...if no one bothers to leave critiques.
i am here to make friends, yes, but on a professional level, i'm here to improve. i see you reading my work, but i rarely get comments anymore and i do not find them critical enough when people do leave them. and since one of my mates recently had twenty-something of her poems stolen from here... well, i'm just wondering whether or not i should even leave stuff up here to be stolen, since people are obviously reading my work, but not saying anything. i should probably clean out what's on here anyways.
like, if i'm not getting the critiques, why am i even here? i mean, i have mates on here (they know who they are) whom i adore, but poetically speaking, why? i'm not trying to get noticed so i can get published or whatever; i feel little need to whore my work out for attention. i'm an amateur; i've been writing for two years and i have a long way to go before i even consider sending out any manuscripts whatsoever. i have projects of my own outside of poetry-- novels, a collection of essays on shakespearean drama, random and unrelated academic interests i want to pursue... so why? i might just delete everything on here and find an academic forum in which to post my poetry, if i post it at all.
really, feel free to comment with something critical, if you're so inclined. for one, i suck at line breaks. knock yourselves out. i don't mind an "i like this; it spoke to me" or any other honest comments. i don't bite, i swear. i know i have a reputation on here for being a bitch, but i crave criticism. i don't write because i need an emotional outlet; i write for the wordplay, for the challenge, to keep myself occupied, and i need to improve or else i will stagnate and my writing will decay. you won't offend me.
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The thing I hate the most is when some just copy and pastes the poem and says "wow, you take my breath away, babydoll ♥"
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I'm in the same boat as Tegan with this one. I'm always impressed by your work, so it's incredibly hard for me to find anything for you to improve.
However, as you are an amazing poet and wonderful critiquer, I think you deserve to have the favor returned, and I'll work harder to dig up some constructive criticism for you.
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Awesome.
I always feel slightly weird critiquing your work because I like it a lot, and then I wonder if you're going to kick my arse for me saying anything, lol.
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Haha, I actually really appreciate critiques. XD
that's usually how I feel about critiquing your work.
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Also, I'm trying to get the funds to start a competition which requires all entrants to offer constructive criticism to every other entrant. The gold winner will be the one who offered the most helpful criticism which includes questions, the silver to the one who made the most significant revisions, and the bronze to whoever capably explained the reasoning behind their poetic devices (HMs to poems of choice).
I might ask for entrants to pitch in some small funding (20 points or so each, which would be easily worth it considering how much features go for and how many points come back through reviews, ratings, and applause),
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maybe keep an eye out on it? I'd love to see a dedicated writer such as yourself enter when I get around to opening it (hopefully soon). -
I know exactly how you feel. I felt the same way about four years ago and left until two months ago for the very reasons you listed.
Poetry is very hard to critique, but when discussed, it can be a lot easier to do so.
The main problem (and the reason so few comments consisting of constructive criticism on here, in my opinion) is that there are so many people who simply can on write but preach that they can as well as people who aren't too talented with reading either. I know everyone says that "writing is up to interpretation" and "all poetry is good poetry" blah blah blah, but this is, frankly, bullshit. Writing is an ART, and just as not everyone can carry a tune, or paint a picture, or play an instrument, not everyone can write.
And the same can be said for reading. Yes, people can read words and put letters and punctuation together (for the most part), but *close reading* takes practice and dedication.
So for people like yourself that are incredibly talented writers with so much potential, so many point hungry readers will either throw a comment in or be really impressed at the superior writing at play and honestly be enthralled and relieved at discovering some use of form and subtlety!
But I understand your frustration and I am guilty for being a reader who rarely comments, so I'll attempt to actually get up the nerve to offer some constructive criticism since you're welcome to it. Editing, after all, is my true passion.
I do hope you stay to share the beautiful works though. good luck -
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I so agree with you here. It's not that I need, say, a huge critique like I leave for most beginners on here about enjambment, imagery, the importance of editing, etc, for myself, but communication with fellow artists from whom I can learn. Someone else may have a way of forming stanzas that I can borrow for a bit and adapt into my own form of it, you know? If there's one thing I've realised about writing, it's that your writing has to grow as you progress, and I feel like I'm being trapped if I can't eventually be good at freeverse. That's what most people write these days, and that's my weak spot in terms of writing.
