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Here's the deal: Follow the rules or you will be banned.
No one gets another warning.
The rules are, if you can't communicate with someone in the proper attitude of friendliness or at least neutrality, don't communicate at all. I suggest that if someone annoys you, put them on your ignore list. If you refuse to do that, don't expect me to ignore you attacking them.
If you expect tolerance and even support here and want to use the facilities, that's good. Don't abuse the privilege by thinking you are better than someone else because they have a different reason for being here.
That's bullshit.
Okay, banning is not forever, the first time it's for three days, the second for three weeks. Third time is forever unless it's been at least a year since the last banning. Only three people have ever been banned here and two of them are back.
But I will hit the ban button if the sniping does not stop.
Hugs,
Erin
Comments
I agree
I agree Erin. I don't have any idea of why anyone would attack a writer because they don't like the way a story is written. Give constructive criticisms but don't attack the writer. We all are trying as hard as we can and most of us aren't professional writers. Hell, I'm a glazing contractor, but i write because it's fun. Please give us a break and enjoy what we do, and if you don't like what you read then say why, but don't kill the golden goose because you don't like gold, Arecee
I promise to behave.
It is unusual to have this amount of stupid sniping at one person. I am surprised.
K
Comments, Criticism and Hack Jobs
As someone who contributes to this site from time to time, I find I enjoy the feedback some readers provide. It’s always interesting, and a wee bit fun to see what characters the readers take a shine to and which ones they don’t much care for. I also derive a fiendish pleasure from seeing what lays ahead for my characters knowing full well where the story is really going. Such comments are a reward in that they provide me, the writer with some entertainment, sort of like the reader returning the favor.
I also appreciate it when readers who spots an error informs me of the many glitches and hidden flaws I am often blind to that scream out to those who are better at spelling than I am. When they send a private message and tell me, “Hey dummy, you blew it,†I correct the error and try to thank them each and every time.
Now it just might be me, but I find it is annoying, however, when people use the comment section to point out your errors. To me at least it’s akin to publically shouting, “You’re so dumb and I’m so smart.†Perhaps I am being over sensitive. Despite rumors to the contrary, I am human. Recently, someone added a comment to one of my stories in which they began by praising it before turning around and saying, ‘Oh, by the way, dumb ass, they didn’t do that in those days.’ Of course she didn’t say it like that, using some very sophisticated words to establish her intellectual credentials. Still, the message was quite clear, a message that distracted from the impact of the story. I don’t think that’s what she meant to do, but with some folks here, it is hard to say.
When I stumble upon something that causes me concern or there’s a historical anomaly I wish to bring to another writer’s attention, I PM them and attempt to make my case. More often than not, they are thankful for my efforts. I have even managed to strike up some long range friendships with some of the people who started by pointing out to me in PMs I couldn’t spell for shite, something I knew but was still grateful for their help in pointing out some of my more egregious errors so I could correct them.
Here’s the bottom line as far as I am concerned. None of my stories are going to be letter perfect, especially when it comes to spelling. And despite my best efforts, not all my historical research is going to be spot on. All I ask is those of you who do have problems with my stories or the stories other writes who put their works out there for your enjoyment, please use the PM feature of this site to alert us to our failings and short falls. It’s what I do when I feel compelled to point out another author’s boo-boos. It works people and very often is appreciated. It also avoids some very nasty flame wars, the ones that annoy Erin.
Okay, that’s my two shillings. Now I’ll step down off me soap box and take me lumps from those who have a different view on the issue.
Nancy Cole
"You may be what you resolve to be."
T.J. Jackson
It's a fair view
... and it is by default the safest way to go. Being gracious in criticism as well as tolerant of other people's foibles is just a part of getting through life. Though I am fearing that the anonymity of online life will degrade social graces as people don't realize that an extremely important part of communication is in person face time with 'video chat' at best a poor second. A well written missive ON PAPER merely provides another tool to provide a focus and a mechanism to fine tune communication as it forces a person to think. Unless one approaches writing in electronic form the same way one does for traditional ink on paper, electronic missives as a a consequence of its near instantaneous nature really imho provides more of a momentary snapshot of thinking.
So be aware is what I am suggesting to all folks here to not let momentary passions overly influence ones commentary. As Erin is renown to say it more succinctly: 'THINK BEFORE YOU COMMENT' or something to that effect.
Kim
Comments
I rarely send PM comments, but perhaps I should start. I agree that any corrections on grammar and spelling should be done privately because nobody else is really going to get anything positive out of it. (I generally try to ignore spelling and grammatical errors to avoid being pedantic, but in doing so, I am cheating the author out of the opportunity to learn.)
Comments on the plot, characterization, and tone of the story should, IMHO, be done publicly because it encourages a discussion that the author and readers can enjoy, and might even give the author some ideas. We, of course, need to constantly maintain the 'no hitting' rule.
