I don't mind saying that after READING THE RULES ; I feel rather intimidated. Lots of shouting and threats to boot. I have absolutely no idea where or how to start, let alone give critiques that follow the letter to the rule. "Watch out! ... if you do this or don't ...." This would be writer is not so much as afraid to start on a blank page, but more so frightened after reading the forum guidelines and it's tone. Certainly not a place for newbies. That's my first and only critique - Forgive me for posting in the wrong place. Moving On - to find a more suited place that allows exceptions to the rules - specifically with newcomers in mind. No need to defend - I will not be back, although somehow sense, my words will fall on deaf ears. Best of luck with your forum.
Am I right in thinking that this is the first time that the Guidelines have been critiqued? Personally, my problem with them was a lack of action, character development, credible dialogue and plot!
Oh dear. The rest of us who joined up and were willing to stick to the starter rules do enjoy the forum a lot. So it's @Davekyn's loss, really. The rules are there for a reason, and the reason isn't to intimidate newbies. It's to make newbies realise they need to contribute to the forum, not just take from it. Learning how to do a good critique—the kind you would find helpful to receive yourself—is one way to promote the spirit of our group. Being expected to do critiques if you want critiques in return, seems fair to me. If that's a 'rule' too far, then a different forum will certainly be a better choice.
If you really want to be a professional writer, you'll have to develop a thicker skin. An automated list of guidelines shouldn't spook you. What's going to happen when someone critiques your work? You can leave that's your choice, but why not stick around and not snap to a hasty decision. Lots of good people here with great advice. My writing has changed for the better just from joining this site.
And not only do some have more on other sites you can wait over a month before anyone reads your stuff - and that's not a one time deal, that can be on a regular basis.
Well, any demeanor that can exist will exist eventually. By definition, a community such as this cannot cater to either end of the bell-curve where the least number of examples from the population will reside. We must place our focus on the middle, and in this I feel we do a good job. I am confident in this because the complaints only ever seem to really come from one end or the other. The ones in the middle are busy making use of the venue.
Halloween came early in the form of...(wait for it...)....structured reciprocity and community involvement! The fright of effort. The guidelines set the ground rules, keep the community active, and curb the trolling, I fail to see how this is a turnoff.
This reminds me of the good ol' days when members would get banned for breaking the rules, sign up for a new account, and post things like, "Why did mean, stupid Cognito delete my thread and ban me?" They always spelled his name wrong. Always.
This post has a familiar tone -- a kind of put-upon, woe-is-me kind of outlook. Members with that mindset have not served us well, so we're better off with the OP not sticking around. He can wallow in his misery elsewhere.
Ha! I miss those days in a weird way. It was sort of fun to see some idiot come up and down like a wack-a-mole.
A quote from the late, great Robin Williams in his role as Mrs. Doubtfire just popped into my head when I read this. "Oh, sir! I saw it all. It was a run by fruiting. Some angry member of the kitchen staff. Did you not tip them enough?" - Mrs. Doubtfire
There will always be one like this. You can't please everyone, and if you try to, you end up pleasing no one. I hate to think how this writer will react to the first rejection letter.
Use the letter as tissue. Also, I like the tone of the OP; it's like we're missing out on some hot item or something. "You could've had me, but now I'm gone, and I'm gonna rub it in your face, since you couldn't have ever possibly done anything else."
