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  Noticing Newbies  1. About this Newsletter 2. A Word from our Sponsor 3. Letter from the Editor 4. Editor's Picks 5. A Word from Writing.Com 6. Ask & Answer 7. Removal instructions   Welcome to the Noticing Newbies Newsletter! Our goal is to showcase some of our newest Writing.Com Authors and their items. From poetry and stories to creative polls and interactives, we'll bring you a wide variety of items to enjoy. We will also feature "how to" advice and items that will help to jump start the creation process on Writing.com We hope all members of the site will take the time to read, rate, review and welcome our new authors. By introducing ourselves, reviewing items and reaching out, we will not only make them feel at home within our community, we just might make new friends!  Passionate about writing? Take your passion to new heights - with an online Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing, available only from top ranked National University. Choose workshops based on your interests. Work with experienced and published faculty. Prepare for a variety of career opportunities. Use a state-of-the art online system: Study where and when you want. Click here to get more information!   Bits and Pieces about Reviewing This week's newsletter will cover bits and pieces of friendly advice for Newbies. I misplaced my original newsletter I had planned on using, so I had to come up with something quick. I apologize for the lack of quality in this newsletter.  When I first became a member here at Writing.com, I could not wait to post my work and get honest and helpful reviews. What I was not prepared for were the low ratings with nasty comments, usually from Anonymous. I am not kidding when I say they ruined my day. I was confused and disheartend and there was no way I could respond. While I still don't like those hate ratings, I can now just take them with a grain of salt and remind myself I am here for encouraging feedback so I may improve my writing. Most of us have received ratings and/or reviews of this nature. If you get a hate rating/review, don't let it ruin your day. Contact a member you've become friends with and vent. You'll feel better afterwards. It's anyone's choice whether to use the Anonymous option or not when reviewing. Personally, I do not use it. When I send a review, no matter what the rating, I want the author to be able to respond, ask questions, or let me know if improvements were made so I may rerate their item. Anonymous is not always the bad guy, however. Many times it's Anon who sends large gift point donations to contest forums. Something that bothers me deeply is receiving ratings below 5.0 with no helpful comments. If I rate anything below perfect, I make suggestions. Not long ago I received a rating of 3.5 on a piece with the comment, "This is wonderful! I loved it!" Ratings and reviews like this upset me. I want to know what I can do to improve my writing, not wonderful comments with lower ratings. If I'm handed a 4.5, I still want to know what I need to do to perfect my piece. Another thing to watch out for when rating members is don't go by what the average rating already is on the piece you are reviewing. It's not fair to the author, as he or she may have made improvements which might not show in the rating yet. Also, some items are rated too high. If you see a 5.0 average, read the item, and find a few mistakes, you should not follow suit and rate that person a perfect rating. You are not helping the author by ignoring typos. Most authors respond with great appreciation when you point things out that no one else felt the need to mention.  My best advice to you is... Give honest, encouraging and helpful reviews. Don't follow suit with average ratings, use your own judgment. And unless an item is perfect, always let the author know what he or she can do to improve it. Here's some great sites about reviewing...
 Featured Items from Newbies 
Great Places for Newbies to Check Out!
