C&C

Posting Guidelines

Just like the other one, but with an implied request for comments of a constructively critical nature.

Before you consider posting, please read these guidelines in full:

Welcome to C&C forum of the Poetry Free For All, General Poetry with a twist of lemon and an olive. The Posting Guidelines still apply here as in every forum on PFFA. We have a few extras, however, that we'd like to add to this one specifically:

1. "C&C" stands for "Comment & Critique". This is the primary difference between General Poetry and C&C. Unlike General, there is no need to put "Please C&C" in your subject line with your poem title, because here, it's implied. If you post your poem in C&C, you can expect to receive critique. If you are not prepared to gracefully accept critique if that critique is negative, don't post here.

2. "C&C" also means that you are asked to post 3 comments for every one of your poems, comments which should generally be more extensive than one specific, concrete point. This is where we would like to promote critical thinking, and where readers of poetry can begin to examine more carefully the words they read and to communicate specific reasons why they like or don't like different parts of the poem. Remember that there is no right or wrong way to do this, and that practice makes -- well, not perfect, but certainly better.

3. The critique which is offered should be relatively easy-going. In such forums as High or Merciless, the critique is often very blunt, and is not always gentle. Here, it may still not be gentle, but it should be a little less axe-to-the-skull hard-hitting. Extensive? Yes. Honest? Absolutely. Brutal? Not necessarily.

3a. If, however, you respond to honest critique childishly, we often turn brutal. We have low tolerance for disrespect or tantrums. Avoid them.

4. Unlike General where there is not as much expectation of this, here we'd really like it if you wrote and posted a revision. If you are posting here, you are automatically agreeing to the fact that you want critique. You are also automatically agreeing that you want to use that critique. "Insta-revisions", the kind where you just add water and stir, where in 5 minutes after you've received critique you have a new poem -- those are never a good idea. Read the critique, think about it, think about your poem, and over a week or more, start revising the poem to address some of its weaknesses.

Just as we do in the General Poetry guidelines, to help you on your way to improving your poetry and to learning more about how to read poetry and look at it objectively, here are some links which can help you in that process:

The Poetry Free For All, above all else, is a poetry workshop. Other forums may be far more relaxed with their guidelines. The reason that the guidelines here are stricter is that, whereas the primary purpose of many internet poetry forums is to allow you to share your poetry, here the primary purpose is to help you learn about poetry and to encourage critical thinking. That's what this is all about.

We hope you've enjoyed these guidelines. To continue, click the link below:

I have read and understood the rules for posting in C&C
and will now march firmly into the fray.