So I finally came out of my shell and tapped into my creative energies to start writing, I dont know much about it, only that I enjoy it and gives me a release of pent up energies and emotions, I decided I wanted to share my writing and discuss it with other people because they know more than I do, being just a beginner, I get on here and find I must review two other people's works to post my own, I don't know how to critique writing as I can barely write myself, so, following the rules, I found two poems I connected with and I gave praise on what I thought was good, I then happily posted my first poem and eagerly awaited either the flaming or praise, what I got was an admin telling me to further critique those two works to have my thread unlocked. Now I am confused, because I was hoping to find a place where I could share my work, but apparently I have to be a Literature Major working on my master's to post my work here, because my criticism isn't good enough. If I were a Literature Major working on my master's I wouldn't bother posting my work on some random forum, so with that being said I am sorely disappointed with the way this forum is run, and whatever genius admin's idea it was to make everyone masterfully critique someone else's work before submitting your own amateur work. To the admins, specifically Bonzai, you have run off a new writer, and I was hoping I could find a home for it here, but I need to learn somewhere else obviously. Thanks for nothing.
And thank you for showing me how bad life could be. Seriously though, it's not hard. And, to be fair, I posted critique on your poem; it was just hidden until you revised your commentaries on other peoples' work. And no, you don't have to be some literary master, because I somehow manage to critique people's writings in an effective manner. What this forum asks of you makes perfect sense: in critiquing other writing, you will better your own craftsmanship. You claim to want to improve your penmanship? Well this is how best to do it. Expose yourself to new ideas and you will grow as a writer my young friend. If you want to leave, go ahead. I hope you'll stay and give it a chance at least, though.
I had the same issue as zaneman. Exactly the same thing happened to me. I was a member of this forum years ago under another name (which no longer exists) and this place seemed to be more fun and free then. I'm going to take a break from here and maybe find a place that's a little less anal. Not mad, just disappointed
I can see what you're saying. You don't know too much about writing yourself and came here to improve yours, thus you want critique so that people can tell you what you're doing right and what you're doing wrong, with some suggestions and advice. However, I can see the logic in the rules here. If you learn to critique other people's work then you can improve your own - there is a section on 'reviewing' and I am sure that you can learn about things you need to analyse. Thus you can tear apart a person's writing and then tear your own a part. Writing is a lonely business normally, so one of the most important skills you need is the ability to critique, as you'll be critiquing your own work. And it seems that's where this forums encourages you to start. So believe it or not, critiquing other people's work is a step in the right direction for your own work - you can even learn from what other people are written this way, as for anything they do right, you can see a method that works. Though I don't see why it has to be a mandatory rule, as it'd give some beginners more of a chance to show off what they've written. I suppose it means more people get their work critiqued, as one of the frustrations on a writing forum I've found before is that you don't always get people critiquing your work. (though I've not had any critique since updating my piece) If you got any questions on critiquing, I'll do my best to answer...though Poetry is my number 1 weakness when it comes to writing, so for that I'm probably the worst person to turn to. You don't need to be literary genius for this. Like Marshmallow has said, at least give it a chance.
