INSIDE TIPS

[RAVENEYE]

  INSIDE TIPS  

Our Mission:

We aim to provide a safe haven for writers of all levels of ability and accomplishment. While we welcome hobby-writers, we gear our feedback with the goal of helping authors hone their craft and achieve publication. If you’re merely looking for a pat on the back, LF may not be the forum for you.



Give Feedback:

We are not a critique service. We are all about critique exchange. If you want feedback, it is vital that you provide others with feedback. If everyone gives feedback, then everyone will receive it. When you take without giving, you throw off the system and someone will end up not receiving feedback, most likely you.

* Writers often learn more from critiquing the work of others than receiving critiques on their own work. Truly! Practicing critiques trains a writer's eye to find mistakes and weaknesses in their own writing.

* One-line praises like "I liked it, good job" will earn you no favors or critiques.

* Do not respond for the purpose of obliging a member to read your work. Providing shallow feedback, then requesting a critique in return will earn you a warning from a moderator.

* Do not badger other members to critique your work, either through Private Messages, in the shoutbox, or in other posts. Be a productive, generous, kind asset to our community, and you will receive feedback in due time.

* Critique with the honest willingness to help someone else or don't critique at all.

* "But I'm not good at/comfortable with critiquing," you say? Practice makes perfect.

* A good critique can be a simple one. Provide comments on what worked for you and what did not work for you. Yours is surely a sound opinion. Let a member know how their work struck you and why.

* Provide encouragement, not lies.

* If you choose not to critique, don't expect critiques in return. You may still receive some comments from generous members, but others will avoid your work.




Show Gratitude:

Every critique you receive comes from other writers who sacrifice valuable time from their own projects to read yours. Be courteous and thank them for their time and feedback even if you do not agree with the comments. Members of LF are very willing to help each other, but if you are not humble, open-minded, and thankful, you will find that many members will avoid your work in the future.

* Receiving criticism on work you hold dear can be painful. The best policy is to have an open mind, take the time to step back from your work, breathe, let it rest, then return to it with the comments in mind. Nine times out of ten, the critiquers pinpointed areas where the piece needs revision.

* In the end, it's up to you to decide whether another's advice benefits your story or not.