Bumping/Double Posting Policy (rev. 19th jan)

[Julie]

Bumping; When posting just to bring attention to the thread, or to get it at the top again.

Bumping JUST to get it on top is not allowed.

This goes for ALL users!

When posting; Let at least 5 days pass from your first post (f.ex asking for an update) before you post another one. * This does not apply if the author has actually updated within these days. Then your allowed to post of course. If you want to add more comments, find your first post after the update, and edit the post.

When posting on other threads; If you post a post, and remember you can add something else as well, EDIT the post you first made, don't just post a new post! This goes as double posting and is not allowed either!
EDIT your original post!

Authors: You may of course update your stories before five days has passed. Just don't post replies to feedback in each their own post. Make one post for the feedback and address everyone at once.

This applies to the authors as well. Everyone on the board will have to follow this. When a author wants to post replies to the feedback, of course she/he may do that, but it can go into one post. You can use the quote function, or just state their name and in bold. Note though, should one post get extremely long, because of long feedback etc, it's okay to break it into two posts. But, like, when quoting, it's not necessary to quote the ENTIRE thing, just a small paragraph of it, to address it, you know? :)


To summarize, does this bumping policy prevent readers from engaging in legitimate discussion and debate on a story thread (and I mean new replies with real content)? Can that still happen, even if it means a reader might add an additional post on the same update, responding to something someone else said?


I would say that's allowed. A user doesn't mean to then bump the story, it's just honest feedback to what someone else has said. BUT! Say a user reads the update and the feedback and have something to say to both (the update & feedback). Then the user should address it in ONE post. Perhaps the fiction update first, and then just mark the end of that with ---- 's or something, then start the comments on the feedback...


In the beginning users not following this policy will get a PM or some sort of small warning. If a user keeps doing this, she/he will get warned. I've recently implemented a new warning system, very much alike the one we used to have at the old board. And if the user violates too many rules, she/he might get banned for a certain period.


Topics such as 'X' Name Game, NS Community General Chat, and alike are of course not under this rule...

This of course only applies AFTER I've posted the policy itself, not for posts made BEFORE Jan 14th 06 :)

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Admins/Mods reserve the right to bump up any thread (we have a tool for this, so we won't be making any posts).

Thread may be updated, so be sure to check it once in a while

[Louise]

I think this is a good policy - does it apply to writers too? I assume it's obviously fine to update a fic before the five days are up, and I know sometimes a writer might need to respond to feedback if, for example, a question is being asked, but sometimes I've noticed authors consistently posting responses to almost every piece of feedback for their fics; I don't think that's very fair to other writers because it means their fics drop down the list very quickly.

ETA: I don't think the writer(s) in question are neccesarily doing it deliberately, but it kind of skews the whole process, because fics that might otherwise have been read and reviewed had they stayed at the top for a reasonable length of time are too far down the list to be noticed.

[Reese]

I think this is a good policy - does it apply to writers too? I assume it's obviously fine to update a fic before the five days are up, and I know sometimes a writer might need to respond to feedback if, for example, a question is being asked, but sometimes I've noticed authors consistently posting responses to almost every piece of feedback for their fics; I don't think that's very fair to other writers because it means their fics drop down the list very quickly.

ETA: I don't think the writer(s) in question are neccesarily doing it deliberately, but it kind of skews the whole process, because fics that might otherwise have been read and reviewed had they stayed at the top for a reasonable length of time are too far down the list to be noticed.

Amen!

I agree with the new policy and especially with Louise's comments here.

I was wondering if admins/mods would be notifying authors of this by PM or on their threads if they see it happening regularly? If, for instance, they don't see this thread and aren't aware of the new policy?

Thanks,

Reese

[Blaire023]

I am aware of the new policy and I'm sorry if I offended any other writers out there.

I'll start pming people to answer their questions.

Sorry, again.

[Julie]

Sorry for not addressing this sooner!

