Has Anyone Noticed...

[loganforester]

I never dared put anything in there.

I'm a masochist that way. lol. I'd love to have a story of mine dissected in that detail, how else do you improve except by detailed constructive feedback. I feel like a drug addict some days, just begging for more feedback. Can never have enough.

 

[_Lynn_]

I'm a masochist that way. lol. I'd love to have a story of mine dissected in that detail, how else do you improve except by detailed constructive feedback. I feel like a drug addict some days, just begging for more feedback. Can never have enough.

Feedback yes. The Story Discussion Circle is a bit different though.

 

[loganforester]

Feedback yes. The Story Discussion Circle is a bit different though.

True enough. I've enjoyed reading back through some of the previous discussions to get an idea of what people are looking at. It's helpful, but I don't grasp everything they talk about.

 

[Elianna]

I don't mean to point any fingers at anyone. Just wanted to make that clear. I feel like I am the absolute WORST person to critique. I have no background in English. I just read a lot. However, since I raised the call, I'm willing to try my hand at it.

Maybe more people are willing to do that too?

I never did the Story Discussion Circle. It sounds like another tool we are abandoning, though.

 

[_Lynn_]

I don't mean to point any fingers at anyone. Just wanted to make that clear. I feel like I am the absolute WORST person to critique. I have no background in English. I just read a lot. However, since I raised the call, I'm willing to try my hand at it.

Maybe more people are willing to do that too?

I never did the Story Discussion Circle. It sounds like another tool we are abandoning, though.

The SDC looks empty. It needs reviving as well.

I'm thinking about it though. Shredding something of mine might not make my day, but I should learn from it.

 

[Elianna]

The SDC looks empty. It needs reviving as well.

I'm thinking about it though. Shredding something of mine might not make my day, but I should learn from it.

Yeah. That's scary. I don't know if I'm brave enough, yet. I still struggle with the basics.

That's why I miss the SF Forum. For those of us still learning, it's a great place to get mutiple comments and feedback from many different types of writers. Think about Darkniciad's writing, versus your writing and editing experience and then someone like Marsh Alien and Tex. Each person has a unique style and looks for different things. That's what made the SF Forum cool. Sometimes people would get into their own debate over something and we'd all learn.

Oh. I also dream of a thread to manage "Hey, where is this story?" questions. Then the clutter of that crap could go away.

 

[_Lynn_]

Yeah. That's scary. I don't know if I'm brave enough, yet. I still struggle with the basics.

That's why I miss the SF Forum. For those of us still learning, it's a great place to get mutiple comments and feedback from many different types of writers. Think about Darkniciad's writing, versus your writing and editing experience and then someone like Marsh Alien and Tex. Each person has a unique style and looks for different things. That's what made the SF Forum cool. Sometimes people would get into their own debate over something and we'd all learn.

Oh. I also dream of a thread to manage "Hey, where is this story?" questions. Then the clutter of that crap could go away.

Maybe if enough of us get back in the SF and SDC we can get the crap out of there again. I know I am super busy most days but a few minutes would help me as well. I learned a lot when I had 'El Paso' in the SF for sure.

 

[Elianna]

Maybe if enough of us get back in the SF and SDC we can get the crap out of there again. I know I am super busy most days but a few minutes would help me as well. I learned a lot when I had 'El Paso' in the SF for sure.

Do you think this thread is enough to bust some butts and get people back?

 

[_Lynn_]

Do you think this thread is enough to bust some butts and get people back?

A few but enough? I don't know.

Keep the thread going every day as a reminder for a while, I'd suggest.

 

[Elianna]

A few but enough? I don't know.

Keep the thread going every day as a reminder for a while, I'd suggest.

Okay. Can do. I'm going to bed tonight. I'll bump it tomorrow morning.

 

[Darkniciad]

It would be nice to give the Review thread here a shot of life, too. I doubt it would ever get back to daily reviews, but at least semi-regular reviews to expose everyone to something that they might have otherwise missed would be nice.

 

[_Lynn_]

Okay. Can do. I'm going to bed tonight. I'll bump it tomorrow morning.

