Writing Blog

20221229 Oh well...

December 29, 2022, 2:45pm

So... apparently I am a gatekeeper because I think grammar and punctuation are important.

Hmm.

Let me explain.

As well as WdC I have been involved in an online critiquing group (which is where I get most of the feedback for stories I need feedback for - the sheer lack of reviews on WdC, even if I request them, is rather disheartening, but considering how many people have blocked me [including at least 1 mod] it is possibly to be expected) since the start of COVID. It was started by a couple of anthology publishers on Discord as a response to lockdown, and it has been okay up till now. The feedback on my work has been minimal, but at least it exists.

So, with my recent losing my house and living in my car, I had to take a step backwards from the group.

However, over Xmas I stayed at a hotel (a gift) and had use of unrestricted wifi for a while, so I logged back on on Christmas Eve (US time). The first comment was 'Hi Stevo'

The second was 'How's things going?'

The third was 'The gatekeepers back'

I asked what was going on. It took some cajoling, but I learnt that apparently some group members did not like the fact I would not only look at story issues (as you do in a critique group) but also grammar and spelling and word choice. I was not the only one who did this, but apparently I am considered the "worst".

So I told them that was it. I quit.

Got an email this morning asking me to reconsider. Apparently the 2 moderators (one is an owner of one of the small publishers, the other is an editor for a couple of them) felt my "gatekeeping" was vital because they are sick of receiving work that looks like it was not edited, and having someone point it out to regular contributors made for better stories. I was even sent a screen cap of a rant by the editor-Mod on the Discord after I left who actually pointed out that at least two of the authors in the group (I say at least because he named two) had had some pieces rejected by him because of the sheer amount of editing that would have been needed to make their work publishable. Yes, they had had some other acceptances, but still...

I am sticking by it, though. I don't need that sort of thing. And I am wondering if that is why I am not getting the reviews here at WdC, that I am seen as a gatekeeper of grammar (I do tend to pick up on it) and people do not want to deal with me.

Yeah, let's add to the depression and feeling of negative self-worth...