11-18-2012, 10:59 PM
@ Twisted angel. I hope you can please take some encouragment from this reply. I do not think of myself as an acomplished writer ( I'm flattered ...and a bit stunned that you would think this). Yes I have been writting for some yrs now, but i've lacked the confidence to show anyone. Posting on a forum was the scariest thing i've done in a long time (sad I know!)...But it is also the best thing I have done in terms of moving my writing forward. I wished i'd done it years ago. Like you, I am also extreamly nervous about giving any form of critique...most of the time I'm clueless what to write and then when I go back and look at the other comments I feel so inadequate and incompetant....especially when i seam to get the wrong end of the stick so often.
But...I'm finding that by having the opportunity to read and join in with so many other writers, has restored my passion for writing. Most notably the insight and the inspiration from reading the other comments and comparing them to my own thoughts. Many of the other sites only allow for shallow platitudes and whilst this allows for plenty of the aforementioned warm & fluffy moments in life, it doesn't really move anything forward in terms of developing your craft. I totaly get the point of Billy's original rant, I don't think he was having a go at anyone for thier lack of critique skill or knowledge...I read it as more to do with people valuing the (mostly) unique aspect of this site and being prepared to have a go.
I totaly agree that we are not in a sprint in this enterprise, and you might well be right in your evaluation of the demographics of how a forum operates.... however, i would encourage anyone reading this to give the critique a go. I am finding that the challenge of writing a critique is changing how I approach my own writing and feel that I'm actually improving the quality of my own efforts though reading and critiquing others. Sorry for the verbose reply here...was stuggling to get the right words out! I hope you can see some encouragment in this.
But...I'm finding that by having the opportunity to read and join in with so many other writers, has restored my passion for writing. Most notably the insight and the inspiration from reading the other comments and comparing them to my own thoughts. Many of the other sites only allow for shallow platitudes and whilst this allows for plenty of the aforementioned warm & fluffy moments in life, it doesn't really move anything forward in terms of developing your craft. I totaly get the point of Billy's original rant, I don't think he was having a go at anyone for thier lack of critique skill or knowledge...I read it as more to do with people valuing the (mostly) unique aspect of this site and being prepared to have a go.
I totaly agree that we are not in a sprint in this enterprise, and you might well be right in your evaluation of the demographics of how a forum operates.... however, i would encourage anyone reading this to give the critique a go. I am finding that the challenge of writing a critique is changing how I approach my own writing and feel that I'm actually improving the quality of my own efforts though reading and critiquing others. Sorry for the verbose reply here...was stuggling to get the right words out! I hope you can see some encouragment in this.