10-02-02 @ 2:12 am EDT

For some reason I would get lots of comments on my polls (except when rated poorly). I'll copy the responses here, as those polls will no longer exist soon. I won't miss them much.

What Color Are You? (ID #173518)
What color is your personality?

Poll Question:

Which of these colors best describes your personality?

Poll Results:

(30%) Rainbow
(29%) Blue
(21%) Black
(12%) Red
(8%) Yellow

Total Votes: 131
12,090 Views

5 Stars 15 34.9%
4 Stars 13 30.2%
4.5 Stars 7 16.3%
3 Stars 5 11.6%
3.5 Stars 2 4.7%
2 Stars 1 2.3%
Total Ratings: 43 100.0%


What Kind Of Dog Are You? (ID #173519)
What kind of dog are you?

Poll Question:

Which kind of dog would you rather be?

Poll Results:

(42%) Courageous sheepdog
(34%) Boisterous retriever
(13%) Tough pitbull
(8%) Nervous chihuahua
(3%) Elegant poodle

Total Votes: 38
1,833 Views

5 Stars 9 69.2%
4 Stars 3 23.1%
3 Stars 1 7.7%
Total Ratings: 13 100.0%


Reading Turnoffs (ID #174127)
What makes you stop reading.

Poll Question:

When reading a story online, what is most likely to "turn you off" and make you stop reading further?

Poll Results:

(29%) Unbelievable or no plot
(23%) Poor spelling
(19%) Cardboard characters
(16%) Length (too short, too long)
(13%) Messy formatting

Total Votes: 151
13,957 Views

5 Stars 16 47.1%
4 Stars 16 47.1%
4.5 Stars 2 5.9%
Total Ratings: 34 100.0%


Thinker Or Feeler? (ID #176040)
Which type are you?

Poll Question:

THINKERS: Level headed and logical, but often uncaring or aloof. FEELERS: Empathic and caring, but often moody or hysterical.

Which are you?

Poll Results:

(64%) Feeler
(36%) Thinker

Total Votes: 33
1,761 Views

5 Stars 7 53.8%
4 Stars 5 38.5%
3 Stars 1 7.7%
Total Ratings: 13 100.0%


Disney Flicks (ID #179453)
Which toon was the best?

Poll Question:

Which of these Disney cartoons do you think was the best of the bunch?

Poll Results:

(43%) The Lion King
(36%) Aladdin
(14%) The Emperor's New Groove
(5%) Hunchback Of Notre Dame
(2%) Pocahontas

Total Votes: 42
1,778 Views

3 Stars 4 36.4%
4 Stars 3 27.3%
5 Stars 3 27.3%
4.5 Stars 1 9.1%
Total Ratings: 11 100.0%

(I think people took issue with the fact that I included only modern Disney movies--but that was the INTENT of the poll. I couldn't exactly include every classic Disney movie ever made. I was more interested in the ones I had seen in my own lifetime.)


Reader Interests (ID #181338)
How often do you check portfolios?

Poll Question:

When you find an article/story/poem/etc. that you like, do you check the author's portfolio for other items of interest?

Poll Results:

(56%) I check it out sometimes
(35%) I always check their portfolio
(3%) I rarely check it out
(3%) No, I never check it out
(3%) Only if I already know the author

Total Votes: 34
1,591 Views

5 Stars 6 54.5%
4 Stars 3 27.3%
3 Stars 1 9.1%
4.5 Stars 1 9.1%
Total Ratings: 11 100.0%


Following Authors (ID #181339)
Do you follow authors regularly?

Poll Question:

Followup to: {item:http://www.stories.com/main/polls.php?item_id=181338}

Do you follow any Stories.com authors regularly (read most of their material)?

Poll Results:

(33%) Yes, I read all their material
(30%) Yes, I read some of their material
(19%) Only if I already know the author
(14%) No, I don't follow any authors
(5%) Not really, I read little of their material

Total Votes: 43
1,606 Views

5 Stars 8 57.1%
4 Stars 3 21.4%
3 Stars 2 14.3%
4.5 Stars 1 7.1%
Total Ratings: 14 100.0%


Following Authors, Part 2 (ID #181342)
How many authors do you follow regularly?

Poll Question:

Followup to: {item:http://www.stories.com/main/polls.php?item_id=181339}

How many Stories.com authors do you follow regularly (read most of their material)?

Poll Results:

(46%) 1-4
(27%) 5-8
(14%) None--I'm not interested!
(8%) 13 or more--I LOVE to read!!
(5%) 9-12

Total Votes: 37
1,603 Views

5 Stars 10 62.5%
3 Stars 3 18.8%
4 Stars 2 12.5%
4.5 Stars 1 6.3%
Total Ratings: 16 100.0%


Voting In Polls (ID #181947)
Why you do/don't vote in polls.

