I've hesitated and ummed and ahhed (sp?) about whether to post this. I don't know if this is the right place to post this. It's not advice, it's a question. It is intended to stir a reaction - but it is not intended to stir argument or resentment. It is certainly not a vehicle for anyone to make comments directed at individuals. If that happens, I'll probably delete. (If I must, I'll put my helmet on and suffer comments directed at me.)
Of all the pieces I've posted on GW, this is the least considered. That's not to say I've not thought about some of the possible reactions. I've just not spent ages considering the words I'm about to use.
In the last year, I've become very fond of this place. It's given me an outlet for writing that for twenty years has seen nothing but the inside of a draw or the waste paper basket. More than that, it's given me the confidence, through reviews and private messages, to start to submit things to paying publications and agents.
GW works so well because members contribute to the reviewing process that helps and supports other members. It's been pretty quiet on the posting front of late - but even quieter on the reviewing front.
There are a handful of active reviewers, a few that contribute a little, and many that give very little or nothing.
This is a community. What's happening to it?
Or is it just my imagination?
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Written by Phil (8763 comments posted) 11th September 2007 | Must be my imagination.
Hello?
Anybody there? | well Phil...
Written by patterjack (1927 comments posted) 11th September 2007 | ...you know my views from our correspondence.
I rarely come to this segment -- but i just could not let it be like the rose born to blush unseen on desert air .
You do a great job yourself in reviewing -- though as I have remarked to you , you are often over solicitous in avoiding giving offence .
patterjack |
Written by Fledermaus (4146 comments posted) 11th September 2007 | Hi Phil.
For every work I post I usually review 3 works in the same section. I have to admit my reviews may not always be too informative, but that's another discussion.
Since most works get at least one review, this means that on average people review more than they write. Yet indeed, there are a few people like yourself, who review nearly everything, while there others who hardly review at all. I suspect though, that these are also the people who don't stay very long. |
Written by Gill21 (594 comments posted) 12th September 2007 | I didn't even know this wee bit existed! Anyway i thought i'd give my tuppence worth.
You, my dear Phil, are a shiny penny on this site. You review nearly EVERYTHING (do you time travel? You must tell me how on earth you manage to find the time) and i know many people, including i, are very grateful for your time and advice. I am not a great reviewer, but i do try wherever i can and always repay a review with a review, even if it is not the most helpful.
I have reviewed a lot of pieces however, and not so much as received a thank you, but there are worse things in life so i don't worry myself over it. I am lucky that my pieces get more attention than most, probably because i have been a member a while.
This site has been great for me too. In many more ways than one. We all get different things out of it i suppose.
Anyway, don't worry yourself! You know your pieces at least will never be left unread  |
Written by Livinginanattic (473 comments posted) 13th September 2007 | Only just found out about this piece when I saw it mentioned elsewhere on the site.
I think the source of the problem could be the strongly worded complaints which have appeared in the last few months regarding the quality of reviews. I think it's made a lot of people wary of posting comments, particularly the newer members who were never the object of those criticisms anyway.
Personally I've been happy with the quality of reviews I've received. Even if they're not perfect at least somebody has made the effort, which is much appreciated.
I'm sure the dust will settle soon and the site will be back to its old self.
Cheers,
Ben
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Written by fellpony (2924 comments posted) 14th September 2007 | I read your piece in Non Fiction first and that prompted me to come over here - the piece in NF is the better one of the two, I think. I thought when I read it that it ought to be on here.
I suspect some of the quietude is due to summer holidays (belated though summer has been). Like all online communities activity comes and goes depending on the priorities of the members. However, I think it's when things get too anodyne that the sparkle goes out of the site, and its reviewers (I, at least) feel that it doesn't matter whether they review or not ... Personally I like to see a good slanging match going on and passions running high, so long as it's the writing and not the writers who are being slagged-off! |
Written by Bottleblondesurfer (5077 comments posted) 16th September 2007 | Hi,Phil, after reading this I feel a little gulity as I have not been contributing to the site for a while. For me it just isn't as much fun as it used to be. I was recently verbally abused and insulted for a review I gave. I wouldn't have minded if it was a post,anything is fair game then, but this was a review. I'm no stranger to criticism and am used to verbal horse-play but there is a nasty bullying edge to it now, without the wit or warmth. It's all a bit too serious and ernest now, the fun has gone out of it.You may argue that writing is serious business and should not be taken lightly and if so there is even more reason for me to stay away. People need to be encouraged to review and this won't happen if it is regarded as something you have to get right...or else. For me the spark has gone out of it
That's what i think
Jane | Reviewing
Written by Bats (13 comments posted) 12th October 2007 | Hi Phil,
Although this post is a bit old now, it's still fairly relevant so I'll chance this finding you. I'm new to the site and was expecting reviewing to be mainly of a poetic focus. I've found, though, that the poetry side hardly gets a mention compared with the message/meaning content. In fact, as I write, quite a few have posted poems that are really messages to individuals - which get a response for the message, as you would expect, but nothing on the poem. Most reviews may be of prose for all the mention that poetic crafts gets! I haven't had time to fully explore, hopefully there's advice about how to review/critique poetry somewhere????
Bats | Another late post on this thread
Written by Toad (118 comments posted) 29th October 2007 | My visits to the site fluctuate with the amount of writing I'm doing and my level of business in the rest of my life. I hadn't noticed much of a change recently in the mood of the site.
Like Fledermaus, I try to post more reviews than works. I think that even simple reviews are much appreciated, they are by me at least.
As I see it, negative reviews are tough to give, but I appreciate them greatly because they legitimize the positive reviews that one gives. | How fitting for me to read?
Written by solst (34 comments posted) 18th August 2008 | Hi Phil,
I am a indeed a newcomer and have reviewed 4 or 5 pieces of writing already, in various places on this site - some are probably not considered as work, but I'm sure I'll cotton on eventually.
My only piece of writing on this site seems to be quite apt right now. I am considering exploring the concept much further, but I'll need to crawl before I can time travel. I am kind of concerned at the moment that I am not developing enough and although I think reviewing work is massively important, in the past I was so intent on receiving the right kind of criticism, I reviewed hundreds of pieces of work and never actually finished the piece I was working on. I guess I became disheartened. My point is that I need to try and write good articles, or just write good, before I review too much. I doubt there is anything I can say that will really help matters, other than a show of my general respect and appreciation for the writing people have produced. That said, I know too well how much of a boast a simple review can be, so I will certainly introduce myself when time permits.
I am in the US at the moment, working crazy length days, but yet the most important thing to me is this Article.
The community depends on mutual participation. I'll do my best to do my bit.
By the way; it was chance that I came across this. I'm starting to feel as if I am in quite a small building and might irritate people before too long. I hope not!
Regards,
Solst |
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