Quote Originally Posted by Rhabbi
...We have 25,900+ members, and less than 30 usually sway the votes for the poetry, prose, and photo contests. Last month's story contest had five entries, and only 17 votes. This tells me that a lot of people do not care enough to take the time to participate, even though there are many more than 17 authors on this site.

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As one of these people, who chooses more often than not to vote, there are a couple of reasons why I'm reluctant.

Regarding the story contests, I don't happen to like the fact that the entries are not anonymous. That is, I feel I'm all too often swayed by an enterant I know and like, so it's hard to be objective and give a fair vote.

I don't vote for photographs or poetry, as a general rule, simply because I don't feel knowledgeable about either, therefor I don't feel I can give anything like a fair assement.

I agree it's frustrating for those looking for votes, but I'm also sure a lot of people are like me.

Quote Originally Posted by Rhabbi
...This is a place where we come to express ourselves and learn, and occasionally meet someone of like mind in the flesh. we should be happy to make a difference here, and to see others recognized for the difference they make. This is not a competition any more than recognizing a person who jumps into a fire to pull someone else out is a competition. It is simply a matter of letting other people know who cares enough to try. Hopefully it will encourage more participation and make this place even better.
Well said.