Louise, it of course applies to the authors as well. Everyone on the board will have to follow this. When a author wants to post replies to the feedback, of course she/he may do that, but it can go into one post. You can use the quote function, or just state their name and in bold. Note though, should one post get extremely long, because of long feedback etc, it's okay to break it into two posts. But, like, when quoting, it's not necessary to quote the ENTIRE thing, just a small paragraph of it, to address it, you know? And I don't mean you in the sense of youyou, I'm saying this to everyone! :)

Reese, in the beginning users not following this policy will get a PM or some sort of small warning. If a user keeps doing this, she/he will get warned. I've recently implemented a new warning system, very much alike the one we used to have at the old board. And if the user violates too many rules, she/he might get banned for a certain period.

This of course only applies AFTER I've posted the policy itself, not for posts made BEFORE Jan 14th 06 :)

Blaire, I don't think the above posts were aimed at you. As I said, you may of course answer questions/feedback in the actual thread, just try to put it all in one post :)

Should there be any other questions, comments, complaints, whatnot, just hit the reply button ;)

[Donutte]

Just a thought for authors - I often try to answer questions in an author's note in updates. Unless it's been forever since I've updated. But if it's been a reasonable amount of time between updates, I just do that. Kill two birds with one stone. Ok, maybe I'm just lazy :P

I like this policy. I used to respond to every post in my first story (after looking back on it). I try not to do that anymore, but newer authors tend to be very enthusiastic and excited when they get feedback, and feel the need to say something right then. So, perhaps posting this thread in the fanfic forum as well? Just a thought. You may have already, but I've yet to be there.

And, I'm very guilty of posting early in the morning or late at night upon seeing an update, then making ANOTHER post when I actually read it (usually later the same or next day). I'll just edit my original posts from now on.

Just my two cents :)

Do'

[Julie]

Donutte, I'm going to send every registered user an e-mail asking them to read this thread and keep an eye on it. And I'll probably also make it into a global announcement :)

[Blaire023]

I try not to do that anymore, but newer authors tend to be very enthusiastic and excited when they get feedback, and feel the need to say something right then.


This is what I was doing. I sometimes leave huge gaps of a few weeks/months/sometimes years between my updates so if someone actually has a question pertaining to a certain part of the story I like replying to them then. It's a two way street. Readers post to let the author know they're reading. Author's reply to let the readers know they appreciate it and aren't too busy to take time out of their schedules to answer them.

[Donutte]

This is what I was doing. I sometimes leave huge gaps of a few weeks/months/sometimes years between my updates so if someone actually has a question pertaining to a certain part of the story I like replying to them then. It's a two way street. Readers post to let the author know they're reading. Author's reply to let the readers know they appreciate it and aren't too busy to take time out of their schedules to answer them.

Oh, nothing wrong with that. I was more referring to people that have just posted a new story, and after the first reply that same day feel the need to respond, etc. I was so guilty of doing that for a long time. Something a friend said actually (not to me, but just in general) made me very aware of that fact. If that makes sense :)

[Julie]

I'm not saying one can't post feedback and the chapter at the same time, but one can post the chapter in a post, then all the feedback in another. Perhaps before one posts the next chapter.

[tigerbaby]

I think what Julie is trying to say that posting for the sake of posting isn't a good idea. In some instances of 'bumping' people were shamelessly promoting their own fics to draw attention to it in hopes of garnering a wider readership. There is nothing wrong with posting a request for an update but posting every other day and playing virtual card games is not a good idea.

I have come across a number of fics where a reader has two consecutive posts, pretty much immediately after each other from a time stamp perspective when if they forgot a comment, all they have to do is edit the original post.

Plus there are a couple of authors guilty of responding to every piece of FB received when that can be addressed in a PM to that person direct. If the comment is meant for the intended audience at large, i.e. if a reader asked a question and it would benefit everyone reading to hear the response, then yes do post it, but a 'thanks, glad you liked it' can be addressed in a PM.

Hope that helps.

[newbatgirl]

It seems like this rule is intended to prevent updates and stories from being "lost" in the thread shuffle. That's cool. But I also want to point out that one of the best ways for an author to prevent their fics from being lost is to indicate in the thread title the last update date and a chapter number (if available).

