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[2024] Poll 7 Results
Not what I expected at all. I'm always happy to see the prompt about the suggestion that didn't make the final list.
Mod
Ooh can you share the discussions? Was it on the close calls?
Mod
I will say that there was more than the usual amount of people using all upvotes... there was just not a consensus on which prompts would be upvoted lol. The curse of having a bunch of really good prompts in one poll.
Obviously I’m happy mine got in but I’m surprised nothing else did. And nothing bottomed either? Wow
This is a prompt that gets in every year and I never really understand why. I use it for any book that doesn't fit elsewhere, a free read.Appaeently others find it enjoyable.
Mod
It's also a prompt that is in the pre-poll, doesn't get voted in, then eventually gets in later in the polls. Every time. I don't mind a free read, but it's not a prompt I typically vote for. I'll be using it for a GR Choice Award book if that prompt doesn't get in later.
Emily wrote: "°~Amy~° wrote: "This is a prompt that gets in every year and I never really understand why. I use it for any book that doesn't fit elsewhere, a free read.Appaeently others find it enjoyable."It's..."
My guess Emily is that in the pre poll it doesn’t excite but after a few polls when most people see at least one suggestion they loved not get in it becomes more popular.
°~Amy~° wrote: "This is a prompt that gets in every year and I never really understand why. I use it for any book that doesn't fit elsewhere, a free read.Appaeently others find it enjoyable."There are always prompts that don't make it that I really like, and they're usually the more difficult ones. I choose one of those, and then a book, rather than choosing a book and finding a prompt to fit it.
I like this prompt so much I chose it for "A second book that fits your favourite prompt", so the two prompts I ended up with for 2023 were "A book related to a poem" and "A book that could be used for at least five of the 2023 challenge prompts". I don't think either of those are free reads.
I voted got this so am happy. There are many ways to approach it, pick a prompt from the list that didn’t make lt when planning and then that becomes the prompt (rather than thus) or leave it right open to slot in a book that doesn’t fit elsewhere. It can be as narrow or broad as you make it.
Marie wrote: "°~Amy~° wrote: "This is a prompt that gets in every year and I never really understand why. I use it for any book that doesn't fit elsewhere, a free read.Appaeently others find it enjoyable."Ther..."
The sad thing is I didn’t vote for Going For Gold but now I have a book I want to read about the Golden State Killer which it would have been perfect for. Just got to hope it gets another chance
After so many polls with multiple winners it feels weird to only have one. I always use this prompt for something I suggested that didn't make it.
I’m glad we got this one. I guess we couldn’t maintain that fast pace the whole summer. I really liked the close calls, I hope they get resubmitted later. I liked the polarizing ones too, though it took me a while to warm up to the Henry poem.
I’ll miss the next round.
Sorry to those who like the two close calls. I’m not sure if I was one of the last 10-15 votes, but those two were my down votes. The prompts are good, I just didn’t have anything jumping out that I wanted to read.Try again? Maybe I’ll find something by then.
I think that many of us have a prompt or 2 or 3 that we really liked. Some people put in a lot of effort supplying lists and ideas. So, it’s disappointing when the prompt doesn’t make it! I always vote for this prompt and choose a suggestion that I was invested in. I will likely use the prompt I suggested, musical instruments. I’m disappointed that at least one other prompt didn’t get through but looking forward to the new round of suggestions.
Mod
It's like we overcorrected! But I always like this prompt, so yay!
I'll say I neither voted for or against the close calls. They didn't offend me but I also didn't feel strongly enough to vote for.
Can't wait to see the next round!
Wow, so close! I’ll definitely resubmit Going for the Gold, but I’m guessing I should wait a poll or two. I’ll feel it out in the Wild Discussion. I am VERY happy with the prompt that got through! My only trouble with it will be picking which non-list prompt to fill it with; there are already so many good ones.
Velvet wrote: "Wow, so close! I’ll definitely resubmit Going for the Gold, but I’m guessing I should wait a poll or two. I’ll feel it out in the Wild Discussion. I am VERY happy with the prompt that got through..."
