Hello members! So, many of you know I'm off visiting family. My grandma has terminal cancer, which prompted my visit with my kids so they could make some memories of her they will always remember before she gets too sick. Fortunately, she's still pretty good. As a bonus, I have several siblings and their kids, parent and an ex-parent, who are here to see too. We managed to have some fun for the kids sight-seeing, going on a wild dolphin harbor cruise and taking them to swim in a spring I got to swim in as a kid too.

But while I've been getting ready to leave, and here visiting, I'm still getting a lot of messages and hearing of messages from authors that they are saying to others about how unfair the guidelines for Promising seem to be and why people get promoted and when. Even to th point where supposedly people are ready to leave the site over their 'lack of recognition'.

I can't blame anyone but myself over not guaranteeing the information on how to become Promising was in the new faq we instituted. It was before, so that's on me for the lack. I know I've answered the question several times elsewhere or in chat, though. Still, the information I fact checked and approved for Comicfan to share with you was the 'rough' guidelines that the WST uses to make a decision when an author is nominated.

HOWEVER, every author is judged based on THEIR work, THEIR contributions (and members don't always see them, btw, as we can see things like unpublished/post dated stories, or behind the scenes assistance for the site) and the decisions are always in the hands of a team, not a single staff member. Certain things others don't see, like the propensity of an author to publish works on the site then remove them, can also influence the team's decision but that's only for THAT author.

Writing is both a medium that can be subjected to specific criteria, such as the use of an editor and the ability of an author to follow commonly used writing guidelines for grammar/punctuation, but we don't judge any prospective Promising's work against other prospective or existing Promising. I can't stress that enough. I'm tired of hearing that promoting someone that other's feel isn't as 'worthy' based on this or that aspect they hold to the GUIDELINES (not requirements, as they are somewhat fluid and subject to discussion between the WST members) because that's not how it works.

I know some people might be irked by this system and/or this post about our system. I'll take the blame on the information on advancement not being readily available, but I won't apologize for the way we've been doing things for years. While my PM box is always open and I try to let everyone know I will answer everything I can, or find them the answers, I am not infallible on sharing information.

Authors: In the future, if you have questions-share them-before you're 'ready to leave the site'. I can't head off things before that point if you don't.

I have dinner plans, then packing, then a flight cross-country tomorrow after some emotional goodbyes, but I will try to check this tonight and tomorrow before I leave to respond to any comments or questions. I am more than willing to make the system as transparent as possible, without hurting anyone's feelings or violating private forum rules.