We made a few changes you suggested.
1. We reduced the number of slots on the homepage dedicated to articles, essays and shelved books.
2. The writing from new members now pays a 50% bonus for their first month on the site. This bonus is marked on the actual content and we'll be rolling out flags shortly on the homepage and the Read page.
Thanks,
Sol
I've actually thought about the site offering an M.F.A.now that it has the tools. But I'd want to do it so that instead of having to pay $50,000 for the degree, students would pay much less. I need to work out the economics. I'd also have to get accredited I guess and that would take some time.
Many new members are intimidated at the thought of reading and reviewing the work of others. "I'm not an expert" or "I don't feel qualified to provide feedback to another writer" are quotes we often see.
Do not feel this way!
As long as you are a reader, then your opinion is valuable. The books on this site are not just purchased by literary critics or English teachers (although they count also), they are purchased by readers. And readers know if they like a book or not (btw - if you do not read, then you probably do not belong on the site).
When reviewing, tell the writer what you liked or what you didn't, as a reader. Here are some questions to consider:
1) Did the story keep your interest? If not, where did it slow down?
2) Did you feel connected to a character?
3) Did you want to keep reading?
If you are reviewing poetry:
1) Did you like the meter or rhyme scheme?
2) Did you like the imagery?
3) Did you understand the poem?
These are just some starter questions. Then, when you are done, write your thoughts as a review to the writer. Your thoughts don't have to be long: the limit is only 50 words for a Regular Review. If you have specific instances you want to point out, you can also do an In-line Review. You can read about the differences between types of reviews here.
One Review Requirement
The key to being a successful reviewer is to provide a mix of positive and critical feedback and to be considerate in how you deliver that critical feedback. Considerate is the golden term. This is not American Idol and you should not see yourself as a Simon Cowell looking to deliver blunt criticism.
For some additional tips on reviewing, please visit the link below:
http://www.thenextbigwriter.com/member/ … eview-tips
Please also feel free to post any questions below.
I'd like to think the rule is a guard rail guideline. It keeps the writer from spilling over onto the freeway of confusing the reader if they are careless.
In the end, it's a gray area for me, and I would depend on reviewers to opine if they were confused or not when it changes in the same scene.
Absolutely. There is no hard and fast rule about this. Based on my experience, beginner writers have a tough time making third person omniscient work, but if you can pull it off, or want to try and pull it off, go for it.
Interesting article in the NY Times on M.F.A. programs. Has anyone received an M.F.A.?
There were a couple of sections I found particularly interesting:
At the core of every program is the writing workshop, the so-called Iowa model because it originated there. In its strictest form, it works like this: Classmates evaluate and write detailed comments about students’ work, then sit around a table and “workshop” the piece. The writer sits silently while classmates comment first on what is working, then go back around to comment on what is not. The instructor weighs in. Only then can the author respond.
In the workshop, writing is deconstructed and put back together. Relationships are formed. A skilled instructor can point out flaws and suggest techniques it might otherwise take years to figure out. “You develop a keener sense of your readers,” Ms. Russell says. “When 14 people tell you something isn’t working, you listen.”
Sound familiar?
And that would be automatic filters for different types of works. Basically links for novels, poems, articles, connections, etc. that would take you to a page filled from top to bottom with the newest works each category has to offer.
This already exists. The orange buttons under each category on the homepage do this.
I just read M. C. Beaton's Death of a Liar (Hamish Mcbeth mysteries) and she writes third person omniscient. At first I was put off a little, then when I realized what she was doing, and she did it so skillfully, it ceased to bother me.
Third person omniscient can work well if done by a skilled writer. Look at what Tolkien did with Lord of the Rings.
A couple of clarifying points:
1. The homepage now contains almost as many listings as the old site. In fact, some of the new member content has been in articles and essays which are categories that don't move very quickly and there still haven't been any reviews.
2. New members receive 7.5 points that they can use to post.
3. New members receive a welcome letter that explains the point system, encourages them to post, encourages them to join groups, and also encourages them to say hello in the forums.
I think the suggestion of providing a message after they make their first post is a good one. I'll look into that. I think there are a bunch of other good suggestions here. Thanks!
Sol
I've received some reports of pages not loading quickly and hanging for up to 70 seconds. Is anyone else experiencing this? How is the site loading for you?
Thanks,
Sol
My understanding is that this bonus was so that they can post immediately without having to do reviews to get the points first. The problem now seems to be they can post their work, but aren't receiving any reviews or only a few. Which is sort of the point I'm trying to make, at some point they will have to do reviews to get reviews (and to continue to post new work too of course) ...