I actually think given how close it was you’d be fine going now. I definitely want it in and badly
°~Amy~° wrote: "This is a prompt that gets in every year and I never really understand why. I use it for any book that doesn't fit elsewhere, a free read.Appaeently others find it enjoyable."I always pick the prompt at planning stage and stick with it, so that makes it less of a freebie. Though for those who don't read much more than 52 books a year, a freebie might be what they want.
Mod
Robin P wrote: "The close calls could be resubmitted, maybe wait a few weeks and try again."I thought anything not bottomed can be resubmitted? Why does a close call need a longer wait?
Thomas wrote: "Robin P wrote: "The close calls could be resubmitted, maybe wait a few weeks and try again."I thought anything not bottomed can be resubmitted? Why does a close call need a longer wait?"
It increases its chances of being a top vote if you wait.
°~Amy~° wrote: "This is a prompt that gets in every year and I never really understand why. I use it for any book that doesn't fit elsewhere, a free read.Appaeently others find it enjoyable."Rather than just use it as a freebie, I like to pick my favorite prompt that didn't make it, and then treat it like any other prompt. Makes it feel less like a freebie.
Riley wrote: "°~Amy~° wrote: "This is a prompt that gets in every year and I never really understand why. I use it for any book that doesn't fit elsewhere, a free read.Appaeently others find it enjoyable."I do this too :)
I can see the next poll having a lot of downvotes, so the upvotes have more of a chance. Happy with the one that made it, but disappointed overall.
Only one! That does feel weird. It's one I voted for, though, so I'm fairly happy with it! :D
Tracy wrote: "Sorry to those who like the two close calls. I’m not sure if I was one of the last 10-15 votes, but those two were my down votes. The prompts are good, I just didn’t have anything jumping out that ..."It's funny how we all approach the challenges so differently. I love having "blanks" that make me go find something to read that didn't occur to me earlier,
Mod
It's less about that and more about having the ones that are upvoted be the same across everyone lol. We could (theoretically) have 8 winners if everyone only upvotes but use it for the same 8 prompts.
@Debbie - that’s how I’ve always done it, and for some prompts I still do. Lately I’ve just been trying assigning a book that I think I’ll like to each to each suggestion, and then picking prompts based on the books that excite me most.
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I thought anything not bottomed can be resubmitted? Why does a close call need a longer wait?"
Sorry for any confusion, they can be resubmitted anytime. Sometimes it seems they are more successful if a little time passes. But in this case where it was really close, maybe it doesn't matter.
Robin P wrote: "Thomas wrote: "Robin P wrote: "The close calls could be resubmitted, maybe wait a few weeks and try again."I thought anything not bottomed can be resubmitted? Why does a close call need a longer ..."
Oh I see it was advice rather than the rule, thanks.
Just curious - why only one this time?BTW I love that one and would suggest that it be made a pre-poll regular. There are always just so very many great prompts that don't make it in. This year I used one that didn't make it not only for that prompt but also for the "choose a second from your favorite" prompt (winners of a W award - the Wainwright Prize for Nature Writing - I had two on my shelves). I already had set aside a few that I plan to do on my own in 2024 before I saw that this got voted in.
Dixie wrote: "Just curious - why only one this time?BTW I love that one and would suggest that it be made a pre-poll regular. There are always just so very many great prompts that don't make it in. This year I..."
It is a pre poll regular it just never seems to get picked in the pre poll. My suspicion is that it only gathers momentum when a lot of people had prompts they liked but didn't get in.
I am happy about this result. I had 8 downvotes this past time as there were a lot I didn't like and none that I felt strongly about. I am excited to see what is suggested next round.
For people adding to the listopia, can you please add a note for the prompt the book would go with? Thank you.
I'd upvoted all the prompts that were close calls and polarising, so I hope all of these are re-submitted in a future poll. I must've been in the minority as I'd downvoted the prompt that got in...mostly as I think it's a pretty dull option. It's really just a 'read a book' prompt to me, as I plan on reading a book for my favourite prompts that don't make it into the final list.
Also it's disappointing that only 1 prompt made it in, after the last few weeks have had several successful prompts. Hopefully some popular prompts are suggested tomorrow.
Wow! What results! I had all 8 upvotes this round because I loved so many. Surprised only one got in. I wonder how this will affect tomorrow’s suggestions? Will people resubmit prompts or bring new prompts forward?
