Question about Moderators

I'm curious about the process that stories go through from submission to publishing. Do they just go to a queue and the next available mod selects the next available story, or are they assigned on submission to an available mod and then wait until the review process is complete?

Also, the different mods seem to have different standards. Some are very particular about capitalization, punctuation, etc., others not so much. Is there a set standard that all mods are supposed to follow or is it an individual thing?

Thx in advance.

Quote by CaressofSteel
Do they just go to a queue and the next available mod selects the next available story, or are they assigned on submission to an available mod and then wait until the review process is complete?

It is not really that sequential in my experience (I was a mod years ago). If a mod is short on time, they might just look for shorter pieces rather than going in sequence if the first ones are long. Mods who are uncomfortable with certain topics might skip stories in relevant categories (I.F. being a common one). Gold/Platinum members and comp entries get priority, too.

Quote by CaressofSteel
Is there a set standard that all mods are supposed to follow or is it an individual thing?

There is not a "hard" standard unless that's changed. The problem being that there are writers from multiple countries, each with its own spelling, style, and grammar quirks. So they do what they can but inconsistencies will happen. And the mods are chosen because of their own skill as writers so their own experience will play in, too.

As with all mod-related questions, remember that these are volunteers who could be doing other things, but choose to work for the benefit of the site, not a professional editorial staff. They do a fantastic job and we appreciate the time and effort they put in.

This is slightly off-topic, but it's close. I notice that sometimes it feels like new stories are raining here, appearing every few seconds, and other times, there is a day or two of drought when no new stories appear.

Question: Has any thought ever been given to feeding new stories onto the site at more regular intervals?

The reason I bring this up is (especially for new authors) that having your story on the first page for a while could help it gain traction with readers seeing it. This is just my opinion; I accept others may not agree. 🙄😊

Quote by wxt55uk

This is slightly off-topic, but it's close. I notice that sometimes it feels like new stories are raining here, appearing every few seconds, and other times, there is a day or two of drought when no new stories appear.

Question: Has any thought ever been given to feeding new stories onto the site at more regular intervals?

The reason I bring this up is (especially for new authors) that having your story on the first page for a while could help it gain traction with readers seeing it. This is just my opinion; I accept others may not agree. 🙄😊

It just depends who is available. There will be days where noone has time to devote to moderating, so we can't really work to a timetable.

Fair enough. I wasn't trying to be critical, I was just curious why sometimes stories get approved the same day while others take more than a week.

Quote by Jen

It just depends who is available. There will be days where noone has time to devote to moderating, so we can't really work to a timetable.

Thank you for coming back on my question, it is appreciated. I was thinking it could be done via software, like a holding cell, the software dropping the new story out at the appropriate time interval. It is just another of my "silly" ideas. 🙄😎

Quote by wxt55uk
The reason I bring this up is (especially for new authors) that having your story on the first page for a while could help it gain traction with readers seeing it.

Yeah, I was waiting eagerly for my latest story to drop, and then it was one of the first to get published on a day with over 30 stories so it got buried on page 3. But now I know there's no point in trying to time my submission for a particular time of day: "Hmm, if I post it late at night in the Western U.S., then the mod in China might grab it in the morning..." 😅

I have had the same two mods check 10 of my 11 stories, and they have been gracious and helpful and communicative when I had questions. ❤️

Quote by wxt55uk
having your story on the first page for a while could help it gain traction with readers seeing it

Makes little to no difference. How long do you spend camping on the home page and pressing refresh to see what new stories have just been published?

Competition winners get upwards of 30 days exposure on the front page, sometimes two or three months before the next competition results are announced. Want to guess how many more reads/votes that attracts? I'll give you a clue: it's single figures. If that.

People tend to camp on story category pages they like, so if you get known for writing blazing hot stories in a particular genre, you can clean up.

When the enhanced activity pages are up and running it'll be easier to see what your friends/followers are reading and liking. So as you start to build a following, the growing band of people who like your stuff and have their own followers will help spread the word about your work by virtue of their interactions with it.

Currently, you're far more likely to gain traction by:

a) reading and commenting on other stories you like.

b) posting status updates and pics on your profile wall for your followers to like and share.

c) using the appropriate forums or chat rooms to get your name and writing known.

d) working hard at improving the craft of writing.

Back on topic, yes mod time depends on their availability and the spread of volunteers in any given time zone.

As Seeker4 says, there are other variables at play besides time. E.g. some mods don't touch poetry; some don't like cuckold stories, etc. But yes, gold+ members jump the queue and competition stories take priority when there's one running.

We have a regularly revised Guidelines document but it is only that: a guide. So, while we try to be consistent, there will be variance depending on the moderator, their background, and their available time.

Quote by WannabeWordsmith
People tend to camp on story category pages they like, so if you get known for writing blazing hot stories in a particular genre, you can clean up.

I think the "followed" author notifications possibly attract most reads. They certainly do from me anyway!