The rules here are made perfectly clear, and are applied to everyone equally. We don't require that you be "a Literature Major working on your master's", simply that you give constructive criticism. It's only fair that you contribute to the forum if you intend to gain from it. But that isn't the only reason for the rule. As Marshmallow said, if you learn how to constructively critique other peoples' works, then it well benefit yourself as well as them. What skills at deconstructing and editing the work of others can be applied to your own work. Editing is as much a part of being a writer as creating the first draft. The "reviews" you gave were single line comments, designed to allow you to post your own work as quickly as possible. This is a full participation workshop, as my fellow moderator Cogito is fond of saying. It is not a place for showcasing your work. There are plenty of other places on the internet if that's what you're looking for. So whine as much as you want, but you have been treated fairly, and no differently to other members. I'm sorry if anyone feels disappointed, but this is how this forum is run. Our being "anal" is only to maintain the environment of learning and improvement, which I think you'll find the majority of our members find useful and enjoyable. If you don't like the way we do things, you are of course welcome to find another forum. We don't make anyone participate on the forums, but if you want to be involved, then you must abide by the rules. EDIT: Oh, and the name's Banzai, by the way
For those who simply want to show off their work, the site provides a member blog. The problem is that many new members arrive and immediately make a beeline for the most likely looking place to post, without bothering to read the rules or take the time to find out how things are run. You know what the =y say about assuming. The last thing users see when they complete their registration is a strong suggestion to begin by posting in New Member Introductions. Those who do so invariably receive at least one message introducing them to the features and culture of the site, and linking to other onsite resource materilals. Those who are quickest to complain have never followed this suggestion. The Review Room is a critiquing workshop, and was never intended to be the first landing point for new members, although we do not actually block new membersfrom reading and posting there. This may be a mistake, but it is based on the supposition that those who aspire to write are also capable of reading and following directions. The workshop exists to help writers improve by honing their critiquing skills. Critiquing one's own work is an essential component of the editing and revision process, an aspect which is often underappreciated. The members of this site work hard to make the Review Room workshop deliver the best opportunity for writers to improve their writing. So if we seem less than sympathetic to the "just gimme some praise, dammit" crowd, those who think reviews are a service they are automatically entitled to -- so be it.
And for what it's worth, Hello Zane, Welcome to the Writing Forums. Posting your own work should not be among the very first things you do here. It is worth taking the time to see what other people have done to improve their writing, and see if some of it applies to your writing as well. That is part of why we require members to review other members' work before posting their own for review. On the other hand, there are no restrictions, other than content and copyright rules, on showcasing your work in your member blog. Also, be aware that posting a piece of writing on any public site, including this one, will greatly diminish your chances of selling it for publication. Removing the writing later does not alter that fact - once posted, it is irreversibly considered published. So do not post anything more than a small excerpt of any piece you are planning to submit for publication. If you haven't explored the site yet, you should probably do so soon. Newcomers often gravitate to the Lounge, the Word Games, or the Review Room, but there is much more to be discovered if you poke in the corners. Remember to check out our FAQ as well, and be sure to read through the forum rules, too, to avoid any misunderstandings or hurt feelings. Respect for one another is our principal mandate. As for the Review Room, new joiners often wonder why we do things a bit differently on this site than on other writing sites. We emphasize constructive critique as a vital writing skill. Training your eye by reviewing other people's work helps you improve your own writing even before you present it for others to see. Therefore, we ask members to review other people's writing before posting work of their own. The Review Room forums on this site, therefore, are true workshops, not just a bulletin board for displaying your work (and on that note, please only post each item for review in one Review Room forum). Also, please use the same thread for all revisions and additional excerpts from the same piece of writing. See this post, Why Write Reviews Before Posting My Work? for more information. And while you're looking around, don't forget to check out our Weekly Short Story Contest and Weekly Poetry Contest. They actually run more than one week apiece, but any member may enter, and all members are urged to vote for their favorites. Enjoy your stay here, and have fun!
Felt the same way at first. ... "Who am I as new writer to criticise other writers...." The thing is... 1. Why should others take the time to look at and comment on your stuff if you won't take the time to do the same to their's? 2. Taking the time to look at and critisize the works of other and look at other's comments will help you in your works. 3. If you are wrong in your comments, somebody will tell you and, hey, they may be right. Of course they may be wrong as well, but... Give the place a chance.
Dude, your reviews were like six words long. Kill your ego, keep writing, and get your ass back here. You just need to learn how to write a review, and to appreciate the value of reviewing. This site has resources on the latter and many fine examples of the former. It's kinda what it's built on. Ditto with you. I'd be lying if I said I've never gotten a little drama queen with the mods here before, but c'mon people, it's not that bloody hard.
There's a typo on that SS, sir. And it's very distracting. \ However, I do agree. Either leave or continue your stay here; regardless of your choice, make it and be done with it.
