Who votes?
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I have this threshold for tolerance--maybe it's ethical or moral or maybe it's just plain common sense. I've been hanging around the online writing community for about 3 or 4 years. Supporting the people I care about, the writers who have given to me and the community, is important. In my critique group, there's an obvious balance. In Romance Divas, there's a hierarchy, well-made and well-maintained. There are rules and that makes the forums run smoothly. RWA yahoo groups also has this approach. These places would not exist without its members and those members understand the delicacy it takes to keep peace.
OTOH, I belong to a Writing Workshop yahoo group. In the time I've been on this loop, I've participated in maybe 2 workshops. For me, this is not a place to make friends, to share life stories, to shoot the shit. Writing is my hobby, my joy, but it is also my WORK.
But just when you think a place is friendly.... you find out that IF YOU DON'T VOTE FOR THE WRITER, WHO SHALL REMAIN NAMELESS IN THIS POST, ON A READER REVIEW PAGE, BITTEN BY BOOKS, you get threatened with the removal of LOVE, with the fear that YOU won't be chosen as one of the ELITE.
Our charming, egotistical leader claims that out of 1400 members only 300 voted for her. Even after all that threatening [gasp], shocking. Isn't it??? And she is applauding the people who succumbed to her threats!!! Seriously, how weak are you? I found this really repulsive. This is not a matter of winning by merit. This is out and out indulgence, it's blackmail...
I find it hard to believe that Bitten by Books would be happy to hear that this is going on. Which brings me back to my original theme about tolerance.
Though I LOVE my fellow writers, unless I know you as more than a writer, unless I know how many kids you have or if you've been divorced, and most importantly unless I'VE READ YOUR BOOK!!!, I will not vote for you.
And truly, if a person thinks love is found in a voting both, I don't know how that person can realistically write ROMANCE.
OTOH, I belong to a Writing Workshop yahoo group. In the time I've been on this loop, I've participated in maybe 2 workshops. For me, this is not a place to make friends, to share life stories, to shoot the shit. Writing is my hobby, my joy, but it is also my WORK.
But just when you think a place is friendly.... you find out that IF YOU DON'T VOTE FOR THE WRITER, WHO SHALL REMAIN NAMELESS IN THIS POST, ON A READER REVIEW PAGE, BITTEN BY BOOKS, you get threatened with the removal of LOVE, with the fear that YOU won't be chosen as one of the ELITE.
Our charming, egotistical leader claims that out of 1400 members only 300 voted for her. Even after all that threatening [gasp], shocking. Isn't it??? And she is applauding the people who succumbed to her threats!!! Seriously, how weak are you? I found this really repulsive. This is not a matter of winning by merit. This is out and out indulgence, it's blackmail...
I find it hard to believe that Bitten by Books would be happy to hear that this is going on. Which brings me back to my original theme about tolerance.
Though I LOVE my fellow writers, unless I know you as more than a writer, unless I know how many kids you have or if you've been divorced, and most importantly unless I'VE READ YOUR BOOK!!!, I will not vote for you.
And truly, if a person thinks love is found in a voting both, I don't know how that person can realistically write ROMANCE.
