I don't think there is any need to single out newcomers to the site. I've seen people here with all levels of post-count complaining about things. Hell, I've had a few threads here regarding aspects of the site I didn't understand. Newcomers just seem to pop up more because they haven't had time to fully explore the site and find their own answers.
I'm not being mean or picking on anyone. I am just making a statement of fact concerning this site. & here's mean (but in a nice way)... it's you're - you are. Not your. Conjunction, my dear.
The Review Room is a critiquing workshop. If you cannot find any areas for improvement, either you aren't looking hard enough, or perhaps you should start with an easier piece of writing. Every piece of writing can be improved. But it takes practice, and some effort. You will be a better writer for putting in the work. The "form letter", as you call it, contains information on what is expected and how to achieve it.
Here are some thoughts, guys: 1. It may be all in good fun to you, but "noob" is actually a rather offensive form of the word "newbie". It may not seem so to a casual user of the internet, but if you've ever been on a serious gaming site, you're sure to have seen the malice or contempt with which this term is thrown about. 2. We get a lot of new members who are young or new to writing. They may not understand exactly why we have the critique rule, or how it really benefits them. Being condescending towards them is not the best way to help them learn.
We were all noobs once. Most people learn the rules as they go. It's just that there are some 'noobs' that believe the rules should not apply to them, even after having those rules explained to them repeatedly, which is the main reason this entire thread was started. A few bad ones make all of them look bad.
I got nothing against noobs; it's irrational whiners I can't stand. You post something in the "Review Room", hoping to get some reviews (because you LOVE to get reviews!), and you do so on this site because for some mysterious reason people review the work of others a lot more here than in the other forums you've tried, and then you get positively outraged that the mods have the gall to tell you that you have write some reviews (like they told you as soon as you created your account). Anyone who does that sucks; it just happens that one is unlikely to stick around here for a long time and then spontaneously start bitching about the review policy.
Wow, as a noob myself I'd never have thought of it as offensive. You are what you are, new to the forum. Are we going to be so politically correct that now even this word is thought offensive to poor tender dears!? I've been called a lot of things in my time and believe me, being called a noob is the least offensive of them!
I think like others have said, if you jump in there and have a go at reviewing, you'll find its a very beneficial process for both the writer and YOURSELF. Stop whining and try it. ohh whats that sucking noise? oh that's my lips coming un stuck from the moderators asses!
Just like any pejorative word, different people have different reactions to it. I don't really care whether you feel I'm being "pc" or not, but the original intent of the word by those in the know was to deride others who hadn't been part of the community for as long. It contrasted with the spelling "newb", short for "newbie", which was a neutral term. You can choose to adapt it to your own uses, but that doesn't mean you can entirely strip it of it's connotations. As a writer, you should understand the meaning of the words you use, and if you choose to ignore part of it once you know, go ahead--it's your choice.
As a writer you should be open to new things and different ways of seeing and doing things. Just being pretentious doesn't make someone any better.
Lol. Right back at you. I gave you a new way to look at the word "noob", and you've decided that makes me pretentious. So, which is it? Are new perspectives pretentious or valuable?
What?! I never knew. Sorry!!! What is a constructive review? Is there a thread that I can read up on this?
Heya, ILoveWriting! Check out "constructive critique" topic https://www.writingforums.org/showthread.php?t=20627
I agree. I joined this forum because something was wrong with my writing and I didn't know how to fix it. Now I can't get a critique unless I'm constructive. How can I express what's wrong or what's right with another person's work if I can't do it for myself? I've done the best I can, but frankly, I don't really think I'm helping anyone and I know I'm not helping myself.
Don't think of it as reviewing someone's work as a fellow writer, think of it as reviewing their work through the eyes of a reader. Before I was ever focused on improving my writing, I would read books and think "this sentence could have been constructed better" or "I don't know if I would have phrased that this way." That's all you have to do to critique. If something bothers you or you feel it could read better, tell the writer. Don't lose heart, it gets easier the more you do it, and it will help you with your own writing because you'll slowly learn to look at your writing not just as a writer would, but also as your readers might.
There are thousands of critiques on here. i don't think enough people (whom struggle or feel they struggle with critiquing) go out of their way to read some. It takes very little to be helpful. Think to many people feel they have to perfect the craft. Part of this sites plan is to help the critiquer's over time, not just to help those who want their work critiqued (If anything its all about the former). I struggled at first, but given time, i think i do a pretty decent job now. The absolute truth!
