Site News & Announcements

Introducing The Review Tool

Hello, Members!

We're proud to announce the release of our new feature-packed Review Tool. To
kick off this new addition, we're also offering increased Daily Review Rewards. Read
this NEWS email for the complete details!


:: Introducing The Review Tool ::
The Review Tool is a new 'pop-up' application that allows you to preview and spell
check reviews before you send them! The Review Tool also incorporates our new
Review Template system.

Members can now create their own review templates and load them directly into the
review area. Template creation and editing is built directly into the Review Tool.
Once a template has been created, it can be loaded "on the fly" into the tool's
review text area. The Review Tool keeps track of the number of characters in your
review, subtracting out the quantity of characters in your template which gives you
a true count of the feedback you are sending.

The Review Tool provides a large text area for your review's content. The text area
is dynamic, so expanding the Review Tool window will also increase the size of the
text area! We've also included rotating "Review Tips" just above the review text
area, a link to the WritingML help page, and a link to "Guidelines To Great Reviewing" .

Launch the Review Tool by clicking the + Review Tool + link found in the review
area for any item. You can also access the Review Tool to manage your templates
and access Draft Reviews (more below) using the My Review Tool link in your
"My Places" pull down menu.

The ability to use the Review Tool is reserved for those members with a Basic
Membership or higher. For more information on the benefits of our various paid
membership plans, please visit:
         "Compare Free and Paid Membership Benefits" 


:: Introducing Draft Reviews ::
No time to finish that review? Use the Review Tool's new Store Draft feature
to save it for later! Click the "My Review Tool" link in your "My Tools" pulldown
menu to open any of your draft reviews. Also, click the + Review Tool + link
from any item where you've stored a draft review and the draft will automatically
be loaded into the form.

Use the Store / Edit button to save your draft review, but continue editing it.
For longer reviews, this is a handy way to make sure you don't accidentally lose
what you've written in the case of an internet outage, browser crash, or any of the
other things that can go wrong.


:: Four Times Daily Rewards ::
Break-in our new Review Tool and earn four times the normal Gift Points amounts
from "Daily Review Rewards"  through May 31st, 2006! Don't miss this excellent
opportunity to help your fellow members, your own writing skills and your Gift
Point balance!


:: Remember: You Can Send cNotes Off-Site! ::
Great news! Now you can send Writing.Com cNotes to anyone with an email address!
This means you can send cNotes to all of your family and friends. Anyone can receive
a cNote, whether they have a Writing.Com account or not! If you send a cNote to
someone off-site, no Writing.Com account is needed to view it. Your recipient is sent
an email with a link to view the cNote you sent; they just click on the link to open
their cNote.

For a limited time, Writing.Com is waiving its 250 Gift Point fee for all cNotes sent to
off-site email addresses. This fee is automatically deducted and the deduction is
shown on the confirmation page. Remember, cNote owners have their own fees and
these are not waived.


:: Reminder: The New 'Membership Info' Link ::
Gifting paid memberships to your fellow Writing.Com members is now easier than ever
with the new Membership Info pop-up! This new informational tool is linked from
within each member's portfolio to the left of their BioBlock. Once open, you can view
a member's current Paid Membership expiration date(s) and easily gift them a new
membership or an extension of their current level.


Thank you for your continued support of Writing.Com!
  ~~ The StoryMistress and
         The StoryMaster