SUPPORT OUR WRITERS!

I joined this group because I wrote a story and this seemed like the group to show it to. I posted it week ago and have had only one comment from this group. I have noticed that I am not the only writer to be ignored. We need to support the writers out here with our comments.

I know that I am thinking of expanding my story (The Final Round: A Story) and want/need feedback (good and bad). So please read and comment on the submissions of the writers out here..

Rick-

I, like you, had high expectations but have since tempered them. You'll find that contributions in this group - whether in the form of original pieces or feedback - come in fits and bursts.

You ever go surfing? I find this group is a lot like my experience while I was living and surfing in Waikiki.

When out in the ocean with your board, there's a time when you have to just "hang-out" off shore in the line-up and spend a lot of time chatting with friends or strangers - or just eavesdropping (here they call that lurking). But you're really just waiting for another set to come in. Since you're from St. Petersburg, you may already know each "set" is like a group of a dozen waves or more, but often, its a long time between decent sets.

That's how it is here - with each wave being a topic and each writer/poet waiting for "their wave." For some the wave is too shallow, not breaking or curling enough, too close to shore (too short a ride), too crowded, etc. For others, they are waiting "their turn" and don't want to drop-in on someone else. And, yes, there are some in the line-up just to be close to the action and chat, but never get bold enough to climb up on their board or are just too lazy to hard-paddle to get to the sweet-spot in the trough.

Also, PWoC (Poets and Writers of Chess.com) is like any other group on the site - it's cliqueish. Continuiing with the surfing community allegory: There you have a set of Locals, but also a lot of tourists. Granted, some of the Tourists know how to surf, but should to show proper respect to the Locals. However, the Locals often forget to act like proper hosts and also forget that the ocean is not theirs to own or "rule."

So jump-in... Contribute. Surf for my stuff - you'll see I comment on stuff about as much as I contribute. But remember this is still primarily a Chess site and that's why most folks are here.

But by all means, feel WELCOME! 

Now, if you're interested in joining a group that I'm trying to keep together for mutual help, look on this group's News page for posts about Writch's Coven (or search for the group) and let me know (frop a note, a message or post on the News page over there.

Rich (a.k.a. Writch)

I believe you are make stories too long; most people on the internet do not want to spend a hour ready a story, then not even bothering to say anything.

Shadowslayer-

You're absolutely wrong. Don't assume everyone has the same tastes and tolerances as you. I rather enjoyed kyska00's story and wanted to write something to that effect... but wanted to take time to compose my thoughts & meaningful analysis. Also, I have seen his story highly commended by many folks on another forum post.

You, shadowslayer, would do well to take at least that same kind of time and care to review your own work before you post. Your spelling is atrocious (inexcusable in these days of spell-checkers) and sentence structure very awkward and kludgy.

But don't get me wrong - you have a lot of potential. Your imagery is very imaginative and you have a lot of great concepts, but it takes about as much time and effort to go through your "short" stuff as  goes into kyska00's "long" stuff - I have to mentally stop and correct the poor English and it interrupts immersion.

There. How's that for "then not even bothering to say anything."?

I know my sentences are off, and I like it that way; it's the balance of weirdness and old fashion that I like. My spelling is bad,I know and accept that, when I do use spell check, wich I do on my stories, I may choose a different word and it becomes a little off. I said "then not even bothering to say anything." because when you read a story you sometimes can't think of anything to say, correct? Then you sit back and realise that you could have spent that time doing something else.

People who say that they are happy talking or writing improperly are generally just lazy. They are to lazy to either craft their work or to lazy to learn how to.

That would be "Writch's Coven."

Indeed.
Agreed.
Proceed.

I agree. Playing with the language can add flavor and texture to your work, but it must be creative. Language like "I believe you are make stories too long; most people on the internet do not want to spend a hour ready a story, then not even bothering to say anything." has no creative element and just confuses people and lets them know that you don't care to get it correct. Lewis Carroll's poem The Jabberwocky illustrates the creative use of made-up language and many other poems and stories do the same with structure. The important thing is what images and feel it imparts to the reader.

I think we are talking about fiction here, and that we as writers owe it to the reader, who is going to invest their time reading our work, to offer them something worthwhile, whatever that is.  But at the very least, we owe them the courtesy of keeping them in the dream, to help them suspend disbelief, to not pull them away from the flow of story by poor usage of the language, be it spelling, syntax, choice of words, or any other conventional usage of the language.   Poor spelling makes me think that if the author doesn't care enough to get it right, why should I care?  

Unless of course, it is your purpose specifically to make the reader think about the writer through unconventional usages or poor spelling.  Typically though, the last thing you want is for the reader's mind to wander away from story, because the next thing that happens is that the book gets put down.  They will seek out other work that promises, and delivers on that promise, to take them away.

Thomas Paine got pissed off at readers once and left off all punctuation. At teh end, he printed a slew of periods, commas, and whatnot for the reader to sprinkle in liberally as they pleased.

The effect of intentionally poor grammar/spelling can move a story, but if the reader sees that it is not artifice but laziness, the story dies.

Maybe you can pull it off in Hip-Hop or try it as a technique once-a-while, but a steady diet of poorly cooked food feeds the reader not!

Nothing a wee and a tic-tac can't sort out!

 And not necessarily in that order (otherwise, be sure to wash your hands first).