Hello Fellow Mizaharians! Keeping with our tradition, the Founders Circle and Regional Storytellers are proud to announce that the Featured Contributor of the Month of April 2014 is The Graders. This hard working group of folks is amazing in what they get done and keep getting done in the name of Mizahar. Please take the time to get to know these wonderful people and read what they have to say about being graders!! |
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The Interview HI Folks! I'm really excited to announce that you Graders are Miz's Featured Contributors for the month of May! Without you, we could not function on Miz as we currently are hugely understaffed and going forward with no hope of having more staff in the near future. Instead of an individualized lengthy grading interview for each of you, I thought it would be nice to have you folks send me a small blurb about why you became a grader and what it does for you personally. I hope in your responses to this award, you can try and capture the community spirit and what Mizahar needs to continue to grow and thrive. IF anyone wants to say anything further than my one question, feel free to do so. I'll repost all of it. Just let me know in your responses and I'll cobble together our posting for the first. Thank you, wholeheartedly, for all the help you've given the site.  Goss
Edreina wrote:Grading is the best way to contribute to Mizahar even when you have writer's block. It lets you read threads all over the game and fall in love with countless characters. The best part is giving characters XP and seeing them grow, or finding a funny way to word a lore. Plus! Helping with grading gives mods more time to cook up juicy plots and create devious characters and creatures. 
Vanari wrote:Wow what an honor, wasn't expecting this when I looked in my inbox!
When I first applied I'd been stewing for some time, itching to be able to contribute some way to the site with my rookie-ish amount of experience. Many cities were crazy backlogged, several of which I was RPing in, and my logic went exactly along these lines: "If all the requests before mine don't get graded, then I will stay a skill-less noob forever." Not the most altruistic of reasons I know, but it was darned motivating. Lo and behold, when I actually started grading (very, very painfully slow at first, with plenty of mistakes), not only did I get grades faster, but people also started showering me with love and appreciation for having their several month old request completed. I was suddenly filled with this warm, gooey, and brilliant sense of purpose, of fervor and zeal! Then I went nuts. And it was glorious.
On a more serious note, grading taught me so much about Mizaharian lore, rules, individual players, and RPing/writing itself. Often, I feel as indebted to the entire process as others do to receiving grades. For one, even though there are many amazing PC's I haven't gotten to thread with, I still get to enjoy their writing and adventures, as well as familiarize myself with their characters. Which is a huge plus if/when I finally get to thread with them, for all the reasons you can think of. And for another I am now able to RP with more insight and consideration, which is better for me, for my partners, for graders, for everyone all around. This is a no stress, no pressure job, and you help literally everyone on the site with every thread graded. In short, there is no reason not to become a grader. *whispers* just do it.
Kreig Messer wrote:Hmmm.... The reason why I became a grader was to lend what time I have instead of simply hanging about chat when I am unable to come up with something to write. If I can help out with the forum in anyway I can, even if its just a little. I would also like to say that I admire my fellow graders, their dedication far surpasses mine and I hope to reach their level.
Ariann wrote:I first became a grader because Eldritch brought up the lack of attention for the Zeltiva grading thread. Ifelt as though I could be of help, regardless of how small that help would be, if I was to grade some of the threads that had been patiently waiting for someone to read. I enjoy helping people when I can, and grading was an easy way for me to help people with very little chance of my ditzy brain getting things wrong. Grading was easier than I had first assumed it would be thanks to the grading guidlines we were provided! The only downside I noticed was how incredibly time consuming it is to grade! Not only do you have to read the thread several times to soak up all the informationy you can, you've got to organize the rewards and come up with exciting, enticing lores that the players deserve! It is a TON of fun! ^_^
Estrellir Konrath wrote:Whenever I play Mizahar extensively, I want to give something back to the wonderful founders and staff who created and shaped it into what it is today. Being a storyteller comes with lots of responsibilities and expectations that I don't really feel confident enough to shoulder. Grading, however, seemed like an easy and fun way to contribute to Mizahar and support storytellers - you get to read stories and give writers the appreciation they deserve! It's like giving people presents all the time which is a great feeling. Of course, it's also a nifty way of following other PCs and discovering what happens in corners of Mizahar your PC won't visit.
At the same time, it's not as easy as I thought. Sometimes I don't know how to decide on xp and lore awards, how many, what kinds, etc. I'm a little afraid of magic threads too, haha. It's a learning curve though and I'm learning lots about game mechanics and lore which is more than worth it. All in all, I think grading is a great way to contribute for those who don't necessarily want to be storytellers. So... apply today, people!
