Listing Trends on Gather, What do You Think?

I think this space should be a post anything place. There will be trends,
I would hate to see a lot of rules. It is not hard to ignore what you object to.

Donna f., Yes, fatigue has settled in the laundry room. Still, I see a lot of new International peoples jumping up, but to shy to jump right in, I expect more will be better as the pillars of Gather-gather moss on the North side of the chat rooms and their backsides. Some of the laundry list have been very interesting. Time away from writing, though. Good observations, Donna.

Today's-Just where did you read that I object? I don't, I am merely posing the question as to literary value.

Chris- Thank you, i appreciate that someone gets my point

Kathleen- Not a wink

Thanks for your input, Zenith

I enjoy these lists - it's a way for us to get to know one another. I do not, however, assign them points. I only give points if an artticle is what you suggest: literature of one form or another.

Nancy, thanks for your comment, but i think you are referring to ratings. Gather gives out the points.

I share your concerns, Donna. I'm tiring of the 5, 6 & 7 posts a day, some obviously so hastily written that the typos are 3 and 4 to a paragraph. I try to space my articles 2 or 3 days apart, and to have them polished.
Maybe gather needs a chat room for each group instead of "chat" published as articles.

Donna, I appreciate your bringing up this topic, and share your concern even though I have contributed. I started the 100 Interesting Things About Me group, thinking it would be a fun way to get to know one another and it would keep those articles in one place. I also submitted an index (list) of my published articles, mostly for myself since Gather neither alphabetizes nor categorizes them for us. Yesterday, I published a second list of interesting things about a character in one of my novels, as an exercise in character development for novel writing. Maybe it would have been more considerate to the community if I had posted each of these lists only to the group for which they were intended to keep others from having to sift through it to find the quality work. Using groups effectively is something we should consider, but I think that requires Gather's assistance in organizing the groups better. Richard's suggestiong about the chat room for each group is also good. Kevin (self-proclaimed Gather Bastard) tried this... maybe he'll drop in with input.

The lists serve a purpose and can have writing value ... thought gathering ... out of type posting. So, I would call it sharing and stretching.

I've had a Live Journal for several years, and the listing things come and go. The people who bother to make a list, are the same people who write interesting articles and personal stories - because they have things to share. A list is a fun, painless exercize.

The thing I like about gather, is here is the first and only place I have seen that list used as Sandy used it - for a character. Personally, I think that is a brilliant idea and intend to sit down and do lists for all of the characters currently in my novel & anthologies. Reading your article and thinking about it, there is another aspect as well. In reading those lists, don't you ever get ideas for characters? See an entry and think, now that is interesting and someday either it may either work it's way into a fictional character or even an incident in a novel or story.

So, I think the lists have purpose. High literature? No. But is everything on gather supposed to be high literature? Boy, I hope not.

The only reason I'd worry about it, is if it went the way of a website called writtenbyme.com who also paid its members for points earned. It was something like 10 dollars for every 100 pts. They, however, had no ads on the site, and soon ran out of money.

People know posting makes points. So they post. Anything and everything is posted for points. Does it add to the literary side of gather? Not always. But it does help you get a small insight into the postee. Bringing us - Nay! Gathering us all closer together over time. :)

Sandy,
I loved your "Pancho" list, and hope to read the book one day. I too published to the 100 things group, and while it was fun, as is reading them, I don't feel they serve as much a literary purpose, as poems, stories, etc...do. I do believe that the group chat idea is a good one.

Summer and Dawn,
While the lists may have their respective place here, my questions was, are they "points worthy" as literature?, which is Gather's purpose.

I agree with Donna. You have guts, Donna. Bravo.

Susan, Thanks..I am fully expecting to blacklisted by a few, now that I have gone and posted this..Oh well.....

What was it Rumsfeld said " Democracy isn't pretty" (or something like that.). It's too early in Gather's exisitence to gauge what will be the format that wins the day. Will it be serious journalism or pop journalism ? It could be either, or it could be both. The decision is in the hands of the voters.
My approach is going to be to stick with what I know and love and see how it all pans out. "Que Sera Sera".

Oh George, you've gone and quoted Rumsfeld AND Doris Day !! Did you hit your head?
BTW, you have valid points.

There is such a variety of people and interest here that it is to be expected that some of it may be trivial in a sense, but that also reflects us as a culture, so there is something to learn from the so called laundry list. People here are in different stages of learning and writing.Gather it is not just for "writers" but also for people who yearn to express themselves in that medium. Give time and the curve will go up again. I come here moslty to read and comment, at times it strikes me to share my stories or poetry but not often.

Why wouldn't Gather want to dole out the points - the corporations represented at the Points store want us to earn our $10 gift certificates. When was the last time you got in and out of Barnes & Noble for $10 - never. Getting us in the door is a guaranteed profit maker to these sponsors. We are their ideal demographic.

Cindy, Lee and EB, You all make valid points. My argument is not whether these lists have a right to be here, they do, and I myself participate, but whether they deserve the same rating/point scale of a piece that someone has agonized for hours or days over. Personally, they are reminiscent of the "blue books" we used to pass around in junior high school, listing much these same things. They are a load of fun, but not particularly literature.

I read again, I consider it critical. You even ask if you are being hypercritical.
The points system has been discussed, a rating system is beyond control, it can be ended or lived with. Limiting who rates, would be equally unfair, as would deciding what is to be rated.
Some of what I have read and enjoy will never pass a literary test, but then I object to libraries sorting fiction into literature and fiction sections.

Donna, I agree with you that it has become harder to find the true literary and poetic gems on Gather. It seems that the number of 'social' articles continue to escalate, and sometimes win most of the battles for dominance in the 'ratings'. But, in my opinion, that is ok....for now.

