HAS ANYONE SEEN THIS YET?!?!?!

[Ransac]

Alright. Judging by all these facts, here is what I will do. Unless I can put 300 or more words into an article, try to make it "entertaining" or "informative", and not be an idiot about it, I won't post an article.

Personally, I think my threads are a lot better. Some of mine have been the more popular ones, however I admit I need some new stuff and I am working on that. So, end of discussion.

However, what I learned from SOME people here is:

Unless I can make EVERYBODY happy, don't try.

Unfortunately, this is never possible.

Ransac, cpa trash man

 

[Istanbul]

Duke, I'm sorry I had to cut your article.

(For what it's worth, this...this very problem...is what I was afraid of.)

But your article was all about how there were people behind these screen names, with different lifestyles and whatnot.

Very interesting.
Very helpful.
Not front-page material.

The average Joe coming to this site would read that article and come away with no new information about Magic (in fact, no information about Magic at all), and wonder what the point of your article was.

If it offends you that I cut your article, I'm sorry. I simply did what I thought was right.

 

[Multani]

Look; obviously some people will get offended by the fact that their article is not posted. However, I think that the CPA is between the period of it "hanging out with the Big Boys" and the period that it was still a "little tot". Frankly, we'll lose some members in the process, and it'll be a painful process. Not everyone will be happy. To say the truth, the CPA will face multiple threats and will seem like on the verge of breaking up.
But this is and foremost a CASUAL site. I hope the writers and the editors won't forget that. I posted a really short article awhile ago. Some of the members would say it should be an article. But you know what? What is the difference between an Article and a post? It's certainly not length. Granted, I'm not saying a sentence is an article, but not everything has to be that it has to be 2 pages long and must contain such and such. All I'm saying is that variety should be maintained. Also, I hope the editors won't delete so much of an article. Frankly, I think 2 paragraphs is a bit much (Sorry Istanbul).
This is a site where everyone can express their opinion. Who gives a damn if it "drives" away a few members? I think we bring in more members with our casual articles than we drive away.
Freedom of Speech people. I'd rather have a few casual "crummy" articles than the "higher quality" stuff. And if you don't like the article, don't read it. It's not that hard. There some books in bookstores that some people may not like. Do they storeowners throw them away? No. Becasue there is a chance someone might like that book. One man's trash is another man's treasure. I don't want to have CPA editors that will make writers fear about writing some topic in fear that it will get deleted...
All I'm saying is that now is not the time to be picky about which articles make it, and which don't.

 

[Istanbul]

The difference between an article and a post is that an article goes on the front page.

Ordinarily, I'd agree that two paragraphs is a lot to delete, but those two paragraphs didn't add anything to the article; they were fluff, albeit nice fluff, and were therefore removed.

 

[Duel]

We have editors for a reason. They edit.

They correct your spelling, and, in retribution, they do what they see fit to your article. If you think a magazine doesn't, or that stracity doesn't, you're dead wrong.

I, too, know the pain of having stuff edited out, but, you know what? they're usually right. Not always, but usually. And usually, they aren't too wrong.

 

[arhar]

As I've said on the comment to my article, those two paragraphs were an essential part of the article. Either post the whole thing or don't post the whole thing, but don't post the circumcized version.

 

[Duel]

Relax, man. It's an article. A piece of writing. You have nothing in it

Look, I think this whole argument is about one thing: Critics.

Everyone's a critic. Somebody was bound to dislike your article, Mark. Just your luck that he wrote an article on the best and worst IN HIS OPINION that week. Sorry. Don't take it personally.

Duke, same deal. Arhar, same to you. It's a matter of personal preference, not a judgement on you. Trust me, I've spent years submitting stories, esays, and poems, and having them rejected. It's not personal. If the editor dislikes your style, or takes exception to your points, then you have two choices: Change, or don't get published. and both are acceptable. I've had a couple poems rejected because I refused to change them. Fine.

Read an article By The Ferret on Starcity, he wrote about how to write online. It's a good article, and tells you alot about this. Called "How to write something I would publish" or something like that.

IF SOMEONE DOESN'T LIKE YOUR ARTICLE, FINE.

I know you've invested ego into it, but you can't please everyone. Please the people who are important. You decide who and how. You know what? I don't really care about pleasing Sean "The discriminator" Jackson. If my name was on the top 10, I would be happy, but not leaping for joy. Likewise, on the bottom, I would be dissapointed, but don't get to worked up.