Poll Question:

So...I'm wondering why polls (namely mine) get so many views, and so few votes. Somebody is seeing them, is it you? If you don't vote in polls, why not? Will you vote in this one? ;)

Poll Results:

(50%) The polls don't apply to me
(25%) There aren't enough options
(13%) There are TOO MANY options!!
(8%) I'm not interested in polls period
(4%) I'm not interested in your polls

Total Votes: 24
1,537 Views

5 Stars 5 50%
3 Stars 3 30%
2 Stars 1 10%
4 Stars 1 10%
Total Ratings: 10 100.0%


Rating & Commenting (ID #188625)
Do you comment when rating items?

Poll Question:

I have received one star on one of my items, yet no comment as to why it is so awful. And so I'm left wondering how I could improve it! Has this ever happened to you?

Do you leave a helpful comment when rating others' items?

Poll Results:

(58%) Yes, all/most of the time
(18%) Only when I feel like it
(18%) Only if I have something nice to say
(6%) No, I prefer they not know why
(0%) I make something up

Total Votes: 33
1,411 Views

5 Stars 9 56.3%
4 Stars 3 18.8%
3 Stars 2 12.5%
3.5 Stars 1 6.3%

1 Star 1 6.3%
Total Ratings: 16 100.0%


Stories.com Accounts (ID #189813)
Do you have more than one account here?

Poll Question:

Do you have more than one Stories.com account?

(NOTE: I posted this BEFORE I knew of the site rule for only one account. This poll has received some poor ratings yet no comments as to why, so I'd like to know why it is so offensive?)

Poll Results:

(81%) No, I have only one
(7%) Yes, on the same computer
(7%) Yes, but the other(s) are for other people using this computer
(5%) Yes, on different computers
(0%) Yes, but only one is ever used

Total Votes: 43
1,346 Views

3 Stars 5 26.3%
4 Stars 5 26.3%
5 Stars 5 26.3%
2 Stars 2 10.5%
4.5 Stars 1 5.3%
2.5 Stars 1 5.3%
Total Ratings: 19 100.0%


Yahoo! Accounts (ID #192887)
How many accounts do you have?

Poll Question:

How many separate accounts do you have at Yahoo!?

(By account, I mean when you register for a username, not necessarily mail.)

Poll Results:

(62%) 1-3
(12%) None
(12%) 4-6
(10%) 10 or more--I can't help it, I like Yahoo!!
(5%) 7-9

Total Votes: 42
1,386 Views

3 Stars 9 52.9%
5 Stars 3 17.6%
4.5 Stars 2 11.8%
4 Stars 2 11.8%
2 Stars 1 5.9%
Total Ratings: 17 100.0%


Sorting Your Stuff! (ID #192891)
How do you sort your portfolio?

Poll Question:

How do you prefer to keep your portfolio organized?

Poll Results:

(30%) Some folders, plus some items unsorted
(26%) A few folders with my items sorted generally in each
(17%) Sorting?? What are you talking about? It's free for all in here!
(13%) Primary folders with secondary folders inside them
(13%) Folders within folders within folders, oh my!

Total Votes: 23
1,244 Views

5 Stars 6 66.7%
4 Stars 3 33.3%
Total Ratings: 9 100.0%


Poor Cable Service (ID #196903)
Would you settle for poor service?

Poll Question:

Just about every day our cable either goes out for a time or comes in staticky and messy looking. Yet the bill keeps going up. Complaining to them seems to serve no purpose, and this is the only cable company in our area. Would YOU put up with such lousy service, or would you demand that which you pay for--decent quality cable?

Poll Results:

(59%) I would DEMAND they improve their service or else unsubscribe!
(29%) I would ask that they look into it; we pay for it, we deserve better.
(12%) What's the use? They'll never fix it.
(0%) We're lucky for what we get; I wouldn't complain.
(0%) It's their company, they can run it however they want.

Total Votes: 17
1,255 Views

5 Stars 6 75%
4.5 Stars 2 25%
Total Ratings: 8 100.0%


Should I Post My Story? (ID #198163)
It's a weird story! Should I post it?

Poll Question:

I posted an unfinished story in another location under a pseudonym because I'm embarrassed to own up to it. It's not that it's a BAD story, it's just really weird. It's a furry story, wonky plot, yet not meant to be comedic.

Should I swallow my pride and post it here under my regular name? Would you think I'm nuts if you saw it?

Poll Results:

(74%) Post it, and screw what anyone else thinks! We all post weird stuff!
(9%) If you have to ask, you shouldn't be posting it.
(8%) Post it, but don't cry if everybody thinks you're nuts.
(8%) Post the first part of it and test the waters first.
(2%) Don't post it. You ARE nuts and we would hate it!

