Nurturing New Poets

quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by Rybka
never drops down the list as it gets older.
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annaswirls said:
hmmm now if they only made body parts like that......

Anna

:)
I thought that was due to the force of gravity increasing since I was a kid. :confused: :p :confused:
 
WickedEve said:
That's how we'll nurture you. I volunteer for hosing the fool. So what will it be? Sheer toe, control top, fishnet?

If the hose is on you, they I vote for thigh highs with the little seam in the back. If the hose is on me, gotta be control top fishnets, babee...:devil:

Draggin' in the Fool
 
Angeline said:
You're confusing poets and mushrooms. :)

(or we could be Clintonesque and grow em, like the economy...)

Mushrooms you keep in the dark and feed em shit.

I was thinking more like cabbages and tomatoes. Lots of water in a well manured garden.

*blank stare* Which Clinton? Hillary or her husband?

Okay, enough political statements for one day.
 
The_Fool said:
If the hose is on you, they I vote for thigh highs with the little seam in the back. If the hose is on me, gotta be control top fishnets, babee...:devil:

Draggin' in the Fool
Control top? Is that to hold a gut in or to keep other thingies under control?
Fishnet really should be for rybka.
 
WickedEve said:
Control top? Is that to hold a gut in or to keep other thingies under control?
Fishnet really should be for rybka.

I have to disagree on the fishnets for rybka, little fishes should stay way away from fish nets...

Control Top? Just trying to exercise some restraint.....I am old you know...:D
 
The_Fool said:
Mushrooms you keep in the dark and feed em shit.

I was thinking more like cabbages and tomatoes. Lots of water in a well manured garden.

*blank stare* Which Clinton? Hillary or her husband?

Okay, enough political statements for one day.

hubby if you recall wanted to "grow the economy."
 
Rough Draft

and just for Annaswirls--sticky!

Have at it--it's a rough draft. :)
_________________________________

Welcome!

Welcome to the Literotica Poetry Feedback and Discussion Forum. We're here because we share a love for poetry; we like to read it, write it, and talk about it. We try to help each other learn about poetry and become better poets. We're an equal opportunities forum--no one is really "in charge," and everyone should feel free to start threads, initiate challenges, review poems in the New Poems thread or elsewhere, and basically do whatever he or she feels furthers our goals to learn and grow together.

We may be leaderless, but we're not rudderless. Here are a few guidelines for responsible behavior on this (and any) Literotica forum.

1. No spam / No promoting of other websites.
2. No personals ads
3. No posting of another's personal information
4. No personal threats
5. No posting of copyrighted images

Though we share a love of poetry, we represent many different views about what constitutes good poetry and who writes it. Anyone can disagree--learning is often born of dissention--but personal insults and flame wars just waste everyone's time. If you feel that strongly, go for a PM or an email. That also goes for role play or cybering--there are other forums on this site designed for that.

Posting Poems

There are a few ways to share your poems here. If you submit a poem to Literotica, it may or may not be recommended in the New Poems thread. (Only poems a reviewer thinks worth recommending are mentioned--it's really just someone's opinion.) You can also start a thread about your poem. If you simply want to share your poem, fine. If you want to know what others think of it or you want it reviewed, ask for feedback. You won't get it unless you ask.

Feedback

You've started a thread called "Here's My Poem," (or something no doubt more creative), and you want to know what others think. What can you expect? Most folks here take reviewing seriously--we want to help one another and realize that everyone can improve, so it's pretty unlikely that you'll just get "Great job" or "Loved it." You'll probably get an opinion and suggestions for improvement. No one can force you to take a suggestion, and you of course know better than anyone what you want your poem to say, but understand that reviews take time and effort. Please seriously consider what reviewers have to say.

Remember too that sometimes you have to take some bad with the good. If you are flamed, if a reviewer is personally nasty--it happens here like anywhere else--don't take it seriously; extract what helps you and move on.

You can return the favor by giving feedback. You may think you don't know how, but it's not hard at all. Try using the following as guidelines:

1. Say whether or not you liked the poem overall and why.
2. Name at least one specific thing you liked about--
subject
language use
format
3. Is there anything you just don't understand in the poem? What?
4. Can you think of a better way to say anything in the poem. If you can, suggest it!
5. Do you know of another poem or link that you think would help? If so, include it.

Above all, be truthful but kind. Write the kind of review you'd like to get.

