Why am I a "limited user"? What can a "full user" do?

Posted May 1st, 2009 by gorzek

bookzek
faq

In order to encourage community participation, new users must earn the ability to post their own work. Until you have earned full user status, you will not be able to:

Create blog entries.
Create forum topics.
Create book pages.
Create universes.
Use the "ignore" feature.

If it sounds like the site will be essentially unusable to you--you're partially correct. The main features you retain as a limited user are:

Commenting on book pages, blogs, and forum topics.
Tagging book pages.
Private messaging.
Rating book pages.

Notice that almost all of these features are centered around serving the community. Of the activities listed above, only commenting on and rating book pages will earn points. That is how you earn your way to full user status, which requires 50 points. You can earn from zero to five points for each book page comment you post, depending on how useful your comments are. Please check the critique guidelines for more information about what makes a good critique. While you initially earn 1 point for each comment you post on a book page, the administrators evaluate all comments on a monthly basis to assign additional points, consistent with the critique guidelines.

It may sound like a fair amount of work, and it is, but we are here to make an honest effort to help you improve your writing. Part of being a good writer is developing a strong critical sense, which is essential for self-improvement and analysis.

While 50 points may sound like a lot, you also earn points when people view pages you create, so if what you post here is popular you may escape that particular scenario. In addition, your points never expire, but it costs 10 points to post a book page. So, use them wisely! Post work that you genuinely want to get feedback on, and for people to read, and not just any little thing that strikes your fancy. Blogs and forum threads are free, so use those for idle chatter instead!

that was fairly

On May 2nd, 2009 Aloria says:

that was fairly informative... definitely good to know.

Some of us are users, some of

On May 3rd, 2009 Leland_Janson says:

Some of us are users, some of us are used.

Technically, we should have

On May 3rd, 2009 gorzek says:

Technically, we should have both going on in equal measure...

Am I understanding correctly?

On May 28th, 2009 poisoned_ivie says:

"Keep in mind that points expire four weeks after they're awarded, so if you leave Bookzek for a while you may fall below the 75 points required for full user status"

Whether you leave or not, if points expire every 4 weeks then you must review 75 pages a month or not be a full user- or do about 20 a week on a rolling schedule. If people view your pages then you would not need to review that much, but of course a brand new user could not post, so they would have to review 75 to even have a chance at that. In a 28 day period, that means they must review about 3 a day.
During that time, others would get 150 points if they commented on every page they looked at. If they looked at some that weren't commented on, then more would be given. So is this also a Republican rich get richer and can post even more, lessening the chance of the poor (points)getting viewed?
If reviews are useful, shouldn't they be worth the same, without being awarded the best review, as someone clicking on your page out of curiosity?

You can earn up to 5 points

On May 28th, 2009 gorzek says:

You can earn up to 5 points on an individual critique, based on how good it is. That's 15 good critiques. You also get a point for each rating. There's also the "best reply" system which can give you an additional 10 points.

Although you cannot automatically earn points for tagging, if you go around tagging pages that lack tags, let me know which pages you've done and I would be more than happy to assign some points based on that.

I think you misunderstand how the view points work. View points go to the person who owns the page, not the person who viewed it. So, once you get up enough points to post your own work, if your work is good and gets viewed a lot, your critique burden diminishes. You should still do them, because it's unlikely you'll earn enough points just from views.

I am nothing if not flexible. If you can think of some other way to contribute to the site, you are more than welcome to suggest it. Contributions of all kinds will earn you points, they just may not be automatic. Lanajl, for instance, got points yesterday for creating a new logo for us.

I might consider expanding the timeline so points don't expire so quickly, but considering the number of people who are above 75 points right now--a month after the system has been put in place--I don't think this order is too tall to manage.

Yes, there is a high barrier to entry. Some people will not be up to the task. So be it. I want people here who are truly committed to improving their writing. Part of that is developing a strong critical sense. Writing critiques helps you, too. They are not all of equal value, either. "This is great!" should not command as many points as a detailed, in-depth critique.

Point spread?

On May 28th, 2009 Joe Styles says:

I was wondering if I could give/receive points from some one else? In example a group or say my friends/spousesm could share points amongst ourselves. Reasons for such are simple enough really life gets in the way quite often for some of us that have value here when they are here. IE LP has 14 points and she definately has a note from here mom saying she should be excused for a time. (Knowing Jimmy has a soft spot for cerain things I slip her name into the mix almost subliminaly) I see this being something that will help to form bonds between people here andis a way to avoid the appearance of favoritism. If the "donated points ware managed by the group then it eliminates the need for admin to figure it all out.

Question is can it be automated? If so it trulyeliminates the need for wory if you are part of a family or group here. (Holiday trip to the back of nowhere for two months type scenarios are taken care of by the group. If the group burns some one they can always get into another group or whatever as it stand all points go away after time so there is limited room for messing around.

As it is now I see no reason to worry but then I have not had to work my way back up from 0 points yet.

There is a module that lets

On May 28th, 2009 gorzek says:

There is a module that lets people donate points to one another. My main concern with it is that people with a lot of points will simply donate theirs to help out their friends, and those friends will become freeloaders, having no desire to do critiques themselves. Why should they? Someone will just give them free points!

I am willing to give people the benefit of the doubt. If life circumstances get in the way, sure, I might bump you back up. And like I said in my reply to poisoned_ivie, if you can think of ways to contribute to the site I am more than happy to award points for such activities. Helping make the site--and its users--better is what this is all about.

I like the point system it

On September 29th, 2009 liljinx says:

I like the point system it does give people a reason to work and assist other people. It does seem a bit complicated and while a person can earn more points by doing other things like making logos or tagging for the sight there seems there should be one other point adding activity to get to 50 so you can start doing things like adding forum posts and book pages and the like.

I would however also like to be a feeloader...LOL

We'd all like to be

On September 29th, 2009 gorzek says:

We'd all like to be freeloaders, but that's kind of what caused the whole problem!

Good to know

On January 19th, 2010 Fyntarn says:

Of course, I've spent so much time reading fiction around here that I totally bypassed the posts about the rules and the points and all that rot until now. LOL I'm so backwards sometimes.

I understand the reasoning behind all of this, and its good idea. One thing I think kinda blows though is that you can't even make a forum post as a newbie, only respond to other people's posts. That makes it a little harder to get to know people around here, for those new to the site.

I like to read and review and feedback the work of other writers, and to admire the imagination of all of you. It just won't be really soon that I am making my own forum posts or blog entries, or posting another chapter of the story I'm working on (since I did that without thinking about the points spent! GAH!), since I don't have all that much recreational time!

I've sure been enjoying sneaking on here at work to read though! Wayyy better than insurance policy wordings...

Fyn

The reason I did that was

On January 20th, 2010 gorzek says:

The reason I did that was because people would come here and do nothing but screw around in the forums. The ability to create forum topics is part of your "reward" for becoming a full member.

Anyway, you should be back to 50 points pretty soon, so that you can do blog posts and forum topics and whatnot.