Reminder on the proper use of FanPosts

The FanPosts are getting sloppy lately, and we're going to start cracking down on them.  From here on out, this will be our new policy:

If one of the moderators deems a FanPost to be non-substantive, one of two things will happen:

• If the post is abusive, offensive, or spam, it will be deleted immediately.
• If the post is simply underdeveloped, we will give you the opportunity to add more substance to it.  Comments on the FanPost will be closed and the author of the post will have 24 hours to actually make the post substantive.  If that happens, the comments will be re-opened.  If not, the post will be deleted. 
  

So, If you are frustrated about the Reds, add a real plan about what to do.  If you are suggesting who to trade, add some thoughts on who we might acquire or some real evidence as to why so-and-so should be traded.  That is to say, give us a reason to care about what you are writing.  We don't give a crap that you are frustrated.  We're all frustrated.  If you want us to care, give us some real ideas to care about.  If you want to just tell the world that you are frustrated with the team, do it in the comments like everyone else.  There are always at least one or two open, active threads on the site where you can post your frustrations.  Do it there.  People read those and they will respond.  Trust me.

As a reminder, after the jump I've included a few points of interest on how to make your FanPost interesting and readable.  Please read them and use them when writing FanPosts in the future.

FanPosts are just like front page stories, except they're written by you, guy or gal with a computer who may or may not have friends outside of the blog. Select FanPosts, those deemed worthy by the crack editorial team at Red Reporter, will find their way to the front page.

What makes a good FanPost?

• Make it Substantial -- When I say substantial, I don't mean it has to be dissertation or manifesto. But if you see the dreaded 75 word warning, it's either time to put some more thought into your FanPost or trash it all together. Because if you can't fill up 75 words on a topic, what you have is not a FanPost; it's a comment, or maybe a FanShot.

• Make it Relevant -- Your FanPost should relate to the Reds or baseball in some way. If you want to do nothing more than post a link to your site, you're probably a spammer, and should expect your FanPost to be swiftly removed. If all you want to do is post a link, try a FanShot.

  I don't want to completely discourage Off-Topic FanPosting. Some of our most commented FanPosts have been the regular SIS columns that obc2 has posted. But if you're new and you haven't made a FanPost or comment before, your FanPost on Chris Henry probably isn't going to be received very well.

• Make it Timely -- If the link you're posting is a day or two old, chances are it's been posted once or twice before either in the Reposter, the comments or FanShots. Check to see if it's been posted before. Use our powerful search function.

  If you do have some breaking news, post away. Even though we try, there's no way we can be the first to hear/read/see every piece of breaking Red Reporter news. That's where you can help.

• Make it Coherent -- I've been known to make more than the occasional grammatical mistake, and I'm more than capable of leaving a word out here or there. But I think my writing is usually readable. Why?
  • I use proper spelling (most of the time)-- You're not sending a text message. There's no need 4 U 2 use "time saving" abbreviations which only lessen the value of your post. It's like writing a position paper in crayon.
  • I use punctuation -- You wouldn't stand up and attempt to give a speech in one breath, and you shouldn't try to make your FanPost one big sentence that never ends.
  • I use multiple paragraphs -- There is something about reading text on the internet that makes reading a large block of text unpleasant and occasionally difficult. The ENTER key can be your friend.

• Use Proper Formatting -- You'd be amazed how much better your piece will be received if it's formatted properly. Proper formatting is like a killer profile pic on a dating site.

  I'm not likely to read your profile if you're an ugly hag. Likewise, if I'm greeted by a wall of text in your FanPost, I'm probably not going to make it all the way through. Break it up. Make it more than one paragraph. Use the 'B' and 'I' buttons for bold and italic text, respectively.

  The tech team at SB*Nation has built a powerful WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) editor, get to know it.  Caress it.  Love it.. However, if that's not your cup of tea but you know how to format using Microsoft word, you can make a perfectly formatted FanPost here at Red Reporter.

  • Start by opening Word.
  • Write your post completely in Word, making all your formatting adjustments there.
  • Highlight and Copy your work.
  • Click New FanPost
  • Click the "Paste From Word" icon (upper right icon in the WYSIWYG editor)
  • Paste your content into the dialog box.

• Give it a Descriptive Headline -- "Red Reporter Poll" may, in fact, be what you are posting, but it doesn't exactly inform us what the topic is about. Your headline should be informative, above all else, with bonus points for creativity.

  Examples:

  Poor Headline: Red Reporter Poll
  Good Headline: Why Adam Dunn is the devil?

  Poor Headline: Adam Dunn
  Good Headline: Fay: Adam Dunn is the devil

  Poor Headline: What Do You Guys Think of This?
  Good Headline: Adam Dunn has dinner with the devil when he eats alone