Challenges and Games

All are welcome to participate. Try to follow the rules as they're set forth for each challenge. Some challenges are ongoing like the All of a Sudden Passion Suddenly thread or Pic-A-Thon, while others are one shot deals. If you have questions, ask. If you have an idea for a challenge, post it. And have fun; it's supposed to be fun. :)

Enjoy yourself. Learn. Get involved and make friends. It's a good place.

The Poets
 
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Like it!

typo: learn and grown together

Do you think adding some informative links to the bottom is too much?

I'd like submit the thread under The Poets name since several of us have the password to that username. And I assume the way you signed it that you had the same idea. :)

As far as links, please add a link/s to this thread. There are too many for me to look at alone. I know we have some good threads with basic, solid info on poetry. I think it may help to add a few of the best to the welcome thread. I know when I visit a new board it helps to check these threads out.
 
Just reminding everyone of this username. I assume that's what Ange was thinking when she signed that post.

- L


PS: Looks like Eve assumed the same. :)
 
Sorry, just saw your responses (I was listening to Dylan and vegging out, lol). Eve, i'll correct the typo. L., ( :) ) I was thinking of The Poets.

Am I missing anything (in my post, haha)?

I have some links I'll post--see what you think of them--if they'll work with the sticky. I also have this, which I wrote a while ago.

How to Love Your Poems

Writing a poem, like any other type of writing, is about communication. Once you commit to writing something, someone else comes into the picture: your reader. Even if you don't think you are writing for anyone else, you are. Otherwise why put pen to paper at all? Why not just think a poem?

As a writer, you have an obligation to help your readers understand what you mean or want to show them. How do you accomplish that? When I write, I try to keep the following criteria in mind:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1.Detail. Did I use enough detail (via the images I chose) to make clear what I'm trying to say? Detail doesn't mean go on ad nauseum, but being descriptive when you need to be.

2. Word Choice. Did I choose the right words? This is as important as detail because you use words not only to describe, but to set time, place, mood, tone, voice. And even similar words have shades of difference in meaning (for example, if you check definitions for the following, you'll see that a 'clown,' for example, is not exactly the same as a 'buffoon' or a 'jackass,' though they're similar). The more you write, the better you get at picking *exactly* the right word to say what you mean. Doing so is critically important in poetry because a poem is concentrated writing compared to prose--you have fewer chances to get it exactly right.

3. Organization. If you choose to write in a traditional form (for example, a sonnet or triolet), you need to follow rules that govern a poem's layout. Organization matters in free verse, too! Breaking lines in the wrong place or, worse yet, just throwing your poem on the page without considering 1) how a break affects a line or stanza or 2) how to use breaks to clarify or emphasize, can ruin an otherwise good poem. I find it helps to read my poem aloud so you can hear its natural rhythm. This helps me understand where to end a line or begin a stanza or such.

4. Errors. We all make spelling or grammatical errors in poems on occasion, but anyone who wants to share a poem should make a serious effort to get grammar, punctuation, and spelling right. Proofread your poem to clear up misspellings and typos. If your poem is full of errors, a careful reader may still understand it, but do you really want to make your readers sort through your mistakes? Would you want to do that with someone else's poem?

If you don't feel you have the skills to do it yourself, get help!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Give Yourself Feedback

I give myself feedback this way as I review my poem after I write it, and I think every poet should edit following these four criteria--or some other specific, disciplined way of reviewing. Some people argue that you lose spontaneity in your writing if you do this stuff--I say that's a crock--poems that are spontaneous but editorially sloppy are failures.

Give Other Writers Feedback

I follow the same criteria for evaluating others' poems, and base my feedback on it. I try to send at least a few feedbacks everyday: they're the writer's lifeblood. Anyone who posts to this board should be pitching in to review and critique by sending feedback and/or responding to a writer's call for review.

One last point--a personal pet peeve of mine--reviews should always be objective. Nobody wants to hear "Wow your poem sucks." Even the worst news can be delivered without slapping the recipient. I like to give suggestions, too. A colleague of mine used to say "Don't just tell me what's wrong; if you can, tell me how to make it right." If you have suggestions, make them, but bear in mind the writer may not agree.


Accept Feedback

On a related note, if you want reviews, great--that's how we learn together--but don't ask for the sun, moon, and stars: one or two poems at a time is fair to the reviewers here--20 is not. Besides, how thoughtful can I be if you want 20 reviews by yesterday?