Write articles that we can publish on a family site, that's key.

Be informative and succinct, that's key (I know I violate this sometimes, but it's important.)

If you want to say something unedited, or think the editor would reject it, talk to him. Or post it. k?

 

[DÛke]

Duel, this is not right. Would you think that, let's say Spiderman, would have cut down my article and edited ANYTHING out of Arhar's? I can assure you 100% he wouldn't have done a thing but post them as two great articles.

Hetmeti, well, it's not that I'm not "coping" with it, but I really feel sad when my article gets an ax, while - for example: Ura's spam article is accepted. Let me put it this way: would a person outside our little CPA circle care about that particular article of Ura's? No. So why can't mine be up there? It's up to Istanbul.

Istanbul, no, you didn't hurt my feelings. I'm sorry if I sounded a bit too worried. No hard feelings.

 

[arhar]

Look, it's not about that. I don't give a crap if my article gets posted at all, I didn't start writing to get popular. There's no "ego" involved here, I'm not even trying to make it as a writer (that means, becoming a featured writer on StarCity, Dojo or Sideboard.) My point is, you don't cut out TWO PARAGRAPHS out of the article just because they don't have to do anything with Magic. Imagine Wakefield being edited by Instanbul. He wouldn't be nearly as much entertaining.

 

[Ura]

In my own defense, I think my article was put up because it was something of great relevence to the CPA itself, not to magic, there is a submission field for such articles, at least there was when I posted it. I also felt that it was to large an issue to simply put in a thread and leave it to get lost in the tide so to speak. As an article it carried alot more weight and got the message across to alot more members then a thread would have.
I was even graced by recieving some compliments on it from fellow writers.

I can say that I probably wouldn't have cut Duke's article, but then I'm not sure which thread he's refering to that it was originally in.

I do know that time and time again many members of the CPA have loved and spoken that the CPA is more of a social club with all the people sharing the common bond and enjoyment of a more laid back style of magic. We are a community, not just a magic only site. Therefore our articles shouldn't be just limited to only being about magic. Articles about or for the community should also be welcome, though magic should be kept as our main point for front page works.
With so many sites like StarCity, MTGnews, the Dojo, and Mindripper, they cover the magic only area very well for the most part.
But for being a gathered community of fellowship, I don't think anyone does it better then the CPA, after all, thats really what casual magic is all about anyways. No statistics, no super tech, just a bunch of people who are friends, (mostly) that love to play this card game together. Thats what the CPA tends to represent more than anything, so why not have some of our articles reflect that?

 

[DÛke]

...that just shows that I know what I'm talking about, not to mention, proves that you are a person of a great personality.

Like you said, the CPA is NOT just about Magic. Wheather we like it or not, the CPA has evolved into an online club. Heck, we talk about music, poetry, video games...we play trivia, we had Almindhra's great CPA Notables, we EVEN come to the extent of sharing our own problems with the PEOPLE of the CPA! Then, I submit an article ABOUT the CPA, and is rejected? Who are you trying to attract to the CPA anyway? People who like to do NOTHING but play Magic? Well, even if we DO attract THOSE kind of people, when they join the forums, and see our little "happy crack" fun goin'on all the time, they'd leave.

The front page should refelect the CPA community - which is NOT about Magic ONLY, but about other things. Why should the front page show something that we're not? It is showing that we are OVERLY concerned with Magic, PTQs, tournies, and all that stuff...are the people in the forums really like that? NO, they're not...

Again, WHY are we trying to show the world something that we are not? We're not Magic players, we're a club - an online family actually. Why not show it?

YOU, Istanbul, or anyone who wants...tell me...because I don't understand...

 

[Rando]

I agree with DUke on this one. The CPA is much, much different from all the other Magic sites. It's a little like the difference between a newspaper (most other sites) and a club's newsletter (us).

Remember that the CPA was created as a place for casual players away from the mainstream. It's the casual players, and ultimatly, the CPA members themselves, that should be catered to first.

 

[Gizmo]

I also agree (crowd recoils in horror) the CPA is about more than just Magic. And we should carry more than just Magic strategy articles (even Starcity is usually little more than 60% Magic, most of it is J.Friggin Rizzo and Josh Bennett chatting on without any real Magic content).

But that`s no excuse for posting bad articles. Just because an article isn`t an in depth look at a decktype isn`t an excuse for the writer to put 0% thought and effort into it and expect it to be interesting and acceptable. In fact I would argue that non-Magic articles are those which NEED to have people put more thought and effort in if they are to be worth reading.

