WDC Etiquette Editor: JACE 
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Hi, I'm JACE .
Welcome to this issue of the Noticing Newbies newsletter. Join me as I take you into some nooks and crannies of Writing.Com that you may not have found time to check out yet.
Don't forget to toss me a note about what you liked or didn't like in my column, or about a topic you'd like to see discussed. This newsletter is about and for you. And for you seasoned members, I hope you'll find something you can take from my ramblings. 
Your Noticing Newbies Newsletter full-time Editors: |
Each Wednesday a host of official Writing.Com newsletters (up to 13) find their way into members' emails. Some months have four newsletters; other months have five. Over the 18 years that I've been a member, there have been more than 3000 published newsletters. (No, I didn't read all of them.)
One subject I've not seen in these newsletters is the etiquette of being a member here. Consider how you should treat one another on this platform we have in common--ostensibly to write and improve our writing abilities.
I don't claim any great wisdom in etiquette that Dear Abby or Ann Lander might offer. But I have been around Writing.Com for 18 years and have seen a few things that I think fall under an etiquette category. I'm going to bounce around a bit, so bear with me.
Reviewing:
Recently I had the occasion to review the item of a newbie. Less than a week as a member, the newbie's item popped up on the site's Read & Review feature. The item already had a review that was given half a star. The review went downhill from there. I tried to find that review, unsuccessfully. As I was able to find reviews by other members of several newbies that I also reviewed, my inability to find the review in question led me to believe that newbie had left the site.
The other review that person had received was awful, I would say malicious in nature. There was no attempt to offer advice how to improve; there was one statement to the effect that this item was a waste of paper. To my embarrassment, I was complicit in not calling out that reviewer at the time I read the review. That's a mistake I won't repeat.
My point is we are members here in order to improve our writing. We should be about the business of helping a fellow writer, not tearing them down. I know all too well how receiving a bad review can crush a potential writer. About 30 years ago I stopped writing altogether because of a bad review (not here, by the way). It took me three or four years to recover.
We must do better. Helping other writers, helps us as well.
Writing:
Never apologize for your writing. Don't tell us that this story isn't very good in your brief description or the title even. If you tell us your story is not worth reading, your potential readers may believe you and will pass you by. Readers have limited time, just as writers have. They will want to spend that time on someone who desires to improve.
Do your best to ensure your work is ready for posting. It doesn't have to be perfect. It won't be perfect. Check your grammar; run a spell checker. Read it out loud even. You might be surprised how many errors you'll hear.
The reason to post your writing is to solicit readers and reviewers to help you improve. Here's the thing--you have complete control over what you think will help you in any review you receive. And you can ignore, disregard, or dismiss anything negative. Don't let anyone squash your desire to write. Be strong about your desire to write. But be open to constructive criticism that will help you.
Getting help:
Writing.Com is a complex site. There'll come a time when you need help with some aspect of the site. There are a number of help forums, including theTechnical Support Forum and Non-Technical Support Forum, for any questions.
While many questions have popped up before, you may have a situation that is a bit more complex. Whatever the case, always provide as much information about your problem as you can. What were you trying to do when the problem arose? Did you get an error message? Post it in your message. Sometimes a screenshot of the page will offer clues to a solution.
Sometimes another member may offer a solution. In the event your problem is more complex, the StoryMaster may have to step in. Don't worry; he's easy to deal with. If he asks for more information, he's trying to troubleshoot the problem.
If you have any other WDC etiquette topics you'd like to discuss, drop me an email.
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Check out this forum designed to assist Newbies.
| | Noticing Newbies (13+) A warm welcome to our newbies; come meet new and not-so-new members of Writing.Com! |
Then drop in on these Newbies. Take a moment to review this offering ... or something else in their Port. Welcome them to WDC through a scribble in their Notebook.
| | | Echoes of doubt (E) A reflection on the inner critic, the voice that doubts, compares, and holds us back. |
| |  | The Unknown World (13+) Silver, a gray cat, hears cat sounds in the nearby forest and goes to explore it. |
| | | Writing Progress (E) This is a file with writing in progress. At the moment im working on a first draft |
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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
Thanks for spending time with me today. At the bottom of every newsletter is a section entitled:
 Don't Be Shy! Write Into This Newsletter!
followed by a text box. If you liked what you read (or if you didn't), please take time and drop me a line. I'd love to hear your ideas.
From the Mailbag for "Celebrating Your Milestones"
From Liz B  : Keep rocking the Noticing Newbies newsletter! I am still in early days here, and look forward to Wednesdays. My email inbox is happy, and so am I. Thanks for reminding me of the tips that I likely skimmed over in my earliest weeks here. The Community link on the taskbar is golden. The WdC community is kind, funny, and talented. Blessings to all.
We're glad you enjoy our newsletter. Best of luck on your writing journey. |
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Noticing Newbies: July 08, 2026 Issue [#13832]