And don't argue! If you disagree and have questions, fine, but if you don't like the suggestions, don't take them. Some people don't want a review, they want a debate. Don't tie up reviewers with specious arguments: give the next poet the courtesy of the reviewer's time.

And if you ask for a review, please consider doing some yourself. Your opinion counts and you learn from critiquing others' work.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If you write daily, and you use these criteria to edit your own work and critique others', your poetry will steadily improve. Guaranteed.


1. Imagery--simile and metaphor. Exactly how are sex and religion alike? Use examples (e.g., doing whatever for your lover is like genuflecting, body parts or sex toys are religious icons, worshiping your master is prayer). The idea here is not to say "I think blah blah," but to let your imagination run wild--as if you are painting a picture or filming a scene--and describe what you see.

2. Format--now that you have all these compelling images written down think about how to set them up to emphasize what you think is important. Where should lines end? Do you want to indent anything or skip lines? Center stuff? These are all things you can do to improve the poem, make it grab your reader's attention. The best way to decide these things is to read your poem aloud--over and over, if necessay. You'll "hear" where to put the emphasis.

3. Edit--Go back and reread--especially look for cliches. For example a phrase like

the deep blue sky

is boring--everyone's seen it a million times. But --

a sky faded as old blue jeans

or

cerulean painted over trees

or some such, gets the message across in a fresh way.

Also, clean up typos. Then post here (or email to me if you like, but here you'll get more opinions) for another critique. This is growth for us all!
 
Re: Rough Draft

Angeline said:
Posting Poems

There are a few ways to share your poems here. If you submit a poem to Literotica, it may or may not be recommended in the New Poems thread. (Only poems a reviewer thinks worth recommending are mentioned--it's really just someone's opinion.) You can also start a thread about your poem. If you simply want to share your poem, fine. If you want to know what others think of it or you want it reviewed, ask for feedback. You won't get it unless you ask.
Uuh, can we guarantee that? In my not quite half year here, I've seen posted poems getting subjected to in-depth analysis and then a "Thanks for the reviews everyone, but you didn't have to, I just wanted to share some poetry." :)
 
Angeline said:
I have some links I'll post--see what you think of them--if they'll work with the sticky. I also have this, which I wrote a while ago.


Good Stuff! I think you have everything we need.
 
Re: Re: Rough Draft

Linbido said:
Uuh, can we guarantee that? In my not quite half year here, I've seen posted poems getting subjected to in-depth analysis and then a "Thanks for the reviews everyone, but you didn't have to, I just wanted to share some poetry." :)

Good point. How about this instead--

If you simply want to share your poem, fine, but make sure you say "Not for feedback" or something similar. If you do want to know what others think of your poem, be sure to ask for feedback.
 
Re: Re: Rough Draft

Linbido said:
Uuh, can we guarantee that? In my not quite half year here, I've seen posted poems getting subjected to in-depth analysis and then a "Thanks for the reviews everyone, but you didn't have to, I just wanted to share some poetry." :)
New poems really don't need to be posted on this forum unless the author wants review/comments since Literotica rarely rejects anything at all. - New poems should not be posted in the "new poems" thread, but in their own thread if they are going to be posted here at all.
 
Re: Re: Re: Rough Draft

Rybka said:
New poems really don't need to be posted on this forum unless the author wants review/comments since Literotica rarely rejects anything at all. - New poems should not be posted in the "new poems" thread, but in their own thread if they are going to be posted here at all.

New poems should not be posted in the "new poems" thread, but in their own thread if they are going to be posted here at all.


I'll add this sentence to clarify, alright Rybka?
 
Newbie confusion

I know I'm one of those that would need a guidance post like this.

So can I add one thing that might be so obvious that you have overlooked it. When I first came to Literotica I only read the stories and poems and wrote some feedback - anonymous cause i didn't know better. Then I found the link to the bulletin board and lurked there for a while. Then I found that there was a Poerty forum. Since I write poetry I thought that was great, and I went there, but saw no poetry. Not all that much anyway.

That's when I realised that you people were the same people that write most of the best poems I'd read in the Poerty categories, and that that's where all the poems were.

That's when the penny dropped, and I had to ask the guy who had showed me the site in the first place how I would go about getting my own poems up on the main site.