Ball wrote:Why did I become a Grader? Hmm... That is a good question. I became a grader because I felt I needed to contribute back to the community that has been with me for over two years now. The people on Mizahar have kept me sane through the first year of my daughter's life, it was a nightmare having to deal with her throwing up constantly all day long, the people here were a shimmer of light and reassurance that things were going to be better. So, it was a small way to contribute back to the community as a whole. A small return on their large investment. I have read their threads, enjoyed them, and felt that with the long queues of grades being asked of the existing staff that it was time to step up and do something. The staffers are players too, and they need help much like I needed reassurance.
I also decided it was time to step up and help the community after I botched my first run in helping out. I was an assistant story teller at the time and I picked the wrong time to take on that mantle of responsibility. I wanted to prove to myself and the community that I could handle responsibility in small chunks and grow from there. I won't lie, I wasn't expecting that I be even given the chance to become a grader, but when I was approved and the test was given and I passed it I was excited that I was given this second chance to prove myself to the Founders and the community as a whole.
I also found that becoming a grader gave me more reason to read into the lore more, properly grading people as a 'job' has given me reason to better read and understand the lore more and more... And as such, I have been able to better my characters and better understand the overall functionality of the site's story plots and the characters within.
In closing: I want to thank the people that make this site and the stories go-round and survive. Without them Mizahar wouldn't be where it stands... Strong. Proud. Original. Amazing. That's right, Mizahar is all that and a bag of chips.
And seriously sign up to be a grader, or a Character Sheet Liason (I know Patchy could use the help!), or a jrST, or an AS, or a DS, or whatever. Just do it. Seriously, it's amazing what you will learn about yourself in the process and the site. How much of the lore you will learn and remember.
Una Tanta wrote:My reason was much more selfish than anyone has listed so far ;p I was already reading everyones threads in Avanthal to see what sort of mischief my own PC could get into that involved other peoples characters and it led to a lot of really good threads I would not have otherwise known could happen.
Though this was my inspiration and continues to be one of the main reasons I DO spend so much time grading I came to really love reading others stories. I love gifting little goodies and lores are more valuable than skill XP in my opinion so I love giving PCs knowledge that can aid them in a future thread.
Lastly, it is an extremely satisfying job watching the grading list shrink and gives me a little thrill inside when I can keep a grading list down to a page. I think this is the best way for anyone to contribute because it is not only very helpful to a community of STs who spend so many hours helping US but its also beneficial to our own PCs and makes us aware of what others are doing in our cities and whether our own PCs can get involved in another story.
I love my fellow graders (except when they steal threads I desperately wanted to grade ;p) and I hope I can count more among us soon.
Xira Hezmek wrote:I find myself reading on Mizahar far more then posting, in all honesty. I love following along the personal stories and legends of my fellow writer's characters. From Ball's angry and amusing antics, to Fallon's fall from squire to mercenary, or Annalisa's conflicted soul and so many other threads and writers, I simply can't read enough of it. Since I spent so much time reading these thread I figured I should give back to Mizahar and turn my reading from enjoyment to something much more useful. Now I am able to go where storytellers often can't and help out where we are most needed. For anyone who is thinking about it or are hesitant to become a grader: Don't be. As graders we are given so many resources. The grading guide, your fellow graders, the storytellers themselves, all of which are a huge help. By volunteering you receive a tremendous support system for when you are stuck or have questions. It also gets a lot easier once you jump right in and knock out a few threads. So sign up today if you can.
Caelum wrote:This is lovely. - - - The decision to become a Grader was a no brainer for me. As I currently lack the ability to commit again as a DS, grading is the second best way for me to contribute to the Mizahar community. The first way is of course playing. Graders don’t have expansive expectations leveled upon them regarding time spent and work done, and therefore are allowed the freedom to take a weekend and kill off ten threads or do a handful of month when we’re particularly occupied. In addition to being beneficial to the game, grading is also beneficial to the grader. First, people tend to like you. I’m being serious. Who doesn’t like the person who took time out of their day to read what you wrote and then grant you cool little rewards for having done it? Crazy people. That’s who. Secondly, you become so much more in touch with the community as a grader by the fact of being more informed of what everyone is up to. You know who is trying to level up in combat or who has sunk themselves whole heartedly into a twisted like treat of a flashback. This assists you in multiple ways, not the least of which being suddenly in possession of more plot ideas. Finally, if you’re a Grader, you get invited to top secret grading parties that involve all manner of cheerfully lewd behavior and answers to every question on lore imaginable. Let’s plan one together soon. Just don’t tell anyone. Okay?
Verin Rush wrote:I spend so much of my time reading other people's threads that I decided to make more productive use of that time and grade them as well! Like most players here, I fell in love with Mizahar when I joined, about a year ago now, and I've added my fair share of threads to be graded - generally I have been lucky enough to have my grades back with relative speed, but I know that some people wait a while for theirs. By grading, even if it is only once or twice a week, that is still a couple hours off of what the STs have to do, and it frees them up for more awesome things, like moderating quests for players. Grading brings me closer to the community, because not only am I giving back, but I also learn things about PCs that I would never otherwise know. Then I can drop them a PM and insist that we RP together based on that new-found knowledge. I also learn about new Skills and Magics that I wouldn't normally consider, and try them out for myself! The more selfish side of me knows that the more I grade the faster my own threads will get graded. Ultimately, there is not a single downside to becoming a Grader; it's less of a commitment than an ST/CSL and if you are wanting to become a member of the Staffing Team, I can tell you from experience that being a Grader first makes the jump much less scary! I implore anyone even considering it to apply.