I am happy that we only ended up with the prompt we did. I downvoted most of the prompts, including the close calls. I don't read very many sports books and Eurovision is not something I watch, even if I could watch it.
Mod
Just to clarify - for Eurovision, you don't need to know anything about that competition. It's basically a list of countries and you would read a book set in one of them. It probably could have said "a book set in a European country" but this way there was a specific list.
Kind of like how I knew nothing about the Spice Girls, except I had vaguely heard a couple of their names, but there was enough info in the threads for me to decide on a book.
Emily wrote: "Another round of results are here! And they were... all over the place.Top:
A book that fits a suggestion that didn’t make the final list
Bottom:
No prompts qualified for bottom position this po..."
I upvoted the one that made it and downvoted one of the polarizing ones. I can't remember all of my voting, but know that I upvoted at least one of the close calls and didn't downvote either.
This was quite an interesting round in that only one made it but none were bottomed out, either.
Mod
BTW I love that one and would suggest that it be made a pre-poll regular. There are always just so very many great prompts that don't make it in. This year I..."
Jackie made a spreadsheet that does *math* that includes averages and standard deviations and things that makes my English teacher brain hurt a little. But basically, it has to have above a certain amount of net votes, above the average upvotes, and below the average downvotes in order to qualify for the list. We also look at outliers with the standard deviations to make sure we aren't discounting certain prompts because they are up against powerhouses.
As for the pre-poll, it's like Thomas said. It's in the pre-poll, but people don't seem to vote for it until they have a prompt in mind for it. Happened the same way last year as well.
I just want to say I am in awe of the moderators of this group!!
@Robin, I understood that. I would rather that it was not linked to Eurovison.
Emily wrote: "Dixie wrote: "Just curious - why only one this time?BTW I love that one and would suggest that it be made a pre-poll regular. There are always just so very many great prompts that don't make it i..."
Ah, okay, good to know! Thanks Thomas and Emily!
I'm very disappointed with this result! It's obviously fine and easy enough to fill, but it's one that I couldn't care less about because I already do a rejects challenge involving my favourite prompts, so I'd rather have the room for something else on the actual list. I also find it mildly frustrating that this prompt is never voted in during the prepoll, but then inevitably voted in every single time when it's suggested later. There were so many other great and creative prompts on this list, I was hoping for something else.
Rachel wrote: "I'm very disappointed with this result! It's obviously fine and easy enough to fill, but it's one that I couldn't care less about because I already do a rejects challenge involving my favourite pro..."Well not all of us have time to do a rejects. I do understand how you feel about it never getting in pre poll
Anastasia wrote: "I am happy that we only ended up with the prompt we did. I downvoted most of the prompts, including the close calls. I don't read very many sports books and Eurovision is not something I watch, eve..."I get it. I’m not a fan of sports books either, that’s why I liked the option of “Going for the Gold”. Several prompts have been put forth that haven’t quite made it: the Olympics, a book with Gold on the cover (in color, title or author), also a book about pirates or treasure hunting. “Going for the Gold” allowed for any of the three, plus presented other options, such as a book about an alchemist (they tried to find a way to create gold), or a prospector (gold rush), or a person marrying for money (a “gold digger”), or a book about big business, or making it in the entertainment industry (a gold record or Golden Globe award). The main character could have a gambling addiction, attempt a bank robbery, or a jewel heist. You could even read “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”, because of the search for the Golden tickets. I don’t know if any of these other interpretations could help match something on your TBR list, but i wanted to share some other options. 🙂
Mod
Ok, sorry, I tend to over explain, which comes off condescending.
Top:
A book that fits a suggestion that didn’t make the final list
Bottom:
No prompts qualified for bottom position this poll.
Polarizing:
A book related to the British rhyme about Henry VIII's six wives: "Divorced, beheaded, died; divorced, beheaded, survived"
An Audie award winner (in any format)
Close Call:
A book related to Going for the Gold
A book set in one of the countries competing in the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest
Listopias:
A book that fits a suggestion that didn’t make the final list
The next round of suggestions will open around noon on Saturday, August 12.