Honestly, I would had started posting my poems here and here alone, unless he had showed me that I could be a real contributer for the site. And since then, I have met two more people who came to the boards long before they realised that this is a free-for-all site for publishing too.

A little "I've written a poem, now what?"-section might be in order to satisfy us anti Lit-savvy morons. :D
 
Re: Newbie confusion

Liar said:
I know I'm one of those that would need a guidance post like this.

So can I add one thing that might be so obvious that you have overlooked it. When I first came to Literotica I only read the stories and poems and wrote some feedback - anonymous cause i didn't know better. Then I found the link to the bulletin board and lurked there for a while. Then I found that there was a Poerty forum. Since I write poetry I thought that was great, and I went there, but saw no poetry. Not all that much anyway.

That's when I realised that you people were the same people that write most of the best poems I'd read in the Poerty categories, and that that's where all the poems were.

That's when the penny dropped, and I had to ask the guy who had showed me the site in the first place how I would go about getting my own poems up on the main site.

Honestly, I would had started posting my poems here and here alone, unless he had showed me that I could be a real contributer for the site. And since then, I have met two more people who came to the boards long before they realised that this is a free-for-all site for publishing too.

A little "I've written a poem, now what?"-section might be in order to satisfy us anti Lit-savvy morons. :D


Hello and welcome Liar - I hope this will help answer you question.

submission guide
 
Re: Newbie confusion

Liar said:
I know I'm one of those that would need a guidance post like this.

So can I add one thing that might be so obvious that you have overlooked it. When I first came to Literotica I only read the stories and poems and wrote some feedback - anonymous cause i didn't know better. Then I found the link to the bulletin board and lurked there for a while. Then I found that there was a Poerty forum. Since I write poetry I thought that was great, and I went there, but saw no poetry. Not all that much anyway.

That's when I realised that you people were the same people that write most of the best poems I'd read in the Poerty categories, and that that's where all the poems were.

That's when the penny dropped, and I had to ask the guy who had showed me the site in the first place how I would go about getting my own poems up on the main site.

Honestly, I would had started posting my poems here and here alone, unless he had showed me that I could be a real contributer for the site. And since then, I have met two more people who came to the boards long before they realised that this is a free-for-all site for publishing too.

A little "I've written a poem, now what?"-section might be in order to satisfy us anti Lit-savvy morons. :D

Excellent idea, Liar. (And btw, thank you for the lovely compliment about my poems in the awards nominations thread--it's one of the best things anyone has ever said about them.) :rose:

I'll incorporate Tess' great suggestion to include submission guidelines. :)
 
Re: Re: Newbie confusion

Tristesse said:
Hello and welcome Liar - I hope this will help answer you question.

submission guide
Thanks, but I'm past that confusion weeks ago. I have *runs away to count* five poems posted already. You actually commented on one. :)

#Liar
 
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Re: Re: Re: Newbie confusion

Liar said:
Thanks, but I'm past that confusion weeks ago. I have *runs away to count* five poems posted already. You actually commented on one. :)

#Liar

*laughing - at myself*

My turn to be confused - sorry.
 
Final Draft

I think I've incorporated everyone's suggestions into the following draft of a welcome to this forum. It's somewhat revised, too, to add some stuff I think I overlooked before.

I recommend we do a separate sticky with links. I'm thinking one sticky with all this info will be a bit much. Some of you have posted links (from threads here and elsewhere) to be included. I'll gather them up--along with some I have--in a draft document in the next day or so. If you have any that you think are especially helpful, please post them. (Just make sure they work first--old Angeline only has so much tolerance for link chasing. :) )

I'll leave the following draft up till Sunday, and incorporate any additional suggestions. Monday (1/26/04) I'll send the document to Laurel to be posted as a sticky. Speak now or forever...yknow.
__________________________________


FINAL DRAFT

Thread Title: Welcome!

Welcome to the Literotica Poetry Feedback and Discussion Forum. We're here because we love poetry--we like to read it, write it, and talk about it. We try to help each other learn and, in doing so, become better poets.

This is an equal opportunity forum: no one is really "in charge," and anyone is free (and is encouraged) to start threads, initiate challenges, review poems in the New Poems thread or elsewhere, and basically do whatever he or she feels furthers our shared goal to learn and grow together.

