  Noticing Newbies
This week: Taking Control of Your WdC Experience Edited by: Warped Sanity  
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As a newly assigned moderator, I was asked if I would like to be a guest editor for this newsletter. In honor of my recent promotion to moderator, I decided to focus on my first experiences when I was a new member and on some of the site functions that give me control over what kind of experience I have on WdC.
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Recently, when I clicked on Random Read and Review, "Tribute to a Mentor" by Winnie Kay  appeared as a suggested read. In the item, she recalls how nervous she was sharing her first short story and her positive experience with the first member to review her item. Respectfully, the fellow member let her know the strengths and weaknesses, while also kindly acting as a mentor, answering questions and helping her understand concepts in writing, like Point of View.
Reading her amazing first experience as a new member, I thought about how wonderful it would be if all members had this same first experience. Unfortunately, this is not the first experience for all. Writing.com consists of thousands of members, with a variety of reviewing styles and varying levels of willingness or availability to help fellow members.
When I first joined in 2013, my first items to submit were the first two chapters of a novel that I had written. I was not nervous or fearful, like Winnie Kay was. Instead, I was bursting with confidence. After all, the two friends outside of WdC I had shown my writing to gave me amazing reviews. One even said that I was "a brilliant writer".
For about a week, I checked my account every day. Each day, I would see the numbers rising with people reading my chapters, but I was not receiving any reviews. Then one day I logged on to see that someone had rated my chapters 2.5 stars, without a review. I was horrified and hurt. I was upset at the realization my close friends had lied to me and that I had not even been given the respect to be told what was actually wrong with my writing. Tearful and embarrassed, I removed my writing.
Only when I returned a year later in 2014, did I realize that my first experience was a rarity, If I had stuck around just a little longer, someone would have stopped by my portfolio with an honest review, to let me know what I could do to improve my writing. Now, over the past four years of sharing my writing on WdC, the positive experiences have outweighed any negative experiences. Due to the help and support of fellow members, I have evolved as a writer.
Still, although I have grown as a writer, I assume that every new item I post may be in need of repair. This is where the awesome site functions are helpful, giving me control of the type of feedback I receive and the ability to reflect on past reviews when editing. Below is what works for me.
1. Typically when I post a story or poem for the first time, I choose the setting review without a rating. This allows me feedback, without the distraction of the rating. To choose this option, go to the advanced options in the item editing tool and click on the third box there.
"Rating/Reviewing Preferences"
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2. When I receive a review specifying where I need to improve, I simply thank the writer for the time they spent on my writing, no matter how hurt I may feel. Once I have received several reviews and feel that I can read their critique objectively without the hurt, I re-read them. More often than not, I realize most of them are correct in their evaluation of my writing.
To look at past reviews on one of your items, click on the gear symbol on the top right-hand corner, above the item. When you click on it, a rolldown menu will appear. Once it does, click on view reviews. Once you do, all past reviews on that item will appear.
3. Only after an item has undergone several edits, do I actually change an item to unlimited rating and reviewing.
Of course, just because this method works for me, does not mean that it is the correct option for others. The important thing is that you don't allow one review to discourage you as a writer. No matter where we begin with our writing ability, we all have the capability to improve. Reviews that point out errors may sting, but step back, breathe, and then consider the reviewer's thoughts on your writing. The willingness to learn is what helps us grow as writers.
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Chapter 1, When John Flanery's father past he left John land he owned in America.
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How I feel every time I get the thought of losing the love of my life.
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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!
https://www.Writing.Com/go/nl_form
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Noticing Newbies: June 13, 2018 Issue [#8954]
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