That poll was difficult to decide on. On one hand, if people know their prompts will be featured, it may encourage more to be written right after the prompts are out - or at least for the weeks you do the first line feature. On the other hand, it's also nice when you chose to feature a single prompt, including older ones (since this happened to me ).

Maybe you could keep doing the usual prompt feature weekly and add a monthly prompt wrap up, where you feature the prompt stories written that month. All the first line prompts could be grouped under the relevant heading and the other prompts (list of words etc) can be featured with their first line.

But I guess it's quite a bit of work...

Thank you, Renee, for featuring my poem.

Me three... Here's what I would have voted for: (I'm a wuss, I abstained in the poll)

Loved it! Think it should be done that way once a month.

A few thoughts....

All features could be combined. The author, story title, and first line (excepting those weeks when the first line is the prompt) from all of the prompts posted during the week leading up to Fridays feature, could be shown. And then, one story from the group could be featured. Although singling out one story in this manner will be more contrasting, may seem like a contest of sorts, or even appear harsh to some, it is reality, as it is already being done off-screen anyway and we're all aware of it.

As Valkyrie says, it is very thrilling to be the author whose story is being featured. It was exciting as all-get-out the one time that I was featured, and Trebs (Robert) will always be remembered by me for having done so. I wouldn't like to lose this feature of the prompts and have an author miss out on the feeling of accomplishment that being featured provides—especially to newer authors who make the cut. How exciting!

On the other hand I certainly realize that reading every story (how else to choose the best - though I do realize that variables may apply when making the final choice), would take up more time than using the list, and combining both ideas would only take up more time.

The one is a quick and easy way to feature everyone that participated. Not all of us post in the Prompt section to show off our prompts. So that was helpful.

Maybe do a feature once a month for the "best prompts of the month" and list a couple of those y'all felt were outlandish or fit the prompts.. or what ever criteria used to determine which to feature. 

First off, I want to thank everyone for their input.  Some thoughts ARE plausible, but others really aren't.  I'm going to lay my thoughts out on some of the ideas that have been given and everyone can feel free to respond here or PM me if you wish to discuss more.

Monthly Prompt Wrap-Up:  I don't see this being feasible.  Right now, if I look at the last month, there is 16 threads in the prompt forum that have been posted in since the 21st of February.  Doing a monthly wrap-up would require going through each thread and checking the date of each post.  I just did that for those 16 threads and there's 30 prompts written during the last month.  IF I were to link to every one of those, I'd be going back and forth to gather the links, the author, and then the first line (or two in case of first line prompt).  While in theory this could be a great idea, the time involved to put everything together, plus the time to go back over it (possibly multiple times) to make sure nothing got mixed up, just doesn't make this plausible.

Once a month "best prompts of the month" feature: I see this having many of the same issues as a monthly wrap-up.  Using the past month as an example, trying to remember 30 prompts that have been posted in a month is a nearly impossible feat (in my opinion), plus there's the issue of the occasions when someone other than myself does the blog.  This would lead to having to read thirty prompts just prior to doing the feature. The other thing is, how do I determine the "best" and how many should I feature? 

I enjoy reading the majority of prompts.  I don't have a set way as to what I look for when I feature a prompt response.  Sometimes I read something and think "Hmm, that's different" other times I read a prompt and decide to feature it simply because I enjoyed it and want to bring attention to the author.  There's no set "guideline" that I look at, so that makes it difficult to choose a "best prompts of the month", even if I kept a list as the month moved along.  I enjoy the majority of the prompts I read, the ones I don't, most the times they're just not for me for one reason or another.

One thing that was touched on by multiple people is a way to feature all the prompts, but still showcase a single prompt.  That MIGHT be doable.  Perhaps doing something like an actual feature of a prompt response from the previous Friday's new prompts, but then do the author and link to the other prompt responses for the rest of the prompts for that week... or the first lines, but no links and just the prompt number, which would tell where to find the link to the rest of it.  That would be a good way to showcase all of them in a way, but still allow a main feature.

Thoughts?

Thank you, Renee, for featuring my poem.

You're welcome Adi

I think you should stick to the usual prompt feature, why change what works. And no one could expect you to do all this work, the time is better spent on other things.

The way to do a monthly feature might be to make a temporary topic where all the authors who did a prompt in the past month went and left their name, the name of their story with an embedded link and the first line (or two). Then you copy all of them - and if the author forgot to do it, then no blame on you for missing any. Afterwards, simply delete the topic and start a new one - or delete the posts and go for the next month.

I think you should stick to the usual prompt feature, why change what works. And no one could expect you to do all this work, the time is better spent on other things.

 

The way to do a monthly feature might be to make a temporary topic where all the authors who did a prompt in the past month went and left their name, the name of their story with an embedded link and the first line (or two). Then you copy all of them - and if the author forgot to do it, then no blame on you for missing any. Afterwards, simply delete the topic and start a new one - or delete the posts and go for the next month.

You know Tim, you just gave me an idea..... I might have to talk to the prompt guru....

I enjoy reading the majority of prompts.  I don't have a set way as to what I look for when I feature a prompt response.  Sometimes I read something and think "Hmm, that's different" other times I read a prompt and decide to feature it simply because I enjoyed it and want to bring attention to the author.  There's no set "guideline" that I look at, so that makes it difficult to choose a "best prompts of the month", even if I kept a list as the month moved along.  I enjoy the majority of the prompts I read, the ones I don't, most the times they're just not for me for one reason or another.

I'm a perfect example of this. You've featured me three times in the past few months. The first one was a story I thought was moving and of good quality, second one was a 1 line story including all 5 words in the prompt (that was something different for me and you obviously felt it was unusual). The last one was when I combined both prompts into one story and shamelessly plugged my novel (Summer, link below... nah, kidding ). Once again something different which you found unusual.

Trying to pick a 'best' story would be a nightmare for you, could end up excluding interest and quirky replies, and could cause some bad feelings.

My final answer:  It ain't broken, no need to fix it. But you too can do something quirky now and then.

I really must start trying these out... but i'm strangely scared. lol

Nothing to be scared of. Just ways of starting you writing WestcliffWriter. They can be as long or as short as you like and there are plenty to choose from and new one nearly each week.

Yeah! Don't be scared...

I look forward to Fridays 'cause I know I get to have fun with a prompt. I've used them to try out styles of writing, introduce characters or just be silly.....

Thank you, Renee, for featuring Poetry Prompt 7, and Aditus' fine Elegy! I hope everyone has a chance to read the poem about his uncle; it's very toughing.