Total Votes: 66
3,316 Views

5 Stars 10 52.6%
4 Stars 5 26.3%
4.5 Stars 2 10.5%
3 Stars 2 10.5%
Total Ratings: 19 100.0%


Self-Mutilation? (ID #214552)
What counts as self-mutilation?

Poll Question:

I debated with someone once about what counted as self-mutilation. I said bruising isn't self-mutilation because it doesn't pierce the skin or leave any scars. She disagreed and said it does count.

What do you think counts as self-mutilation?

Based on a rating this got, lest anyone think this is an attack on self-injurers--I myself am one.

Poll Results:

(73%) Any self-injury, permanent or not, is self-mutilation
(17%) Bruises aren't permanent, thus they aren't self-mutilation
(10%) Bruises are a non-permanent form of self-mutilation

Total Votes: 70
1,073 Views

4 Stars 11 44%
5 Stars 9 36%
4.5 Stars 2 8%
1 Star 1 4%
3 Stars 1 4%
2 Stars 1 4%
Total Ratings: 25 100.0%


What Do Your Characters Say About You? (ID #225565)
Do your characters reveal who you really are?

Poll Question:

Most of my fictional characters are nothing like me. They're outgoing, confident, and strong and I'm not, yet I created them. Do you think the characters we create are entirely fabricated, or do they represent parts of ourselves that are just hidden and unrealized?

Poll Results:

(51%) They're a mixture of fabrication and real experiences
(31%) Not just experiences, they are hidden parts of ourselves
(17%) We could learn much from them if we realized they represent us!
(0%) They're completely fabricated, all imagination

Total Votes: 35
737 Views

5 Stars 6 37.5%
4 Stars 6 37.5%
3 Stars 2 12.5%
4.5 Stars 2 12.5%
Total Ratings: 16 100.0%


Judge A Book By Its Cover? (ID #231285)
Does a poor rating deter you from reading?

Poll Question:

You click on a portfolio to find that most of the items are rated very poorly by other member(s). Do you say, "This must be low-quality work," and move on, or do you decide to read the items anyway and judge for yourself?

Poll Results:

(59%) I won't just read 'em--I'll rate 'em myself!
(23%) I'll read them no matter what rating they have.
(9%) I won't waste my time on poorly rated items.
(9%) I'll glance at them, but I won't have much faith in them.
(0%) I'll read them only if it's a Preferred or higher.

Total Votes: 22
557 Views

5 Stars 9 75%
3 Stars 1 8.3%
4 Stars 1 8.3%
1 Star 1 8.3%
Total Ratings: 12 100.0%

(Ironic, that one-star rating.)


Animal Afterlife? Part 1 (ID #366492)
Do animals have souls?

Poll Question:

I was thinking recently about my deceased cat, whom I loved very much. Every night I pray we will be together again. I'm wondering what you think, though. Do you believe animals have souls, and that we will meet our "furry" friends again in some way? Or is this ridiculous?

If you vote in this, then please also vote in "Animal Afterlife? Part 2".

Poll Results:

(71%) Animals have souls, and we'll meet them again when we die.
(12%) Animals do not have souls. We will not meet them again.
(12%) We will all meet again, but in a different form (reincarnation).
(6%) Neither humans NOR animals have souls. We just die.

Total Votes: 17
57 Views

5 Stars 6 75%
3.5 Stars 2 25%
Total Ratings: 8 100.0%


Animal Afterlife? Part 2 (ID #366494)
Do animals have souls? (Followup to first poll.)

Poll Question:

Please vote in this poll ONLY if you have already voted in "Animal Afterlife? Part 1"!

This is to determine whether religion affects how people respond to the question, "Do animals have souls?" Which statement best reflects your beliefs?

Poll Results:

(57%) Animals have souls. I am not Judeo-Christian.
(29%) Animals have souls. I am Judeo-Christian.
(14%) Animals don't have souls. I am Judeo-Christian.
(0%) Animals don't have souls. I am not Judeo-Christian.

Total Votes: 14
47 Views

5 Stars 6 75%
4 Stars 1 12.5%
4.5 Stars 1 12.5%
Total Ratings: 8 100.0%


What Fantasy Do You Prefer? (ID #413092)
What sort of fantasy stories do you like to read?

Poll Question:

What sort of fantasy stories do you prefer to read? I myself write and read mythical and original fantasy, but it seems that most people prefer to read traditional (elves, swordplay, taverns...*sigh*).

Your favorite?

