Protagonize Pub

Don't get me wrong here... I love Protagonize. But maybe there are a few things that would make it better or more interesting. Here's my first idea:

Make a quiz for members/readers to take. Include interests, etc. In the end, the quiz should direct the readers to stories they would like rather than them searching out stories. This would help unread stories and poetry get noticed.
Just an idea. :-)

Hi Shelby,

A full recommendations engine is coming as part of the subscriber features. There will likely be a more cut-down version with a short selection of "recommended daily reading" for regular users, too.

I'm not sure the quiz idea is really going to fly, mind you -- it would probably just require some more information about your favourite types of books and stories in a less quiz-like interface.

Cheers,
-nick

How's about moving this to the Feature Suggestions thread?

Edit: Oops. Never mind. That topic's in the Beta Testers group. Maybe we could have a sticky topic called "Feature Suggestions" in this group as well...

How about I sticky this one instead? :)

Shelby, this might not answer your question, because I'm not sure if you're coming at if from an angle that the quiz taker is not sure what genre they like. In which case, "what Nick said"

However, in order to break down stories into more manageable group, a reader does have the ability to filter by tags and also story categories.

For example, when I'm looking for stories to read I always look in humour, satire/parody and chick lit because they all serve the same purpose for me.

@smac972 said:

For example, when I'm looking for stories to read I always look in humour, satire/parody and chick lit because they all serve the same purpose for me.

I have nothing to add to this topic, but I felt that the above quote deserved an "lol".

I thought that's what the little thumbs up botton was for? (because I agree with Asheyna. *grins*

:} Elorithryn

Anyone who manages to get through my little schtick without rolled eyes gets a thumbs up in return.

:)

@Elorithryn Yeah it just needed more recognition than a "thumbs up"

Not sure where else to ask this, so I'm asking here. So, here: What happened to the orphans on the stories page? It's become terribly time consuming to find a good, aging orphan. I used to be able to click the button and get a new list if I didn't find one that appealed to me. Now I actually have to search and scroll, all the while keeping an eye out for "1 chapter" or "1 branch".

That is all I have to whine about for now. Thank you.

That big red "CRITIQUE" looks a little bit... offensive. Like I'm angry or something. I'm not, but I can't change it to something else, I can change only the contents of the post. I am not saying that it is an issue that needs to be dealt with, mind you. I'm just letting whoever reads it know that I am not, in fact, angry over this.

Maybe a deep purple would make a good, friendly color for a post flagged as a critique?

Okay. Bye.

I think of it more like a "Red Alert" sign.

I agree with the critique color. Red seems too angry, and you want constructive criticism so maybe a purple?

But then that messes up the Red Yellow Green thing for Praise, Tips and Critque. You know like a stop light - green for keep up that great work, yellow for slow down a little take some time to polish your work and Stop look over that work buddy it's got merit but you need to hone it...

Right, so anyway, I'm not offended by red. After all it's the red pen that marks your pages in school. It's the red pen that is used at work to mark off what needs inproving. Okay maybe it's just my job, but it seems like the red follows you everywhere, and the sooner you see it as a tool to help you get better, the less a pain in the but it becomes.... At least that's my philosophy.

(Plus if you don't do the purple right it will look too much like the blue, or too pastel and be icky. trust me, colors can be trickly little beasties, I used to work with them you know)

:} Elorithryn

Red really does scream out "ANGRY"... maybe orange would work? It's softer, but still effective. I think it would work fine for the "critique".

@Elorithryn

Or green for "keep going, you're good!" Yellow for "Slow down and be more careful." Red for "Stop. Stop writing, you suck."

I am not offended by it, though. I just feel mean for posting anything with a big red square over it about someone else's work, whether its a website or a story.

@Atropos
Well I suppose you Could phrase it that way, but I never think of it that way - probably because of the amount of red I saw when I first entered the big bad world of regulated industry and controlled documents. If I saw the red then as "You suck" (as you so gracefully put it) I would have curled up in a ball crying and never come out. *grin*
But here I am, actually sharing stories and even *gasp* giving critiques... okay so I've only give one really really thorough one, and I felt horrible the whole time I was writing it, but I was quite immpressed with what the author then did with that chapter. *grin*

:} Elorithryn

@Elorithryn

That is a very good thing. Red ink and red rectangles with CRITIQUE written in them don't bother me any, either. I don't mind seeing it. I just mind using it because I worry there are some people who might not take it so well. I don't want to discourage anyone.

@Atropos
Yup. I hear you on that, which is why when I critique I pay a lot of attention to how I word things as that I'm as up beat and constructive as possible. Then again I like being up beat and I probably put in more smilies and grins and appologies than are necessary. But hey, that's just who I am. *grin*

:} Elorithryn

I've had the same thoughts posting critiques on a story. It certainly grabs the attention of the author, just sometimes I feel like I'm putting up a big red "You suck" sign on their story. Again, not how I feel when I see them on my stories (A good critique is always welcome) just something that crosses my mind from time to time.