looney_tunes
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I'd like to see an author mentoring system, to help newbies. Some of them find submitting a quiz to be edited without knowing whether it is any good or not a bit daunting. It would be nice to have a way of offering informal advice and assistance. And I could get help in writing for the categories I always try to avoid - some people 'get' Celebrities and Video Games, I struggle with them, although I can manage it. If I were more confident, there would be more quizzes.
This sounds very exciting, and I am really looking forward to whatever happens.
Reply #1. Aug 16 12, 1:24 AM
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| triviaking162
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So am I. Maybe more badges? I know you get 2000 points per quiz, but maybe a badge or a badgelet for your first quiz?
And also a challenge per category. Like a badge for writing X amount of quizzes in a certain category.
The mentoring system could be good. Especially in an author's weak categories.
Reply #2. Aug 16 12, 5:17 AM
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postcards2go 
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As a non-author, I must say that, while I read many of the challenges threads, I have never wanted to jump in. Whenever I have thought about writing a quiz, it has never been with the thought of jumping in, without a net, to mingle with the veterans.
As for what I do not like about quizzes - I don't care how long the interesting information is. What I dislike *intensely* are two paragraph-long questions that are trying to be 'clever'.
Sorry, Kyle - you asked :-)
Reply #3. Aug 16 12, 6:22 AM
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kyleisalive
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Re: "Sorry, Kyle - you asked :-)"
No reason to be sorry-- you explained what I asked you to. :p
Reply #4. Aug 16 12, 6:57 AM
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Mariamir
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The mentor idea is very good, I'd like to see it.
Team quizzes is a good idea, but maybe it does not need to be only teams. Maybe authors could form teams and work on one quiz at a time together without time limits.
Also, I kind of like this idea: two or three authors work together on writing quizzes in their weakest common category.
Reply #5. Aug 16 12, 7:23 AM
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Christinap
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I think new authors often take the plunge when they want to play a quiz on a certain something but there isn't one there. They'll have a moan in forums or on the chat boards, and someone will say, well you write one then, and some of them go off and do just that. I think also the challenges here start quite a few people off, and it has been interesting to see how many first timers we've had the past couple of commissions. Not new authors as such, but taking the plunge for their first commission. The commissions certainly seem to have energised "old" authors as well. I know there was a badge for first time commission writers, how about a badge for 10 or 20 commissions, although some would qualify without writing another quiz, perhaps a 50 badge for them.
I'd like to see some more ad hoc pairings or small teams like we had for the sprint and the race. That produced a lot of quality quizzes and certainly pushed me into a category I'd never written in before. Also, you could structure pairs or small teams so there was a new author put with an experienced one or two.
I think one thing that may put new authors off a bit is the quiz guidelines, if you are about to embark on your very first quiz they can look offputting. This is where I think the mentoring system could be very good at getting people started. As an added incentive instead of 2000 points give 3000 or even 4000 for the very first quiz. As most of us know once you've done one you're very likely hooked.
I like intelligent quizzes with a bit of humour to them as well. Who wrote X, who sang Y, who played this or that charater test my knowledge, but they don't engage me. Sometimes in a film of TV quiz you can't help but have one or two questions like that, but if that is the whole quiz then whilst technically there is absolutely nothing wrong with it it isn't something that engages your interest. I also hate II that doesn't tell me anything. Things like - yes character Y was played by that fine actor X. I don't think there is too much of that now, but some older quizzes have just a few words of II and that is it.
I quite like the category specific challenges. Like when we did Sci Fi and agony said she would do 5 if some others would join her, or when Nightmare did the sports quiz challenge and matched the authors quiz for quiz. I'm not suggesting the editors have to always do that, but take a category that needs beefing up in numbers and make the challenge write one (or two or three) quizzes in the X category/sub-category. I know we've done that indirectly in the Race for example, but perhaps a mini badge for a crtain number of quizzes in a certain category would be an incentive.
I know I've rambled on a bit, but just one last thing. In a funny way I think the Lounge can put first time authors off. They see people sign up for commissions and challenges and think, OMG they all know what they're doing, I couldn't possibly join in with this, they'll all laugh at me, or something along those lines. Perhaps a bit in the blurb Kyle puts at the start of each one could say NEW AUTHORS WELCOME or something like that, and also encourage them to ask questions if they aren't sure of something.
Reply #6. Aug 16 12, 7:39 AM
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Creedy
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Would it be possible - for new authors in particular, but also for those who've already written quizzes - to combine ALL the directions for writing quizzes in the different categories into the one document.
Then, to make sure new authors - all authors really - have read those directions to test them on that knowledge. It could save a lot of re-submissions, and, I imagine, a lot of frustration for Editors. Maybe it could even be a little mini-badge to encourage thorough reading of same.
It'd have to be kept up to date though, ie, I've noticed that the requirements for some categories have changed.
(I'll just die or mortification if such a document already exists and I haven't read it)
Reply #7. Aug 16 12, 7:54 AM
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Creedy
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(Thank goodness quizzes won't be timed. I dislike that. It doesn't lend itself to giving quizzes that extra spit and polish before submission - and it plays up merry hell with my ulcer)
Reply #8. Aug 16 12, 7:56 AM
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salami_swami
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As far as the actual quiz side of things...
I'd like to see more "author collaborations". The sprint and race aided in this a bit, where two authors work together to make a quiz.
I like the idea of two people "talking" with each other in each question, giving clues in the conversation. I know Linkan and Gats have some, and those quizzes got Kyle and I to write several together, Eburge and I wrote a few, and I've got one in the works with QrayX. I also really enjoyed the invertebrates quizzes from Row and MM. I love the collaboration quizzes, and perhaps a special template could even be made where you can choose certain players to be able to edit, with a team leader. Very similar to the team quizzes, but the "team" can be anybody...
