Anyone can post an excerpt from their work and reviewers do a down and dirty (constructive) analysis of what works or doesn't along with suggestions for modifying or deleting any part(s). It not only gives great insight for the author but if needed can help add a layer of thickness to the skin as well as practice in choosing what if anything to accept from varying points of view. Most of us have been through the process from both ends and I would suggest jumping in with both feet to anyone who hasn't. Take care. Vern
1,377 2014-12-07 04:53:22
Re: Site Bugs (217 replies, posted in TheNextBigWriter Premium)
Oh. I see. Every other forum I am associated with automatically subscribes you to a thread that you post in (or start). You have to go to your settings to unsubscribe. I see the 'subscribe' link at the top now.
Thanks
Tom
Remind me not to ever visit those other sites, lol. I'm certainly glad this site doesn't automatically subscribe me to every thread I post in; much rather subscribe myself if it warrants notification. It would be a real pain to have to unsubscribe to everything to get rid of all the needless email. Take care. Vern
1,378 2014-12-07 04:34:28
Re: how to read third-party comments on inline reviews? (2 replies, posted in TheNextBigWriter Premium)
When you click on the highlighted area it should show the comment from the original reviewer, the response of author if any, and the comments by other if any - each in their own little boxes. At least there has always been a comment box when I've looked at them, so if you're not seeing it then there is probably a glitch somewhere. I don't think the final comment box works that way, at least haven't seen it. Take care. Vern
1,379 2014-12-06 13:35:48
Re: Streamlining this group (5 replies, posted in HodgePodge)
Only my two cents worth at a discount, but other than keeping the books on their own thread - that's a good idea - you guys started out as two people talking about anything that came to mind whether music, reviews, toilet seats, or whatever and that was your draw and strength. Of course this is a new show and things are a bit different on this new site, but sometimes new and improved just ain't better. Just my opinion and I ain't voting cause this ain't a democracy, it's y'alls baby. Take care. Vern
1,380 2014-12-05 23:56:12
Re: Wishlist Cont. (212 replies, posted in TheNextBigWriter Premium)
Thanks Sol, couldn't ask for more than that!
YES, YES, YES. Take care. Vern
1,381 2014-12-05 02:58:52
Re: a real Home button (4 replies, posted in TheNextBigWriter Premium)
I didn't realize the site logo in the upper left corner was the "home" button at first, but now that we have been educated, I don't see any need/reason for TWO buttons for the same thing, especially if it reqires more than a minor change to programming - like thirty seconds, lol. Take care. Vern
1,382 2014-12-04 00:28:30
Re: Publishing Tips & Q's (11 replies, posted in Old forums)
I think what we are missing is the ability to open different "threads" within the separate categories. Say someone wanted to start a thread within this "Publishing Tips & Q's" area on queries and then someone wanted to ask about agents or publishers, synopsis, bookcovers, etc., and keep all the responses related to each different "thread" in one location. It doesn't work here.
The old site provided various categories such as writing feedback, strongest start, member announcements, etc. within which many disparate threads sprang up and all responses to that thread were kept together. I don't see a way to do that on this site at present; what we have here is basically a lot of threads taking the role of categories with no way of having additional threads within those roleplaying threads. I think some tweaking is going to be needed unless I'm missing something. Take care. Vern
1,383 2014-12-03 13:35:26
Re: Synopsis (1 replies, posted in TheNextBigWriter Premium)
I'm working on my synopsis and want to ask a question of those with experience or anyone with an opinion on the matter. Is it better to have a one-page or multiple page synopsis? I want to catch the attention of an agent but I don't want to bore them with ramblings. What is best? I've searched the internet and have found a few examples. Does anyone have a good synopsis format they would like to share?
Philisha
As a rule of thumb, agents want a one to two page synopsis; generally one page is preferred unless it can't cover a long complicated novel. However, quite a few agents only want a query initially; their individual quidelines can be found on their web sites. It is best to check those quidelines before submitting to save time and unneeded effort as well as increase your chances to be considered. As we, they may have their idiosyncracies as far as what they are looking for.
You can sometimes find a blog of a member of the agency which gives guidelines for the type query and synopsis they are looking for.
