Can Someone Please Explain the Readers' Club to Me?
Posted: Saturday, February 28, 2009
by Nancy Daniels
Voice Dynamic
In the past 2 months, I have been enjoying my time writing for SearchWarp, but I have some questions that I need answered. Because I am daunted by the number of Articles Left to Read, I find myself trying to read as many as possible and I know I will be dead before I ever put a dent in those numbers! I spend a lot of time writing, reading, commenting and rating for the Readers' Club; however, I am missing many of the articles we find on the Home Page and beyond because of this pressure to keep up. [Luckily, my husband can't say anything about my obsession because he is a top-rated Guru for Norton Forums and spends even more of his time helping people with their computer problems!]
2. While I am at it, what is the point system? What does it mean?
3. If I rate and comment on an article (not through the Readers' Club), does it count in my Articles Read category? When I've done this on my own and then returned to the Readers' Club, the same article I previously read, rated, and commented on will appear which means I have to skip it, which must also mean that it did not count in the point system of the Readers' Club. This is another reason I am not quick to read the articles I may find interesting on the Home Page because I think I am not being credited for them.
4. There are so many writers and so many names which are hard to remember when one is new in writing for SearchWarp. But, how did I miss Gary W Halsey and What Is a Fan? This writer joined my Fan Club and yet I missed the boat with him. Don't worry, Gary , should you update your article What Is a Fan? you'll have to include me too! I am sitting here red in the face because I wasn't on top of it all.
Not one for Facebook or other social websites, I have suddenly discovered brand new friends and faces that mean a great deal to me. When I read your thought-provoking, soul-searching pieces, I am touched. When I learn something new, I am excited. When I agree, I am joyful; and, when I disagree, I am learning how to temper my responses.
The value of SearchWarp is priceless and I want to get as much out of this site as possible. If you can answer my questions, I would be most appreciative.
P.S. By the way, do you people ever have a get-together? I certainly couldn't do it every year, but w ould it not be great to spend a weekend somewhere, enjoying the comradery? I think it would be a hoot!
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More commentsI am new to this Searchwarp. My hubby may know about it. But now I am rating through Readers Club only. And I rated you & all FIVE. And some which are not of my interest either I skipped or rated low...lolGod bless you.Asmita,Thanks for your comment.Might I make a suggestion? If you are not interested in someone's article, skip it but do not rate it low. I read an article about the best way to change the oil in a particular type of car. I had no interest in the article; however, I read it anyway. There were unbelievably good pictures showing exactly how to do it and the article was well-written. The writer went to great lengths to provide an excellent 'how-to.' I rated it a 5 because it was worthy.Nancy
Hi Nancy! I'm laughing out loud because I had the same complaints about the Reader's Club and I work here! I will make sure Bruce reads your article and responds... suffices to say that there ARE reasons why it works the way it does, but I'll let him explain all that... good points and questions!Jean,Many thanks for your comment and for spurring on hubby. I am most grateful. (Also relieved to see that I'm not alone in my questions, judging by the comments.)Nancy
Hear hear! My apologies for not seeing this article sooner, I've been busy working at The Next Big Thing.Great article Nancy, you certainly speak for a lot of people who are perplexed by the Readers' Club.Part of the reason that the Readers' Club isn't documented very well is because I've been tweaking it here and there, and I'm not close to finishing all the things I want to do with it. The basic idea behind the Readers' Club is to help expose new writers to the community, and to allow a more predictable method for writers to get others to read their articles. In other words, if you want others to read and comment on your articles, the Readers' Club can reliably deliver. You just have to read articles written by others in exchange. I'm always open to suggestions on how to improve SearchWarp. The problem is that many suggestions contradict other suggestions, so there are judgment calls to make.To answer your questions specifically:1. Articles won't appear for a writer unless that writer has sufficient credits in their Readers' Club account to have their articles read and rated through the Readers' Club. Personally, every time I write and article I make sure I read and rate at least 5 other articles in the Readers' Club just to keep things 'well lubricated'. I think SearchWarp would be a much better place if everyone did this, but people are busy and I doubt we'll ever get close to 100% participation.2. I assume you are referring to the Readers' Club credits. Credits are just a way to keep track of what you've earned and what you've spent by reading & rating articles and having your articles