That would also get newer members engaged in the author's lounge challenges. It's daunting to have to write an entire quiz, but if it's possible to have a challenge where you only have to write one or two questions in part of a quiz, that's wonderful.
I also like the team quizzes. I just like quizzes that share the same topic but have more than one person's perspective on such. That also brings categories together much more cleanly... A video games expert can write a great VG question, history buff puts in a great history question, etc.
As for individual quizzes, I especially love Looney's photo quizzes about countries. I learn new facts every time, but I am also able to score reasonably well because the questions are asked in such a way that they are answerable by anyone, regardless of previous knowledge on the topic. :)
I'll keep thinking of suggestions and tweaks and such, but I'm just looking forward to November. ;)
Reply #9. Aug 16 12, 9:14 AM
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habitsowner
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I've never done a Commission after Kyle explained how they work. Probably won't for a while either, until I feel more able to handle another person's question.
But, I want Kyle to know I LOVED, ADORED, DROOLED all the time, over the Amazing Race and I'd like to see more of them.
Reply #10. Aug 16 12, 10:11 AM
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JanIQ
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I second Creedy's suggestion to put ALL guidelines in one place, easily attainable from the home page.
Some incentive for a first quiz might be welcome, but I'm convinced newbies would better be served by a mentoring system.
To incite established authors to venture into unfamiliar categories, I suggest picking up Wesley's idea for a mini badge per category if one authors five quizzes (with at least one sunny). Wesley proposed it several months ago on the forums.
Finally, I've noticed several subcategories have either no quizzes at all, either are dominated by one single author. Take for instance the category "Belgian history", on which I've authored 75% of the quizzes and more than 80% of the questions. Who wants to even the scores?
Reply #11. Aug 16 12, 11:09 AM
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dcpddc478
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I do think that triviaking has a good idea with more badges...the panagalactic challenge has gotten many of us to write quizzes in topics that we were not comfortable with and it is one that I think deserves a badge...it is not easy, but might provide inspiration...mentoring sounds like a great idea, as was pointed out, it can be intimidating when you first enter the Quiz Author Lounge.
Reply #12. Aug 16 12, 11:09 AM
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| triviaking162
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How about a mentoring idea like this?
Authors pick at least 5 categories they could be mentors for. (so no one is stuck in a bad category.)
Authors decide if they want a mentor when they start the quiz. They can submit their quiz questions to the mentor and ask them for advice. There can be a waiting list for mentors if there are none available. Just an idea, though I don't know how busy it'd get.
Mentors can be anyone with at least 10 quizzes online who wants to do it.
What do you think? (I also like adding extra badges - who doesn't like more badges :)
Reply #13. Aug 16 12, 1:06 PM
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pollucci19
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Christinap ... what a brilliant idea ... "Also, you could structure pairs or small teams so there was a new author put with an experienced one or two."
One of my bugbears about team quizzes is that you need to have written 5 quizzes to manage one, which is sometimes off putting to new writers as they get the feeling that they contribute but sitewide don't get recognition. Their only warm fuzzy comes from within the team itself. Maybe a way around this is that the team quiz could be co-managed with an experienced author.
Reply #14. Aug 16 12, 4:49 PM
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Christinap
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Thanks poll. My team do team quizzes every so often, but one of the bugbears is exactly what you mention, really only the quiz manager gets any recognition for it. We make sure we show the individual author for each question, but they don't get the compliments sent to them. Team quizzes can be a great way for new authors to get their toes wet, but they do need some recognition incentive I think.
Reply #15. Aug 16 12, 6:00 PM
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kyleisalive
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Re: "We make sure we show the individual author for each question"
Many editors expect this. ;)
Reply #16. Aug 16 12, 6:06 PM
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agony
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Speaking as a senior editor, what I'd like to see is authors, especially new authors, coming to us for advice and help at quiz writing. If the guidelines are unclear, or if there is a question not covered by them, or if an author is just looking for a little feedback, our mailboxes are open.
I'd guess that the majority of regulars in the Lounge have good working relationships with most editors, but that's not the way a lot of newbies view us. I'd really like new authors to understand that no one expects them to be good at writing quizzes right off, and that a rejection note is a teaching tool, not a slap down. That we're all on the same side here - we want good quizzes that everyone can be proud of.
I'd welcome suggestions on ways the editors could help new authors understand our role - that we're not Mean Authority Figures, but more teachers and mentors. What are we doing right that we could do more of, and what are we doing wrong?
Reply #17. Aug 16 12, 8:25 PM
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Mariamir
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What about a Funtrivia School in which various authors enroll in a program, a sort of project or tour of how to write quizzes and author/editor relationships? Each group is led by one or two editors and possibly prolific authors. Then the group can also produce quizzes on their own after learning, or together as a group.
Reply #18. Aug 16 12, 8:42 PM
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| triviaking162
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That could be sort of like a mentoring project. Authors/editors can teach newbies how to write good questions and give advice, and then the end product could be a quiz.
What do you think of these ideas Kyle? (school, mentoring, quiz guidelines on one page, etc.)
Reply #19. Aug 16 12, 9:03 PM
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salami_swami
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I would also like to say I quite like the mentoring idea. I have helped a few get first quizzes online, so I know it works... I would love to see more authoring, which can be obtained hroigh the mentoring system. Then quiz writing doesn't seem so daunting.
Reply #20. Aug 16 12, 9:05 PM
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