Why don't people simply post their excerpts as .pdf attachments? I've been on another writing forum where that is not only practiced, it is encouraged. It just seems a lot easier to post an attachment of an excerpt, or even an entire copy of your work (if someone expresses interest in more). In that way, it is easier to read, pages are easier measured, and formatting, as in Novels, Poems, and Screenplays, can be easily held.
Not necessarily. I could put a .pdf file on one side of the screen, and the reply screen to the left. In theory, it would actually be easier. Plus, you could easily post much longer pieces of work.
The workshop is intended to make it easy to copy excerpts from the original post and comment specifically on them. Consider the writing in the Workshop to be in manuscript. The critiquer should not be distracted by formatting or inventive layout. The focus stays on the writing.
The main reason I commented on this fact was because of Screenplays. As a Screenwriter, I find it hard to read a script that is formatted incorrectly as it is hard to read. Example: Int. Writing forum - night THAIQR lies on the couch with his laptop lying on his chest. He TAPS away attentively. thaiqr I just feel like this is a lot easier to read than the previous excerpt.
I disagree. I have to save it to view it. What if I view a lot of works, i'll have to save all of them =__=
My god, I read that last post and actually felt myself think, "Oh GOD." I don't want random files clogging up my Downloads folder. I don't want to have to wait for Adobe to open. For a screenplay, yes, I can kind of understand it. Really, though, I want to critique line-by-line. If it's just in .pdf, I have to copy and paste from that, and sometimes people make it impossible to copy and paste (or even print) a .pdf because they're worried about it being stolen or whatever (something I do, by the way). So yeah... not a great idea.
The main root for my disdain of just pasting an excerpt is simply because I will be posting excerpts of Screenplays, and it distracts me when I read an improperly formatted Screenplay and other people may feel the same. Looking at my work formatted not only incorrectly, but in a way that makes it look cluttered and inaesthetic makes me feel the work isn't at it's potential. Like the difference between a sketch and a painting.