And it's been a long time since I've heard someone my age say that writing is an art; I don't even know you but I like you already, lol. Took a peek at your profile as well... you're studying English? Awesome. Me too
And about that contest? I have over 50.000 points because I hoard them like a Norse dragon and I would be happy to donate points and/or co-judge. Let me know when you do set up the contest.
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I know how you feel. I do apologize for not following up on your work. School has kept me busy, and when I do have time on here, I'm usually doing XF or LaLa stuff - and I wasn't even aware of how much I've really taken certain favorites (you know, for example, past contestants or old friends) for granted. I'm glad you posted this column, because now I'm more aware of not only to follow up on your work, but also...to do the same for others. I think you should stay on here, because you bring a voice to this website that stands out way beyond the others. You're unique...and so I hope you stay.
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I completely understand-- I mean, you don't even get that much privacy, and then with school and X-Factor (how's the new season going, btw? last I saw you were forcing news stories on those poor contestants
), it's a bit busy-ing. Is that even a word?
I'm a hypocrite, though, because I read your work but don't comment often. I hardly ever see anything wrong with your prose so you do make it a bit hard
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I think poetry is one of the hardest things to critique. So much of what we like or don't like is simply personal preference or what speaks to us. Line breaks... we all use them for different things. In the place of punctuation, for emphasis, because we ended a thought. I think this column will help, simply because you're explaining what you want to change or improve.
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What was your previous screen name..?
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endymion
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oh! ok.. i have you on my favorites but was completely unsure who you were.. thanks! Your new name draws to mind nipples.. btw.. i know it isn't.. .. but it is all i think when i see it..
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...now that you mention it, i can see that too. not that nipples are a bad image, in any case
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I'm horrible at critiques..especially since I don't have any knowledge in literature or poetry or anything. just what I'm currently learning in school. so me attempting to critique your stuff would just be me saying 'I like this' a lot in different ways haha.
you're way too good lol.
if I knew how to critique, I would.
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Haha it's okay, I love you anyways
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I know exactly how this feels.
Honestly, I don't critique your work because I have a really hard time critiquing people whom I am constantly impressed by. If you'd like, I can offer a few critiques [or rather, force them], but I have a hard time commenting on your, as well as others, works because I feel like I'd always say the same thing
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I feel that way too sometimes, especially about your work, but apparently you are not on my favourites so I haven't gotten notification of your new work, if you've posted any. WTF, Allpoetry?
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I've actually just started posting again... I had a huge four-ish month stint of writer's block, drove me crazy.
And Allpoetry zaps my favorites all the time.
I'll try and comment on your work more often, but be prepared, it could just be insane rambling
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Writer's block sucks. And I think I had accidentally removed you when you changed your username and wasn't notified because AP eats my notes, and went "stasis? who the fuck is that?" I still equate you with Colour Me Silent and acarsaid
And am off to read your new stuff!
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Lol, I may be going back to Color Me Silent at some point, but stasis seems to fit my situation the most right now.
And I hope you enjoy it, haha. I'm still a bit rusty, I think. Four months of no writing will do that to you, I think.
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It's funny that I've just run across this journal moments after you've posted it. I'd all but quit posting here for the same reason. I have very few favorites but I frequently read random poetry postings and leave my thoughts on them. I rarely, if ever, receive the same favor in return. I, too, have a reputation as being a bitch & have even been blocked by three different people, which I look at as a badge of honor since I don't respect their work and therefore, don't care what they think of me and mine.
As I've recently added you a favorite, you can expect me to skulk around your site at random and offer my opinions unbidden. I hope that I can expect the same from you! In the meantime, keep your chin up & don't worry about stolen work. Not that it's not troubling but really, what fear do people have of plagiarism anyway? And words are free, what they are stealing are your ideas. My feeling on that is that if they are desperate enough to steal my work, they obviously have no creativity of their own. I don't write to make a fortune, I've already been published and the work is copy written in my soul. So, quite frankly, fuck em.
- Bean Sidhe
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