'Your Stories' needs editorial control

2

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  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited August 2016 #32

    Fair comment JayEss, the story section could be so much better with just a little bit of extra thought. But I think we've all been saying this since the beginning.

  • scarletsfan
    scarletsfan Forum Participant Posts: 292
    edited August 2016 #33

    You prompted me too look at the story section a while ago, David. Aren't the Meeks tiresome? 

    I've met them.  they were on site at the same time as us last year at Hillhead.  They are lovely people.  Very willing to talk you through their adventures and listen about yours.

    I don't know if they still have any connection to the CC, but this time last year they were required to post about the challenges set them.  this boosted their story count very quickly.

    I can also confirm that when you win a competition with the CC and Club Together, that it is a condition that you write and publish a story on here.  This was so when I won the Nissan competition with them a few years back.

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited August 2016 #34

    The motorhome in the Meeks stories is on loan from Elddis and the travel plans have been mapped out over 2016 which is why the stories are coming from a slightly different angle. It would be good if this was recognised more prominently. I'm quite happy to read about people's adventures but I'd also like to know if there is any commercial involvement and promotion.

  • scarletsfan
    scarletsfan Forum Participant Posts: 292
    edited August 2016 #35

    The X Trail was loaned to me from Nissan, but it was still a CC prize.  Pitch fees for a week were also paid.

  • peedee
    peedee Club Member Posts: 9,383
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    edited August 2016 #37

    I tend not to cut and paste complete blogs from my website because unless you can include all the photos it could lack a bit of interest so I write a shorter version for CT.

    David

    Apart from my first attempt, which I cannot edit and which is another bone of contention, I just paste a summary with links to the detail if readers want to dig deeper.

    peedee

  • DavidKlyne
    DavidKlyne Club Member Posts: 13,857 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2016 #38

    Peedee

    I can always edit retrospectively if you need any help with that.

    David

  • peedee
    peedee Club Member Posts: 9,383
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    edited August 2016 #39

    Many thanks David but I don't think you can delete. If you can my story about
    "Around the Iberian Peninsular"
    can be Deleted User and I will post a summary IDC.

    peedee

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited August 2016 #40

    Peedee, it's a good story, why not leave it on, many have been much longer! 

  • DavidKlyne
    DavidKlyne Club Member Posts: 13,857 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2016 #41

    Peedee

    I tend to agree with Brue. Its a comprehensive story, with good photos, Given that its four years old I would be inclined to leave as is. If people can't be bothered to read it in the Story section will they be bothered to look at a shorter version with
    links to your website? 

    David

  • peedee
    peedee Club Member Posts: 9,383
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    edited August 2016 #42

    Ok, I thought it better to be brief with the option to go to more detail if required as per most of my other lengthy blogs. It also means I can make corrections if I notice anything wrong or even add an update note.

    peedee

  • briantimber
    briantimber Forum Participant Posts: 1,653
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    edited August 2016 #43

    Just looked in on the stories section again, its becoming more of a place to review or moan than write a proper story of interest that all can enjoy.Yell

    I realise its hard to keep tabs on constantly, but can something be done about this please? It's starting to put me off looking at the stories section....Thanks in anticipation.....Cool

  • SteveL
    SteveL Club Member Posts: 12,300 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2016 #44

    I agree with you, Brian. Suggest that the difference between 'review' and 'story' is -

    a review comments on a site and facilities, and any difficulties that may be encountered, or things to especially recommend said site

    a story tells of ones travels from a site and what can be done/seen in the surrounding area. OK this might be covered in the site synopsis but we all find new things to do and see and may give other folk ideas on what to do in an area

  • DavidKlyne
    DavidKlyne Club Member Posts: 13,857 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2016 #45

    Its interesting that there is no report button for stories as I would have thought this would be an easy way to bring non-stories to the attention of forum admin. I am reluctant to delete stories without first giving the poster the opportunity to repost
    in the correct place but it seems no one ever comes back to look at any comments. Oh for a PM system!!

    David

  • InaD
    InaD Club Member Posts: 1,701 ✭✭
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    edited August 2016 #46

    Its interesting that there is no report button for stories as I would have thought this would be an easy way to bring non-stories to the attention of forum admin. I am reluctant to delete stories without first giving the poster the opportunity to repost in the correct place but it seems no one ever comes back to look at any comments. Oh for a PM system!!

    David

    Last year I emailed Rowena after reading a story which had quite a few swearwords in it.  I'm not a prude and I do like a laugh and a joke, but I don't think the use of the word b*****y, in many sentences, is necessary to write a story.  I suggested to Rowena that a report button for stories, the same as for posts, might be useful.  Her reply was that the words had been edited out, and it was a useful suggestion and she would pass it on the IT team.

    Seems nothing has happened (yet?).

  • DavidKlyne
    DavidKlyne Club Member Posts: 13,857 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2016 #47

    There are nearly 50 posts in this thread all saying more or less the same thing and yet we never seem to get a definitive answer to the questions asked? We don't even know if the Story Section will be subject to any upgrades during the supposed Forum upgrade,
    we will have to wait and see. 

