Discussion: Timescale for Feedback Limitation

kborsden · Nov 4, 2015

The last few weeks, several threads (mostly uncommented) stemming from months, sometimes years in the past have resurfaced in the critique forum. While the intention is good, the bump of an inactive thread has a knock on affect of pushing a more recent, active thread into lost visibility. I feel this is somewhat unfair... despite good intentions.

Not as an official rule, but more a social agreement, I'd like to suggest we understand a thread that has been dormant for 6 months as a dead thread, and unless the OP returns explicitly with a feedback request or revision, it remains dead. This seems a sensible approach to me and aids in avoiding frustration, aggravation and any subsequent conflict.

AW is a great place, where for the better part members are expected to resolve problems for themselves before they become more than that. This is a principle of respect given by the mods, and I'd like to see it exercised in this case too.

Thoughts?

Magdalen · Nov 4, 2015

Agree. Also notice that often the poet of the "dead" thread isn't currently active at AW.

Ambrosia · Nov 4, 2015

I am not as active in the crit forum right now as usual, due to life circumstances and needing to concentrate on those circumstances. So, I don't know what has brought this up now, but I have seen it happen in the past and I agree with the limitation.

That said, perhaps a person who is very interested in a poem several months old, or longer, could consider sending a message to the person who posted the poem instead of bringing it forward. I know if it were one of my older postings here, I would appreciate that courtesy of a rep instead of having it pop back up on the main page. If it wasn't revised here, there may be a good reason for that and being pressured into responding in public about those reasons seems rude to me.

A pm or a rep message would make more sense than dragging something to the front page that has sat for several months.

thehairymob · Nov 4, 2015

Though I haven't been bother by the recent protense of older threads I do see how some would find it a little faux pas. Ambrosia's idea of PMing the OP sounds like a great way of avioding discourse between users. And if you really enjoyed the poem some rep is always a nice way to show your enjoyment of the piece.

Steppe · Nov 4, 2015

I agree with Kie as well. When this happens to a poem of mine, I am at first grateful, then startled and then just a tad embarrassed.

Sometimes a poem is not commented on because all there is to say is something like, "nice poem" or "I really like this one", and we as a critique-er feel embarrassed that we cannot add more than that. So our poem will leave the page without many reviews.

Most of my poems are never really finished anyway and are posted in folders called "needs work". I bring them up myself from time-to-time and when I think I've done them better, I'll repost them myself with a notation.

There are however times on AW when things quiet down, activity is almost like, "Where is everybody at". Many reasons for this. An old poem brought back to main page at this time isn't a bad thing. All-in-all I too feel it should only be done sparingly, if at all.

kborsden · Nov 4, 2015

In terms of inactivity... I receive pm notifications via email. Many people know to drag me back with a pm(!) and I appreciate that

-- when times are slow, pulling an oldie to the front page can alleviate, but what if the OP (as ambrosia says) would rather it not be for whatever reason?

I think ultimately it will always be a judgement call, 1 in a while? OK. 6 or 8 in week? OTT. But as a basic common understanding, I think the dead thread idea is a good fit.

And who doesnt love reppies?

William Haskins · Nov 4, 2015

kborsden said:
Thoughts?

my favorite part is how this is a situation occurring in critique, impacting those who post in critique and yet it's not being discussed in critique.

Ambrosia · Nov 5, 2015

William Haskins said:
my favorite part is how this is a situation occurring in critique, impacting those who post in critique and yet it's not being discussed in critique.

It isn't a poem up for critique. Perhaps if someone created a poem and put it in critique then we could discuss the meaning of it and if it is well constructed?

Kylabelle · Nov 5, 2015

I like the intention of keeping the crit area solely for the purpose of critiqueing poems. I think though that perhaps some who post only in the crit room may never even read other areas of the forums -- and may not see this thread.

poetinahat · Nov 5, 2015

How about this: if one would like someone in particular to comment in this thread, a direct invitation might do the trick. And it might even be welcomed.

William Haskins · Nov 5, 2015

i have received no such invitation, so i will withdraw my comment and the implication that critique forum issues should be dealt with in the critique forum.

Brandt · Nov 6, 2015

2nd page... not irregular at all, especially if the critter has been out temporarily and must go back a page or two to see what they've missed. What seems a bit weird is pulling something from months ago when the OP has gone all but silent. Seems a PM would be the best way to reach out, if only to determine that the OP is still in the house.

cellajam · Nov 9, 2015

I'm new here but I've found that the internet is an odd place where people will drop their work and never return, never giving it a second thought. Given the time and energy it takes to critique a piece I'd like to know that there is at least a chance that the OP will read it. So as a reader I'd prefer that the most recent pages be threads where the OP is active, I can always go back further on my own.

If it was an older piece of my own I'd appreciate a critique at any time, maybe it would inspire me to come back to the piece, but just a What up with this? wouldn't be too helpful, and useless if I'd abandoned the site.

kennyc · Nov 21, 2015

If it's the O.P. bumping or resurrecting their own thread with no particular reason then it's to be frowned upon.

If it's someone new or reviewing poems (for whatever reason - searching for a poem, poet...) and has something to say about the poem then that's not a bad thing IMO.

Kylabelle · Nov 21, 2015

If the OP bumps the thread, they have a reason, I believe. Usually if that does happen, it's someone looking for more feedback and the person says so. Nothing wrong with that, that I can see.

Discussion: Timescale for Feedback Limitation

kborsden

Has a few recurring issues

Magdalen

Petulantly Penitent

Ambrosia

Grand Duchess

thehairymob

If I had a brain I'd still be dumb

Steppe

...

kborsden

Has a few recurring issues

William Haskins

poet

Ambrosia

Grand Duchess

Kylabelle

unaccounted for

poetinahat

say it loud

William Haskins

poet

Brandt

give it to me straight

cellajam

Not the one and only

kennyc

Kylabelle

unaccounted for