Once a new rating system is implemented, these social articles (chats, lists, games, etc.) will drop off of the rating charts. They will still appear under 'most comments', so that Gather members can identify what articles are generating the most 'buzz'. While prose and great literature are important to Gather, so is having a little fun too. Some of these diversions actually help in building a stronger, closer community.

Comments and page views do play a role in the accumulation of Gather Points, and while it may not be fair that articles on porn icons actually garner more points than a worthy, inspirational work, I am hopeful that a new rating system will help to put the focus back onto quality writing again.

However, I do have an issue when the incentive to publish is based solely on the collection of Gather Points. Sadly, I have seen several of the top producers on Gather fall victim to this 'Point Fever' lately....hopefully, it will wear off soon.

Todays, Thank you for your input.

Kevin, exactly.

Points aside, this is a group that has its roots in NPR which attracts relatively bright folks. Even the lists are better than some groups. I'm a new member and I don't know when Gather began but it seems new also. Evolution is an important part of group process. We just have to hold on for quality.

Today my breakfast consisted of....
no, I won't do it. The only way I'll make a list is if I find something very amusing that must be written in list format. Much like my list of very funny Chinese menu translations.

Thank you Sylvia, and Welcome to Gather
Matthew, thanks for the input.

Maybe the Gather Editorial Team, or a new team, could review articles and award bonus points to substanative pieces. I'm not implying any literary critique, per se, just a few extra points to authors for posting writings that have obviously been slaved over.

Donna - Did you bring this up so that I wouldn't post our laundry list?

Donna, you raise a salient point, and I like the gist of Bill's Spirit's suggested implementation for change.

3lbs of carrots
a can of plum peeled tomatoes
Camembert
salt
milk
eggs
flour
bread
2 lbs of beef
3lbs of minced beef
2 packets of smokes
and
10 points!

Donna, I do'nt think it is a big deal like Kevin wrote, right now. If it starts to get out of control with lists upon lists then that's another story. I like Bill's idea about adding points for the more robust articles and quality poems.

Bill, Good idea..and don't you dare!!!!

Johnny, look who's talking!!!!!

Hannah, Make mine peach. Looking forward to that day also.

Ludolf, Touche

Laurie, I like Bill's idea too.

Thanks for the input everyone!!!!

"Johnny, look who's talking!!!!!"

Uh...a baby voiced by Bruce Willis? I'm confused.

Honestly, Johnny! I saw your wicked little post to garner comments 1:5..tsk, tsk, tsk...actually, I thought it was quite ingenious.

I understand what you are saying, but I don't agree. The above could be seen as prose, while a list is just that, garnering points with little literary effort.

top articles
1. people i love
2. people who love me
3. people i praise
4. people who praise me
5. ad nauseam
6. add nausea

Thanks for the comment SE, too bad you're not far from the truth.

Your article is very valid and you put it extremely diplomatically. Bear i mind the cross-section of culture and backgrounds. Less finger pointing, sarcasm and more assistance genuine crtitique [rather than "point scoring"] and constructivism might help. The essential question is What do people Want? Are they getting it - and chances as you cant please all of the people all of the time - they have cleverly enables us to create groups - with that segregation will come seperatism and a kind of "clan" mentality, However first and foremost we are all memberso gather [whatever our disposition or group] and our prime objective should be the continuity of that entity - as without it we have nothing. I came here to show my art but also communicate with people and enjoy myself - so some articles are much much lighter than others - either way people will have favourites or not but the point is - even with those whose comments I may not like - WERE ALL WRITING - WERE ALL PRODUCING SOMETHING = albeit a shopping list.
Having said this I think what you said Donna is right on the money, and again the way you said it was extremely diplomatic!!

Thank you, Ludolf. I see your point, and to a degree, concur.

Wow, you have a lot of views and comments Donna. I don't have a problem with any content on gather. I think we should feel free to post whatever. It really is the spam on inane articles or the ones with blatant attention-getting headlines merely to boost gather points that bothers me.

I think the solution is to stop reading people that do it. There is more here to read than there is time. No need to waste.

Stephen, Since I posted this, I only recieve a few spams per day, which is a great improvment. I hope you were not implying that I posted this to elicit points. I posted this to voice my concerns about this trend, and it has taken ten days to get forty four responses, although half are replies to others.
Look at the responses to todays list, 72, for the woman's list, thusfar.

You said it diplomatically, Donna and I applaud you for that. I have found some of the best writing ever in Old Hippies Corner. I've also enjoyed knowing what's on people's walls. It's all good.

Thanks Mariana.

Good point.

I agree with you Donna. Last year Gather offered many many well-written artricles and thoughtful comments. Now we're seeing too many of those time wasting "lists of great people" (and matching comments.)

Ain't it the truth. Luckily, you have missed most of the hubbub about this in the past week or so. There have been numerous pieces, I hesitate to say "articles" posted on this trend. I vote for going back to writing informative, fun, thoughtful works and commenting accordingly. I personally have little use for laundry lists and popularity contests.

Here's the part I don't get.

Who cares if something is getting points or not getting points?

If my post about Porn Icons gets eyeballs and therefore points, it's not like those points are coming out of somebody else's pocket.

Unless of course the real concern is that the people who look at the Porn Icon article and comment on it don't really know what they want to read. If that's the case, the simple solution is for somebody to come up with a system better than a descriptive headline to help those poor saps figure out what they should be reading and commenting on.

Jake, To be honest, its kind of a dead issue for me. Over and done, and I don't care one whit. i posted this dang thing almost two weeks ago.The only thing that irritates me is literary efforts, including yours, that get relegated to the back of the heap, while someone's "Who/'WHat I like" stays front and center.