read and rated. We don't know any other way to keep track of this without assigning it a number, and the word 'credits' is the best name we have been able to come up with.3. Articles read and rated outside of the Readers' Club don't earn credits. The reason we did it like this is because we thought that if everyone got to choose which articles to read and rate, then the new and unknown writers wouldn't get their articles read and rated. I suppose I could create a function that checks if you've already commented on an article and then automatically gives you credit if you come upon it in the Readers' Club. I'll add that to my list!4. I agree, Gary is a great guy and a great contributor to the community here. He's been featured numerous times at numerous places on SearchWarp. Any suggestions for how to keep writers like Gary from being obscured in the future?As for getting together with other Warpies... I'm fascinated with the idea. We're so spread out that I still can't imagine it happening on a large scale, but when Jean and I travel we often talk about who lives close to where we are traveling. I'm convinced that if any of you ever meet me in person you will be greatly disappointed, but it would be interesting, nonetheless.So far I've only ever spoken to two Warpies by phone, and have never met any face-to-face, though Sue Thom is going to be in Houston in a few weeks and I've invited her to dinner. Jean and I love to sit around a table and talk. If you're ever in Houston, please let us know, we'd at least like to buy you a cup of coffee!Bruce,Thank you, thank you, thank you.I think you should put #3 on your 'to-do' list. Poor Gary rarely gets to the Readers' Club which means that his count is low, which also means he is not seeing all that the Warp has to offer. On the other hand, I haven't explored the most obvious articles -- blatantly crying out to be read on the home page -- because of my need to keep up with the Readers' Club.While I try to read 10 articles from the Club after I submit an article, I think I will drop down to 5 and read the rest from fans or home page. Incidentally, I rarely see your articles so I better do some more exploring.We Warpies thank you.Nancy
Very often a system of numbering makes an article seem formal and factual. However you "nailed it". The article is engaging and thought provoking. Well Done.Connor,Thank you for your comment. I am delighted that Bruce got into this picture.Nancy
hi nancy,yes, i have dreamt of a get together will all who could go, and how much fun, and yes, what a hoot it would be.i can't answer any of the questions as well as bruce or jean could, but i know i am happy you are an author for searchwarp.please keep reading and commenting,my best regards,sueSusan,Thanks for your comment. Maybe it will take a few of us to put something together. I know it could not be a yearly thing but possibly at some point, we could settle on a place and give it a shot!Nancy
Good question, Nancy. I sometimes am confused by it all too, but find it is a good way to read and be read.Lorrie,Thank you for your comment. Yes, Readers' Club is a great way to read some very good articles and to get to know writers with whom we may not be familiar.Nancy
Dear NancyAs you know I am just few days old in Searhwarp everything is so perplexing at the sme time exciting. Thanks to you for voicing out my questions. And while reading the comments that you have got I also came across Bruce Horst anserws to you queries which helped me too. I was reading articles out of Readers club but now I know what to do.Keep writing some more articles which will answer my questions,thanks again,regards,SwapnaSwapna,SearchWarp is a little like a drug. Once I start reading, I find I can't pull away from it. It is an inspiring place to be!Thank you for sharing.Nancy
Very interesting and valuable article
Hi Nancy,Well, I read you article from the home page and decided to have a look at the Reader's Club. Something I hadn't done in quite a while. Just don't have the time to give it the attention it deserves. I didn't comment then because all the other comments pretty much said it all.I am happy for Bruce's comment. It explained a lot. And so I am doubly happy that you wrote it.Once, when I asked about it, Bruce told me that if I had read something on the home page and then came to it in the Club, that I could rate it, not leave another comment if I had already commented, and so get credit for reading it.Basically, that's what I'm doing here. Oh, you do have to wait long enough before submitting your rating though; long enough to have read it again.Thanks for asking the questions to which we have all wanted answers.DianneDianne,Well, I've just learned something. I've been looking for something I said to Ken a while back and can't find it; however, I have discovered some comments on some of my articles that I didn't know about.And yours is one of them. Thanks for reading and explaining. I don't think that you get credit on the Readers' Club if you have already rated it on the Home Page (unless you physically re-rate it).Nancy
I agree. I've only just joined so of course I'm in the dark about the points system and the reader's club.How convienent that I just used the reader's club to find your article though.
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