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My two cents worth:
I am afraid to write for this list. Flat out scared to death. I will never
be as good a writer as Slyfox. A woman who I admire and envy. Her style and
text rock. I will never met Madhamet's ability. Hell my spelling sucks, so
much so I sent a small part of my life in special education class working on
things like reading and writing. I am not ashamed of it, mostly I am proud.
I learned.
But I never would have learned if people didn't help me. Even now I am
helped with my writing, Cheryl Hill beta's for me and is an angel about it.
I went through many beta readers, most were nightmares, in other words to
critical, or in the case of one person, who changed critical meaning and
words and got down right nasty about it.
I even had one person take a my story re write it, put there name on, and
say now it's better to me.
It guess what I am trying to say here is pick your beta reader carefully. It
takes two people working together to do the job.
But I am off the subject, and it is why I am afraid to write for BWW. I
write for me, and I enjoy the fact that others read my work and send me
feedback. I crave, "great job want more." I am no a good writer, but BWW has
given me hope, a place to feel safe.
And your right I don't like every piece on the list, many writers I delete
when I see there names, but damn it I loved that they put there stuff on the
list. What ever shape it was in. And yes everyone wants to do better, but
shouting at them, doesn't help.
A few people over the years have nicely off list asked if I wanted
criticism, and given constructive criticism. The good feedback fairies alway
give it off list, and never attack.
Flamers love on list attention, or to hurt people. And they hide behind the
party line of "It's just constructive criticism I don't know why they are
upset." Nine out of ten times, it's not constructive, it's a flame rolled
into a smile.
To me, I believe what made BWW a wonderful list was the attitude everyone
can swim in the pool. Like free speech, the price is the KKK. There are
always going to be people you don't like or want, but delete key. Or as
Willow once said, "Deliver"
I am not against beta reading, or constructive criticism to make your work
better, I just believe they best way to encourage writers is to welcome
them.
What I have written on this list happen because Pat Kelly, encouraged me,
and helped me. I wrote the worse people of fiction anyone could ever image
and he beta's it for me and told me off list a few things I needed to do. He
was not negative but very positive.
And I am grateful.
I was also welcomed on to the list.
And that was my 2 cent.
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