Hi Amy, Thanks a million for the review! Yes, exactly what I was looking for! I always wait for a few reviews and then start experimenting based on the feedback. Here's my reply:

I'll see what I can come up with as an intro. I must confess I thought it was catchy when I wrote it but coming back to it later I had my doubts. The counting plays a part int he story later (It's based on a true story and my mother-in-law did count like that through the whole weekend. (But to spare my husband developing a bad rep, Dani is his brother. And a lot of it is fictionalized, too.)) Oh, and another btw, in Hungary premarital sex is no biggie, even if you're religious. The mores are different here. Its a very Catholic country with no problem with abortion. A lot of it has to do with 40 years of communism. Religion for a lot of people is like an article of clothing you can take on or off at your convenience.  (Although in my story Mother and Child, that's not the case for the main character.)
I did have a question about it being heavy on the page.  I understand about long sentences. The text may need some cleaning. But I think you also meant visually overwhelming perhaps? Too many long paragraphs? I'll experiment with that too. My stories often need weeding but it takes me awhile to figure out what to weed.

Thanks again, Amy. I am very grateful!!

Thanks, Dags. I did find your review and I'm grateful!! No, this guy is not the vet. That story was called Mara and Ingrid. The vet was a much more tragic figure - so lonely. This guy is just inconsiderate of his mother's feelings. She's devoted to him and he's come to expect her to do whatever he wants.

Just an announcement - I started a group for short fiction and non-fiction. Short stories, flash fiction, memoir, articles, op.ed, personal essays, novellas, anything that's not novel-length just to help us find each other's material. It's open to anyone - even someone who writes long stuff, but would like to read short stuff!  Also it's a no point system, meaning it doesn't require points to post to it. You just need to select this group, too, in your publish settings. Your reviewers will get points, as long as you paid to post it in the Premium group.
What it basically means is your work is shared in two groups, so more exposure, but with the same benefits to reviewers and no extra "cost" to you.

I've just posted my novella, The Christening (it's in three fairly short parts). If anyone had the time I'd be very grateful for some reviews. I posted it a week ago and for some reason it has failed to drum up any interest. I'm suspicious that the way the new site is set up, within an hour it was on page two of new works and escaped notice. I've never had a week go by with no reviews for something newly posted.  Thanks!!!!

55

(13 replies, posted in TheNextBigWriter Premium)

From Amy S.: "What I miss is the scroll of new posts so that I can decide if I want to read new writers.  This system is too insular for me.  In other words, I only follow the people I've already befriended.  I have a great group already, but other new members would find it hard to find content they want to read (in any other place than the Groups).  For example, I never would have found Skeptikoi under this system because he writes short stories and I rarely do."

I agree completely!!! A scroll without images, which distract and take up space. This was we don;t have to go to [age 5 to see stuff posted only yesterday. And I realize there are more genres now - scripts, etc. But shorts stories covered all short works, novels covered all long works, and of course poetry.
Amy's right - the current set up is too insular!

56

(2 replies, posted in Short Fiction and Non-Fiction)

Amy. I read Summer Rain. It's gorgeous. Post here, please do, share with anyone who hasn't discovered it yet. It's a gem, truly beautiful bit of writing.

57

(2 replies, posted in Short Fiction and Non-Fiction)

I suggest everyone post something - even if it's old material, but you'd like more feedback on it or simply want to share, to get this going.  Once again it won't cost you points to post, or rather I'd say share here, and people who review your story will still get points!
Also, if anyone would like to invite people to the group, please do!

Ok, I know this is minor, but I got notified that I have a Regular Review Reply. So I clicked on it, read the reply, but the notification won't go away. Of course I can live with it, but it does tell me somethings not working. (Or I'm doing something wrong - which is just as likely).

59

(2 replies, posted in Short Fiction and Non-Fiction)

And of course anyone who reviews something in this group will get points as long as the author posted in the Premium group, too.

