For you, what makes a question successful?

It inspires me to answer and generates interesting responses.

If it’s specific and to the point.

If it’s interesting.

If it’s well written (no gross grammatical errors, misspellings).

If it’s different/unique (not the same old, same old).

I like an answer that attempts to point out a good point in another’s argument, but ultimately has more sources and facts to back up their own point. I think as @MRSHINYSHOES has said, no grammatical errors. It just let’s everyone know, well you get what I’m saying.

If I knew I would only ask questions that were successful. I have absolutely no clue. If you want to see most of my questions, Google map Fluther for directions on how to get to the “Fluther Lead Balloon Storage and Waste Management Facility” or “Fluther Landfill.”

lol i had a grammatical error up there

@dreamwolf A grammatical error? Unacceptable! You are now officially banished from Fluther!!!!! And if you ever want to come back, if we let you, that is, you will be forced to wear the Scarlet G!

Most of my questions are not of the General category type, so they are basically opinion-based, and seeking a discussion. Sometimes an intelligent one. Many times it’s a sort of creative way (I hope) to say “hi jellies – this is what’s on my mind – what do you think?”

If there are a few jellies online (the time dif is not in my favour often) and they post – I’m happy.

@lillycoyote I’m changing my sn to ScarletG in memory of this abomination against Fluther. :/..... :P

@dreamwolf And so you should! The Scarlet G is a badge of shame and the wearing of it is meant to serve as a constant reminder to both you and the community of your wickedness!

Great Caesar’s ghost, IMO a successful question would be one that is logical, even dealing with issues that are highly improbable, or not very plausible. The question would challenge your mind to stretch in areas you never take it, or too scared to let it go. If it does that, I believe the amount of people responding and responding with quality answers will be a byproduct of it; thus taking care of itself.

We are all suppose to be more intelligent people than AB, or YA, so I cannot see why anyone can’t take the context of a question or response and juxtapose the right word or wording in the sentence where it belongs. We are humans, we make typos, we have misused words, dangling participles, mistaken modifiers, etc. If everyone were required to hold a standard of no boo boos, I guess we would never see a vehicle with a dent or scrape of any type, but we do, so I guess people are allowed to be far worse at driving than grammar, that is scary. The outcome of a successful question to me, is one that has a meaningful direction that it is headed.

When there’s a concise beginning, a detailed & peaceful middle & a satisfactory ending.

If it makes me think in a way that has never occurred to me before.
Where the discussion is such that its engaging and informative.
Where positive energy is generated.

I think a question is successful if it recieves a lot of thoughtful answers, but the question I am most proud of might be the one that got 10 great questions, and was still an orphan.

If it brings to the table something that excites the mind and causes people to discuss, argue even, disagree, agree, banter, something that some disagree with and others don’t. We need to relearn the art of the discussion in this country… Everyone is hypersensitive and it sux

But we jellies do pretty good I think? ♥

It is feeling like the question was read, understood, responded to genuinely as possible. I also notice that Fluther regulars have wonderful patience with others. No matter how many times any individual incites responses that seem to be various ways of seeking response to the same basic question, the keyboards come out and the fingers tap away with very good edifying responses.

Amount of interest it generates and the quality of the discussion. Most of my questions, I hate to say, are failures in my eyes. Perhaps one in twenty “hits” as I think of it. The weird thing is that I can never predict which ones will hit. I write a question I love and no one answers. I write a toss-off question and it goes viral. Go figure.

I try to make every question a good question, and perhaps they are good. But clearly only a few speak to the popular interest. The more I write, though, the worse I seem to be getting at expressing what I’m trying to get at. This, of course, is disturbing. I actually rewrite questions these days. Maybe that’s the problem. Oh well.

Initially, my ability to understand it on first reading.

I winnow down from there.

A successful question, IMHO, is one that is well-written, easily understandable, and generates a lot of answers, be they serious or playful.

A successful question for me is a question that stays, after it had been pulled and I edited it.

One that you don’t unfollow even after a 100 answers.

Oh, and it should wiggle when you poke it too…

A good question should have sincere answers and good discussion with a range of opinions.

In order for a question to be highly successful for me, it’s the quality of the responses that matter, meaning that there is an engaging and interesting discussion. This often coincides with many GAs or GQs, but not always. It certainly can’t just be about the quantity of responses, though that often indicates a good thread, it could be that most of the responses are bickering.

Or totally off topic. I wrote a question recently that got 11 good questions but of the 58 responses only 20 were on topic. I gave up on that thread because it was no longer about the question. So the quality of the question does not guarantee the quality of the responses. I agree with your point @DominicX. It taught me that sometimes, even if you want to give people freedom to answer your question flexibly, if you want to stay on topic, you really need to go to General. So I think where the question is posed can influence its ultimate value.

Success is measured in blood; yours or your enemy´s.

You could measure a successful question by how engaged people become with it. Sometimes that can have less to do with how the question is worded than how much it strikes a nerve or how many great stories come out of it. I love it when people share their stories even when it gets a little off topic! It has an element of chance about it. Sometimes someone says something interesting or touching or humorous and then the question takes on a life of it’s own. I love those questions the best.

A good question on the other hand is thought provoking and well phrased. It has all the necessary details to pinpoint what the asker is looking for. Whether or not this kind of question is successful depends on the number and quality of the answers. The number of great questions it receives seems irrelevant to me (unless of course, it is my question, lol)

@Bellatrix That’s happened to me before. I ask almost all my questions in social because I like everyone to have flexibility and have fun but on at least one occasion I had to pop onto my question to tell them than that I was glad that they were having fun but that I would really, really like it if someone actually answered my question, if they didn’t mind!

Comical or captivating in some way. Some questions are irritating because they come across like a sheriff trying to round up a posse, gallop up to the canyon and throw pesky varmits who have a different viewpoint off the cliff, and head back to the Lurve Mansion for a cross and skull bones party.

When it goes on for more than 100 comments, and turns into a food thread. =0)

<gets out the pancake griddle>