just got burned by the "no inline reviews for free members" issue (Page 1 of 2)

Hi Dirk

Personally, I don't have an issue with your suggestion.  But if I were a devil's advocate, I'd probably mention that we have been able to built those relationships on the old site which didn't have an in-line review option.  Your approach however has the advantage to it that it may attract more premium memberships, which is good overall for everyone on the site.

Not sure if this is the best way to know whether someone is free or premium, but if you click on the piece you want to review, to the right of the screen the author's memberships are shown.  It would be worthwhile to check that side of the web-page especially for works that don't pay points (also a good indication that the author probably isn't a premium member, but not always!).

Cheers Janet

I just checked.  Right next to the story title and picture it says "Groups." and beneath that, Premium or Free (or both) plus whatever other groups they belong to.  We just have to get in the habit of checking.  And don't look at the red button that says "no points," since a premium member can post for no points, if they want.  IN CONCLUSION--no problem.  It's already been taken care of.  Thanks, Sol.  JP

I understand the need if you are collecting points to post. But, someone serious in their endeavors should want any and all feedback. I have some friends that published edited books that years later errors were found that even an elementary school child have found. Keep the inline reviews open, just designate who will be able to utilize points while reviewing.

JP, the list of groups next to a book that you refer to only shows which groups the book was posted to, not the free/premium status of an author. New premium authors may choose to post for free until they have enough points to do otherwise, or for other reasons. As you say, the red button doesn't help either since premium members can post for free. The best idea remains disabling the inline button for free members or adding a warning re-directing the reviewer to a regular review. The free member in question also has other inline reviews he can't read, probably from people who stumbled on this feature as I and others have.

However, the main argument I was trying to make was to give free members temporary access to inline reviews of their own work, so they can see what they're missing and, hopefully, become premium members and help pay to improve the site for everyone. This can be done by given either temporary access to all premium features, or by giving limited access to perhaps one to three inline reviews per reviewer, so they can see the quality of the reviews. Inlines can be a huge draw for free members to sign up.

Regards,
Dirk

I think author's should receive points from any review given to their post. Shouldn't matter if its free or premium.

agreed, however, if the goal is to get more paid authors here a hook would/could be join and you will get more reviews.  Maybe combine premium members getting points for non paying members for that trail period where  free members can access inlines so they can really feel the benefit of becoming a premium member.

I think they meant authors leaving a review on a non-paying member's work should get points for doing so.  Just got their words a bit jumbled, I feel

The points encourage reviews, but also, for the sake of making enough money to maintain the site, you need premium members. People are here to get their work reviewed, not to review other people's work. I know many old TNBW folks will say they are here for the pleasure of learning through reviewing other people's work, but, let's be honest, our main motivation for being here is to receive comments for our work.

If Sol gives points for reviewing non-premium members, those members, whose main interest is to have their work reviewed, will publish and sit down waiting to be reviewed by some points-eager premium member, without reciprocating. Why would they, if they are getting the reviews they want for free?

In the long term, using Kenny's analogy, the economy will paralyse. There will be little motivation to become a premium member. Fewer premium members will mean fewer reviews, unit the site renders useless because it's not fulfilling its purpose.

Therefore, there  must exist systems to encourage people to become premium members, which means more reviews received/given because of the existing points system for premium members.

No points for reviewing non-premium stories, no access to read the in-line reviews for non-premium writers. Not even a trial. You need to offer something that motivates free members to become premium.

Kiss

Gacela

Yeah, I got what you were saying once I realized what you were actually addressing above.  I was momentarily confused because the passage you quoted

To add to what Gracela had said which I fully agree with.

The big assumption here is that in-line reviews are better than regular reviews, or in other words, in-line reviews add more value to the writer than regular reviews.  I don't believe this to be the case.  I personally think the in-line review is massively being overrated especially given the changes that has been made to regular reviews - the regular review box being to the side of the text is the single best improvement in my opinion compared to the old site. 

Also, a good review is a good review, no matter the format.  Free members still get the benefit, irrespective of the type of the review.

Personally, if I were a free member and had access to 3 "free" in-line reviews, I doubt that I would've upgraded to premium simply based on that.  I've gone back to regular reviews, and I'm not the only one.  Compared to when the site launched, most of the reviews I've done and received, were in-line reviews.  Recent times I have given and received more regular reviews than in-line reviews.

JR

I joined because I had joined a face-to-face writer's workshop but was too shy/scared/whatever to read aloud which was required in order to get reviewed so I thought I could post online and build my confidence so I could finally read at the face-to-face.  I had to join the site in order to post my works, but would have joined either way.

This is a little bit off subject, but then again, not really.  There seems to be a lot of controversy about in-line and regular reviews and since the start of this site lots of controversy surrounding reviews and the point system, with many claiming drive by reviews.  Perhaps a review contest of some sort offering something of value for the person giving the most helpful reviews.  Not sure who should judge or how  one would even go about deciding the helpfulness of reviews, but an award of any sort might give everyone reason to pause and do their best with all reviews and if the quality of reviews increased so would the value of this site.