We may be leaderless, but we're not rudderless. Here are a few guidelines for responsible behavior on this (and any) Literotica forum.

1. No spam / No promoting of other websites.
2. No personals ads
3. No posting of another's personal information
4. No personal threats
5. No posting of copyrighted images


Though we share a love of poetry, we represent many different views about what constitutes good poetry and who writes it. Anyone can disagree (growth is often born of dissention) and rants happen, but please avoid personal insults and flame wars-- they just waste everyone's time.

If you have a personal problem with someone else on the forum, deal with it privately in a PM or an email. Also note that this board is not the place for online role play or cybering--there are other forums at Literotica more appropriate for that.

Posting Poems

There are a few ways to share your poems at Literotica. You can submit them to the site and with some exceptions (for example, no erotic poems about minors), your poems will be accepted and posted here the next day. You can submit audio and/or illustrated poems (which take somewhat longer to be approved), as well as standard written poems. You can also receive free editorial help if you want it. All this is explained on this page and in the Submission Guidelines.

You can share your poem(s) by starting an appropriately titled thread (e.g., "My Poem(s)" or the actual title). Make sure to specify prominently whether or not you want help with the poem(s) you're posting this way. If you simply want others to read your poem, fine. State in the thread title that you don't want feedback (i.e., "I'm Pretty Kinky" No Feedback.). Note that if you also submit a poem to Literotica, putting it in a thread here too, just to be read, is overkill.

If you want others to review your poem to help you improve it, state in the thread title that you want feedback (i.e., "Control Top Fishnets" Feedback please.).

Recommendations and Feedback

You can get feedback and/or recommendations on your posted poems via feedback and/or public comments (although you must authorize the options for these--explained on the Submit page). In addition, your posted poem may be recommended in the New Poems thread, but bear in mind that anyone can recommend a poem, and only those poems the individual reviewer thinks worth recommending are mentioned--it's really just someone's opinion.

Getting Feedback
What can you expect when you've started a thread called

"Here's My Poem" Feedback, please

(or something no doubt more creative)? Most folks here take reviewing seriously--we want to help one another and realize that everyone can improve, so it's pretty unlikely that you'll just hear "Great job" or "Loved it," even if the reviewer loves your poem. You'll probably get an opinion and suggestions for improvement. Then what? Thank you is always appreciated--reviews take time and effort. What about suggestions? No one can force you to take one. You of course know better than anyone what you want your poem to say, but please show your appreciation for the review by seriously considering whatever is recommended.

Remember too that sometimes you have to take some bad with the good. If you are flamed, if a reviewer is personally nasty--and it happens here like anywhere else--please don't take it personally; use what helps you and move on.

Giving Feedback
You can return the favor by giving feedback. You may think you don't know how, but it's not difficult at all. If you're not sure what to do, try using the following as guidelines:

1. Say whether or not you liked the poem overall and why.
2. Name at least one specific thing you liked about--
subject
language use
format
3. Is there anything you just don't understand in the poem? What?
4. Can you think of a better way to say anything in the poem. If you can, suggest it!
5. Do you know of another poem or link that you think would help? If so, include it.

Always try to make specific suggestions for improvement. Ranting that a poem doesn't work (or gushing about how great it is) without saying why doesn't help the writer. Above all, be truthful but kind. Write the kind of review you'd like to get.

Challenges and Games

These are simply exercises to keep us all practicing our craft. Everyone is always welcome to participate. Try to follow the rules as they're set forth for each game or challenge. Some challenges are ongoing like the All of a Sudden Passion Suddenly thread or Pic-A-Thon, while others are of shorter duration. If you have questions, ask. If you have an idea for a challenge, post it. And have fun; it's supposed to be fun. :)

Enjoy yourself. Learn. Get involved, ask questions, ask for help, make friends. It's a good place.


The Poets
 
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Challenges and Games

These are simply exercises to keep us all practicing our craft. Everyone is always welcome to participate. Try to follow the rules as they're set forth for each game or challenge. Some challenges are ongoing like the All of a Sudden Passion Suddenly thread or Pic-A-Thon, while others are of shorter duration. If you have questions, ask. If you have an idea for a challenge, post it. And have fun; it's supposed to be fun.

It might be a good idea to include "The Perfect Ten" challenge too, it's non-threatening to new arrivals.


(not that the other challenges are threatening - but you know what I mean..................I hope.)
 
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