Moving Up 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: |
I'm fond of the daily Achievement merit badges that are awarded to members who participate in these one to five areas every day. Find them listed under My Account (in the Navigation menu on the left side of your page) --> My Activity --> Achievements --> Consistency Achievements.
In particular, I enjoy the Send a Review award. Three to four of the reviews I do every week are of new members. I like getting to know them as they find their way across WDC. That's also why I write for this newsletter. Every day, new folks join WDC thus infusing WDC with fresh ideas, new attitudes and unique perspectives the rest of us may not have considered. We should want to nurture them, accepting them into the fold, as it were.
It generally takes a month or two to soften the complexity of the site, to feel comfortable with the members and the features. Maybe it's time now to consider just what you want out of the site with respect to your writing endeavors. A Free membership certainly fits everyone's budget these days. It goes without saying that ten items sure can limit one's expression.
But how do you decide (after you've determined that you can fit a paid membership into your household budget) where to start? The following chart offers a good look at the features available by membership level. It also tells you the pricing for each level by length of membership--three months, six months and annually.
Save the link in your Notepad. I suspect it's an item you'll want to refer to again and again whether you're a new or seasoned member.
* * *
To another subject: Over the past three and a half weeks since my last Noticing Newbies newsletter, I've received more than 1200 views. But these reviews don't distinguish which views are from seasoned members and which are from Newbies (members for six months or less). To help me find out who's reading my newsletter, please take ten seconds to respond to the following Survey.
Enter your Username (not Handle) in the appropriate box. It will only be used to determine your membership date AND who to send the merit badge award as explained below.
This Survey will be open as soon as the newsletter is posted to your email and will be active for exactly one week (based on the date the newsletter appears in my email). Surveys received before this newsletter is posted will be deleted.
For every 15 folks in each category (Newbies and seasoned members) who respond, I will award a merit badge to a winner selected by Virtual Dice.
Thank you. |
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:
From Lilli ☕  : Wonderful newsletter for new and seasoned members. Thank you!
From Wannabe  : Well said, thanks for sharing.
From Shirley  : Good point. I would like to ask if it would be possible to split the poetry with the stories etc. I don't like reviewing poetry because I don't know what to say so I feel it's best to leave it alone. I would prefer it if it was separate so that I didn't keep seeing it in the Read and Review section. I tried going to the Browse by Genre section to escape it, but I find it there as well.
You will probably not find poetry items separate from other written items across WDC except in very rare instances. Both item are popular to many here. The best you can do is scroll past items you don't wish to read/review. On a personal note, I used to feel as you do--poetry was not my favorite. But I've learned to expand into areas such as reviewing poetry to help me improve as a writer.
From the Newsfeed for "WDC Etiquette"
From Phantom Reviewer : Full well it does, and any scumbag who leaves a review of the sort you mention in the newsletter should be thrown out and banned from ever returning. It seems like it's okay to act like that everywhere else on the internet. Let's keep this one place safe and supportive, shall we? ...
From Elisa the Melting Stik  : I would say etiquette applies to writing that directly speaks to a reader. One example of this is leaving a comment on someone's blog/journal. I have personally experienced comments where the person has taken my journal entry and used it as a springboard to prattle on about their issues and experiences. It's one thing to share an experience or idea that relates to the entry you're commenting on, but if you don't at least acknowledge the entry itself, that is impressively rude. I was perhaps too patient and allowed this to happen a few times in my journal (and me sending private emails to try to get some clarification) before I said enough was enough and blocked the person. Had this person taken more effort to directly speak to points I made in my entries, it wouldn't have required me to take such a major step.
From Lucky : In things like letters or official documents, sure. Things people create to share with the world should be a blank canvas for someone to spill their mind out in any manner that comes natural to them.
From Jay O'Toole  : This is something I truly value. I pray I always do it well. I've had to learn the expression, "Less is More."
From Mousethyme - HB Mom  : To a degree, yes. One must conduct oneself in a proper manner to some degree in everything. Otherwise they would be labeled a rogue or far worse.
From S🤦♂️ : I stopped allowing star ratings after a few revenge reviews. I know I can be a little abrasive at times, but I do try to help. And I don't think my work is worth half a star.
From Trebor : I would say yes and possibly to more of an extent than people might think. As with our characters we have the good, the bad, the ugly. We have our hero's and heroine's and each should come with there own etiquette. And honestly I struggle with having enough content so this will definitely be going into my toolkit. Thanks for the idea!
From Amanda  : Think of writing etiquette less like a rigid set of 19th-century manners and more like basic empathy for the person reading your words. Every time we write, we’re asking for someone else's time and mental energy. Treating that request with respect is where etiquette comes in.
Here is how it actually plays out in the real world:
1. In Everyday Work & Messages
We’ve all received those texts or emails that make us sigh before we even finish reading them. Good etiquette just means being a considerate human on the other side of the screen.
Don't bury the lead: If you need a favor, a sign-off, or an answer, put it right at the top. Don’t make people dig through four paragraphs of fluff to figure out what you actually want.
Give context, not anxiety: Sending a message that just says "Hey, do you have a minute?" or dropping a random link without a description causes instant stress. A quick "Hey, do you have a minute to look at this layout?" changes the whole vibe.
Keep it scanable: Walls of dense text are exhausting. Breaking things up with bullet points or shorter paragraphs is a subtle way of saying, "I value your time, so I made this easy to read."
2. In Creative Writing & Publishing
If you're dealing with the publishing world, etiquette is essentially your professional reputation.
Respecting the rules: Agents and editors get buried in submissions. Following their formatting guidelines down to the exact font and margin size isn't about being submissive; it’s showing that you respect their workflow.
Keeping people in the loop: If you submit a piece of writing to multiple places and someone accepts it, the polite (and necessary) move is to immediately pull it from the other desks so you don't waste anyone's time.
3. In Collaborative Spaces (and Code)
Whether you’re leaving feedback on a draft or writing documentation for a project, words can build up or tear down collaboration.
Leaving clear tracks: Writing clean documentation, clear notes, or descriptive comments isn't just a chore—it’s a massive favor to the next person who has to look at your work (or even to your future self).
Critiquing the work, not the person: When giving feedback, etiquette means keeping it objective. The etiquette is simply making your meaning as clear and painless to reach as possible.
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Noticing Newbies: August 05, 2026 Issue [#13875]
