Those who read my posts know how this Keeper loves stalking blogs which led me to a moderator's wall then to the inbox. And this is where it gets interesting. I think. But I guess I am late. Oh anyway. I'll just share coz sharing is caring lol

When that RP fic got featured, I wondered why one earth would users upvote a RP fic. I am not in the habit of clicking featured stories but I had to find out why. 

In order for you to join the RP, you have to follow steps. And step number one tells you to "Subscribe" and "Click this". What is this? I clicked the link and voila, I just upvoted the fic. From grey, the arrow turned golden. But that's okay, I can undo it. I clicked it again.

Apparently, there are variations of this, like here and others use pictures and I discovered that they are not exclusive to RP fics. Yep. 

I am not the only one who noticed it. So when I read some of these posts, I asked a mod and this is what mod told me:

... some of the featured stories got banned because their tactics were discovered.Some of them had really good numbers of subscribers and upvotes. They tried to reason out but moderators can see what other users cannot so that helps a lot. Reporting them really helps too...

But I don't know all featured fics, esp the recent ones, so I don't know which featured fics got banned.

It amazes me that writers would stoop so low just to get featured. STOP. Don't tell me they don't care about the star or getting featured because why would they do that in the first place? To make it easy for me to unknowingly upvote their fics?  The arrow is just before the title, I don't think I would miss it.

Sigh. The reason why boss would not take that featured section down is because some users do like that feature and the fics being featured. And I am okay with it. Had always been okay because it is about preference and I respect the majority's opinion on what  stories they like, what stories are feature-worthy.

But to find out that fellow writers cheat just to get featured is so disappointing. OTL. I find it easier to forgive the admin of the RP.

I mean, wouldn't you be happy that someone willingly upvoted your story without you  telling-cough-tricking them to do so?

Wouldn't you feel humbled and at the same time grateful, that someone didn't just subscribe and comment, but actually upvoted your story, knowing that the feature system is now based on upvotes?

Were is the satisfaction of having that star next to the title of your story, knowing that you tricked others to give you the vote?

Well, I don't find satisfaction in getting featured because that would mean that my story is... Okay, I'll shut up now. 

And readers, I do hope you know what you are doing coz your vote could actually get a story in the front page and it affects those who are patiently waiting for the featured story of the week.

Don't just click on links when you don't know what it is for.

-Keeper