60

(6 replies, posted in kid's korner)

Get the last two chapters up! I can't wait! I'll be happy to look at revisions too.

61

(2 replies, posted in Short Fiction and Non-Fiction)

I was only able to invite my connections, but this is open to everyone. I would love people to join! By the way, you can post any short works here without paying extra points. You just click on this group, too, when you publish. Any older works you've already published you can also post here without paying extra points by refreshing your publishing settings to include this group.

62

(6 replies, posted in kid's korner)

Hi MzP,

I didn't have to pay any extra points to post in kids corner. It just means the story appears in two groups simultaneously. And as far as I can tell we will received points for reading a story in kids korner if it also appears in the Premium Group and the author "paid" for it.

63

(28 replies, posted in TheNextBigWriter Premium)

"Up at the top of the page is a link called Read. The Read/Groups Content is the same as the Read and Review on the old site. It includes content from all of the Groups you have joined."

Sol, forgive me, but it's still not the same. Wouldn't it be possible to have one page that lists all the new content in the three categories without the book covers, like the old days. Then we could could go to that and more easily look through the pickings. You could have another list with the bookcovers, but I would definitely like a list in the three main categories, condensed, all on one page.

That's hilarious! I've been on the site for more than a year, and I never knew there was an early-review bonus!

65

(28 replies, posted in TheNextBigWriter Premium)

"One feature I miss from the old site is the ability to see new postings in all categories (novel, short story, poetry) on one page, like the old home page. I feel like I'm doing more hunting and pecking here and feel I'm going to overlook postings of those not on my contact list."

I agree with this completely!!!!

I must have missed something. What's an early-review bonus?

I apologize if this problem has been addressed. But I just read several chapter's of Deb's Murder on the Sunday Gulch, and the chapter were assessed at, for example 1. 4025, yet I only received 1.12 points. Why is that? The problem occurred with every chapter. I received 20% fewer points! It seems a bit unfair given the amount of effort put into the reviews. On top of that we are getting deductions for edits. I'm ok with that, as long as we get full credit for reviews! (Of course I'll keep reading Deb's novel because it's fabulous!! But still ...)

68

(9 replies, posted in TheNextBigWriter Premium)

Thanks Sol! I read the quickee you sent. Being able to publish different versions alleviates my concerns!

69

(9 replies, posted in TheNextBigWriter Premium)

Thanks for the info, at least I know I wasn't missing something. But one advantage of the republish is if you made revisions, you could call people's attention to it. Now I suppose you have to post it as if it were a new work. Hmm, any chance of bringing back the republish option?

70

(9 replies, posted in TheNextBigWriter Premium)

I can't figure out how to re-publish content that has already been published. It was fairly easy to do on the old site. Can anyone help me here?

71

(33 replies, posted in TheNextBigWriter Premium)

I fully agree with Linda and Dags. Also, maybe I'm doing something wrong, but it would be nice if I went to my profile page and immediately saw any new reviews I had (as on the old site).

72

(4 replies, posted in TheNextBigWriter Premium)

OK, I did discover the click on new content, that lists all the new content, but I agree with the above post that the covers take up too much space so fewer works appear on the page.

73

(4 replies, posted in TheNextBigWriter Premium)

On the old site we had all the newly posted works in three categories - novel, poem, short story. I can't find that anywhere, but it was useful to see the new material. The new home page just lists  a few posts in no particular category, and only about three. How will we discover new writers on the site and try out new stuff? By the same token, I'm worried other won't find my stuff!

The creation of groups is also worrisome. People may wind up only reviewing and being reviewed by people in their group. It will make it very difficult for new members on the site. I am currently reading a romance novel that I love (MsPiddles), but  I never would have joined a romance group. I clicked on her or maybe she clicked on me first, but we randomly stumbled on each other. She might not have chosen historical fiction.

Does this make any sense? Don't encourage us to become "clique-ish"!    Please at least on the homepage have the same kind of feed as on the old site. That's always where I went to choose something new to read!