Children's Poetry Contest for Newbies Results!!! 1st Place Winner
2nd Place Winner
3rd Place Winner
4th Place Winner
5th Place Winner
 I'd like to give a big thank you to all the Newbies who entered. Good job!Submit an item for consideration in this newsletter! http://www.Writing.Com/main/newsletters.php?action=nli_form  Have an opinion on what you've read here today? Then send the Editor feedback! Find an item that you think would be perfect for showcasing here? Submit it for consideration in the newsletter! http://www.Writing.Com/main/newsletters.php?action=nli_form Don't forget to support our sponsor! %%NL_AD_BOT%%   Yeah, Feedback! Submitted By: Nikola~Loving Her Gracie Girl!   Hi Cubby! I loved this NL! It demonstrates that there are more places to write than at a computer or kitchen table. I often will take paper and pen outside and just watch the world go by. It can be great inspiration! What writing tool do I find to be most useful? One that I can take anywhere I go--my imagination! When I'm out somewhere, someone who looks interesting or a snippet of conversation can send the writer in me into a frenzy! A place may be what my imagination chooses to play with. It truly is a tool that never goes out of style! ~Nikola  I know exactly what you mean. When I went camping last weekend, I noticed a grandfather with his granddaughter. He held her hand as she jumped from rock to rock. It inspired a poem that I am almost finished with, called Stepping Stones. Submitted By: Don Quigg  Cubby, Good newsletter! I wish I could be as organized as you are, but unfortunately I never seem to have everything I need. I always have to stop for something I need. Crimewriter If you could see my computer area, you would not think I was organized, lol! I have stacks of writing books, notebooks, a coffee cup, and a half-full potato chip bag on my desk! Submitted By: raineedazed This month’s question is… Which writing tool do you find to be most helpful other than the basic paper, pencil, and computer document? A good sunset can be an amazing inspiration. I have to say that sunset is the one time I always wish that my journal was with me... I'd like to add a good sunset with crashing waves! Submitted By: roobear1 Cubby: Garage Night sounds like a lot of fun! I should try something like that sometime. It gets to be a habit, Roo! Submitted By: Karen Bristow  Hi Cubby! I LOVE your book bag! Thank you for sharing this great idea. I think I'm going to have to adopt it Take care, Karen Yeah, it definitely comes in handy. It also goes on all my camping trips with me! Submitted By: jllwilliams I read the whole newsletter each month--including comments sent by other members. I must protest Lynne's comment about teens writing depressing poetry. Why assume only teens do this? Has expressing emotion become a bad thing? Many great works of literature have been written by adults expressing dark emotion (eg Poe, Dickingson, Plath). I fall into the dark category--and I'm well past my teens. I'm a 28-year-old married woman with a daughter. I "discovered" poetry as an outlet for some painful happenings in my life. Pain is pretty much universal. I hope to connect with others by sharing my pain. Do I want to induce suicide? No, I simply want to create a bond between myself and my reader. A feeling that someone else out there shares their thoughts and feelings. So many people are in pain today. Our society doesn't lend itself to stopping and helping them. Maybe dark poetry can. With all respect to others, I had to engage in some friendly dissent! Thanks! JLL Williams Please don't be offended. I think, though, as teenagers, hormones are running wild and it's an extremely emotional time. I, myself, wrote songs... all depressing. Writing is a wonderful outlet for people that are experiencing depression and/or pain of some sort, whether you are a teen or adult. Emily Dickenson certainly stands out in my mind. Perhaps the point wasn't made clear, but as reviewers for Newbies, we see a lot of this sort of poetry, much of it written by teens. I'm glad you expressed your feelings, however.  It will keep us on our toes in the future! Please accept my apology if I seemed insensitive. It was not my intent. Thanks for sharing, JLL! Submitted By: Simoriah Perry In response to the This Month's Question, I'd have to answer my CD collection. Over the past year or so music has become both a great motivator and well of ideas for my writing. All it takes is a lyric, a song/album title, or maybe just a mood that the music seems to enhance. *shrugs* All I know is it's as valuable to me as any dictionary or thesaurus. :) -Sim Good answer. I, too, have listened to lyrics when suddenly one little phrase inspires a whole poem! Cubby's Question of the Month Do you keep everything you write no matter if it's good or bad, finished or not?  Please welcome our newest editor, Puditat , who will be hosting next week's newsletter. Have a question or comment for the Editor? http://www.Writing.Com/main/newsletters.php?action=nli_form  To stop receiving this newsletter, go into your account and remove the check from the box beside the specific topic. Be sure to click "Complete Edit" or it will not save your changes. |
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