Still, In the end, if your query and/or synopsis is well written and appropriate subject matter for that agency, the exact length will not be the determining factor for acceptance. Good luck. Take care. Vern
1,384 2014-12-03 00:09:35
Re: Introduce Yourself (6 replies, posted in Old forums)
I'm Vern to most on this new site (as well as the old). Yes, the forums do need a bit of a design change. And lest I forget, welcome to the forums, Flo. Take care. Vern
1,385 2014-12-01 00:01:07
Re: Oldest vs. Newest Posts (2 replies, posted in TheNextBigWriter Premium)
I would like the option to sort the posts to a forum topic so the latest post is at the top.
I agree that would be a useful option. Until it happens - and you probably already know this with your experience in various forums, but some may not - you can click on the last post as shown and it will take you to the that post rather than to the first where you would have to scroll through everything (sometimes severall pages) to get to where you want to be. Of course from that point you merely scroll backwards to produce the last to first results. It's a bandaid, but it works. Take care. Vern
1,386 2014-11-30 23:39:39
Re: Site Bugs (217 replies, posted in TheNextBigWriter Premium)
It would be nice to have a "show my posts" like the old site since it is rather time consuming to find a specific post if you don't remember which group it was in and which thread.
Also, I've tried several times (to include different days) to get on the old site so I can delete everything from that site. I get to the login but it won't accept my name and password to let me get into my account. I haven't changed it; same as on here. Just wondering if the site is already down for the count.
Hopefully, I'll be able to find this post again to see the response, lol. Thanks. Take care. Vern
Edited to add: Hello, Sol, I'm just bumping this up and including your name since I'm thinking it might ring some type alert with your name in it; I say that because you've answered other posts since this one went up without your name specifically mentioned. Just playing the odds.
1,387 2014-11-30 00:21:37
Re: Uploading images to forums (6 replies, posted in TheNextBigWriter Premium)
I don't belong to whatever group owns that forum. Are you sure that the images are actually hosted on TNBW? You can tell by asking to quote the message and examining the BBCode that results.
The actual pictures are included with the text and the BBCode from the site was used to install them. That's all I know. You could join the group long enough to see for yourself if you wish since I'm not into all this technical stuff - I know the site BBCode was used because I asked about the pics a few days ago. I'm sure GP or John would be glad to tell you how they did it. Take care. Vern
1,388 2014-11-30 00:09:58
Re: Site Bugs (217 replies, posted in TheNextBigWriter Premium)
It would be nice to have a "show my posts" like the old site since it is rather time consuming to find a specific post if you don't remember which group it was in and which thread.
Also, I've tried several times (to include different days) to get on the old site so I can delete everything from that site. I get to the login but it won't accept my name and password to let me get into my account. I haven't changed it; same as on here. Just wondering if the site is already down for the count.
Hopefully, I'll be able to find this post again to see the response, lol. Thanks. Take care. Vern
1,389 2014-11-29 13:18:48
Re: Uploading images to forums (6 replies, posted in TheNextBigWriter Premium)
Someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't believe this site will host images, apart from author photos and covers.
.
You're wrong. Check out The Hodge Forum here: http://www.thenextbigwriter.com/forums/topic30-.html
Lots of pics; just don't ask me how to do it, I'm still working on that, but GP or John might be able to help you. Take care. Vern
1,390 2014-11-28 02:45:40
Re: Blame It On The Alcohol, Says Genesis (51 replies, posted in HodgePodge)
Has anybody told Vern that his profile pic looks like Tintin?
No, but of course I don't know who Tintin is, so don't know if that is good or bad. I do know Rin Tin Tin was a German Shepherd that starred in a TV series way back when (like before you were born). I like german shepherds, but haven't seen one with a Tam O'Shanter before, lol. Take care. Vern
Kiss
Gacela
1,391 2014-11-25 13:15:07
Re: In-Line Review versus Regular Review (19 replies, posted in TheNextBigWriter Premium)
I agree it would be nice to have a way to print out all the comments in an inline review and I also agree it would be nice to have higher limits on the content per box in an inline review, but call me crazy, I don't understand it being too difficullt, tedious, time consuming, whatever to look for the individual comments either the original by the reviewer or the response to the review. Seriously, you're not talking humongous amounts of time here, maybe a few minutes max.
When I get an inline review, I look at each box and generally will leave a comment in most. After giving an inline review, I go back to check to see what if any comments are left by the author in each and every one of those boxes and may leave additional comments. Others can comment also, though I'm not sure most are aware of that function since I haven't seen it utilized to date.
