capitald Posted June 5, 2004 Posted June 5, 2004 I would have made this a rant but I wanted to put it somewhere where it would make a difference. When some of you have a relationship problem you write up a whole big story, a whole big playback reel of your situation and or life. I would like to say that reading these very long posts is very boring. The thing is that you would get more responses, you would not monopolize things so that others have a chance to get their posts responded to and I generally think that you would get better responses if you kept things short and to the point and even maybe chopped things down if they get too long. Just make a few key points about your situation (4-5) and ask a question. This is just a suggestion of course from a fellow poster but I think that it would improve this place greatly. cheers, capitald
johan Posted June 5, 2004 Posted June 5, 2004 If the post is long, I usually read the first lines, skip to some in the middle, and then check out the question that appears at the end. If any of that is interesting I might backtrack and read the rest. Seems like the long ones get plenty of responses, though, so I don't feel bad about it. Some people seem to like the long ones. They tend to be the same people who post long ones. I'm not judgmental about it though. Anyone who wants to write a long one, go ahead. But capitald is right. The quality of the responses is usually related to the quality of the post. In writing, it's always better to be concise.
Author capitald Posted June 5, 2004 Author Posted June 5, 2004 Johan, I said something about that also but I edited it out to keep it simple. It is true that you find the same people creating the long posts and the same people responding time and time again. Therefore, what you really have is people that come on and get told exactly what they want to hear. Thats not advice, thats bs. You can find a friend in real life that will do that for you and at least in real life you will form a connection with them. By just looking for certain people to respond, you are really not harnassing the power of this forum. I know that I get a plethora of responses from a great variety of people, and although I like to avoid some that I just really do not get a long with, I like getting different viewpoints from a wide variety of very different individuals.
moimeme Posted June 5, 2004 Posted June 5, 2004 you would not monopolize things so that others have a chance to get their posts responded to IMHO, your whole post is bogus and this point is the most bogus of all. It often does people a world of good to write out their problems. If you decide you can't be bothered to read what they wrote, fine. Move on. If you click on a post that's too long, go click on another. It does not 'monopolize' anything for anyone to write a long post. The posts do have length limits set by the mods, so clearly the mods don't mind. Therefore, nor should you.
Author capitald Posted June 5, 2004 Author Posted June 5, 2004 Oh also another point, I don't want things to get too personal or seem like an attack of anyone. My posts even get too long sometimes purely out of habit and I have to think and edit them. I think it often like that, we write so much out of habit or perhaps its just natural to write like that. In any case, a little editing or deleting of what is nonessential can be a good idea.
CurlyIam Posted June 5, 2004 Posted June 5, 2004 okey, capitald, point taken! I think you forgot to mention the organisation of posts too: like giving details of the past in the middle, coming back to the future and so on. Keeping it logically and chronologically would help a lot! Don't know about keeping shorter though... But improving in organisation would make it much easier for me not only to read, but to understand a certain situation. And the result would definetley be more answers. I've been thinking about the same thing, D. Didn't quite know how to put it into words.
moimeme Posted June 5, 2004 Posted June 5, 2004 Um. This isn't a writing class. People posting are miserable and may not have been stars in school.
CurlyIam Posted June 5, 2004 Posted June 5, 2004 I know. That's why I'm so glad D had this thread. I see it not as a "Do's" and "Don't's" but as "Tips and Trick's" for those who take the pleasure in reading posts on the Shack rather than posting, but then change their mind and post anyway .
Author capitald Posted June 5, 2004 Author Posted June 5, 2004 thank you curly, I did mean it that way.
sportsloving Posted June 5, 2004 Posted June 5, 2004 Geez Capitald... should we all send our posts to you for editing? Perhaps in mine (one of only two ever posted) you could go through it, tell me what you would like to have deleted and then tell me how it comes out. I do recall reading quite a few of yours that were very long in depth. But for shame on the rest for trying to express themselves. Good thing the grand marshall is in town
moimeme Posted June 5, 2004 Posted June 5, 2004 Well, if we're going to toss in some aphorisms, how's about 'do as I say but not as I do'? Seems appropriate here.
Author capitald Posted June 6, 2004 Author Posted June 6, 2004 I said something about how mine go long sometimes as well. As a matter of fact, mine was going to long on this very same post and I caught myself and shortened it, so the need for that was really the point of this all. In any case, it was just a suggestion, nothing more or less than that and most certainly not a dictate.
ladyangel Posted June 6, 2004 Posted June 6, 2004 Yes. And also, don't you hate it when...there's somebody who thinks they have to post a reply to almost every single post, whether they have anything constructive to add or not...especially if most of the time they're only there to antagonize and belittle?
Karlise13 Posted June 7, 2004 Posted June 7, 2004 I LIKE some of the long posts. I don't mind reading a long story. And if it's too late or I don't have time, I skip it. I really don't see how long posts 'monopolize' time because only people truly interested in reading them are gong to spend any time on it. Trust me, I skip a lot of them.
Matilda Posted June 7, 2004 Posted June 7, 2004 I agree that sometimes long posts discourage replies. But sometimes I think people who write long posts aren't really looking for replies, they are just trying to vent or get something off their chest. I really don't think there's anything wrong with that. If they really want replies, they'll probably soon realize they need to be more concise.
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