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Writing Workshop Rules; Please read before submitting or critiquing works.
Topic Started: Jul 28 2012, 03:05 AM (44 Views)
Ars Nova
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Semicolon Elemental
The Workshop is where your story begins its journey to literary excellence. Every story must pass through here before it reaches the Approved section, even the works of staff members! You might even see your story alongside one of my own, undergoing the same procedures.

When you submit a story, members and staff alike will be invited to help you improve your work to near-perfection. The following are rules both for submitting your own work and critiquing the work of others.



I. SUBMISSIONS

i. Most forms of writing are welcome in this section. This includes chaptered and short stories, flash fiction, poetry, script, and transformative works based on existing properties (you know, fan fiction), among others. If you're not sure if your work goes here or not, you can always ask.

ii. One story per thread. This means every individual work, regardless of length, even if you have multiple works set in the same universe. If you are posting a series or anthology, each piece must be posted separately to ensure they meet quality standards; however, once your works are approved, you can request they be consolidated into a single thread in the Approved section.

iii. When posting a thread, the thread title should be the title of your story. If you don't have one, try to figure one out! It helps to have it on your mind throughout the creative process. If you just can't come up with a title, you can call the thread Untitled. If you do come up with one but you intend to change it later, add (Working title) at the end. In the body of your thread, keep comments at the beginning or end so they don't interrupt the story. Finally, do not use excessive formatting. Such things should be done with narrative purpose, not just to make your story look pretty. (Indents and page breaks are appreciated, though!)

iv. You can post your story even if it's unfinished, as in the case of a chaptered story. We'll take a look at what you have either way. When you have more to add, you can either edit the original post, or make a new post to update. You may also bump your thread at any time when you have added more or made significant revisions. Please use common sense when bumping a thread; a new chapter is worth a bump, but a few typo fixes are not.

v. After submitting, feel free to discuss your work with those posting. Be sure to read and address critiques and revise as necessary. Your story won't be moved to the Approved section unless you show you're attentive to feedback and willing to keep improving your writing. If your story is still incomplete, don't forget to keep working on new chapters; you'll have a different perspective on a whole, finished work than on the pieces of an unfinished one, and this may affect your revisions. If a thread hasn't had any posts or edits in 30 days, it will be locked, but you can request an unlock at any time if and when you're ready to continue.

II. CRITIQUES

i. ANYONE may critique, from the eldest veterans to the greenest newbies. All critique is to be respected and taken seriously, as long as it is reasonable and abides these rules. Not every critique must be acquiesced, but if a writer shows blatant disregard for critiques on shallow grounds, their story will not be approved; likewise, if a fellow critic shows disrespect for someone's point of view, there will be consequences.

ii. Maintain neutrality in your critique. Both harshness and sugarcoating are frowned upon, as they DO NOT help the writer improve their work. It requires an opinion to be kind or unkind, but what makes a good critique are the concrete, objective observations from which those opinions spring. If you do or don't like something, explain why. What's so great about the narrative voice? Why weren't you shocked by the plot twist? What makes this character seem flat and that one seem so vivid? If you can't explain it, you won't be of any help to the writer. If you don't intend to help, you shouldn't be here.

iii. Your goal in critiquing should be to help the writer improve their work as much as possible without compromising the message they are trying to deliver. Whether or not you think a writer's idea is good, DO NOT try to change fundamental elements of their work to suit you. Mind your language; don't have "problems" with something, have suggestions for it. Don't say something "doesn't work," say it could be improved. If the writer's plot is weak, their characters are two-dimensional, or their setting just doesn't come to life, that is a fault of their writing, not of their idea; if you can't see how to strengthen the plot, flesh out the characters, or vivify the setting, that is your fault. In short, if you'd rather the story was just thrown out, you won't be of help and you might as well move along to the next thread.

iv. Take your critique seriously. Don't just skim the story and point out a line you didn't like. A paragraph or two is the ideal minimum. The points above should help boost your word count, but don't forget to highlight examples from the work you're critiquing to make your analysis clearer. Sample both the good and bad of dialogue, sensory details, and more to show the writer exactly what you're talking about and help them understand their exact strengths and weaknesses. And please, don't repeat what others have said.



Remember also the general rules of the board; be reasonable, be sensible, and try not to be a vigilante. Clogging up Workshop threads with arguments, even if you are justified, still breaks the spamming rule. Responding to a trouble-maker via PM is acceptable if you can maintain your composure, but don't forget that it is not cowardly to report an offense. That is something made up by the cowardly when they fear getting in trouble, losing an argument, or having their fun ruined. As long as the peace is kept, use your best judgment as to the method.
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