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Printed from https://writing.com/main/newsletters/action/archives/id/5797
For Authors: August 14, 2013 Issue [#5797]

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For Authors


 This week: Poke Around in Member Portfolios
  Edited by: NaNoNette Author IconMail Icon
                             More Newsletters By This Editor  Open in new Window.

Table of Contents

1. About this Newsletter
2. A Word from our Sponsor
3. Letter from the Editor
4. Editor's Picks
5. A Word from Writing.Com
6. Ask & Answer
7. Removal instructions

About This Newsletter

Hello, I am NaNoNette Author Icon and I will be your guest editor for this issue.


Word from our sponsor



Letter from the editor

Poke Around in Member Portfolios


The Best Writing Advice Comes from Fellow Writers


Are you the type of writer who takes writing classes, buys or borrows books on writing, and spends a lot of time searching the world for tips, tricks, advice on writing? Why do you do that? You've got everything you need right here.

Not only does Writing.Com have some great resources for you, but your fellow Writing.Com members are a veritable treasure trove of information. An easy way to find the best advice is to choose "Writing" in the genre search and let the site take you where you want to go. On the first page, you will find Writing.Com's own "Author Tools @ Writing.ComOpen in new Window.. After reading all of this newsletter *Wink*, you ought to go there and check it out.

Going down in the listings about "Writing," you will come across hundreds of articles, tutorials, and other items that can help you to jump-start your imagination and creativity. You'll also find documents about grammar, punctuation, and many other topics.

Before you run out and buy yet another book by a writer who has published exactly one book, the book about writing (? *Rolleyes*) How about reading up on the lessons and suggestions we as a group of writers have discovered in our writing journeys? Give it a try.




Editor's Picks

STATIC
Long Musings on Short Stories Open in new Window. (E)
Some random thoughts on writing short stories.
#1537812 by Max Griffin 🏳️‍🌈 Author IconMail Icon

FOLDER
The Learning Tree Open in new Window. (ASR)
Helpful instructions on writing, proofreading, editing and reviewing.
#1216919 by iKïyå§ama Author IconMail Icon

 Blank Novel Outline Open in new Window. (E)
Interested in writing a novel? Have an outline yet? Need one?
#870156 by Beth Barnett Author IconMail Icon

Expert Writing Tips Open in new Window. (E)
A list of tips to help improve writing skills.
#625917 by Vivian Author IconMail Icon

 Invalid Item Open in new Window.
This item number is not valid.
#677247 by Not Available.

Hyperbole Open in new Window. (13+)
In tribute to one of the great literary devices.
#576342 by Davy Kraken Author IconMail Icon

 Round and Flat Characters Open in new Window. (E)
Make your fictional characters stand out from the rest!
#193860 by Roxxie Author IconMail Icon

Whose Work Are You Stealing? Open in new Window. (E)
Anonymous is such a great writer. Must be. He/she writes some wonderful e-mail forwards.
#507260 by Kenzie Author IconMail Icon

 Invalid Item Open in new Window.
This item number is not valid.
#852724 by Not Available.

STATIC
3.1 The Sentence Amusement Park Open in new Window. (13+)
A playland filled with poor sentence structure.
#1090999 by Eric Wharton Author IconMail Icon


 
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Word from Writing.Com

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Ask & Answer

For my last newsletter "Public Versus Private ReviewsOpen in new Window., I got the following responses:

chopstixd wrote: Don't forget an e-mail review. I prefer public reviews. My reviews are often critical. Should I overstep, I hope the WDC community will keep me in check. In a separate e-mail, I send authors my line by line notes.
I think this is the best way for in-depth, detailed reviews. Discuss elements of the story and writing in a public review. Send detailed comments in e-mails.

I have to admit, I didn't think about emails at all, but I also don't think that emails are a good way to send a review. There is a reason for that. Every review you send, whether public, private, or anonymous is attached to the item. The author can easily access it from their item instead of having to search for it in their inbox. Inboxes are terrible places for such things as in-depth reviews. You can always toggle back and forth from a review and your item in edit mode at any time as long as your item is still on WdC. If you want to re-read a review for that piece a year later, it's right there - but that email? How many pages of emails do you want to wade through until you find it? So, emails as reviews - not good in my mind. If you want to send a public review and then a private review, you can do so by clearing the stars/review. Once that is done, the reviewing box shows back up and you can send a private line-by-line review that is attached to that piece in question.

ANN Counselor, Lesbian & Happy Author Icon wrote: Thanks for a newsy and helpful newsletter.

Thanks for reading and commenting.

Doug Rainbow Author Icon wrote: Couple of comments about reviews.
(1) A public review, like all publicly posted writing, should be interesting to the public. A private review need not be.
(2) Why not do both? If you choose to do a public review it is certainly OK to supplement it with a private review or vice versa.

Yes! Absolutely. And be sure the second one is a review also, not an email. (See my answer to Chopstix)

Grace♥Leo health issues Author Icon wrote: Hi Giselle,
I enjoyed your newsletter about the type of reviews we have to choose from when we review. I have been a little leery about the anonymous reviews. If the author has questions can they reach you when you send it that way?
Grace L

If somebody sent you an anonymous review and you want to thank them, you can do so by replying via the box at the bottom of the review - not in an email. However, if you ask them a question and they reply, then their username becomes known to you, which doesn't make it anonymous any longer.

JACE Author Icon wrote: Great subject, Miss Giselle! Do you mind if I tag your newsletter in my next Noticing Newbies newsletter? I don't know who many of my readers get this NL, but I'd like for them to get this information.
Jace

What an honor! Yes, please link to it! *Bigsmile*

Quick-Quill Author Icon wrote: If I review a story, when I get to the Resolution I write "I wont tell the ending and spoil it for a potential reader. I will write if it was good, surprising or should have been different and I was disappointed.
I only send private reviews when I am giving personal opinion to the subject matter in addition to the review. Sometimes the story triggers a personal issue and I might share that. Its personal and doesn't need to be seen by everyone.

You're right. You don't need to have personal emotions in public reviews. Although it depends on the depth of the emotion. If you felt happy, sad, or anything else "easy," then it's probably okay to put that into a public review. If you have some detailed memory that is deeply personal, that one is most likely best communicated in private.

monty31802 wrote: Points well made. I personally think that sending a public review is spoiled when the reviewer tells the author what they wrote.They wrote it and know what they wrote. To pick out specific parts appreciated as outstanding is fine and also things that are in the reviewers opinion errors. but so often reviewers seem to use parts of the writers words to make long reviews. Just my opinion.

Monty, I agree 100%. I think it's okay to highlight & copy lines in order to comment specifically on them, or for a poem for instance to point out why it's a good/bad/lame/superb/fitting line. I've got to say the "summary-style" review doesn't do much for me either. As you say, I know what I wrote. *Smile*

BIG BAD WOLF is Howling Author Icon wrote: Reviewing can be tough, so laugh often. "Big Fat Pig City GuardOpen in new Window.

*Laugh*

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