Comments about technical, scientific, and historic accuracy fall somewhere in the gray region.
By the way, some browsers have a built-in spell checker. I believe that Google Chrome does, and I know that Mozilla Firefox (my favorite) does.
Spell checkers
Are not entirely the answer, unfortunately.
It is very easy to use words which are actually genuine English words but are the wrong spelling for the context. These will not get picked up by a spell checquer.
Penny
Fact Czeching
Columnist Mark Steyn once wrote there was a fact checking unit for his columns. Then went out and said there was a Holiday Inn in Wasilla Alaska when there wasn't. Talk about irony.....
"Just the fax, Ma'am"- Sgt. Joe Friday.
Daniel, author of maid, whore, bimbo, and sissy free TG fiction since 2000
What the world needs is more geniuses with humility; there are so few of us left.- Oscar Levant
Speel Chekrs
Nothing is going to do a perfect job of checking one's undying prose. Still, it helps to use a simple spell checker to get rid of most of the groaners. I just wish someone would come up with an application that helps people learn the difference between there, they're, and their. :-/
Tom Folios
What difference does it make if spelling and
grammar are off. As long as the story is
interesting and well written, and is not hindered
by the errors, commentators should not focus on
on them. If a story has too many spelling
and grammar errors the story should not
be read, and if read, be kind in your comments.
These stories cost us nothing to read but
our time and provide us with entertainment
while educating and opening our hearts.
When you should be concerned about the small
stuff is when you pay $150.00 plus tax for a
text book that has been peer reviewed and has
had the benefit of being professionally edited.
Perhaps then you should voice a degree of
concern.
When I comment I view it as a time to reflect
on the story and share ideas with my fellow
reader. I spend more time reading and responding
to comments than I do the stories. In most
stories I enjoy the comments part more than
the story. But I realize without the author we
would have nothing. And for this I remain
grateful to the author with the skill and
creativity to entertain, educate and provide a
forum for discussion.
Kaptin Nibbles
Cost us nothing
I agree that the stories cost us nothing. Any suggestion that I make to an author isn't in the spirit of a demand, but a suggestion on how she may improve her craft. As an author, I am interested in improving my craft, and I have yet to meet an author that is arrogant enough to feel that she doesn't need improvement.
Having said that, I have to admit that there are some errors that glare enough to distract me from the story, or even make the story difficult to follow.
Still, I try to never insult anyone.
Whose mom DIDN'T teach them...
Hi Erin,
I try to follow the rule my mom taught my, "If you have nothing NICE to say about (to) someone, say NOTHING." Yes that includes talking about people 'behind their back'.
with love,
Hope
P.S. Anyone who doesn't follow that rule, me included, deserves any slap they get. BUT I do agree with my RL friend who says a LOT of people 'just don't GET it on their own' they need to hear things directly told to them (read them in black and white) before they get it.
with love,
Hope
Once in a while I bare my soul, more often my soles bear me.
If I ever do step over the line
... and I know I did it ONE time and that was a very long time ago for one comment and I was called on it in my opinion very gently by DanielleJ and I publicly answered her in appreciation - that chapter is closed, all I ask is that I just be gently held by the scruff as you hiss at me and I'd be good. I really doubt that will ever happen again though but hormones do happen *sigh*.
Kim
Cryptic Criticisms
Thanks for the notice, Erin: manners is job one.
I'm afraid, though, that I never know exactly what's going on, and then finding out would raise the whole ruckus or brouhaha from the dead or wherever again... alas.
Am I the exception or the rule as far as my confusedness?
Michelle
Clueless in the midwest
No, hon, you are not the only one, but that helps us in that "we weren't there and no one saw us do it" :P Having said that, it is why I so rarely comment - for fear that something I say will be taken out of context and twisted the wrong way. Cowardly? no, it takes tremendous willpower to stay neutral and keep quiet when I so want to take the hecklers to task. But, that just feeds the trolls and does no one any good.
Diana
Quite right too, Erin
Treat others as you would like to be treated. We're supposed to be the most intelligent animal on this planet; let's act that way. There's enough arseholes in the world; no point adding to them.
Susie
But Douglas Adams said,
That humans were the third most intelligent animal on the planet. After white mice and dolphins!
Mr. Ram
You forgot one
Sure dormice don't rank up there with white mice?
Karen J.
"Being a girl is wonderful and to torture someone into that would be like the exact opposite of what it's like. I don’t know how anyone could act that way." College Girl - poetheather
"Life is not measured by the breaths you take, but by the moments that take your breath away.”
George Carlin
Definitely white mice
You see, white lab mice are actually the manifestation, in our universe, of incredibly intelligent pan-dimensional beings, who cleverly manipulate us, by behaving in certain ways during lab experiments. :)
Mr. Ram