This is not how new members think. If they post their work and don't receive some feedback, they just pack up their bags and leave. After all, this is their first experience with the site and it's not a good one. After they receive a review or two, they usually start investing themselves into the process.
Hi everyone,
Lesson two on point of view (POV) has been posted. Please read it over. There are also several homework assignments to complete as part of the lesson.
You can read the lesson here:
http://www.thenextbigwriter.com/posting … -pov-20878
Let me know if you have questions.
Thanks,
Sol
Would getting a small bonus of points for reviewing a non-connection work? Or reviewing a new writer if s/he is within, say, two months of joining?
Yes, this is what I am thinking.
I also prefer to have Connections at the top. Those are the ones I'm most interested in. New entries (not of my connections) could be next.
Well, the problem is that new writers are joining the site and not receiving any reviews. If this continues I'm going to need to tweak the point system. New members aren't going to stay if they post their content and receive a resounding - nothing. Putting connections at the top will only exacerbate this problem.
We released two changes to the homepage.
1. We lengthened the number of pieces displayed for each type of content to ten. So there are now ten novels, ten short stories, etc. Let me know if this is too long or okay.
2. We added the bookshelf listing back at the bottom. The bookshelf shows books and work on the site that you have added to your shelf to your connections. So, if you have published a book, or read a book you like either on the site or from a published author, you can quickly share it this way and it will to to everyone you are connected to.
People have asked about the purpose of shelves and they are to share work you have published or writing you have read either on the site or off it that you have enjoyed and want to share the word about.
The second purpose of shelves is to provide other members of the site with a sense of your reading tastes.
Let me know if you have any questions.
Thanks,
Sol
Interesting discussion. I wonder if there is a scientific way to analyze this? I'll have to think about it a bit.
Some of you might remember Ed Aubry who posted his work on the site under the name sherman_bierce. He workshopped three books on the site: Static Mayhen, Caprice, and Unhappenings. Unhappenings is now bouncing between #29 and #50 on the Amazon paid list.
I posted some feedback to the completed assignments. Please let me know if you have any questions. One of the things to remember about paragraphs is that they are a bit of an art and every author has a bit of latitude in deciding where to begin and end a paragraph, within certain parameters.
One thing to mention, in the future, please do not post paragraphs in the forum. Post them as you would content on the site using the Post Your Writing button. This makes it much easier for me to provide feedback. I'll provide more detailed feedback on this with the next assignment.
Tomorrow we will look at point of view.
Thanks,
Sol
Harrison wasn't quite sure what else to do, so he followed her last instruction. Mitchell was still asleep, curled up on the couch with a blanket draped over him. Harrison wondered if he had done that himself, or if Glimmer had somehow covered him as he slept.
While he waited for her to do whatever she needed to do just then, he paced and tried to reorganize his thoughts. In a little over an hour, he and Mitchell would be raspberry jam, and Glimmer would be inconsolably pissed.
Five minutes later, she came flitting back into the car. Is this is a change in location or just a transition to speaking. Should it be paragraphed? I chose to paragraph it...It's a time change so you did the right thing paragraphing it. I would take the dialogue below though and move it to the the end of the sentence. Since the first sentence discusses Glimmer and then she speaks, it's okay to keep it as one paragraph. Once Harrison speaks you need a new paragraph because the speaker has changed.
"Well," she said, "I was wrong about one thing. If we hit that door, I'm dead as a dishrag."
Harrison was not sure what the appropriate response to that might be. "Where were you?" he tried.
"Milwaukee," she said. "We have a problem."Harrison was stunned. "What? How fast can you fly?"
"Pretty fast," she said. "Listen, if we can't get this worm thingy stopped, we are seriously screwed."
Harrison felt a moment of head-rush vertigo. He raised his hands slightly to balance himself. "Wait," he said. "Are you telling me that you could have flown to Chicago any time.”
She snapped her fingers in his face. It sounded like a rifle shot. "FOCUS! The tunnel is magicked up! This is a major problem!"Harrison felt sweat building on his forehead. He imagined he was probably getting pale. "Magicked up? What the hell does that mean?"
"I mean there's a spell in the tunnel, right in front of the door. You can see it shimmering. I'm pretty sure it's some variation on a shield curse, which pretty much means that if we make contact with it, we're toast. The worst part is, we won't even have to hit it all that hard." She was talking quickly, though with relative calm. "So the bottom line is we either need to find a way off this beast or find a way to stop it."
Harrison wasn't quite sure what else to do, so he followed her last instruction. Mitchell was still asleep, curled up on the couch with a blanket draped over him. Harrison wondered if he had done that himself, or if Glimmer had somehow covered him as he slept.
