Author Rankings

[Metaliturtle]

You are missing my point entirely, people shouldn't try to write stories that they don't enjoy writing, The union never emphasised major competition, it is established to make people better writers by providing an environment that promotes creative critisism besides, "WRITE WRITE WRITE!!" or "I don't like this." The union asks of it's writers basically to say why when they critique a story. Sure this creates competition, but it eliminates the critique aspect, although in my opinion the guys on the list are real good guys (and girls Bella), the fact remains that too much competition in writing kills the creative spirit. If I write a story about the many fears Lincoln has of pudding, yes, it will probably be funny, but if it isn't, I would like to know what people didn't like about it.

[DarkCloud]

You are missing my point entirely, people shouldn't try to write stories that they don't enjoy writing,

If they are smart, then they won't write stories like that- people write stories for fun.

If they enjoy competition then writing the story will be fun; if they don't care about the competition, then they won't write a story of that style anyway.

the fact remains that too much competition in writing kills the creative spirit.

I wouldn't say so- the more competition; the more people can compare their works against others and thereby improve it.

Your fears are ephemeral.
There is nothing wrong with the list.

If someone is stupid enough to write something they don't want to- let them- they'll eventually realize that they should do what THEY want and not what OTHER PEOPLE want.

[cbraund]

I see nothing wrong with competition(and I'm not just saying that cause I'm top ).

I write in many different styles(might not seem like it lol, but I try many different countries, cultures, and time periods). I make sure I enjoy writing a story, and if I don't, I don't write it.

Competition is healthy, it makes sure the readers can show what they like.

When I first arrived, I was made despondent by the fact that Metaliturtle's funny stories whipped my ass, and I couldn't write stories like that.

But I kept on writing the epics I love to write, and I eventually won.

Basically, competition is good, it encourages people, and if at first you don't succeed, try and try again! Don't start trying to write stories you don't like, keep to what you're good at!

Chris

[WTE_OzWolf]

I think Metaliturtle is over-reacting a bit here. If we didn't want competition, why the hell do we have the Story Competition? To recognise the achievements of our fellow writers. All this ranking does is cumilate the tallies that anybody could look at anyway.

I'm not sticking up for this because I'm one of the "top ranking" people, but simply because it shows other people who has been successful here (and also direct them to good stories). I actually voted for Knights of the Black Cross in the original Best of the Best, because I want to encourage the good writing, so I want no accusations of self-centeredness flung my way .

I write what I want to write. I also try to change things (my attempt at humour was a bit of a flop). Generations was given across the breadth of time and characters weren't really given much depth. Odyssey of a Hero was on one main character only. The Cost of War is something different again, with four or five main characters taking part to help the story.

I write epics because I like writing them. I've started a number of other stories that I just didn't like and gave up on them. The might have won some competitions, but I wasn't enjoying writing them so I didn't.

Things like this shouldn't be seen as a way to squash the creative spirit but more like a way for people to see that other ordinary people can create good things. If one of my stories inspires somebody else, then I believe it is a good story.

[civman2000]

Hey, "It's good to be dictator" was great, it didn't flop!

[Metaliturtle]

What I'm saying, Ozwolf, is that people should read all the stories, not just those by the top handful of people on a list, every author up there wrote excellent stories, and I read every story that came in first second or third in the stories contest that civman runs, and before that I read all of the stories on the stories page. My first story was a total flop, but it wasn't THIS list which drove me to write my next one, CGW. Also, I don't necessarily feel that CGW is my best story, I certainly didn't like writing it after the famous post "Write Write Write!!!" Which caused me to form the union in which that infamous poster is a member.

I'd rather people know these authors as good authors through their writing, not because a list told them. Take, for example, Samuel Johnson, his story, Zulu Rules, is in my opinion, one of the best stories written on the forums, unfortunately for him, his story didn't do well because of one of mine, I personally felt that his story was the best one up for voting, but because not too many others did, he didn't do as well. I can't even call the contest a competition, it's basically a reflection on what the 11-17 year-old male likes, although there are exceptions to this. Besides Bella, I'm pretty sure everyone on that list is male, and certainly the top 5 are. I came up with 11-17 because there are lots of references to school and the like.

I honestly don't know where I'm going with this, but I do know I don't like this list and am going to keep ranting about it.

[DarkCloud]

So- this is just an easier way to find the writing that everyone here enjoys.

[Kramerman]

I like the list.
Im fairly new to the stories forum and the list gives me an idea of who's been successful in the past and which stories I should look up to for ideas and what not. I personally just want to become a better writer and there is no particular "style" that gives me joy as Metaliturtle was saying. But that is my opinion,

Kman

[Kramerman]

Originally posted by DarkCloud
So- this is just an easier way to find the writing that everyone here enjoys.

Exactly! You must of posted this as I was writing mine, cause I didn't see it. But that is exactly what I was trying to say.

Kman

[History Guy]

Personally, I don't give one eyeball poke for the contest, I don't write simply so that my stories come up for the contest, I just write because I like to write.

[DarkCloud]

A good reason-
But not all of us can self-satisfy ourselves... sadly.