User blog comment:Cchen3/Results and my thoughts/@comment-17759525-20150417123626/@comment-17759525-20150418130402

That makes sense.

Can I make a suggestion if you do another contest like this?

Don't have stories that everyone is REQUIRED to read. You could keep a "suggested" or "requested" list, but I think one of the reasons (aside from my general life) I was so overwhelmed by this contest was that there were so many stories that everyone had to comment on. Or maybe you could just say that everyone participating has to comment on at least one story written by each competitor? That would mean everyone involved would get at least some comments, and yet it would give a little bit more leeway for people to find stories they like to read.

For all that the newbies posted comments on all of their friends' stories, I got exactly one comment on Undefeated. And Undefeated was on the required list. (If you're reading this, Bramblefire3118, thanks for your comment. It does mean a lot.)

I think, Firey, that your heart was definitely in the right place when you made this competition. Every decent comment is valuable, and it's nice to have the opportunity to ask someone to read your stories. But maybe you went about it in just a slightly wrong way.

My vote is that you should try again (though not immediately, of course; give it some time). But think about how you could make it better, and hopefully the next one will turn out well.

Blade out.