TCole - Mods have 'Validated Author' status because to be a mod implies that you are an exceptional author, with minimal mistakes in your writing - otherwise, you wouldn't be able to determine the mistakes someone else is making. Being a 'former' mod doesn't mean that you suddenly stop writing well. Validated Author status is a nice perk that former mods retain because even though they are no longer mods, they are considered some of the best authors on the site.
With that in mind, how much money would MNFF make off of these authors? It would cost more (server-time-wise) to review the things these 'former mods' are posting than the site would make off any errors they might make.
It's not just that former mods don't go through the queue, so they aren't going to be billed - it's that between the fifteen or so of us that still post stories, we have received, in our pre-mod days, perhaps a handful of rejection letters. There's no money to be made in wasting time on stories that won't get rejected anyway.
Kasey
Hey, did anyone remember that not only today is April Fool's day, but also Fred and George's birthday? I only noticed one comment that said anything about it.
By the way, 98.7% of authors won't believe this joke until you start to putting lawyers on our case, modsies! Real ones, too. With ties.
Kasey..
I just answered your PM, and I just read the comment you posted responding to what I had said.
I understand what you're talking about, but it still isn't fair that they don't look over the stories that the mods and former mods post. Sure you may all be exceptional writers, but that doesn't mean you won't make any mistakes. I just think it's only fair that you guys have to have your stories reviewed like the rest of us that submit stories. Everyone makes mistakes.. and that's what I'm talking about anyway..
EVERYONE makes mistakes. That's why they're called mistakes. Why should we all have to pay for something when mistakes are a part of life? How do they expect us to become better writers when we're too afraid of having to pay an outrageous amount of money so we won't submit any stories?
That's just the point I'm trying to make. People are going to be too afraid to submit stories, and a lot of people are just going to delete their accounts because they don't want to take the risk of having to pay money for MISTAKES that they make.. Like my old English teacher used to say "Everyone makes mistakes. That's why pencils have erasers."
And I don't remember the person who said it... but I agree with whoever said that no one's going to believe this until someone gets a Lawyer after them...
funny, but not as bad as what they did over on harrypotterfanfiction.com but still gives a good laugh
ok, I really can't come up with any other answer to this than April's Fool! The whole point about fanfiction-sites are, in my view, for authors to become better writers and for readers to enjoy reading the stories, that is, without any money involved at all and purely for enjoyment and improvement and that sort of thing. Some people even improve their English by using these sites, because not all have English as their native language. If money was involved it would ruin the whole point. If, by any chance, I'm terribly wrong, which I highly doubt, I shall be posting a new message in the coming week with all my hate comments ;)
Note how I paid extra attention to write this message error-free, just in case. Not saying there are none, I'm certainly not perfect! :D
Until April 1st is over and done with then!
ps: totally agree with InvisibleAparecium. You need lawyers (with ties of course) to convince us!
lol i always knew my bad grammar would come back to bite me. happy april 1st
This is just my observations, so don't bite my head off!
I think this is a pretty good prank, it has just been taken a bit too far.
Be practical. Do you honestly think that they would start charging? Does this remind anyone of HP Lexicon? They wanted to started selling copies of the Lexicon, and what happened? JKR put a stop to that immediately. I'm fairly certain that if MNFF did this, being one of the bigger fan fiction sites on the web, JKR would notice this pretty quickly.
Another thing I would like to point out: I was under the impression that the Mods represent MNFF on a strictly volunteer basis. Since when did volunteers get paid? If they want to complain about it so much, they don't have to continue doing it. I'm sure there a plenty of other members who would be willing to do the job for free.
I don't think ads would be such a bad idea, either. I realize they may cause viruses, but now days, not having virus protection is just plain dumb. If you still think you'll get a virus, ditch your windows and get a mac, they're better anyway.
One last thing I forgot:
If they're going to charge, members under 18 years old can't legally remain members. You can't join ebay, paypall, or any other websites involving payment until you're 18. (Unless you convince your parents to give you their credit card and create an account with a false age.)
If you're really that worried about it: Edited by Mod: Offsite fanfiction links are not allowed. They don't charge. And I'm pretty sure that a google search would show you plenty of other sites that don't charge. (BTW, I'm fairly certain all of these sites have ads!)
I just clicked on the Owl-O's ad. Do any of you have a"Gringotts Goblin card"? I don't. I wonder how I'm suppose to pay for the order of Owl-O's I just bought.......
For goodness sake, everyone, lighten up! It's an April Fool's prank, get over it!
~Evie
Happy April Fools Day!
:D
TurneyMurner said: Another thing I would like to point out: I was under the impression that the Mods represent MNFF on a strictly volunteer basis. Since when did volunteers get paid? If they want to complain about it so much, they don't have to continue doing it. I'm sure there a plenty of other members who would be willing to do the job for free.
TurneyMurner, I think we've made it pretty clear that these funds are not coming to the moderators, but to finance the various expenses of the site. We have, and will continue to, moderate the site on a strictly volunteer basis. I don't recall any of the moderators complaining. If anything, I think we've taken a fair bit of abuse today - without complaint.
No matter how much you people keep saying it's not an April Fool's joke, we all know it is!
Hopefully, those who actually beleive the mods...well...you're tres thick!
This is very funny for not only April Fool's Day, but also for Fred and George Weasley's birthday!
Honestly, all of you need to lighten up. Stop attacking the mods; they aren't serious. You guys are going to look really silly tomorrow. Save your strength and retain what little pride you may still have left.
The sad thing: I didn't remember it was April 1st until I got to the price list and realized how bizzare it was. Nice one guys. :]
No, this time I am really furious. Colores, your precious mods asked for all these attacks, when they started sending their letters with requests for money to people, who seemed to actually believe them.
TO ALL MODS: you went too far this time, guys. If you had refrained from repeating one after another how real it is, you could have not been abused today. I'll admit that your announcement was a really goos joke, but this is too much. I can only hope that you haven't sent one of your oh so funny rejection letters with a request for 200 dollars to some naive 14 year old from my country, where 50 dollars - the price of your dialogue error - usually amounts to the sum of both parents' payment for a whole day spent working. It is hard to believe that many of you are adult people.
Just for your information: a few days ago an old woman here had a heart attack after some telephone deceivers lied to her that her grandson had killed a child in a car accident and now they had to pay 400 dollars (I'm doing the calculations quite roughly, because they wanted money in our currency) to bribe the policeman to get him out of jail. No one knows what can happen, if you present an enormous bill to people who simply don't have the money to pay it.
I hope you're still enjoying your great prank.
XD Fabulous idea, mods! This is as hilarious and frightening as Sparklypoo!
AnthI think that you are taking this too far. Repeated attacks to our wonderful mods are hurtful, and they aren't saying that anyone died. The joke isn't meant to be interpreted in a mean way.
Hope you have a great day!
Wow, nearly everyone who's left a comment really needs to chill. I mean, if something like ff.net can run their site without charging — and consider who huge that sit is — then I'm sure MNFF doesn't have to either. Though imagine how rich that site would be if they did charge! XD Anyway, happy April Fools Day! All I can say now is, it's good thing you mods aren't charging for mistakes in these comments, because I've practically had a heart attack reading some of them! Oh, and of course Happy Birthday to everyone's favourite set of twins! :D
This is so funny - those people ranting will have egg on their faces tomorrow!
~Evie