Me too, it's way late and I'm way old.

 

[freshface]

My induction to the entire forum was via the Story Feedback Forum. Jenny Jackson tore me apart. It was SO helpful. It makes me sad that the people who are really good critics have fled. Oftentimes I would read the critiques of other people's stories and apply them to my own.

Is there a way to revive it and direct it back to its original purpose? Are people still willing to critique and be helpful?

I think the forum started dying when Jenny left. You could always count on her for insightful criticism and that would often spark discussions from Gnome, Darkniciad, SR71, and some of the others who used to hang out there. Somehow, without her to start the discussions, they didn't happen as often. Getting positive feedback from her on my first story was incredibly encouraging.

I agree, the comments I read there directed at other stories gave me a lot to think about. I don't know that I have the ability to explain why something doesn't work in a story, but I share your wish that the forum be revived.

 

[Guest]

I think the forum started dying when Jenny left. You could always count on her for insightful criticism and that would often spark discussions from Gnome, Darkniciad, SR71, and some of the others who used to hang out there. Somehow, without her to start the discussions, they didn't happen as often. Getting positive feedback from her on my first story was incredibly encouraging.

I agree, the comments I read there directed at other stories gave me a lot to think about. I don't know that I have the ability to explain why something doesn't work in a story, but I share your wish that the forum be revived.

I still chime in on the SF occasionally and on the Editors' Forum; it depends whether the story interests me. (I just left a short critique of Dark's experiment.) I've spent more time editing the work of some fairly novice writers.

I will say that not too long ago I received a number of constructive comments from the SF when I posted a link to a story that had done fairly well, but not great. There still signs of life on the forum.

 

[Selena_Kitt]

Things go in cycles... there have been periods of activity and inactivity in all of those places. Although, while I don't regret it, I think the "review" thread was a pretty overambitious undertaking. I'm rather glad we weren't reviewing over the past few years, though, considering the seemingly endless Survivor chapters that cluttered up the new list every day...

I have very little free time to contribute... but I'd support the stated goals:

1. Revive the "review" thread
2. Revive the SDC
3. Revive the Feedback forum

Really all it requires is a time injection from people here...and a willingness to contribute.

Not too much to ask, right?

 

[freshface]

I still chime in on the SF occasionally and on the Editors' Forum; it depends whether the story interests me. (I just left a short critique of Dark's experiment.) I've spent more time editing the work of some fairly novice writers.

I will say that not too long ago I received a number of constructive comments from the SF when I posted a link to a story that had done fairly well, but not great. There still signs of life on the forum.

I didn't mean to suggest that you had stopped helping authors. I see your posts in the Editor's Forum too. It just seemed like it was much more active when I first came here.

 

[tickledkitty]

Thanks, Elianna. I've been thinking the same thing. I feel like I started out there too. Not just with the writing, but I made some good friends there, as well.

I was pretty active there, giving feedback and trying to help people for a while. It seems like those who do give feedback are criticized (sometimes in a very nasty way by other writers, and not the ones seeking the feedback in the first place), and that has been a big turn off for me. Lots of threads seemed to degenerate into arguments between those "trying to help", leaving the original poster confused and upset.

I actually put a story up there almost two years ago, my first one, and I found the comments to be extremely helpful. I also found a really good editor. Honestly, I think that experience was beneficial to me in so many ways.

Anyway, I will make an effort to pop in now and then too.

Thanks, again.

 

[Guest]

I didn't mean to suggest that you had stopped helping authors. I see your posts in the Editor's Forum too. It just seemed like it was much more active when I first came here.

I didn't take your comment that way... no worries!

 

[Laurel]

What a coincidence! Just yesterday I found myself cleaning spam in the SDC (which I am ashamed to admit I hadn't looked at in a while) and was astonished to find there wasn't any SDing in the C. I've been wondering if I should go and move all the non-SDC threads into more appropriate forums. However, if anyone here is interesting in Modding the SDC and bringing it back on track (clean up the offtrack threads, get the discussions happening again), I'd be happy to make you an SDC Mod! Drop me a PM if you're interested.

