Hi guys I hate to have to say this but I really feel the need to say it. The rude crits have to stop. Criticizing someones work in a professional and tactful manner is a must. People who post are often nervous and sensitive about posting in the first place and I really emphasize that we give people the respect they deserve for posting at all. Without people who had the desire to write there would be no writing forum. I'm not going to tolerate the kind of negative stuff I have been seeing from some users here lately because the large majority of you guys are awesome and dont deserve it. For those of you who dont mean to be rude but sometimes come across that way, please take extra care to choose your words wisely and sensitively. Its ok to say you dont like something and why..but the stuff i have been seeing lately goes way beyond critiquing and more along the lines of trashing. For those of you affected by that garbage, you have my apologies and promise that if I see it going on I will deal with it. If you see it first, PM the mods or report the post and it will be deal with posthaste. The forum is getting bigger and harder to manage for us Mods out here, so please, dont suffer in silence. If you have a problem, let us know We are all pretty nice and most of us dont bite
On requesting crits Along the same lines: I also notice that some of you post some of your stuff and are a bit overly sensitive about some of the crits you receive. Some people who have posted decent crits have gotten some barbs fired back at them as if they posted something personal and derogatory when in reality they didnt. Being able to express yourself and your work is important, but always try to reread a negative crit and just make sure you arent misreading it. Feedback, both positive and negative is so important in writing because it helps us grow as writers. If you post something here, understand that some people just plain won't like it. Agents and publishers are that way too. Above all, please, just be kind to each other. If we all snipe at each other, before long, people will be afraid to post anything at all, and I sincerely dont want to see that happen.
These are both very good pointers and guidlines. I must admit I've noticed a few members have been using tactless crit, posting uncalled comments. ~Raven.
Ya..which is why I posted this. It scares people away and doesn't help the community to grow at all. This place has grown a lot in the last month or so and it's been really nice to see active posting every day! When I first came here it was a good day if there was more than 5 posts! Now we have pages of posts daily. I just dont want the growth to stop. We have lots of poets, and we are getting more writers from other areas that are checking us out. I would like them to see an environment where people help each other, not one that makes them scared to be a part of us.
I agree. Comments which have no contructism and are idiotic should not and will not be tolerated. It's a writing forum, we have to be strict.
I totally agree. I think if a member can't find anything constructive to Critique then don't. ~Raven.
I definately agree with this. I have had people pm me asking me for my opinion on whether their crits were too harsh because someone had taken them the wrong way. One member in particular was very upset over the reaction to his crit and there was nothing wrong with it, it was just a constructive crit and has sadly left the forum. It is great when crits are recieved in my opinion becuase it helps us to become better at what we do. I have also spoken with a few people and they have told me that they don't feel comfortable critting peoples work any more because of people taking constructive crits the wrong way. But like has been said, if it is constuctive then yeah great, but if people are just going to give each other verbal bashings over the posts, then it really will cause a lot of people to walk out and turn others off joining. That would be terrible because this is a great forum and growing stronger all the time.
Personally, i try not to critique at this point because I honestly dont really feel I know enough to be able to comment beyond 'I like it' or 'I dont like it!' I haven't written in a long time, so putting work out there is a huge step for me, but I have had such constructive advice from what I have here, that I am glad I did so. It has been honest, tactful, and above all, helpful. I have not put a lot up, still becoming brave... but I think you can be critical without being nasty or rude, I hope its always my experience!
i agree with a lot of what you are saying, but i do feel i have to disagree with when you said that comments such as "it's good" are bad. even if the person has nothing better to say, i still feel grateful to hear them say they like it, lmaoo. also i find myself that it can be hard critiqing other peoples work. i feel as if i am not qualified to make comments, as i am young and the other person might have more expierience than me. but i feel as if i have to critique so many peoples work to make up for the people that give comments on mine. lol. also, this might not be the place to ask this but does anyone know what illegitimate author means, as i came across the term earlier and i don't know what it means. thanks heather
Indeed - I agree with what has been said. Of course, those small comments such as 'good work,' or the like, aren't particularly constructive, but, as was said, they can be good for the confidence. However, 'I didn't like it' isn't quite the same - there must be a reason, although the same could be said for the positive comment. I felt a bit like that when I started in the forum (I'm 14 - a lot younger than most here). I think it's about finding your own style of critiquing as much as anything else - I tend to find that quoting an excerpt and highlighting the errors that I've found works for me and my critiquing style, and thus I've gained some confidence.
I don't think it's overrated, but I do think it's important to remember that making the author feel good is not the number one goal. The point of posting feedback is to help the author to understand what it is that you feel, in your opinion, are weaknesses (or strengths) in their work, and how those weaknesses might be addressed. I don't think there's any place for 'brutal' honesty, just honesty, and we shouldn't have to concern ourselves too greatly with the sensibilities of the author, as long as our comments are honest and attempt to address those weaknesses. The author has to accept responsibility for receiving the comments posted with the required degree of maturity. Comments that offend should simply be ignored, along with comments that we, as authors, disagree with or choose not to follow. Writing requires us to develop a thick skin. The sooner, the better. Cheers, Rob
I am fairly new to these forums but I so far I find that the feedback is good and honest. I think it's important for everyone to remember that we are all looking to find ways to improve our skills advice and critiques should be welcomed. Good or bad.
To be honest, there are a couple of people here that act like they are up themselves. This is from my point of view. But Although I know that they are giving their opinion and are critting in their own way, it doesn't help when massivly over the top words are used and some people have to hunt down a dictionary to find out what the heck they mean. While being nice is not the number one priority, it should be in the top five because being too mean and harsh can put many, young and old, new writers off writing. We need more people out there that can dream!
Hey, I'm 22 and a bit and I still don't know crap about critting other than the same-old same-old I like your stuff!
dreaming is ok for the writer, but to give a valid, helpful critique, honesty, reality and practicality have to be a priority... otherwise, one is merely patting the writer on the back and not helping him/her to improve what needs improving... that said, an honest, realistic, practical-minded critique can and should be delivered with kindness, not in terms that could be seen as an attack, rather than a helping hand... one major problem is that so many new writers see any criticism as an attack and fail to see the honesty and helpfulness that's meant...
I know I did when I first got a bad crit. When I actually looked back, it was childish on my part for not realising this. I have gotten snippy a few more times so I've got to learn to accept reasonable crits, even if they are given to other people. I think in future that I should try and look the crits over a few times and refrain from replying straight away when I'm angry or irritated. Past incidents have dictated that to reply to a crit in the heat or rush of defensivness is probably not the best idea!
Crits play a vital role in helping writers to improve their skills, without them there is little hope of us improving to a point where others will enjoy our work as much as we do. In response to a crit whether you like it or not, or whether it is constructive or not, I feel that we should all be greatful that someone has taken time to read over our work and comment on it. If it is a negative crit then so be it, but not everyone thinks and feels the same, just remember that no matter what it is your work and at the end of the day you don't have to listen to what people say, but it does help if you can look at a crit and think, yeah ok Bobbie said this about my piece, so therefore if I do this or maybe that then maybe it could improve my piece. If you have a problem with a comment by someone the best thing to do is ignore it, but if the comment is going overboard then discuss it with someone, possibly a moderator and have the problem resolved rather than stew on it. ~Torana
