Yay Let's Sub4Sub and Help Bad Writers Get Media Mogul!

Day 1,708, 18:15 • Published in Canada Canada • by Shoi12

There are a lot of ideas that sound great, but don't work well in practice. One of these ideas is the so-called Sub4Sub system. For the six of you that are completely clueless on what that is, let me explain it to you. Basically, a user subscribes to a newspaper, then informs the writer of their action, and tells him to subscribe back.

Now, I can see the point of this. After all, the Media Mogul award rewards writers who reach 1000 subscribers, so by helping out each other, everyone can eventually reach that magic number and get a nice gold benefit. In theory, this is a good technique to support each other. But this destroys the point of subscriptions and newspapers in the first place!

Now, I don't know about anyone else, but I personally subscribe to papers I enjoy reading and need to read to stay informed. For example, I subscribed to RizonPT's paper because I enjoy the information and humor in his work. I subscribed to Rylde's paper because as the CP he helps keep me in the know (plus making fun of Evry is also nice). I've subscribed to the Terra HQ paper to keep in touch in regards to my nation's alliance.

But by simply throwing around your subscription all willy-nilly, you've clogged yourself up with newspaper that you'll never read anyway. It ruins the point of subscribing to people whose newspapers you ACTUALLY read. To be honest, I have quite a few of friends in this game whose papers I'm not subscribed to.

And this really hurts the people that actually work hard to earn subscribers slowly and steadily. Question the quality of my writing as much as you want, but I put in blood, sweat, and neck pains every day to put out something I'm satisfied with, and I know many fine people who have done the same. To accumulate subscribers just by sub4subbing ruins the hard work honest newspaper writers go through to help increase their audience.

The subscriber count helps me keep track of what to expect. If I have 100 subscribers, I can expect around 80-120 views and around 25 votes. If I have double that much, I can expect double the audience. But by having sub4subs, people may be subscribed to you, but they don't contribute back, comment, vote, or even read the articles you put effort writing! They're just a dead number that does nothing for you.

Look, I don't mind people asking me to check out their newspaper. I quite enjoy reading the articles of new players hoping to make a name for themselves. But don't tell me that I'm somehow obligated to subscribe to you and read your things just because you subscribed to me. If your stuff is good, I guarantee I'll find it. If it's not, then I'm sorry, but look elsewhere for subscribers.

And what's even worse than just sub4subbing is buying subs and votes. If you've noticed, someone recently purchased a large amount of subscribers to me. Although I really appreciated the gesture, it's something I CAN'T STAND. Like I've said before, I work hard each and every day to bring some cool material to my audience, and I'm rewarded each time with a couple new minions. So why should you be able to buy your way into fame?!

Over the last two months, I've slowly climbed my way up the ladder, making friends and gaining support along the way. Why do people get to simply buy their popularity? You're basically saying that my hard work can be bought out for money!

Buying votes prevents more worthy newspapers from making the headlines. By simply buying votes, you take a spot in the top 5, taking away a spot from a newspaper that's trying to get recognition. Getting to the top 5 is the best way to expand an audience, and by buying votes, instead of reading an article worthy of top 5 position they instead get garbage! If your stuff is good enough, it will reach an audience. You don't have to buy success, and you shouldn't. Every single article I've written that I felt was solid ended up in the top 5, and some articles that weren't my best work didn't make it. If you put the effort in instead of going to your shiny gold, you will get the attention you deserve.

Subscribing to someone should mean "hey, I like this person's articles. I want to keep reading so I'll subscribe so I can read his stuff as it pops up". By buying subscribers, you're saying "My stuff isn't good enough for people to want to read, so to cover up my shame I'll buy my way up and I'll LOOK successful. Looks mean everything, right?" It disgusts me that you can simply buy subscribers that writers have spent months and sometimes years trying to earn. These people don't even read your article that you're trying to promote! It doesn't help spread your newspaper, and it certainly won't earn you gold if you simply buy subscribers.

So if you like reading my stuff, great. The shiny subscribe button is in the top right corner. If you don't like it, fine, don't subscribe, but don't subscribe to me just because you want me to suddenly subscribe back to you, because I guarantee that I won't. If your stuff is good, eventually people will read it. Look at me. I spent a mere two months writing what people think are good articles and I've already gotten 251 subscribers and a ministry position. Work hard and results will come. Don't go to MasterCard to solve all your problems, because votes cost money, but success is priceless.

Until next time, take care!

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