Random Rant #4 · 1:45am Oct 4th, 2013
You know what bothers me for some reason that I'm not entirely sure of? When people put things like Featured on XX/XX/XX in their story description when they get their story Featured. Something as simple as that just rubs me the wrong way.
First of all, it feels like it's a giant middle finger to all the other people who could've gotten into the Feature Box instead. You should be equal parts glad and respectful that your story was displayed on the site's homepage for all to see; glad because getting into the Feature Box is a coin-flip if you don't already have a large following, and respectful because you may have single-handedly ruined the best chances of an up-and-coming author's best shot at becoming popular.
(This may or may not be hypocritical coming from someone who has had 2/3 stories in that stupid box)
Secondly, it seems to me that people who do this do it for a variety of reasons, and none of them seem particularly meaningful:
A) They think that people are too shallow that they wouldn't even consider reading something that wasn't Featured
B) They want to rub it in people's faces by saying, "Look at me, look at me! I got Featured! See! I have the timestamp to prove it!"
or C) They want to have it to feel better about themselves
(I may be entirely wrong about this; feel free to correct me)
I honestly don't know why it bothers me so much, but it does. Maybe it's the whole 'holier-than-thou' attitude that it gives off. Not quite sure.
Anyway, that's all of my complaining for tonight :x
I just lost count too many times to ever properly do it. Plus, laziness.
I think the idea is to say " Hey I'm better than you other authors!"
I was tempted to do it twice in two very lucky stories, but abstained because I don't want to get my ego inflated. Thank you for your rant, I love hearing opinions.
Yes, no one should ever be proud of winning an award or doing something well. Please, tell me more about why successful people should stop enjoying the fruits of their labor in a harmless way.
Honestly, if I ever got into the feature box, I might do that. Mainly because I doubt I'd ever be able to get a featured story.
1393328
If, say, a story's word count reached over 100 000 words or was accepted onto Equestria Daily, then that is something to be proud of, and would warrant something like a timestamp. Unfortunately, making it into the Feature Box is far too often a matter of luck and chance rather than being directly correlated to the fruits of your labour (just look at my stories).
1393458
Most things are luck. That's why doing well takes so much time, you need to be willing to stick it out until the odds land in your favor. Skill just helps.
Sure, some people get big on their first try. That's the nature of luck.
Hmm... no idea. When I got a featured, I made a special box for it on my profile page, so that might be the same thing. And yea, I guess I did do it to feel good, but I'm a flipping teenager! What wont I do to get praise from others?
Hmmm... I don't recall giving a damn if I hit Featured - I'm actually more excited getting the Popular Stories list.