6 simple but useful features writers will discover when using Quora the first time
OK, I’m cheating when I say, first time.
This wasn’t my first experience with Quora, but my first in at least 6 years. It’s been long enough that I could only barely remember it. To reacquaint myself with Quora, I set myself a challenge: One hour, post at least one answer to a posted question. Here’s what I learned.
It might help you decide if Quora will help you hone your writing skills.
There’s almost nothing to figure out with the interface
Easier ‘n Facebook, by far.
What ads exist, are all on the right-hand-side. No endless swiping up to get past the sponsored posts. Logging in is as easy as your Google account. And in fact, Quora remembered I hadn’t logged out after my last visit umpteen years ago (when the Dead Sea was just Sick). I went straight back in.
Everything is VERY simple and intuitive.
It’s, um …. quite addictive ….
That time limit I set myself?
Blew it out of the water. Within half an hour, I’d posted twice, and was well into my third. After 90 minutes, I’d reached an interesting conclusion:
I won’t be submitting this essay on time.
Quora thinks browser tabs are an awesome invention
Which is really irritating.
Quora likes to open a new tab in your browser every time you click on a new Space or Question. Which means, after an hour’s Quorifying, you can’t even see the titles in the 57 tabs it’s opened for your convenience.
Good luck finding the tab you mentally bookmarked 8 minutes ago.
Very little flaming or trolling
Might be because of the upvoting/downvoting feature.
You think somebody’s answer is dumb? You can downvote it. Or upvote it, if the converse. Answers with the most upvotes appear top. Hence, there’s incentive to not be too nasty, else you’ll get downvoted (even if you’re right).
There’s still plenty of disagreement, and jockeying for “bragging rights”, mind.
You can create and edit your “Credentials”
Well this is clever.
Gives you a chance to toot your own horn, and improve your chance of being upvoted for this question. I’d picked “Will Airbus go bankrupt if they continue building more and more A380s?” Click on Edit Credential, insert: A380 Wing Loads Integrator 2002–2005. (Totally true. Some mothers do have ‘em.)
Within 5 minutes, my answer had been upvoted.
People have posted about everything under the sun
EVERYTHING.
After satisfying my geek tendencies with the A380, I go counter-culture. Search: “Rush”. Whoa, people have even posted about Rush! “Why does Rush get no respect?” What? BLASPHEMY! This must not be left unchallenged! (Frantic typing ….)
I’ve just remembered what I said about flaming.
Does this paint the picture for you?
