complaining about people who come to MR to pimp their business.

[queentess]

Originally Posted by anamardoll

And oh-my-god, I finally remembered where I've seen you before. You're the "hey-could-I-please-have-feedback-on-my-site's-new-BUNDLE-SALES-oh-no-I-didn't-really-WANT-feedback-I'm-just-coyly-asking-for-the-free-advertising-and-now-I'm-going-to-argue-why-all-the-feedback-is-wrong" guy.

Yes. You -- of all of us -- are the one who needs to be complaining about people who come to MR to pimp their business.

Ah, but Neil does participate! Which was really his complaint, that some of the boards are basically free advertising and there's no incentive/requirement to participate elsewhere. But I believe those who don't participate won't get much response to their ads, and eventually they'll go away, so I rather think the problem fixes itself.

[anamardoll]

Originally Posted by queentess

Ah, but Neil does participate! Which was really his complaint, that some of the boards are basically free advertising and there's no incentive/requirement to participate elsewhere. But I believe those who don't participate won't get much response to their ads, and eventually they'll go away, so I rather think the problem fixes itself.

If "participating" means "coyly asking for advice when you don't really want anything except attention" and "complaining about people who don't have a lot of posts or devices" listed, then bring on the newbie authors who DON'T participate, because I was extremely annoyed by that thread. Pages of people (including myself) writing really thoughtful posts on the nature of bundles just to get a YEAH I DON'T CARE I MADE UP MY BUSINESS MODEL BEFORE I EVEN POSTED response. Sheesh.

EDIT: And I've got nothing against Neil. Just that I think this thread is a perfect "go remove your eye-plank before you start griping about sawdust" example. And the whole thing is utterly subjective because while some people dislike the drive-bys, others don't. Case in point.