Feast or Famine Trends

I seem to have a run of good luck followed by a run of disappointment (orange or yellow faces, contests where I rate high but just can’t quite find a winner). I would like to hear from those of you who have been around a while: Is this a common thing? Is there any way to break a bad streak, or do you just grin and bear it?

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That’s the nature of this business, Daisy - Feast or Famine! :scream:

Just keep plugging away, and you’ll find yourself in the “Winner’s Circle” once again. :wink:

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Often there are periods so bad you automatically feel like quitting because even when you dig deep and do your very best, nothing connects with the contest holders or gets good ratings. It might be helpful in those times to take a short sabbatical from Squadhelp than bang your head against the brick wall, especially if you find yourself getting extremely frustrated.

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I start hearing the song…“this is the end, my only friend…the end”…when this happens to me, which it does. I start thinking that I’ve lost my skill. Sometimes, I look at the winning name and cannot even see myself ever thinking of that. Other times I think, oh jeez, why didn’t I think of that? To break a bad streak, I go back to contests where I failed and try something completely different because I get on a roll and I can’t seem to dig myself out of a train of thought. So I leave it alone and go back and try to use fresh eyes. I do see that there is a naming trend sometimes and a train that I am not on. I’ll put it like this… I OFTEN try too hard to be really original and have to rein myself in. I sometimes “misread” the intent of the CH who is saying I want brandable, unique, original and then see the winning name and realize - nope, that’s not really what you wanted. So I try to remember that the CHs often don’t really know what they want until they see it. I also get completely and utterly bollixed up by insisting that I provide a domain name that is EXACT. That’s probably the main reason why I don’t win a whole lot more. (i.e., I give the CH really short exact domain but the winning name is InnovateCo.com or something). So go back and think about what you are doing that is too much.

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I find the urge to locate that perfect domain hard to resist, as well.:wink:

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I do so many things you mentioned and I often wonder if I’m trying too hard. But then I’ll try a more simple approach and then I find that I’m submitting boring generic names that I feel the CH is thinking, “I could’ve thought of that myself” because of the ratings I get.

I see both styles winning so I know in general one is no better than the other, but I personally struggle to know when to real it in and when not to.

But in regards to the point of this thread, I too find my ratings to be a rollercoaster ride.

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Yup It happens all the time. If I get really discouraged, I will walk away for a day or two. That’s not to say my brain isn’t still on overdrive thinking of names. If I’m really interested in a contest, I’ll print it out. That way I can go about my day and if I think of something Ill write it down on my printout to enter later. You never know what will spark your creativity.
Hang in there…SH is a roller coaster ride and that’s why we are all addicted to the thrill

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@Chasity2ku It is a risk to make the CH mad by giving them the obvious names sometimes as we have seen recently. So I try to mix it up and wait to see the ratings to get some idea of where to go.

I’m also keen on stating to my fellow creatives that sometimes you have to tell yourself that it is OK to be who you are and to follow the standards you’ve set for yourself. I’m not going to get into details about why I am saying that. I’m just going to assume you know what I mean. Be proud of your work because I tell you what, there are some super talented people here who have standards and who continuously produce “the next uber” rather than the old Acme Painting. I admire the heck out of you people.

Also, I rate myself based on the $$$$$$$, not the number of contests I win. I set realistic goals on that. (I am so far from my goal this month it’s driving me nuts).

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That’s a cool idea, Lisa! I keeps you focused on that one rather than the huge stream of new contests that come out every day.

I put all of my entries in a WORD document. I don’t download them very often. I do it so I can scan and track better.

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[quote=“Commulinks, post:8, topic:2239”]
… There are some super talented people here, who continuously produce “the next Uber” rather than the old “Acme Painting.” I admire the heck out of you people![/quote]

Ditto, C-Links, Ditto! :thumbsup:

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Clinks- I once asked SH to make it possible to download the briefs so we can print them out w/o the graphics andsuch. Much like some of the recipe sites do. I was hoping they would do that, becasue I’m like Lisa, I print off the brief but I don’t like the ‘extra stuff’ that is printed with it…

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Personally,I get very frustrated with strings of “Nah” ratings…especially when my submissions have followed the brief. That is what to me, doesn’t work about the no thank you’s. I feel they should not be used as a sorting tool, or a quick rejection of a name that a CH at first look may not see as a winner. I think it should be reserved for people who give crazy names unrelated to what the CH is asking for. If you have given a name that follows the requests/outlines in the brief…whether or not it will become an eventual winner…then I think it should not be rated anything lower than an on the right track.Especially since the no thanks affect your ratings and ability to name. You should not be penalized when you are following the brief,if the CH just doesn’t happen to like your naming style.

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As I’ve said before, I think no thank you should be changed to something specific to the brief. But I even think on the right track should be tweaked as well.

If no thank you were something like “not in line with brief” and OTRT was something like “in line with brief but not what I’m looking for” as well as like and love, then the ratings would have a more universal meaning to both sides and individuals. They’re simply too subjective the way they’re worded. This would give the ratings specific meaning with no gray area whether the CH is using the ratings as a sorting tool or a form of communication/guidance.

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Many of us have been saying this for quite sometime. I’ve never been a fan of the current rating system. I don’t find it useful or productive in any way shape or form. I would like to see a more counter productive system in place, even doing away with subtracting points for no thank yous, would be a step in a less frustrating direction. lol. IMHO.

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I found this interesting that as we are discussing the “no thank you” ratings and how they are kind of demotivating,especially when you don’t know why you are getting it when you are following the brief…a CH in a current contest posted this remark in the message section “The only problem we see with this process is there is no step between no and you are on the right track. There should be a hey I think you are very creative but that’s just not quite it button” So we are not the only ones feeling frustrated by the rating system!

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I feel somewhat thankful to get rated at all and happy that contest holders are rating way more than they did before. The worse thing for me is not to get rated at all.

At least with contests where you get only “No Thank you”, you can take your talents elsewhere and focus on contests where you are doing well, especially given the large number of active contests these days.

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Focusing on money instead of wins is great advice. My wins are awful for Aug., but with awarded contests and a bonus, I’m doing ok. :slight_smile:

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Yes, I had a month like that, too a couple months ago.

@LauraE - We will add a print button to the brief. Please give us a bit of time to develop this feature :slight_smile:

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Thank-you, Grant! That is great news!