Six things, and then I'm done. I may very well be overstepping, and if you think I am, please email me. My address is in my profile.
-In my opinion, the respect here has been going downhill. It was one of the things that attracted me here; I'd hate to lose it. Happily, it's not gone yet...can we keep it? Please?
-You don't have to type everything that goes through your head into the boards. Sometimes it's better not to. Sometimes you just have to type what you think; it's therapeutic. In those cases, though, it's often best to delete it afterwards instead of posting it.
-Critiques should be constructive.
-You don't have to publicly defend your honor against critiques that you solicited.
-We don't have to run people off the boards; this place is big enough for everyone.
-If you don't want to hear exactly what people think of your work, don't post it and ask for critiques. If you don't like what you heard, deal. You asked for it.
posted
I should dredge up some of my previous misbehavior to show you all what things used to be like around here, but I won't. If you really want to know, you can dig around.
I really do try to remember that the reason we're all here is to help and encourage each other in becoming better writers. I think it's a good rule for this forum, and even though I'm sometimes a bit snippy, I do want to help.
I hope that everyone can forgive me my bouts of snarkiness, and promise to try and be forgiving of others (this is easy for me to say because I have an incredibly short attention span and can't remember people's names from one moment to the next, but I'm trying to forgive, which is better than just forgetting).
posted
Frankly I love you guys for your snarkiness.
I'd rather have Hatrackers tell me that my writing rambles, that my characters are insipid, that my dialogue is cliche, than have readers close my book and tell me nothing.
Encourage if you must; I neither want nor value your encouragement.
posted
I will be snarky to Doc Brown, then, as a personal favor. The rest of you will just have to be snarky to yourselves.
Posts: 1750 | Registered: Oct 2004
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posted
Apologies from this end of the world as well. In the short time I've been here I don't know if I've been snarky. I find sometimes the things I write and hear in my voice as witty and good humoured others find evil and bitchy.
Be happy once more... It may just be change of season.
posted
Maybe we should allow everyone one bout of snarkiness but then - grow up lads! (and lasses - it's a common phrase over here meaning both sexes - I mean genders - I mean... oh no, how many people have I offended now?)
Seriously though, you can't throw a hissy fit at a publisher or an editor. Well, you can, but try getting them to publish you afterwards. We're all here to learn, no matter what level we are at with our writing. Just remember the very simple guidelines which Jeraliey put so susinctly at the top of the topic. Perhaps try to put both the pluses and the minuses in a critique. And play nice...
posted
Perhaps when bitten, the best thing to do is to fight the desire to bite back. It's hard...
I know with one non-critique posting on one site(no names) I had to bite my tongue. My thoughts were 'how arrogant'. After calming down, I decided to write a conceding follow up, one that wouldn't escalate.
It may be the conundrum of what is typed might have a reasonable tone for the typer, another tone altogether for the one reading it. Heck, that even happens when people speak.
I'm sure married folks have often had this kind of conversation: >Why'd you snap at me? <I didn't snap at you at all. >Didn't you hear the tone of your voice? <My tone was fine.
If I may be forgiven for saying so, even OSC sometimes sounds biting in some of his opinions. Perhaps his internal voice isn't in the tone I read it.
A good critique is very beneficial when it sinks in. Communicating in a tactful tone goes a long way in helping it sink in. An untactful tone will only raise defenses. Human nature may cause both sides to take extreme hardened viewpoints...
posted
As a veteran of another site where snarkiness is as shocking as a pregnant bride, I hope you all retain every ounce of snarkuality, and share it generously and with great snarkfulness. Posts: 66 | Registered: Apr 2005
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posted
I didn't even know snark was a word before yesterday. And look at the many conjugated forms that have appeared in this topic. Wow.
Posts: 1520 | Registered: Jun 2004
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posted
Actually, boojums sometimes disguise themselves as snarks, which is really the only dangerous part about hunting snarks.
This site occasionally attracts a boojum or two. KDW slays them and we all get back to normal. Snarks just have to be tolerated, they are a bit annoying at times, and really should be kept under control, but as long as they don't prove to be boojums, you can deal with it.
How to know if what you see is a snark: it * tastes like a too-tight waistcoat; * gets up late * has trouble recognizing humor * is fond of bathing-machines * is ambitious * MAY be a boojum
Except for the "bathing-machines" thing, it sounds like snarkiness is a very common thing.
[This message has been edited by wbriggs (edited April 26, 2005).]
posted
whoa... we posted that awfully close together briggs... and i do definitely have many of the listed characteristics of a snark.
as for the link. what an impressive piece of epic poetry. does lewis caroll write mainly in epic poetry format? if so, i must start searching my local library for that writers work. i LOVE epic poetry (yeah, so i'm a queerdo)
EDIT: and then you go and edit it on me, erasing the excerpt. oh well. my above comments still stand.
[This message has been edited by dpatridge (edited April 26, 2005).]
posted
I guess I better let people critique my work. I mean, if I keep perfecting it until I feel ready to let people see it, will I still be open to benefitting from critique? Though, in a lot of ways it is still under construction.
And, uh, sorry if I come across snarky sometimes. But I think part of being a snark is that you can't tell you're being one. You just think you're right. And of course by "you" I mean "me".
posted
if you can't know that you're a snark, and yet i recognize snarky characteristics within myself, what am i? i certainly hope i don't constitute such a hideous thing as a boojum!
Posts: 477 | Registered: Oct 2004
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