While he waited for her to do whatever she needed to do just then, he paced and tried to reorganize his thoughts. In a little over an hour, he and Mitchell would be raspberry jam, and Glimmer would be inconsolably pissed.
Most of the class separated these two paragraphs. I think this is probably a good idea although in the actual book they are combined. It is an important lesson. There is no hard and fast rule for paragraphs and as long as the reader can follow along, that is the most important thing. This is true in general of writing. Many ways of doing things are simply instruction and you as the writer have discretion to try out your own way. The main goal is to write in a way that transports a reader into your story.
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Five minutes later, she came flitting back into the car. "Well," she said, "I was wrong about one thing. If we hit that door, I'm dead as a dishrag."
Harrison was not sure what the appropriate response to that might be. "Where were you?" he tried."Milwaukee," she said. "We have a problem."
Harrison was stunned. "What? How fast can you fly?"
"Pretty fast," she said. "Listen, if we can't get this worm thingy stopped, we are seriously screwed."
Harrison felt a moment of head-rush vertigo. He raised his hands slightly to balance himself. "Wait," he said. "Are you telling me that you could have flown to Chicago any time—"
She snapped her fingers in his face. It sounded like a rifle shot. "FOCUS! The tunnel is magicked up! This is a major problem!"
Harrison felt sweat building on his forehead. He imagined he was probably getting pale. "Magicked up? What the hell does that mean?""I mean there's a spell in the tunnel, right in front of the door. You can see it shimmering. I'm pretty sure it's some variation on a shield curse, which pretty much means that if we make contact with it, we're toast. The worst part is, we won't even have to hit it all that hard." She was talking quickly, though with relative calm. "So the bottom line is we either need to find a way off this beast or find a way to stop it."
I thought we weren't charged extra for posting in multiple groups anymore. Sol, where are you?
1. When we have our contest, we need the stories posted in Cop Shop so people can find them to review.
2. When people take the time to review our stories, they should receive points.
Therefore, we need to make sure that people reviewing Cop Shop stories receive points.
(I didn't do that well with logic in Geometry; you know what I mean.)
You should not be charged extra for posting to multiple points groups. Once you pay for points once, you can post to any points group.
If you want to change Cop Shop to a points group you can do that. It might make sense with the changes in the point system.
Not sure if this is the right place to post, but here goes: I tried to read the work of a fellow Cop Shop group member, but got the notice that I needed to connect with the author. The piece was marked for group members and connections. Does that mean we have to be both group members AND connected? Also, since we're all members of Premium Group, doesn't that make us all members of the same group? Thanks for your help. JP
As long as you are members of the same group and they post to groups then you shouldn't need to also connect with them. If you are getting problems try logging out and then back in and see if that resolves it. Let me know.
Sol
Posting your writing can be a nerve-wracking process. But if you don't overcome these fears, then it's possible what you write might languish on your computer forever.
Publishing your work is really the best way to become an active member of the site. Once you post, you will start to receive feedback, meet other members, and become part of the community. If you are nervous about posting something, do it to the New Member group. Everyone is a new member and the group exists to provide only positive feedback.
To post just to this group, choose this group when you can select which groups you'd like to post to. If that sounds like Greek, watch the Posting Content video at the bottom of this page:
http://www.thenextbigwriter.com/member/video-help-guide
MY advice is to new members is to post their content to TheNextBigWriter Premium to start. This group uses the points system and it will help you attract reviews.
And if you have questions about the process, feel free to post them below. Good luck! We look forward to reading your writing.
How do I download/upload my fb pic to my profile here?
If you have it on your computer, just press the upload button and then save it. The exact steps are:
1. Click your name in the right hand, upper corner of the screen.
2. Go to Profile
3. Click the Edit Profile button
4. Click Edit Image
5. Browser, find your image, and then click Upload.
Hope that helps.
Sol
I would like to have included a discussion on - pacing. This site has a number of published and self-published authors. I've been fortunate enough to have a few of those in my reciprocal review circle, and one has pointed out I have too much pace overall within my first seven chapters. I feel he is onto something but I'd like a more specific format/suggestions on pacing the events and such. I have to balance against that the fact, we know if you don't have anything to "hook" the reader by the 3rd chapter or so, chances are very high they are done with the remainder of your story.
Hi Jube, pacing is a more advanced area of study and while we might touch on it, we aren't going to spend a lot of time on it. Anita Mumm's Strongest Start Class goes into this in detail and if it's an area you are interested in learning more about, you should think about taking her class when it is offered again.
Sol
The computer and the program. How do I post a story for the group, which was our assignment. I have probably missed something. Britt
You did it perfectly. That was exactly the way it should have been done.
