Hosting A Write-Off - Variations On A Theme May 22 '07 (Updated May 23 '07)    Write an essay on this topic. Tweet Popular Products in Books Mildred D. Taylor - Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry: A Literature Unit From $8 Olivier Dunrea - Ollie From $7 The Bottom Line It's more fun than you think... My decision to host a write-off wasn’t really a decision at all. While searching the Database one Sunday morning, I kept seeing the strangest titles on the most obscure subjects imaginable. Amongst the mountain of firefighter exam textbooks and miscellaneous medical journals which may never see review lie a host of otherwise wacky W/O fodder. Many of these books and movies have been available at my book wholesaler and, over the past few months, a teetering stack had accumulated in my “to review” pile. Without much forethought, I wondered how difficult it would be to link several of these anomalies in a Writer’s Corner piece to highlight their peculiar existence. Within two hours this became: The First Ever Kingfish “Let’s Go Database Diving” Write-Off . . . Rule Number One: Pick A Short Title Hard to believe that this title was my second choice. The first was so bad I’ve forgotten it completely. As these things go, that long title has since been whittled-down to “Database Dive” by the shorthand of continuous use. Always best to go for something short, sweet and catchy. Just today a very funny entry came in from Phil (popsrocks), whose inspired use of the word “dig” in place of “dive” resulted in my latest Homer Simpson moment. “Database Dig” = archaeological dig = buried treasure. Sometimes the perfect title and theme can be simple, yet so elusive. Rule Number Two: Pick A Clever Theme There was a smattering of initial criticism that the subject of my write-off was not specific enough. Seeing that the wacky and obscure items I found in the Database were from most every category at Epinions, I felt such broad guidelines would encourage a variety of entries. Furthermore, a few of the write-offs I have observed in my time at the site have been so specific in subject that I couldn’t find an appropriate item to review. Rule Number Three: Promote! This is your event, so it’s up to you to get the word out. Be a proud parent. Don’t be afraid to cheerlead on behalf of your write-off toddler. A link to the event in your Profile Page short bio is probably the most effective way to spread the word. In addition, I e-mailed several of my Eps contacts in an effort to generate interest. Since this was shaping-up to what I initially thought would be a Book event, I sent a brief and friendly announcement/invitation to the three Category Leads in Books via e-mail. You may want to e-mail one of the Message Board Moderators for information about starting a thread to announce your event. My event thread was posted for 30 hours of active commentary, though I understand an average of 1-2 days is the standard time allotted for such an announcement. My first participation in a write-off was for Bryan_Carey’s Millennium event in celebration of his 2000th review, which took place last summer. This first feeling of the sense of community here at Epinions made a lasting impression on this Newbie. In the fall, I entered a movie review in another write-off. I would have submitted additional entries, but the host never rated the first one. Ever. Rule Number Four: If You Host A Write-Off - PARTICIPATE!! Read and rate the entries as they occur. My appreciation for all who have entered has been such that I leave a comment on all incoming reviews expressing my gratitude. If someone is willing to take the time and effort to help make your event a success, you should be willing to make a similar effort to show your appreciation for their participation. In December, Mark (carstairs38) set a great example of how it’s done with his Christmas Music Write-Off. He read, rated and left an appreciative comment on both of my reviews submitted. As a result, I enjoyed that experience and learned proper W/O etiquette in the process. Questions I Had At The Outset... What is the length of an average W/O? Most events of this nature seem to run from 6-8 weeks, in my observation - although some run longer if interest is high. Do I need permission to host a W/O? Not that I’m aware of. Are multiple submissions okay? You bet! Can I submit my own reviews? Hey, it’s your party. Is there a lot of work involved? Once you have your specifics figured out and your announcement piece written, most of the work is done - a write-off tends to run itself. It’s really a lot of fun to see the entries come in, and linking them is a snap once you get the custom link code memorized. Are you glad you hosted a W/O? It’s a blast! People see the links and stop by to check out the entries; a few read and rate my new reviews, as well. As I mentioned before, there’s a great sense of community and camaraderie that accompanies events such as these. Another significant benefit I’ve realized is an increased knowledge of how the Database works here at Epinions. For example, for the recent posting of my “Racket Squad - Volume 3" DVD review, I did a search of “Racket Squad”, which produced 18 results. However, the “Racket Squad - Volume 3" listed in this search was for a two-episode version. Only by doing a search of the full title: “Racket Squad - Volume 3" did I come up with the four-episode DVD version, which was the item I reviewed. I don’t know why these blips occur, but when you adapt to its reality, the Database can be your oyster. When you search, have a pencil and paper handy to document your exact keywords. This will assure that whatever you find can be found again, when needed. If it’s a no go on the first search, try again using precise spelling, punctuation and abbreviation to find your item. I would guess a certain percentage of SAP forms submitted are for items that are already listed, but are hiding-out under the guise of Database quirks. Your friendly Category Lead will no doubt appreciate your extensive efforts to dislodge them before calling the uh-oh squad. Thanks For Making the “Database Dive” a Success My sincere appreciation to all who have submitted entries, and to those who continue to do so as the event rolls on. So far, folks have located some mighty wacky, obscure and lonely products to review. Much of this treasure unearthed is really quite remarkable. Rest assured - there’s no limit to the quantity and quality of odd-ball items to be found at Epinions. Myself, included . . . If you are planning a write-off of your own and have questions which were not addressed here, please feel free to contact me. I may not have the answer you seek but, as they say, there is strength in numbers.

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