    David

  • Oneputt
    Oneputt Club Member Posts: 9,144 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2016 #48

    I've decided not to waste my time and post anymore stories.  This latest continental trip will stay within my memory only

  • DavidKlyne
    DavidKlyne Club Member Posts: 13,857 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2016 #49

    That is a shame Oneputt as it sounds a very interesting trip. Mind you I spend hours putting together stories and adding photos and I have no idea how many people bother to read them, apart from BrueLaughing so whether I am wasting my time I don't know. Even the Meeks must wonder if all their efforts are worthwhile? I suppose with overseas travel outside of France and Spain there will always be a much more limited potential audience anyway.

    David

  • briantimber
    briantimber Forum Participant Posts: 1,653
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    edited August 2016 #50

    I read "proper" stories David.....Cool

    Edit.... never read the Meeks sagas   Cool

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited August 2016 #51

    Keep the stories coming...I hope I'm not the only reader Happy I have to say they vary a lot both in content (and lack of!) But it's the
    one place where anyone can contribute, add a few pics and be themselves without too many adverse comments or advice. The Meeks are putting on a long series of posts just now about travels across parts of N Europe. Although it would be my idea of a nightmare
    to do so much driving in such a short space of time at least the site descriptions might be useful to some. The good thing about the rest of us without any commercial backing is that we can probably be more honest and can choose our stories at random. So keep
    posting!

  • IanH
    IanH Forum Participant Posts: 4,708
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    edited August 2016 #52

    Must admit that I never read the Stories......maybe I ought to start? Might be a bit less combative than the Forum? Undecided

  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
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    edited August 2016 #53

    The stories are often noy on the radar for many folk I auspect Ian ..... myself included. As they don't appear in the discussion listings they certainly get missed by me

  • DSB
    DSB Club Member Posts: 5,666 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2016 #54

    I have sometimes taken a slightly different ay with stories.  To me, a very important aspect of any 'story' is photographs.  I tend to put a summary in the story box and then add photos to the comment boxes.  This means I can add them when I have time. 
    Quite a few folk seem to appreciate the way I did it for our 2014 holiday in France (HERE) so I have started with the same aim for our 2016
    Holiday
    HERE.
      The trouble is that it can get very long, but my own preference is for one long story rather than breaking it up into smaller chunks.

    David

  • chasncath
    chasncath Forum Participant Posts: 1,659
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    edited August 2016 #55

    Another crop of misplaced reviews and complaints this week. Never thought I'd ever say this, but at least Scarletsfan does post 'Stories' , love them or loathe them Innocent

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited September 2016 #56

    "if you just want to ask a question or share a brief account please post in discussions"

    This is the advice given now on the stories introduction area. Maybe it needs to be in bold at the beginning and be separated from the other details? 

  • SteveL
    SteveL Club Member Posts: 12,300 ✭✭✭
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    edited September 2016 #57

    "if you just want to ask a question or share a brief account please post in discussions"

    This is the advice given now on the stories introduction area. Maybe it needs to be in bold at the beginning and be separated from the other details? 

    Worth a try but not sure it will help. It is in bold on the ask the expert thread. Please read before you post. Yet still folk are posting general queries in this section.

  • JillwithaJay
    JillwithaJay Club Member Posts: 2,484 ✭✭✭✭
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    edited September 2016 #58

    I'm moving posts out of Ask the Expert Section daily.  I've posted in the Stories Section highlighting the advice given but I doubt it'll make much difference.  Pity we can't edit the information given by CC.

    photo 78301b06-7bdd-45fe-8ae2-d4d2cae14135_zpssi5htrez.jpg

  • DavidKlyne
    DavidKlyne Club Member Posts: 13,857 ✭✭✭
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    edited September 2016 #59

    I have recently discussed this with Rochelle and apparently the Story Section runs on a slightly different platform to the forum so there is no ability to move what should be in the discussion area from stories. Perhaps what we need to be asking is why people
    (always new to CT) seem to land at the Story Section rather than the Discussion area? People clearly don't read the instructions and as Steve says that is even when these are more than clear they ignore them. It might be brutal but perhaps non-stories should
    just be Deleted User, the problem there is that people will have different views on what is a story. It does seem to me that a lot of review style stories are posted, especially for non Club sites. I know when I suggested in the forum that we should have a non
    club site review area it got a very luke warm response but it might be one answer?

    David

  • EmilysDad
    EmilysDad Forum Participant Posts: 8,973
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    edited September 2016 #60

    ....... I know when I suggested in the forum that we should have a non club site review area it got a very luke warm response but it might be one answer?

    David

    It possibly got missed in the sea of various sections & stickies within them ..... some stickies take up half of the page.

  • DSB
    DSB Club Member Posts: 5,666 ✭✭✭
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    edited September 2016 #61

    ....... I know when I suggested in the forum that we should have a non club site review area it got a very luke warm response but it might be one answer?

    David

    It possibly got missed in the sea of various sections & stickies within them ..... some stickies take up half of the page.

    I suggested this early on too - and several times since.

    David