The Pig Pen is a forum-based site, so everything you post remains on the boards rather than in a personal homepage or some other individualised compartment. This gives your work greater exposure as every member logging in will see your new post and have the opportunity to comment on it. Posts in the forums are organised according to the latest post, so as soon as someone comments on a thread it moves to the top of the list. Any member is welcome to comment on any thread.
Once you’re registered and logged in, you may start a thread in most forums outside the of poetry forums. Once you have given 3 approved pieces of feedback in the workshops you have the following to choose from:
Basic Critique Forum
If you’re new to poetry, or new to a particular style, the Basic Critique Forum is a good place to start. Critique here will be mild and supportive (not mindless praise though). We also suggest the Basic Critique Forum for people who are new to critique, as that too is a craft to be learned. At The Pig Pen, we do expect that anyone who posts their own poems will also comment on other people’s in at least a 1:1 ratio, hopefully more. We understand that it takes a while to become comfortable offering suggestions and feedback, but we do think it only fair that everyone makes the effort.
Mild to Moderate Critique Forum
If you have a poem you don’t really want scrutinised too closely, or if you just want to float it and see what people’s initial responses are, then Mild to Moderate Critique Forum is the right forum. Please bear in mind that “mild” doesn’t necessarily equate to “positive”; in the critique forums we ask that all comments are balanced but as honest as possible, so if someone doesn’t like your poem, they’re entitled to say so as long as they give you a reason. We expect that comments in the Mild to Moderate Critique Forum are constructive but not too involved.
Poems for Intensive Critique and Workshopping
This is the forum for Poems for Intensive Critique and Workshopping. If you post in Poems for Intensive Critique and Workshopping, you should expect to have every detail of your poem scrutinised and constructive suggestions made for improvement, as the reader deems necessary. As in Mild to Moderate Critique, however, we do ask that all comments are balanced but honest. If you’re commenting on a poem in Poems for Intensive Critique and Workshopping, bear in mind that this does not give you licence to insult or belittle the poet in any way. Destructive commenting techniques are not welcome at The Pig Pen.
Poetry Practice Exercises
This is the forum where you can practice and learn new and old Poetry forms.
Haiku and Senryu
For writers of the Japanese short forms, we have a special Haiku and Senryu forum. It’s expected that posters familiarise themselves with the basics of these forms before either posting their own poem or commenting on others.
Miscellaneous Poetry
Almost anything goes in Miscellaneous. If you have a poem with a picture, audio, some kind of experimental form, fusion, or just want to post without too much emphasis on critique, this is the forum for you. When you post a new poem here, you may indicate the kind of feedback you’re looking for; we ask that anyone commenting on a poem in Miscellaneous abides by the wishes of the original poster in this regard.
Poetry for Fun
This is just what it sounds like. The Fun forum is a place to take delight in playing about with poetry, being silly, making people laugh and generally enjoying yourself. Any kind of feedback is welcome as long as it’s not insulting or contravenes site rules. As this is an adult site, we do expect some innuendo and moderate bad language, but if it gets too rough for the general public a moderator will move the thread to The Pig’s Arse.
The Pig’s Arse
This is an adults only, just-about-anything-goes area for poetry, poking fun at poets, deep discussions about rude words and general poetry-related mayhem. It is a forum for letting off steam without fear of censorship – DO NOT go into The Pig’s Arse if you plan on being offended by anything.
Before you comment on another poet's work, or respond to a comment on your own work, we ask that you familiarise yourself with Critique and Feedback.
We look forward to seeing your poems soon!
Please note: Your poem may be moved at a moderator's discretion if it doesn't meet the forum requirements in some way. Rules for the critique forums will be at the top of the page when you click on the forum. Make sure you familiarise yourself with these rules before posting.
DO NOT post in more than one critique forum (novice, mild or serious) per day. This doesn't mean one poem in each, it means one poem in ANY.
Once you’re registered and logged in, you may start a thread in most forums outside the of poetry forums. Once you have given 3 approved pieces of feedback in the workshops you have the following to choose from:
Basic Critique Forum
If you’re new to poetry, or new to a particular style, the Basic Critique Forum is a good place to start. Critique here will be mild and supportive (not mindless praise though). We also suggest the Basic Critique Forum for people who are new to critique, as that too is a craft to be learned. At The Pig Pen, we do expect that anyone who posts their own poems will also comment on other people’s in at least a 1:1 ratio, hopefully more. We understand that it takes a while to become comfortable offering suggestions and feedback, but we do think it only fair that everyone makes the effort.
Mild to Moderate Critique Forum
If you have a poem you don’t really want scrutinised too closely, or if you just want to float it and see what people’s initial responses are, then Mild to Moderate Critique Forum is the right forum. Please bear in mind that “mild” doesn’t necessarily equate to “positive”; in the critique forums we ask that all comments are balanced but as honest as possible, so if someone doesn’t like your poem, they’re entitled to say so as long as they give you a reason. We expect that comments in the Mild to Moderate Critique Forum are constructive but not too involved.
Poems for Intensive Critique and Workshopping
This is the forum for Poems for Intensive Critique and Workshopping. If you post in Poems for Intensive Critique and Workshopping, you should expect to have every detail of your poem scrutinised and constructive suggestions made for improvement, as the reader deems necessary. As in Mild to Moderate Critique, however, we do ask that all comments are balanced but honest. If you’re commenting on a poem in Poems for Intensive Critique and Workshopping, bear in mind that this does not give you licence to insult or belittle the poet in any way. Destructive commenting techniques are not welcome at The Pig Pen.
Poetry Practice Exercises
This is the forum where you can practice and learn new and old Poetry forms.
Haiku and Senryu
For writers of the Japanese short forms, we have a special Haiku and Senryu forum. It’s expected that posters familiarise themselves with the basics of these forms before either posting their own poem or commenting on others.
Miscellaneous Poetry
Almost anything goes in Miscellaneous. If you have a poem with a picture, audio, some kind of experimental form, fusion, or just want to post without too much emphasis on critique, this is the forum for you. When you post a new poem here, you may indicate the kind of feedback you’re looking for; we ask that anyone commenting on a poem in Miscellaneous abides by the wishes of the original poster in this regard.
Poetry for Fun
This is just what it sounds like. The Fun forum is a place to take delight in playing about with poetry, being silly, making people laugh and generally enjoying yourself. Any kind of feedback is welcome as long as it’s not insulting or contravenes site rules. As this is an adult site, we do expect some innuendo and moderate bad language, but if it gets too rough for the general public a moderator will move the thread to The Pig’s Arse.
The Pig’s Arse
This is an adults only, just-about-anything-goes area for poetry, poking fun at poets, deep discussions about rude words and general poetry-related mayhem. It is a forum for letting off steam without fear of censorship – DO NOT go into The Pig’s Arse if you plan on being offended by anything.
Before you comment on another poet's work, or respond to a comment on your own work, we ask that you familiarise yourself with Critique and Feedback.
We look forward to seeing your poems soon!
Please note: Your poem may be moved at a moderator's discretion if it doesn't meet the forum requirements in some way. Rules for the critique forums will be at the top of the page when you click on the forum. Make sure you familiarise yourself with these rules before posting.
DO NOT post in more than one critique forum (novice, mild or serious) per day. This doesn't mean one poem in each, it means one poem in ANY.
It could be worse