 

[Apollo]

DUke--I haven't seen your article, so I can't really comment on this issue. But since it isn't going to get on the front page, why don't you put it in the forum? At least then, your effort won't have gone to waste.

In reference to Arhar's article--I agree that paragraphs should not be cut out unless there is something offensive. If every article was totally serious and stayed perfectly on-topic, I would never read any. It's the funny, off-topic stuff that's worked into the article that makes an article special.

No offense, Istanbul, but I don't think it's an editors place to cut out parts of the article; either accept it or reject it, but don't make substantial changes to it. Just fix spelling and grammar.

 

[Griffith_se]

Hmm...
I don’t usually get involved in these political topics, but this one seems to have the potential to wreck the whole idea of this site.

Somebody called the CPA name's, so what, blow it off.

Would Anyone waste there time to slam the CPA if it where not a site to contend with?

Ask yourself this. Why does the CPA attract so many new members?
Have bad articles hurt this site?
Bad deck ideas...?
Lack of tournament reports...?
I think not.

I don't think a knee jerk reaction to a little negative feedback is necessary i.e. cutting articles, editing content.

I think its up to the member's and/or founders to decide if we are to take this site to another level.

This site was born to be different, not like the others.

If this site is to go Magic main stream wouldn't it be hypocritical unto itself?
You would... for sure... have to change the name, wouldn't Ya?

Status Quo, this site seems to be doing pretty well. Was it the intent of the founding members of this site to be like the Dojo, Starcity, or MTGnews. We’ve had a lot of Members leave those sites to come here, think about it.

On the other hand, when You submit an article ask Yourself first, is this front page worthy. I think I'm agreeing with Gizmo on that point if I read Him right. Take pride in your work, that just a good rule for anything worth doing.


Enough of My senseless babble.
Just don't take things so seriously, You'll live longer. This is supposed to be fun. Mmm Kay

 

[DÛke]

...you and Gizmo are very correct. Istanbul himself said that my article was "interesting" and "informitive", it is just that it "doesn't have ANY Magic content in it", that's what he said.

If it is "interesting" and "informitive", then why isn't it up? We're not about Magic, we're about US...I want Magic, I'll read StarCity, I want CLUB, I come to the CPA. Simple as A, B, and G...

 

[Cateran Emperor]

Hrm, one of the signs of the Apocalypse is upon us(no, not the one where you remove permanents from the game and then some, the OTHER Apocalypse);

I actually...agree...with...Gizmo...

If you don't have anything truly groundbreaking to say, then just say it in here. Ransac's articles would have been fine as posts in Off Topic or the General Forum, but I think that perhaps you should think to yourself before you post something:

"Is this something that is too big to be said in the forums?"

If yes, then by all means try your luck with submitting the article. If no, then post it in the boards where first impressions don't matter.

I don't agree that we should be looking for "good" articles, I'm saying we should be looking for what I would call a visual article; an article where you're showing visitors what the CPA's members are capable of producing. Otherwise, just come on in here and we'll have some fun arguing over something like we always do.

 

[DÛke]

...my article was about: "Reproduction".
Seriously though, I loved the article. Oh well, I'm coping with it. I'm not dead yet.

 

[Istanbul]

I post meaningless fluff, and the entire site catches flak.
I post only pertinent stuff, and I catch flak from everyone else on the site.

BTW, what I cut was arhar saying that you can't be a bluish white mage with an army of djinni blah blah without artifacts. Then a paragraph-long footnote apologizing for not using the plural of 'djinni' properly. Then a paragraph-long footnote ABOUT THE PREVIOUS PARAGRAPH-LONG FOOTNOTE explaining where he got the information about the proper plural usage of 'djinni'!! Furthermore, I don't think Duke's article even MENTIONED M:TG!


I quit. Someone else can do this crap.

 

[Rando]

Whoa, whoa whoa there skipper...

There's no need to quit just because of some negative feed-back, which is what this whole thread is about, I think (or at least, that's what it started as).

I propose a vote.

Set it up in the Voting Forum, and let the members of this site decide what qualifies as a front page article.

That, or all the editors and founders get together and discuss it. As far as i can tell, that has not even been done yet, and really should have been one of the first actions taken once all of this crap started.

What we need are clear-cut guidlines to follow. Nothing has been done as of yet to produce those guidelines.