As for the Story Feedback Forum - I wonder if perhaps readers are utilizing the on-story feedback threads instead of the forum? The Feedvback Portal is here:
http://www.literotica.com/stories/feedbackportalv2.php

 

[CrimsonMaiden]

I haven't done much in the feedback forum, but the very first story I wrote I put in the SDC. It was a very frightening (lol) but helpful experience. I think it would be great if we could get that forum up and running regularly again.

 

[Selena_Kitt]

As for the Story Feedback Forum - I wonder if perhaps readers are utilizing the on-story feedback threads instead of the forum? The Feedvback Portal is here:
http://www.literotica.com/stories/feedbackportalv2.php

Readers do read the on-story feedback - and writers, too... but the forum provides something a little different, I think. It gets more in-depth and provides more of a dialogue (LW cat. notwithstanding which always sparks plenty of debate and takes up a lot of the on-story feedback page!) and probably more real help for an author in the writing process.

The SDC is more intimidating, though, but really really useful if you can get the courage up to post your story. I know Pure was mod... then Penny? Has the SDC been abandoned, in terms of a mod, then?

It's funny how so many will complain that no one talks about writing in the forums, but there's plenty of place/opportunity, if you really wanted to do so!

 

[damppanties]

I know Pure was mod... then Penny? Has the SDC been abandoned, in terms of a mod, then?

I still thought Pure was a mod there. Haven't been there for a while though.

 

[CrimsonMaiden]

Penny and Pure are listed as mods, though from what I can tell, Pure hasn't done much modding lately, and Penny's presence there (from looking at her previous posts) was a bit spotty. I'm sure they've both been busy with personal stuff. It happens to everyone.

I volunteered to help out. It would be nice though if someone else would also volunteer so there would be two active mods to try and get things moving again.

Who wants to be the first one to jump in with a story to critique? The new Queue thread is up.

 

[Elianna]

I think the forum started dying when Jenny left. You could always count on her for insightful criticism and that would often spark discussions from Gnome, Darkniciad, SR71, and some of the others who used to hang out there.

I don't know that I have the ability to explain why something doesn't work in a story, but I share your wish that the forum be revived.

I feel the same way. I feel like a novice writer (especially considering all the little things I do incorrectly), but I also think that everyone has their strengths and weaknesses. Maybe you could do more than you think.

I was pretty active there, giving feedback and trying to help people for a while. It seems like those who do give feedback are criticized (sometimes in a very nasty way by other writers, and not the ones seeking the feedback in the first place), and that has been a big turn off for me. Lots of threads seemed to degenerate into arguments between those "trying to help", leaving the original poster confused and upset.

Anyway, I will make an effort to pop in now and then too.

Thanks, again.

I've seen that happen on threads in the Editor's Forum, too. However, until the actual mud-slining happens, the lively debates have taught me a great deal, too. Just like here on the AH, we have to practice to be kind to each other. I'm glad you'll be back!

Readers do read the on-story feedback - and writers, too... but the forum provides something a little different, I think. It gets more in-depth and provides more of a dialogue (LW cat. notwithstanding which always sparks plenty of debate and takes up a lot of the on-story feedback page!) and probably more real help for an author in the writing process.

It's funny how so many will complain that no one talks about writing in the forums, but there's plenty of place/opportunity, if you really wanted to do so!

I hope I wasn't complaining too loud. I was just a little appalled when I went there, threw something up to get some good feedback on and then heard crickets. YIKES! Then I started reading the threads. YIKES YIKES! I know I'll make it more of a habit to check on there, too.

And if you guys don't mind a beginner trying to practice looking critically at things, I'll try to critique helpfully, too.

 

[Selena_Kitt]

I hope I wasn't complaining too loud. I was just a little appalled when I went there, threw something up to get some good feedback on and then heard crickets. YIKES! Then I started reading the threads. YIKES YIKES! I know I'll make it more of a habit to check on there, too.[/COLOR][/I]

I wasn't complaining about you, m'dear.