(Easier on the eyes: spacing between paragraphs. [Sometimes my laptop causes DOUBLE spacing of paragraphs when I paste from Word into a reply box. I wanted to avoid that, so "saved" without the spaces... hoping that spaces would appear. Am I making sense?])
I haven’t been a big fan of people using Q&As to write “could you look at my work and comment?” My position was ‘Q&As is Q&As and “shared works” is “shared works”! Two separate concepts.’
BUT it has now occurred to me that I spend too much of my logged-on time in Q&As and not enough in “shared works”. I wouldn’t even have read Melissa Taylor’s poems if Wilhelmina hadn’t recommended them to me… and she only found out about them from seeing Melinda’s Q&A. I will try to amend this imbalance in future.
Today, I decided to look at the “shared works” of people I admire here on Q&As. Senior users who give good advice to newcomers. And it’s strange (is it strange?) that they haven’t posted any. Out of 6 of the most active contributors to Q&As, only 3 have “shared works”.
I’m reminded of the saying “Those that can, do: those that can’t, teach.” I don’t actually believe this, but I’d like to urge senior users to share their work with the rest of us.
To break the ice, I’ve just shared a poem. Although I consider myself as much a poet as a short-story writer (and my poetry output over the years is MUCH greater), this is the first time that I share a poem with you. (Bashful blushes…)
https://www.writersandartists.co.uk/profile/jimmy-hollis-i-dickson/work/57c6b9f9387140d8218b4569
And ADMIN: Can you PLEASE add “children’s stories” and “poetry” to the genre drop-down options list?!!! It’s striking that you publish a separate Yearbook for W&As of children’s books, yet don’t offer this option in “shared works” genres!
For those of you who wonder, the “Practical / how to” genre that I opted for for my children’s story “A children's story of escalating violence” is sarcastic, fuelled by frustration at the lack of a suitable option. There are actually 2 stories in there and a link to another with illustrations. (From back in the days when we were only allowed to share ONE work.,)
'the “Practical / how to” genre that I opted for for my children’s story “A children's story of escalating violence” is sarcastic [...]'
This reminds me of something I saw on FaceBook: I got a message about a friend (a nice bloke) who was going to be attending a seminar on "The use of cocaine by Top Management". The photo that went with the announcement (the ad for the seminar) showed a vicious, coked-up executive yelling at a cowering underling.
I sent a message to my friend: "Is this a 'how to' seminar... or a warning one?"
His answer: "How to."
My knees are trtembling already.
I've posted a few shared works but really only because I thought I ought to. Any feedback is useful, but I must confess I'd got used to the sometimes pithy comments on another site where the number of comments tended to highlight common dislikes. That helps suggest areas where work needs amending.
There are a number of experienced writers here, but too few, IMHO, for an overall effective critique of any single piece. Maybe readers are just too polite - after all, we're mostly in the same boat! And it is quite difficult to find the time to provide constructive criticism without appearing in any way superior, though I think Lorraine is really good at that.
" left to some editing by my first wife. Well my only wife but that term seems to keep her on her toes!!!"
You're a mean man, Paul! Laugh? I thort I'd _ _ _ _!
BOTH thumbs up (and greetings to your wife).