Poll Results:

(44%) Original fantasy--completely original creatures
(41%) Traditional fantasy--knights, elves, dragons, mages, etc.
(16%) Mythical fantasy--gods and goddesses, angels and demons

Total Votes: 32
104 Views

5 Stars 6 46.2%
4.5 Stars 5 38.5%
3 Stars 2 15.4%
Total Ratings: 13 100.0%

(Not long after I posted this poll--in fact, I think it was the next day--somebody else posted one almost exactly like it and got many more votes.)


A Year From Now? (ID #428939)
Will we still be here then?

Poll Question:

The state of the Internet. You've heard about it by now. I have yet to join an online community that lasts much longer than one year before it goes belly up. This makes me sad. I just passed my one-year mark here. I'd like to pass another!

Do you think Stories.com will still be here a year from now?

Poll Results:

(76%) It will still be here, in basically the same form it is now.
(14%) It'll be here, yet greatly restricted, even for paying members.
(10%) No, it'll be yet another casualty of the dot.com implosion...

Total Votes: 21
75 Views

5 Stars 6 50%
4.5 Stars 3 25%
4 Stars 2 16.7%
3 Stars 1 8.3%
Total Ratings: 12 100.0%


Does Your Family Care? (ID #453926)
Does your family care about your writing?

Poll Question:

My family doesn't care about my writing. They don't even know what I'm writing about. When I try to tell them, they stop listening to me. This makes me sad, especially since my writing means so much to me, yet so little to them.

What about your family?

Poll Results:

(52%) Same as you. My family doesn't even KNOW I write.
(38%) My family encourages me, but doesn't read it all...
(10%) My family is very involved with my writing--they love what I do!

Total Votes: 21
63 Views

5 Stars 14 93.3%
4.5 Stars 1 6.7%
Total Ratings: 15 100.0%


Review Or Critique? (ID #467014)
Would you review or critique? Please let me know your choice.

Poll Question:

You read a well-written item and want to comment. But you're not sure whether to offer a general review of what you thought, or to offer a line edit/thorough critique pointing out all strengths and weaknesses.

What do you do?

Poll Results:

(35%) I point out only the most glaring errors, and general review the rest.
(29%) I offer a general review, period.
(24%) I offer a general review, and tell them I'll critique it if they want me to.
(12%) I offer a line edit/critique right off the bat.

Total Votes: 17
49 Views

5 Stars 8 80%
4 Stars 2 20%
Total Ratings: 10 100.0%


Review Or Critique? Pt. 2 (ID #467017)
Would you prefer a review or a critique? Please let me know your choice.

Poll Question:

You receive a comment on an item of yours that you put a lot of hard work into. What sort of comment would you prefer to receive?

Poll Results:

(40%) A general review.
(27%) A general review with an offer for a thorough critique.
(20%) A thorough line edit/critique, pointing out all strengths/weaknesses.
(13%) A general review that points out the most glaring errors only.

Total Votes: 15
41 Views

5 Stars 6 66.7%
2.5 Stars 1 11.1%
4 Stars 1 11.1%
4.5 Stars 1 11.1%
Total Ratings: 9 100.0%

(I guess most people aren't here to improve their writing, then. Silly me!)


Review Or Critique? Pt. 3 (ID #467027)
What sort of critique do you want? Please let me know your choice.

Poll Question:

You decide (see "Review Or Critique?" and "Review Or Critique? Pt. 2") you want a general review pointing out only the most glaring errors. What errors do you want a reviewer to point out to you?

(I ask because when offering advice on the most glaring errors--I don't know what a writer puts the most emphasis on!)

Poll Results:

(46%) EVERYTHING! Tear it apart!
(23%) Typos, misspellings.
(15%) Grammatical errors (sentence structure, wrong word choice, etc.).
(8%) Formatting problems (paragraphs, scene switches, etc.).
(8%) Plot holes, poor characterization, continuity and POV problems.

Total Votes: 13
37 Views

5 Stars 6 85.7%
3 Stars 1 14.3%
Total Ratings: 7 100.0%


Would You Read A Novel? (ID #476083)
How often do you read online novels?

Poll Question:

Another self-indulgent one, sorry! I've had four novels onsite here for about a year, but anyone has yet to read through and rate an entire one. I've seen others' novels get rated though, so I'm puzzled. Mine must just be boring!

How often do you read online novels?

Poll Results:

(47%) I will rarely/never read/rate an online novel, no matter what it's about.
(35%) I will read/rate an online novel if it is of interest to me.
(18%) I write online novels and am also puzzled why nobody reads/rates them.
(0%) I will only browse an online novel, maybe offer a comment or two.
(0%) I write online novels that are well liked; no idea why yours aren't!

Total Votes: 17
42 Views

5 Stars 6 75%
4 Stars 1 12.5%
4.5 Stars 1 12.5%
Total Ratings: 8 100.0%

(Maybe novel writers should just quit out of protest? Since people's attention spans are apparently so short.)