Clean Up, Clean Up, Everybody Clean Up

OK, I have been noticing that the discussions have been getting less and less interesting. There are some interesting topics, but they have been ruined by posts like "OMG" and "I think so" and "I disagree". The discussions have been getting boring, and it might be getting to the point where users are leaving. I think that if we can follow these four simple rules, then we can get the discussions back on track! Exceptions will obviously be made for things like games, but these are rules that you should follow when you are talking about Percy Jackson. The rules are:

1. Always back your post up with evidence. Use whatever works: quotes, links, pictures; to name a few. Just make sure that the evidence supports what you are saying, and explain how it does.
   
2. Have a opinion and support it. If you think that Percy should marry Rachel, then say so. If you think that Percy should marry Grover (shocker), then say so. Just make sure that you back it up with evidence that supports your opinion.
   
3. When you are posting a new topic, Say what your opinion of the topic is. Say what you think. Back it up with evidence.
   
4. If your post is less than one line, make it longer.
   

I will now include two example paragraphs:

Good Post:
OK, after years of wondering what I thought was missing from PJO (OK, maybe weeks), I've finally nailed it. There is no character development. Think about it. Does Percy really develop as a character allot, besides having a growing crush on Annabeth? Not really.

In all of the other good books that I have read, the character really develops as a character. We understand him/her more, the character matures more, and we like him/her more.

However, in the Percy Jackson series, Percy makes it clear who he is, and after The Lightning Thief we don't learn much more about him. We also don't see him develop more as a character. I have to admit that there have been some moments, like his growing crush on Annebeth, his indecisiveness over Paul (this is almost minimal, because he quickly realizes that if was the right
thing to let Sally marry him) or his conflict with Rachel, but these moments are rare and mainly minimal. Compared to allot of other good books, character is a rare animal in Percy Jackson.

This is not a rare problem: many good books have been ruined by this. However, if more authors started paying more attention to this, then allot more people would be reading books.

Don't get me wrong: I love Percy. He is runner up with Greg Heffley from Dairy of a Wimpy Kid for the funniest book character in the world. I just think that the series would be allot more interesting and deep if there was more character development. That alone could boost Percy Jackson to the #1 book that I have ever read (sorry, but Harry Potter is currently #1. Percy Jackson is #2).

Character development is a huge part of what makes books gripping and interesting. Character development also plays a huge factor in what rockets a book to being a classic. Yeah, classics are
boring, but I think that a combination of character development, Percy Jackson's narration (don't you dare get rid of that, Rick Riordan), the modern Greek myths, the great plots, and a dash of
romance could make Percy Jackson a amazing combination of a smashing bestseller and a classic that made Charles Dickens (I threw that in for the grandparents reading this), J. K. Rowling, and J.R.R. Tolkien popular.

Unfortunately it is to late to make changes to Percy Jackson (All of the books have been released), but luckily the Kane Chronicles (section coming soon) and the Next Camp Half Blood series
are going to be released soon. If Rick Riordan can get character development into those series, then he could wright a masterpiece.

I just want to say that I love Percy, and I don't want to offend Rick Riordan if he reads this. It's just that this was a thought in my head and I thought that I should share it.

Bad Post:
PJO is great.

If you guys have any ideas on how to make the discussions interesting, post a reply.

I think I mentioned this a while a go, but it wasn't as big of a problem back then. Maybe we should have a minumim word limit, say ten this will make people type more.

But isn't having a minimum word limit also going to ward off some users?

Not really, ten words is a very small ammount to ask. See I just spoke ten easily.

ummm... i'm not sure if that's a very good idea. and i know, you're going to tell me that I just spoke ten easily, but, still, what about... 5-8? some people aren't as talkative.

Well, the main point is that people need to be posting better posts. What I mean by that is that they should back up their posts with evidence, and they should explain why the evidence supports their opinion. Nobody has been doing this, or really having a opinion, and the qualety of the posts has gone down.

But we need to have a way of ensuring people post well and have an oppinion, maybe we could have rep points, where people give nominate someone for more rep points for making a good post. I've seen his on several sites and fprums and this has improved the qaulity of posts astronimcicaly.

I'll look into that. Can you give me some linkes to those sites?