This is why we critique?

InkFinger

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This really should be said to a broader audience, but you are my peeps. So here it is.

You should be spending time in Share Your Work to read and give criticism to your peers. It is hard work. It's a pain in the ass, but I learn more writing criticism than I do from any other form of practice. It forces me to think about what I am reading and what I am saying. I have to use my capacity to think through a story and explain why things work and why they don't. Helping your peers is like a writer's day at the gym. And, it is the only way you will ever truly work on a style that is not your own. You do not have to be better than the people you give criticism to either. We all know what is good. We all know what works. Even if we do not know why something works or not, we do know whether it works or not. That too is growth.

Read and give criticism to your peers because it will make you a better writer.

That is all.
 
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InkFinger

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One additional thought: The flip side of the above, is that you should be posting work to be criticized. Learning to work with editors is critical to getting your work out there, but more importantly, critical to learning how to write.

Post a paragraph or a page, unless you've worked out an agreement works longer than 500 words will be tough to get more than impressions on. 500 words is a nice bite size piece that someone can critique in less than an hour. Longer needs more.
 

Maryn

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It's worth noting that some of the writers who are repped by agents may be discouraged from posting work anywhere, even behind passwords. I don't know if anyone here at Erotica has specifically been advised not to, but I know some people in the wider community don't post for critique for that reason.

Me, I rarely have anything short enough.

Maryn, who's writing every day, though
 

AW Admin

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We remove SYW threads when the OPs ask as an additional protection.
 

Woollybear

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Oh, bless you admin, is that true for all SYW boards?

I'll assume it is... and find links to all the Aerovoyant SYWs from over the years... and send a pm to request they be removed.

(or can I do a batch 'remove all my SYW threads'?)
 

InkFinger

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It's worth noting that some of the writers who are repped by agents may be discouraged from posting work anywhere, even behind passwords.

Even work you don't intend to sell? For me this is all practice, except the last line you wrote, that's usually whatever the last line I wrote is.

And you can still critique if you don't post.
 
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InkFinger

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Another shout out for giving critiques. I've just finished another session of it and I learned from the process. Everyone should be dropping in on one or more of the SYW boards and reading what others are doing. Leave a note that said you read it. Make a comment that says liked it or not. As you have time, think about what they write and why you feel the way you do about it - good or bad. This will make you better, and it will improve your chances of getting good feedback.

One of the great things about an online writing group is that you have no social awkwardness about giving your honest a full feedback. It will help them and it will help you.

Just saying. Give crits.
 

InkFinger

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Come on out to SYW

Everyone,

Bringing this back up to the top. A reminder that giving and receiving criticism makes all of us better writers. I'd be giving detailed crits if you were dropping work to be reviewed. On another note, I'm posting at least one scene/story each week for your reading and criticism. Please come on out to SYW and be a part of the community.
 

Maryn

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Amen. I'd like to note that our friend Inkfinger has given quite a few detailed critiques in recent weeks, and while there's no specific tit-for-tat where anyone owes a critique, it would be especially nice if those who have received a critique gave one, whether to Inkfinger or someone else.
 

Goshawk31

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I hate to admit to ignorance but .... is there a special section for Share Your Work? If so, where do I find it? I joined specifically with an eye to critiquing and being critiqued and have not found much of any of that here. But then I'm still finding my way around. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
 

InkFinger

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I hate to admit to ignorance but .... is there a special section for Share Your Work?

Yes. Scan down the forum to Share Your Work, inside that forum there will be SYW forums for each genre, including erotica. Erotica requires an explicit request for access to the Admin that states your age and that you know you will be reading and discussing explicit sexuality across the spectrum of what that covers. If you agree and you are of age, you get the password and admonition to keep it to yourself. Then you get to come play with us. And we read and critique.
 

Maryn

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Goshawk31, Inkfinger's given you good info--but in the future, how about asking when you want to know something? You can ask a moderator for how-do-I in a private message if you prefer, but you can also ask in public, because I guaran-damn-tee that whatever isn't obvious to you is also not obvious to scores of other recent arrivals.

I'm just low-tech enough to be a decent explainer, too.

Maryn, who was once new; she was young once, too, around the same time
 

c.m.n.

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Ok. I admit the reason for joining this forum is to get critiques. But I haven't even been in the SYW area of the forum for several years. I think the last time I ventured in there -- the erotica area -- it was pretty quiet.

Maybe taking part in the prompts would get me writing again, and critiquing again!
 

InkFinger

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You would be welcome. The prompts are an easy way to get back in the flow of things.
 

InkFinger

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BTW - all of the SYW forums are only as good as what gets put in. You are the person that starts that, whomever you are. I am doing my best to make it an interesting place, but people are bound to get sick of me eventually. I love all the participation we can get.
 

Goshawk31

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Inkfinger: Excellent! Thank you ... I'll go investigate.
 
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Goshawk31

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Maryn: Good to know. Actually, I thought I was asking (and got answered ... wonderful). Next time I'll try mods although my previous efforts haven't worked out too well. Probably my fault; I can be klutzy with tech.
 

Maryn

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When it comes to tech, I know just enough to be a danger to myself...

I saw you asked and got a definitive answer, so good to know. We do have a legal (moral, ethical) responsibility not to let minors have access to graphic adult materials through the site, so that's what I'd have presumed was the safer course of action.

I see you have enough posts to put up at least part of a story at SYW-Erotica now. In my experience, whatever's wrong with the first part is often what's wrong with the rest, so there's something to be gained by it.

But it's scary!

Maryn, coward