Most authors do this already but not all. I think it makes things so much easier. That way, people know from a quick glance whether a thread is on top because of an update or more FB. As long as the mods are cool with authors constantly updating their thread titles, I think this is good way to go.

That way, no matter how you search the board, you can see what's what. Personally, I use the "New Post" shortcut on the title bar when I come back to NS each time so sometimes I don't see how the thread order has changed in the various forums.

[Zannie]

I just thought of a question about this policy, regarding what it is applied to.

I understand that we're not to bump up a story simply to beg for an update, to add a new piece of feedback for the author (we can edit our initial posts in those cases), or to thank readers for feedback.

But what about when readers of stories want to respond to something someone else has said in feedback? This has happened in the past on some of my threads and I'm sure on the threads of other writers as well. Some readers like to read other replies and then agree and/or disagree with them--adding new insights and occasionally starting a discussion. I've always found that this is one of the most rewarding parts of being in a reading/writing community like this--we get to discuss what we're doing, not just do it in a vaccuum. And I'd hate to see it inadvertently discouraged because readers were afraid to bump up the thread again too soon. Now, I don't mean just adding a new piece of feedback with thoughts aimed particularly at the writer. Writers, I believe, usually reread their feedback more than once and so they can notice when someone has edited their old post to add something more. But I mean thoughts, debates, or ideas intended for the wider audience. I'd be surprised if most readers go back and reread earlier feedback, so simply editing one's post to respond to something someone posted after you wouldn't really work. There would be no potential for discussion and debate with that method.

To summarize, does this bumping policy prevent readers from engaging in legitimate discussion and debate on a story thread (and I mean new replies with real content)? Can that still happen, even if it means a reader might add an additional post on the same update, responding to something someone else said?

I really hope that's still acceptable.

[Julie]

Zannie, I would say that's allowed. A user doesn't mean to then bump the story, it's just honest feedback to what someone else has said. BUT! Say a user reads the update and the feedback and have something to say to both (the update & feedback). Then the user should address it in ONE post. Perhaps the fiction update first, and then just mark the end of that with ---- 's or something, then start the comments on the feedback... Make sense? :P Haven't had my coffee yet! :P

[Zannie]

Zannie, I would say that's allowed. A user doesn't mean to then bump the story, it's just honest feedback to what someone else has said. BUT! Say a user reads the update and the feedback and have something to say to both (the update & feedback). Then the user should address it in ONE post. Perhaps the fiction update first, and then just mark the end of that with ---- 's or something, then start the comments on the feedback... Make sense? :P Haven't had my coffee yet! :P

Yep, that makes sense, and I think it sounds great. Thanks very much.

[Blaire023]

ahhhh, ok, now i get it. and here i've been not leaving fb and q's for the past week in fear of violating any rules.

dammit.

but now i comprehend. so it's not just posting, but posting with the intention of bumping. gah, it's confusing.

no thanks to zannie and her rambling post of big words that hurt my brain. :)

[Julie]

ahhhh, ok, now i get it. and here i've been not leaving fb and q's for the past week in fear of violating any rules.

dammit.

but now i comprehend. so it's not just posting, but posting with the intention of bumping. gah, it's confusing.

no thanks to zannie and her rambling post of big words that hurt my brain. :)

But also, if you were to post two posts right after each other, that's the same as bumping though ;)

[AlabamaWorley]

Just to make sure I'm clear in the future, if the person is posting updates every other day, it's okay to reply every other day, but if you're behind, you basically have to catch up all in one post, edited as you go?

[Julie]

It is okay to post if there's an update that often yes. If you're behind, yes, catch up then post your comments. If you have notepad or something similar, you can type up your comments there f.ex...

[persephone47]

oooops, I think that I've done the whole 'post twice because I forgot to add' thing, since I've done that I've learned that you can edit your post, so I've been doing that for the most part when I want to post to the same thread again.