Last Words

[Howard Miller]

Let's assume you find yourself magically transported between the keyboard and the person of a newbie who is preparing to make her first post at PFFA. What one piece of advice would you give her before she pushes the "Enter" key and irrevocably commits her fate into the hands of the other posters here?


Howard

[JohnBoddie]

"Please wait until I get out of the way before you try to push 'Enter'. Also, please stop screaming."

Howard,
Shouldn't this be upstairs at the Hole?

JB

[This message has been edited by JohnBoddie (edited 03-04-2002).]

[Peter J Ross]

Proof-read.

Nothing affects a reader's willingness to take time commenting more than evidence that the poster has (or hasn't) made an effort to check spelling, grammar and punctuation.

PJR :-)

[This message has been edited by Peter J Ross (edited 03-04-2002).]

[Harry Rutherford]

OK, someone has to say the obvious -

Please read the Posting Guidelines. Pretty please. It saves so much hassle all round if we're all reading from the same hymn-sheet.

[cookala]

Be open-minded to the crits you're going to get and don't take them personally.

[cookala]

Before you post:

Read the Forum Guidelines.
Read everything in the Blurbs of Wisdom.

[This message has been edited by cookala (edited 03-05-2002).]

[Donner]

If you think that poetry comes from your "heart and soul", that the words should remain as they've been poured out onto the page, and that poetry has to rhyme to be poetry, be open to the idea that your preconceptions may not be the best or most interesting approach to writing--that maybe, just maybe there are other aspects to writing that you may not have considered.

Donner

[This message has been edited by Donner (edited 03-05-2002).]

[Adam Pittman]

There's really nothing you could say.

As PJR said, we could ask the person to proof-read. If that person is not the type who likes to proof-read, however, he or she will almost invariably give us some excuse as to why grammar and punctuation stifle his/her creativity. And then we don't like them.

As Harry said, we might ask them to read the Posting Guidelines, but this doesn't really guarantee any sort of smooth participation on the person's part. He or she might just refer to us as literary fascists; so what's the point? And how should we presume? Heh.

Cookala said that we could tell them to be open-minded as far as critiques go. But I contend that open-mindedness is not something someone can be told to have; it is an acquired trait. And at any rate, if the person doesn't enjoy our PFFA style he/she will be sure to turn around on us and say that we are the closed-minded ones.

Cookala also said that we could ask them to read the Forum Guidelines and Blurbs of Wisdom, but that brings us right back to what Harry said.

Donner's suggestion, while being gentle and persuasive, would only work if the potential poster wanted it to work.

And I think that would be the main point of my post here: the PFFA will only work if the user allows it to work for them. I've considered telling many of my poetry-writing friends about this website, but I don't know what I could possibly say to them that would make them agreeable posters. There's a certain amount of naivete in a novice who wants to write poetry (and by novice I mean one who has not participated in any sort of workshop and hasn't gotten anything published in a reputable magazine) -- I think most beginners believe that they are unique and talented when they clearly are not. That, of course, is a matter of an overblown ego resultant of many years of coddling in American primary education (I can't speak for other countries).

People have to learn how to help themselves first. This isn't always a likely thing.

Adam

[Sarah Kath]

Aaargh, Donner took my first piece of advice already. Second piece of advice:

Even if you think you are good, it is a good idea not to make your first post to Merciless. Post to General or General C+C, and if you are good enough for Merciless, a critic will tell you that you are good enough for Merciless. It'll save you locked posts and possibly trips to Outside.

[stewart]

" Are you really, really sure you want to post this? I mean, have you seen how guys like garyg can carve up bad poems". http://www.everypoet.com/poetry/poetry_forums/wink.gif

Is that a smilie? I just used a smilie. I definitely need a holiday. If only I could remove this pin!



[This message has been edited by stewart (edited 03-09-2002).]

[maxlynn]

Besides all the other good advice, allow a cooling off period and a re-read or two before you post, a first draft can always do with a tidy up in general, meter, spelling, grammar, etc, etc.
Max.

[debi z]

Be brave
but remember that this poem is not you.
This site is not the world.
Have fun.

debi

[real]

Is this poem your favorite poem?
Are you emotionally attached to this poem?
Do you think that this is your best poem ever?
Is this the poem that got great reviews in your high school newspaper?
Do you expect people to be truly moved by this poem?
Do you think that this is a good poem because of what it's about?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, please pick another poem to post.

real

[garyg]

What one piece of advice would you give her before she pushes the "Enter" key and irrevocably commits her fate into the hands of the other posters here?


**Rethink using *poeticsoulwithin* as your user name.

garyg

[earthshoes]

Proof, proof, proof. Use your spell-check.
Then give it to the most literate person you know and ask them to proof it again.

If you are looking for criticism then start in General Crit. You can always work your way up. It is far easier to climb up Mount Everest than it is to fall off it. Plus, you'll avoid the nosebleeds and nausea of altitude sickness.


earthshoes
who should never give
advice before three am.

[This message has been edited by earthshoes (edited 04-19-2002).]

[real]

Originally posted by earthshoes:
Plus, you'll the avoid nosebleeds and nausea of altitude sickness.

Proof, proof, proof? I'm guessing that you only apply this rule to your posts in the critical forums.

Sorry,
I just had to ya see.

real

[wizzard]

STOP Now, hit start, shutdown, shutdown. Now get up and got to bed, you will remember nothing. No, seriously. STOP. STOP. OUCH.

[turnstodust]

to newbie,
read at least five or six poems in the forum that you are considering posting in, and then ask yourself this question: "do I belong here" if the answer is a "no" or the more common "hell no" then take a step down the ladder.

another piece of advise:
STEP1:
have a good friend drive you down the local freeway, once you get going at about 75 exit the window using the tuck and roll procedure, try to roll away from the car.
STEP2:
wait about 3 weeks
STEP3:
repeat steps 1 and 2,
by now you should have a nice big callous where your skin used to be. Finally, follow my first piece of advice, and type away!
good luck,
turnstodust