Well, well, well - will wonders never cease.
Newsflash from AOL Journal:
Monday, May 10, 2004
Editor's PicksSubj: What Makes an AOL Journal Worthy of Being an "Editor's Pick?"
Many AOL Journal bloggers have asked, "Just what makes a journal worthy of being an Editor's Pick?" To help demystify the process, we thought we'd write it down for everyone to read. When we're searching for great AOL Journals to feature as an Editor's Pick on AOL Keyword: Journals, we're looking for blogs that contain topics or themes that appeal to the wide range of readers that come to the AOL Journals area. Ideally, a Journal is:
· Compelling, interesting, funny, and/or resourceful content. After all, we're looking for Journals that make others want to come back, comment or link to from their own blog.(chatsky compelling?)
· In compliance with AOL Hometown Community Guidelines. And, since we're featuring these on AOL Keyword: Journals, which is viewed by people of all ages and sensitivities, Journals may not contain any type of vulgarity, including masked vulgarity, or other language we feel is inappropriate. (hahaha! of course, that is not included in the guidelines..)
· Well written and has a good grammar, spelling, sentence structure and letter case. After all, we want readers to be able to understand what you're saying. (ditto.)
· Active with ongoing entries, preferably with at leastone posted within the last seven days. (wait..let me read that one again...)
· Full of photos and/or audio files, which are not required for a site to be considered in the top five, but it certainly makes a Journal more appealing.
· Has topical entries or an overall Journal theme, it's a plus if the Journal corresponds to current holidays, seasons, events, or even cool features happening around the AOL service.
Naturally, since we're all human and the pool of great AOL Journals just keeps getting better, this list is likely to evolve. Check back here for updates. (ah, the list is likely to evolve...)
Also, the Editor's Picks generally update each Thursday and remain in place for a period of seven days. However, we reserve the right to reduce or extend the length of time any journal remains featured at AOL Keyword: Journals. (reserve this!..)
Is it just me, or do other's find it interesting that they don't even follow their own guidelines?
11 comments:
I gotta say this seems to be a bigger beast than the one from Bentonville!
The most interesting part is the one about masked vulgarity, or other language we feel is inappropriate. So ambiguous and arbitrary. And yes, I noticed masked vulgarity is an add on, not mentioned in the guidelines at all. How convenient.
I guess they're saying if we pick your journal to be featured, we OWN you for the week and you are at our mercy!
I don't get why the days are reduced. It's certainly an insult not to be able to stay on the whole seven days.
After all this stuff about masked vulgarities, my unabashedly adult journal has now been featured on two other areas of AOL with no caveats. Go figure. The actual journal Editors, whatever they do, want nothing to do with it, but their own colleagues are interested regardless of "questionable" content. I'm very skeptical of their job security. :)
- Jamey
well i love ur journal.....***really***
& u put alot of work into it
but, if i tried to make mine like that i'd feel like i was doing homework
sorry i love reading others hard work
im just to lazy for that....maybe some day :p
I know we usually stay out of these things, but this is the part that gets me,
"Has topical entries or an overall Journal theme, it's a plus if the Journal corresponds to current holidays, seasons, events, or even cool features happening around the AOL service."
Why on God's Earth would I care to endorse cool features happening around the AOL service ... are we to become their billboards? I'd like to think our journal is about US! My theme is work and personal and I include holidays and such ... because that's MY life, nothing to do with pleasing AOL Goddess'. Shoot this whole thing angers me.
You know ... maybe what I hate most is that some numbwit is sitting there JUDGING the quality of MY work, or that of others as worthy or unworthy. I really do believe its a process for them, nothing heartfeldt. I feel devalued, particularly because of some of the journals are such low quality, or not yet truly tested out for consistency, or even older than 3-4 entries long. Just makes us mad! We're so very tired of it. Maybe another employee could have pulled this off, but certainly not this one.
I especially love the one that features cool (I'm missing something, being that my damn alert system NO LONGER WORKS) things around AOL. And I find it interesting too that other areas feature compelling and unmasked journals (like Jamey's, I read his comment) without any fuss. Reserve the right to reduce or extend...on what grounds per say?
I'm also curious as to how far back they read a journal before deciding it's "worthy" of their consideration. Case in point, my old journal under a different screenname was #2 pick when it was still the daily picks. I know for a fact that I had both types of vulgarity on mine...of course that was a long time ago and the editor may have been someone different for all I know. I recently had a comment removed from someone's journal whose opinion that freedom of speech should have a fine placed on it...I disagreed and the author deleted my comment, seemed she didn't want anyones opinion that didn't agree with her. The sad thing is her kind of journal would be the one that would get picked as a weekly pick, go figure!
Penny
ps. BTW, Happy Mother's Day, I know I'm late but like I mentioned, MY ALERTS DON"T WORK ANYMORE, ugh!
Flora...Great Post! [and, Great Pic!!!]
V
Evolution! Creativity! Post Every Day!
i'm so glad i keep the line=guides in the
back of my mind while i compose a very
Popular Glow. {I am the Especial speller &
Grammatician, but i like 2 play...}
smooches as we dig the beast.
The "pool" keeps getting better...let's evolve, shall we? Or at least go back to having fun, which is what these Journals are, right? We ALL have compelling things to say, whether it be for our own sake, or for the entertainment/education of others. Thanks for the entry & the education! You always seem to keep us informed! Happy thoughts...
Flora: Check my J. soon, I'm gonna have a big fat picture of a kitten like you suggested, LOL. Loved this entry. My journal will never be "worthy of being an Editors' Pick" (gaggggggggggggggggggg) because of my "other language we feel is inappropriate". But, like you, I'm Hell Bent for Greatness, so I guess somehow I'll carry on... --Albert
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