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Young Writers Society


Whats up with the new chat?



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Sat Jan 05, 2008 2:01 am
Joeducktape says...



I agree that this is a good idea. Also, you tend to meet people a lot faster by critiquing their work and sharing your own with them! Being a part of YWS is realizing that it's a community, not a game site, and being part of the community is supporting people with critiques and reads. Also, if you want people to get to know you, you can always post in the "Introductions" section or participate in writing activities or topics in the lounge.

Personally, I know the people I like the most are the ones that help me out by critiquing my work.

nuttychooky wrote:This is not a chat site :p


Exactly.
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Sat Jan 05, 2008 2:07 am
~Volant~ says...



The problem with that is, I'm a very shy person. And every writer I know personally is a very shy person. I liked when I was able to meet people first before I trusted that they wouldn't steal my ideas or get offended by my reviews. In the writing club at our school, no one had anything to read for weeks. When we got to know each other it was easier to share our work and give each other feedback.
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Sat Jan 05, 2008 2:14 am
Meep says...



~Volant~, you needn't worry about people stealing your ideas or being offended by critiques here. I've said it before and I'll say it again, but YWS is one of the least wanky places I've ever been, as far as the internet's concerned. (Anyway, if someone is offended by an honest review with good intentions, you shouldn't worry as it's their problem, not yours.)

I understand being shy; I can be, too. I think Joeducktape hits the nail on the head when she says that the fastest way to get to know people is by critiquing them and getting critiqued by them. I've gotten to know some people here, and I think I've been in the chat, like, twice. If you're really concerned about making buddies, try the buddy system </shameless plug> or join a few of the usergroups to find other like-minded folks to talk to.

If you're looking for things to review, just pick a genre and look through it. I generally hang out in fantasy fiction right now. I might not personally know the people whose work I'm reviewing, but that actually makes it easier to be an impartial critiquer.

There are sites for chatting, and they're cool, too but like Nate said, this is a society for writers and the forum is based around writing, with the chat as an added bonus.
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Sat Jan 05, 2008 3:54 am
scotty.knows says...



Hang in there, little man, you'll get to 25 reviews in no time at all.

I do think the rule change is a little harsh for the n00bs; but oh well, I don't make the rules, I break em.

*Coughs* You're free to critique anything I wrote. Don't worry, I won't be offended even if you say:

"I hated every single moment of reading this. I bet your mother is a one-eyed cow and your father was a sample of amoebic dysentry-"

...actually, that would be kind of mean...

Anyway, don't worry, and please don't leave just because you don't have 25 posts. A lot of the people I've met on this site I met because I got a critique from them or vice versa.

You can really get to know someone by reading their work. In chatrooms, you just sit around and kind of randomly spew bits of nonsense... at least I do...


Acccchh, this post was way too long for the subject.

Peace out, man.
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Sat Jan 05, 2008 3:57 am
Loose says...



Personally, I think it's a great idea. The Young Writers Society isn't the Young Chatters Society, so this change in rules re-inforces the fact.
  





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Sat Jan 05, 2008 4:09 am
Via says...



Personally, here is my philosophy:

If you don't want to do reviews and post your own work, then why are you here? It's a writing site. 25 reviews is NOT that much. Newbies have a great opportunity to get to know people through the welcome forums (and welcome posts are always answered quickly and many, many times) and PMs and community forums and all that jazz if they don't want to do reviews/literature things right away. The chat is really an unnecessary component to the site, but it is nice to have the networking with the friends you make from reviewing. We have an increasingly disturbing number of people who have been hanging around for a long time and have no/very little reviews but are hanging out in the chatroom. I think it's important to let people know we are not a site for chatting, we are a site for bettering our writing skills...people need to have that impression right away.

On a lighter note, I also think that many people in our world out there are unable to locate the US on a map because some people out there in our nation don't have maps and I also think our education and such needs to help Iraq and with South Africa and such with our education we need to help them and such. World Peace for all.
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Sun Jan 06, 2008 1:37 am
Leja says...



Exactly, Via (go, world peace! XD). If you'd rather chat than improve your writing and help others improve their writing, then this is probably not the site for you. It isn't as if, due to the fact that you can't yet chat, you're barred from all community activities on the site. If you're looking for something non-literary to participate in, there're plenty of options in the community forums. Joining a group is another awesome thing.
  





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Sun Jan 06, 2008 1:16 pm
JabberHut says...



First of all:

Still, a newbie wouldn't be able to get in to meet new people, and a newbie might not stay a week to get 25 reviews. I found a writing website that had a similar standard and I only stayed around for a few days.


Actually, isn't it the Greeters' job to welcome the newbies? Or even the new Mentor group could do so. It's not exactly the chat's responsibility to meet the newbies, though we tend to be very friendly to newcomers. :D

We don't want people to leave. The site could just not have the chatroom. Wasn't there a time where there wasn't a chatroom? It's possible. It's not the most important part of the site. It's a reward for those who are active in the site. Do not take the new rule the wrong way. The mods had seen new members join just to use the chatroom and not really reviewing at all. They're trying to reduce that number.

Chat was just one of my most important ways of getting things to review.


It can be helpful in that respect. This can be a downfall to active new members, but I trust you guys will get enough reviews. Just pull up a thread in the literary forums and critique! We don't just help our friends, we help our fellow writers. :D

The problem with that is, I'm a very shy person.


Oh, do I know how you feel. You don't even know how shy I was once. If you don't know what to do, you can ask a Mentor or any other colored member. I'm sure they can help you out in one way or another. I followed my guideline, and still do: I critique the posts that have gotten next to nil reviews. They always appreciate a review, whether it's grammar or a comment on character development. Try that. :wink:

You can also visit your friends' friends list. If your friends like that person, maybe you could help them out as well. You may make new friends. :wink: Visit their portfolio and pick something to review.

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Sat Jan 12, 2008 8:45 pm
~Volant~ says...



It's a good idea. I understand it.

When I was a newbie, I got all tangled up in the site. It's improved, now, so it's easier to navigate, but what if a newbie had 24 hours before the rule applied to them? that way they could get immediate answers if they get stuck.

Sure, we get immediate answers in the Lounge or the Welcome Forum. But a newbie won't know that. Most writing websites take days before you get a reveiw.
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Sat Jan 12, 2008 9:25 pm
Nate says...



Volant ->> In all my time here, and I have been here a long time, I have never seen a new member ask a question in the chat room about the site. Never. I am sure it does happen from time to time, but it's very rare.

The reason is because when you join, you receive a Welcome PM. That Welcome PM tells you to go to the Welcome forum to introduce yourself, and tells you how to get there. Consequently, the Welcome forum is where most questions get asked. Not in the chat, but in the Welcome forum.

Once again, new members do not ask questions in the chat room. It doesn't happen, except for maybe on very rare occasions that I have yet to see.
  








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