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...the vulnerability is, (and I've seen this over and again upon this site since 2006), that some insecure fledgling writer who possesses a unique and special writing voice; who has obvious talent, potential in abundance simmering under a little lack of experience or technical knowledge... is whacked and viciously 'torn to shreds' by some officious, authoritative grammar nazi or a deluded fifty dollar creative writing course graduate, who trump out the spastic laws of writing and insist upon changing the writers vibrant and expressive voice into a bland, sterile, written-by-formula robot voice; crushing their confidence, spirit and enthusiasm for fun along the way.   

Poison, you think my attitude may be... but fuck you. Fuck all the the self acclaimed editors-in-chief. The officious death-eaters who suck the life and vitality out of new creative writers.

I came here in 2006, a very insecure and inexperienced writer.  Some sanctimonious knob-cheese gave me the full- monty,  "torn their work to shreds" degrading, humiliating experience. Made me look and feel a fool. Made me feel worthless and hopeless and were very proud and pleased to do so. After all, they considered it their job, their duty.

Some of the guys here were appalled. They rounded upon the 'tear to shreds' reviewer and took me under their wing. They encouraged me, showed me, explained to me... in short they taught me to write. Or taught me how to learn to write. They set me upon my journey.

If people here upon this site now, think that it is poisonous and destructive to oppose the celebrated premise that writers should specifically NOT be told they did a good job after their work has been systematically 'torn to shreds'...

...again, fuck you. Fuck this place and any sanctimonious, officious, authoritative new-writer snuffing nazi editors that infest this site for it is not the place it was... it is not the place it should be.

The points system could use tweaking. I have no use for 900 points, but they keep accumulating because I read more than I'm reviewed. I do that on purpose because my reviewers are better at it than I am, so what my reviews lack in depth/quality, I try to make up for in quantity (e.g., I'm currently reading about four chapters from someone who reads one of mine). It's my way of trying to keep good reviewers.

The main tweak to the points system that I think would be fair would be to award points based on the number of comments left. Right now, you get all of the points for a posted chapter regardless of whether you leave five comments or fifty. The person who leaves fifty deserves more points, in my opinion.

I never pay attention to the point count. Until this post came up, I don't remember the last time I even glanced at it. I racked that number up the first year I was a member here while reading more than writing. I've gone down a lot in the number of novels I read. And, I've gotten in the habit of reading just a lot of first chapters. Without the pressure of remaining on the top ten reviewer list, I can relax and just read when I feel like it! If Sol ever decides to put that list back in place, I'll be burning the midnight oil again to stay on it!
Now days, I only read about 6-8 novels. But when I started here, I only had one book. Currently, I'm working on my 12th, so I don't have the time to read much anymore.

I've just started reading Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier some days ago. It immediately called my attention that this book, which a best seller back in its times and even hit the big screen, starts with a no-no. It's starts with a dream! The first chapter is completely a dream!

It's easy to understand why you mustn't start with a dream. I found myself skipping paragraphs and looking for "action" as, being the narrative a dream, I knew it was not something really happening and thus it'll do no harm if I skipped it.

My observation is because it's interesting how a current no-no didn't seem to be so back in the 1930´s, and it didn't stop the story from turning into a bestseller and an Oscar-awarded movie in Hitchcock hands.

Have today's agents and publishers become too picky?

Kiss,

Gacela

What do they say--there are nine basic story plots? And some say only seven. There are no new story ideas. We all just say what we want to say in our own words.

Imagine, if you will, the 1964 movie "The Last Man on Earth," based on Richard Matheson's 1954 novel, "I Am Legend" (do you see where I'm going with this?). Jump to 1971 and "The Omega Man," based on the same book. Fast forward to 2007 for "I Am Legend" the movie (based on you-know-what).
Same story, different times, different adaptations, and different writers. They did keep to the story, pretty much, and at least one movie used the same title, but it shows how one story idea can be used again and again.

And here you are with your own original story idea! Who cares if you were inspired by someone else's work? I wonder what inspired those guys! And don't we all take inspiration from those around us? Deny it all we like--there are no new story ideas. So just make peace with it.

Change the names or not, as you wish--it will still be a new creation. If you decide to credit The Grand Hotel as your inspiration, that just makes you a nicer person than all the rest of us. Grrr!

You can delete all the characters.  You are in the same position as Phillip K. Dick.  He wrote a short story, the name of which escapes me, in which, after a nuclear war, the Martians drop care packages to help us rebuild.  Instead, we built dolls that allowed us to live pre-apocalyptic lives vicariously through the dolls. In The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldrich, the same theme is used, only by human colonists on Mars, and they use a drug that makes them actually experience the lives of the dolls as if it were real.  Different characters, different plot, same idea.

You should mention, in the foreward that you were inspired by The Grand Hotel, but that it is not to be taken as the same and that you signficantly deviate from it.  There have been other stories about a hotel in space, so you are not alone.  In a sequel to Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, Willy Wonka travels, and takes the kids, to a Hilton Hotel orbiting the Earth.  In a magaine called "Creepy," outright space war is declared between the Hilton Hotel chain, run by a man who looks like FDR, and the Sheraton Hotel chain.  As far as I know, neither author credited The Grand Hotel.  Any doubt, though, and consult a copyright lawyer.  You don't want to be in George Harrison's position, when he was found guilty of unconsciously plagiarizing the Chiffon's "He's so Fine," in "My Sweet Lord."

You are equal to the task if you think you are. Edgar Rice Burroughs was inspired to write by thinking--"I can write as bad as all those popular authors." 

Good luck, and congratulations.  That's exciting.