Zandelia wrote:I became a Grader for two reasons - 1) I wanted to help. I crashed as an AS seriously but I still wanted to give something to the site that has allowed me to have so much fun in and out of character. Grading was the logical choice.
2) I got sick of people complaining about not getting grades and after seeing the lengthy listings I decided to actually do something about it. There was a selfishness in wanting my own threads graded but I am human.
It has benefited me in so many ways that I can't even list them but I will suggest one that hasn't been said before already (I don't think). It has helped improve my own writing tremendously, or I like to think it has. Reading so much talent, ideas and ways of putting said ideas to keyboard...it kinda seeped into me and made me want to be better. If I grade I want to read good stuff so good stuff I want to give to others.
Finally, and repetetively, be a damned Grader people! Miz needs you, we need you. Any help you give, no matter how small, brings another shove towards a happy and well supported site.
~ Zand
Thomas Cosa wrote:I had a brief stint as an storyteller, as many other here as well, I think. I really had a lot of fun, but got all kinds of crazy, so I had to stop. Even now, I don't have the time to make the full commitment of being a storyteller, but I really wanted to help out in some way -- which is where the grading program came in to play.
I spend so much time reading on Miz, and giving the grades isn't really that much more time consuming that reading the threads. What's more, being a grader really exposes you to the other players on Miz, and you get an awesome chance to see some really cool writing styles. The best part is that it's a really easy volunteer position -- just grade whenever you can! It's really laid back, and it does help the storyteller's with their work loads.
Caesarion wrote:I don't really have a deep and touching story like most of y'all, haha! But I guess I'll offer my small happy little blurb. Well, I wanted to be a grader mostly because I love my domain and my DS. She, Radiant, was handling it all by herself so I wanted to offer a helping hand. It's also really fun can actually help you immerse yourself into the Mizahar world; the best way to experience the RP is to write in it, and read in it. As a grader, you have the privilege to do both while also helping the players out. Anyway, that's all for me! Adios!
Rosela wrote:
There is nothing better you can do to help keep Mizahar spinning than grade. Even as an ST, development is great, and modding threads is always necessary, but grading is your bread and butter. I became a grader because though I am taking a break from STing, help is always needed to make sure the hard work and dedication people put into their threads is rewarded. That grading queue may seem huge, and sometime it is, but every single thread in there is a labor of love and deserves attention.
Orion Michaels wrote:I became a grader because I wanted to help out Miz. I think that can be said for anyone who became a grader. It's a simple as that. What I do want to use my soapbox time for is as a recruitment tool.  As you can see, there are a lot of graders, but by no means are there enough. From a casual glance, Nyka, Sunberth, Zeltiva, Riverfall, and Endrykas all have a pretty decent backup despite the work graders put in. If you meet the requirements as stated in the lore, consider joining us either as a grader, ST, CSL, whatever you can manage. Mizahar runs on volunteers, so every little bit helps. The site gives so much to everyone else, so consider giving back what you can. I know I'll appreciate it. And if that isn't enough, the people who you help out certainly will, as well. Thanks for the honor.
Nyxie Nadira Draer wrote:I started writing a blurb, and then halfway through, I realized that I sounded pretty repetitive. So instead, I decided to compile the following list, based off of the all the answers I've read thus far  Being a Grader... - gives back to the community
- is a productive way to follow the exciting story lines of other PCs
- helps you gain a better understanding of Mizahar's Lores
- aids the staff who will then have more time for storytelling
- isn't hard: there's no time commitment & there's lots of support
- can improve your writing style
- gives you cool & new plot ideas
- makes people like you
- feels satisfying
- speeds up your own PC's wait for grades
- will get you into fun grading parties!
Matthew wrote:I wanted to be able to help out where I could, and I didn't see myself having enough time to moderate. Grading seemed like an excellent way to give back, as I imagined that was what a lot of the mods struggled with. The number of grades compared to the number of mods can be disheartening to them I'm sure. For me, I get an odd sort of satisfaction from it. It is nice to just sit back and read a story. I learn a lot about characters who I don't get to RP with. I learned a ton about Ricky Maze just because I graded a bunch of threads he was in. Through that, I also learned a lot about different sections of the lore that I would otherwise not be familiar with.
Ir I forgot anyone's response, let me know! There was a lot of them!
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by Tani on May 2nd, 2014, 8:16 am 
