  Noticing Newbies
This week: A Reminder of What WDC Means to Us Edited by: esprit  
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3. Letter from the Editor
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5. A Word from Writing.Com
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| Being an editor of the Newbie Newsletter is one of my favorite 'jobs' on Writing.Com. Whether you're a writer, a reviewer, or a reader, you'll find reams of useful tips and advice written from the POV of one who is working as hard as you to learn everything she can, and simply passing it on. |
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A Reminder of What WDC Means to Us--It's Members.
There is an ancient urban myth that this newsletter is only for new members, but that has been proven to be a myth. There is no stigma attached to receiving and enjoying the Newbie Newsletter well past the newbie year. It's intended audience are members of any length of time. The title specifies the new because it's the first newsletter new members receive, and it answers a few of their questions about WDC. The additional information it contains is universal. You really shouldn't feel you have to hide in the closet to enjoy it.
Definition of Writing.Com-munity.
a unified body of individuals: b: people with common interests c: an interacting population of various kinds of individuals in a common location d: a group of people with a common interest together within a larger society e: a group linked by a common policy -g : joint participation b: LIKENESS community of interests c: social activity : FELLOWSHIP
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This once in a lifetime date, 09-09-09, is also WDC's 9th year birthday month. I thought it would be the perfect edition to remind ourselves of how lucky we are to have WDC. When things move along smoothly year after year, we tend to take them for granted.
WDC is the best-run writing, reading, social network, blogging site I've seen. It truly is. There are other good sites, but they don't come close to WDC in combining all these things into one quality package. It takes pure genius and a strong love and understanding of human nature to keep a site this large running as smoothly as it does. It amazes me when I take time to think about it. Among thousands of members, mostly human I assume, there are only a handful of discontents. It's a feat absolutely unheard of among any group of people, no matter how small it is.
WDC. 9-2000 to 9-2009
Happy Birthday, Writing.Com. We wish you many, many more.
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Hello, Newbies! How do you like the site so far? There's so much to see and do, it's kinda like going to Disneyland and trying to cram everything into a one-day pass. Thank goodness you don't have to do that. You can visit anytime and stay as long as you wish. Take your time to see everything at your leisure.
If you've ever visited Disneyland, did you meet Walt? Did he welcome you in person? Probably not. You did meet plenty of his representatives though--Mickey, Goofy, and all the rest acting silly and making you laugh. That was good enough, right?
On Writing.Com you will meet the big guys, the originators, the Red Cases behind the idea of this one-of-a-kind on-line community. You'll look up and see them working alongside you, gathering your ideas and suggestions for making the community better and easier to use. One or the other of their envelopes is white most of the time. (a white envelope is code for "online now".) When it's brown, well... you know.
Yes, of course they are real people! Did you think this was just another internet site where you post a writing or two, then hope someone reads it? Or a place where nobody cared? Where nobody said hello or welcome unless you said it first? A place with broken links and no one worried about it, maybe not even knowing they were broken? You're in for a pleasant surprise. You are now a member of the most fantastic writing community ever created! A place where the members and the owners really care about each other. You are noticed and you'll learn that it's not just hype. Of course you have responsibilities too. You can choose to stay holed up in your port or get out and introduce yourself. The hand of friendship is offered.
You will meet many WDC representatives who might be called Mickey, Bugs or Goofy--almost anything they want to be called. You are a representative too, and are important to the goodwill of the community. Your name is listed in the Hall of Representatives in alphabetical order. As long as you follow the 'Be Nice' rule and are friendly, you will enjoy a bounty of friends and neighbors and be kept busy forever, or as long as you choose.
I bet you didn't know our leaders have ports just like the rest of us. They do, and they like visitors as much as you and I. Why don't you drop in to visit and get to know them better? They are real people who used to have time to create something besides code and one-of-a-kind art such as logos, ribbons and badges. You'll understand how important Writing.Com is to them. As you explore the site and meet people, you'll get a sense of what WDC means to its members. We hope it will become as important to you too.
Enjoy the site and help celebrate its 9th birthday!
I love my job!
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Comments on "Invalid Entry"
 A whole bunch of Yeas.
Sunmitted Comment: CHRISTMAS cub-BELLS R RINGING! 
Submitted Comment: Great newsletter, esprit! I love everything about Flash Fiction. And what a great exersize it is! Avoiding unnecessary words is a challenge and good practice. Thanks for a great article!
~Cubby ")
I think it's the stuff great novels are made of, Cubby. Thanks!
Submitted By: An apple a day.... 
Submitted Comment: Hi Esprit....good newsletter and some more good picks to read. You are so right about flash fiction....I always find myself coming back to the "cramp" and the "daily flash" when I need to get going again. Thanks for the good read.
Yeah, I write what I know too, and I loved 'The Cramp' when I was new. I'm glad it's still going strong and still inspiring.
Submitted By: sarahreed
Submitted Comment: Great article on flash writing. I completely agree with how helpful it is. Though I don't have the time to do the Writer's Cramp anymore, I thoroughly enjoyed writing short pieces quickly. It really helped me improve my writing. Now I make sure to do the 100 Word contest every month, which has also helped me focus on word choice. I also recently had the challenge of taking a 2,000+ word story and shortening it to under 1000. I not only had to cut, but revise and modify to keep the story intact with fewer words. As always, I find the newbie newsletter enlightening; it really is helpful no matter how new you are to the site.
You're doing everything right, Sara. You're taking advantage of the learning tools and I have no doubt you will publish someday. Your kind words are always the cream in my coffee, thanks! 
Submitted By: comppro
Submitted Comment: I love this newsletter! It really helped me to get around the first few weeks.Write On!
Woo! Thank you! We try harder than the other guys.
And a naysayer had a word for the Editor.
Submitted By: Christopher Eastman-Nagle
Submitted Comment: Writing in the age of the thirty second grab means you have to be flash to find favor from fast forward glance babes with teeny weeny attention spans. Their main interests are the flash of color and movement that's gone before they have to think about it.
I don't ask whether one should try to cast pearls before swine. Why cast anything in front of them?
Nothing wrong with flash, but not for its own sake. Conciseness can just be code for being a literary tight arse whose narrative is constipated sheep's droppings struggling to keep the advertising columns apart.
English is a rich language only if it is used generously by people who have enough time for it to give it its due. Beware of false economy.
That isn't a license for ponderous self indulgence.
Christopher 'kiffit' Nagle
Christopher, are you being contentious with this mild, non-argumentative editor? There isn't anything ponderous about flash; in fact it's the direct opposite--it's lively and exciting. Self-indulgent? You bet! As a learning vehicle it can't be matched, and self-indulgent learning is the name of this game.
Thanks for the opposing view--I truly loved it! 
We always appreciate the feedback, even naysayers--Thanks!
Editors:
CHRISTMAS cub-BELLS R RINGING!
laurencia
Your host this week is esprit
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Noticing Newbies: September 09, 2009 Issue [#3234]
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