To the point, if receiving comments on our work is not important enough to spend a few minutes to check them out and/or respond, then we're not really that hyped on getting feedback imho. That's the way I see it. Take care. Vern
1,392 2014-11-25 03:18:12
Re: Did I do this right? (40 replies, posted in HodgePodge)
Just like I said above. The url should be the page that only has that single image on it. Try it and you'll see.
Well, I guess that is my problem; I can't find pages with nothing but the image; the image is always part of a conglomerate of other pics and text. Oh well, I don't post too many pics anyway, so no big deal. Thanks for the primer. Take care. Vern
1,393 2014-11-24 22:00:51
Re: In-Line Review versus Regular Review (19 replies, posted in TheNextBigWriter Premium)
Just a thought and don't know if it applies, but some folks (non-paying) can't see the inline reviews as I understand it anyway. So, I suppose if that were the case then it would seem useless and they may not be aware of their limitations. And some may just have problems accessing it as I did originally until Sol found a compatibility problem and solved it. That being said, as already mentioned they could request up front a regular review and certainly should not dismiss any time anyone spends on their work. I certainly would not bother with them again with the attitude expressed regardless of their circumstances. Take care. Vern
1,394 2014-11-24 13:44:54
Re: Did I do this right? (40 replies, posted in HodgePodge)
Vern, this is how to insert images (from my earlier post):
This is what you do is after typing this part just like this: [img=PunBB bbcode]You insert the web address with no space after that last close bracket.
Then, right after the web address, without inserting a space, you type this:[/img]
Does that not give you the whole page? I can link the whole page just copying the url and pasting with cntr V, but how do you just get the picture and nothing else? Thanks. Take care. Vern
1,395 2014-11-24 13:40:14
Re: Did I do this right? (40 replies, posted in HodgePodge)
That's Gene Wilder with Madeline Kahn!
My bad, glasses must've been fogged up, lol. Take care. Vern
1,396 2014-11-23 22:41:57
Topic: Post work to this group (1 replies, posted in Additional Writing Feedback)
I think someone should post their work to this group (hint, GP) so that we could have some "Additional Writing Feedback" to discuss without having to go back to another group. Maybe start a new thread specifically for each said WIP. Btw, I left additional reviews on ch 9 and 10. Would be nice to be able to just pop in here to discuss different viewpoints on anything new. Take care. Vern
1,397 2014-11-23 22:25:33
Re: Site Bugs (217 replies, posted in TheNextBigWriter Premium)
I have a poem "Drought" which I originally published in Free Verse Poets group and the TNBW Free group. Today I revised the Publish Setup to also publish the poem on the Premium group. This was successful. But now the Poem appears twice in my Portfolio. Is this a bug? Seems to me it is.
I assume that it is a bug (though a small one) but you can delete the one you don't want. Take care. Vern
1,398 2014-11-23 22:22:40
Re: Blame It On The Alcohol, Says Genesis (51 replies, posted in HodgePodge)
Okey dokey, I revised and slowed down ch 9. Then split the end of it off to make that ch 10.
How ya like me now?
Left new reviews. Take care. Vern
1,399 2014-11-23 17:18:54
Re: Writing Tips & Advice group (8 replies, posted in TheNextBigWriter Premium)
Sol, this is another good example of why we need to be able to join more groups. My editor, Vern, and others used to post to the corresponding group in the old site, but since we need to be a member of the group and are allowed to join only five, some of the contributors are already maxed out, leaving a very useful group without experienced writers to answer questions. Would it be possible to have an upper limit of at least ten groups very soon? It would make it much easier for everyone to juggle the groups they belong to (drop some, join others). With five groups, we're too easily maxed out.
Thanks
Dirk
Sol, has already made it 10 groups for Premium Members. Take care. Vern
1,400 2014-11-23 04:50:41
Re: Writing Tips & Advice group (8 replies, posted in TheNextBigWriter Premium)
Okay, I can get in by clicking on the link to new group posts from my front page, but if you go directly to the group and click on the "forum" icon for the group then you get the no permission message
You have to be a member of the group first before you can post messages.
Thanks, Sol, for clearing that up, but why can I get in here to post the above message and this without being s member. Inquiring minds want to know. Take care. Vern