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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!  I recently created a lengthy and detailed survey that focused on ways to help new members and explored issues of concern for newbies. If you would like to express your opinions, please feel free to take the survey too. "Invalid Item"  . One question I asked was what makes someone a preferred author, a gold case. This was aside from the full information listed in the site's FAQ (http://www.writing.com/main/faq). Several people responding made it clear they had no idea how to go about getting promoted from Registered Author to Preferred Author. Of the criteria listed, two points really popped out at me as the most important and maybe as the most mysterious: 1. "Positive involvement within Writing.Com and its community." 2. "Interaction with other members of Writing.Com" Both of these selection criteria focus on being good, active members of a community. Writing.Com is a specialized community of readers and writers, yet we all bring to the table vastly different experiences, ages, nationalities and backgrounds. Some site members are as young as seven, others are great-grandparents. The level of writing ability ranges from published professionals, writers that hold advanced degrees in English literature, a poet who is in middle-school, or a grandfather who did not finish high school and writes family lore and legends so they cannot be lost or forgotten. In such a wildly vast and different community, how do we demonstrate "positive interaction?" Well, the obvious first place to start would be in a smaller chunk of it, in a message forum, such as "Noticing Newbies" or "Writing.Com General Discussion" . You can click on the message forum icon/link and you'll see a listing of all the message fora, the most recently active being listed first. First find a forum with a topic that interests you, then get involved. For example, if you were interested in writing a short story for children, you'd see
You could start out by first reading the rules of the forum carefully, then posting a bit about yourself, state what you need help with, then add the forum to your favorite's list, that way you could see every time someone posted to that forum. (And don't forget to rate and review the forum too!) Being a positive community member means that you engage in conversations that are positive, whether in a forum or IM. You can debate but it should be done respectfully, knowing we all agree to disagree, without getting personal. It means you don't flame people or rage against them by harassing them. Imagine how shocked you'd feel if you found out the person you were ranting at was only nine? One static item worth reading is "Invalid Item" that covers a lot of excellent points for all members. Being a member of a community doesn't imply you belong to forty different groups or post in forty fora, but it does mean you are adding, in a small positive way, to whichever segment of this vast community that your feel interests you. I have also asked petitewriter to address the issue of what makes a writer a gold port, from a Preferred Author's point of view in the Ask and Answer section of the newsletter. *** Here are five outstanding new and outstanding members to Writing.com  Marty - back from the dead  This poet's work hooked me in, captured me, and haunted me afterward. The work is lyrical, vivid and refreshing. It ranges from examining modern relationships to time in a roadside tavern. club_dancin Primarily a poet, though he does have one prose piece in his port, he is a free verse poet. He weaves subtle imagery, complex imagery, and marries them together in such breathless ways. A must read for poets! Tevie This poet is amazing. From the light-hearted to a historical parade through the ages, to the colors of our lives. Her scope is wide and rich. A must read new poet. Fulgore-X [Away] This port is a pleasant mix of poetry and short stories. Both genres make excellent use of detail, imagery, and metaphor. Time spent in this port is time well spent! xanax is a remarkably talented young man. Poetry and short stories, humor and serious. Although a newbie himself, he is very active on the General Discussion and Noticing Newbie boards! I also have to say he is a very tolerant and kind young man. Poetry A poet as parent. A tender, loving poem.
A poet comes to a point of reckoning:
A very different sort of poem, form-wise, but well woven.
A bittersweet poem of self-examination
This poem is very long, yet a powerful and moving work, well worth the time taken to read it.
What would happen to a poet who took laughing gas and swallowed a dictionary at the same time? Click on this and find out!
The birth of a child. A lovely poem filled with the powerful emotions of a new father.
Non-fiction: Journal An upbeat teen's journal. Refreshing, it took me back. Plus read her hysterical BioBlock :)
Fiction: Very scary, scary tale of horror:
A modern-day Cinderella with a twist of lime:
Preparing for disaster, one teacher and a class full of children. For readers over forty, you'll remember this in first grade!
Caveat! This is not for everyone. If you work with computers, are a network or systems administrator (like me,) or think of yourself as an Ubergeek, this will have you cracking up. I lost it when I hit the "I AM ROOT..." line.  If you aren't, well, you'll be scratching your head in puzzlement.
Interactives: Featured Forum: A place for teensto talk about life.
Featured Story Interactive: Who is Catherine? What exactly is going on here?
Featured Madlib: A perfect date?
Featured Campfire: If you are a fan of fantasy, especially realms such as Tolkein’s Middle Earth, then this is the campfire for you.
Contests: A contest for Newbies on-site under 60 days. Anyone may submit (ie, the newbie or an older member who is "dropping off" a newbie's item.) The contest closes when it hits 20 submissions. There are awards for best poem and best short story.
Are you a poet? This isn't just for "newbies." It's open to all black cased poets.
Are you a fan of "intentionally terrible poetry?" In third grade, did your teacher tell you that your poetry "stinks?" Have I got contest for you! It's called the "anti-slam," and is a multi-round series of bad poetry. Read the rules carefully! This will be starting April Fool's Day, appropriate, yes? Top prize is a plaque and a 6 month upgrade! Second place is a 6 month upgrade. Third place is a 3 month upgrade. (All prizes awarded in gp values.)
Post questions here:
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%%  Since I have not received a question to answer, I decided to ask one myself. I emailed petitewriter as asked her, to define in her own words, just what makes someone a preferred author here at Writing.Com. Hi! Pita has asked me to share what my thoughts are about positive involvement here at Writing.Com, and how becoming a gold case preferred author has increased my responsibilities. I’m flattered to be asked, and I hope that my thoughts encourage and inspire you. Positive involvement is to me, being active. Many of us first come to Writing.Com for the reason of having others see our work. When you receive a rate and review, it helps to respond to it, and view that author’s portfolio. You will find that the more R&R you do, the more you will receive. There are a lot of authors on the site, so you want to be sure that people are aware you’re here. Rate and review all color cases, and check the box that will put your review on the reviewing page. There are many different types of items that you can create here, and I think a great way to become part of the Writing community is to offer different types of items in your portfolio. Besides static items; forums, campfires and contests are fun ways to become involved with others and to expand your contact with other members. Take the time to visit and post in other author’s interactive items. Enter your writing in contests and newsletters. In other words, don’t just create a couple of items and then sit back waiting for others to come to you. Get involved, ask questions and get active! Becoming a preferred author has made me a more active member in the community then ever before. I believe that as a gold case, more is expected from me. I have a set goal now as to how many items I rate and review each day, and each month. My reviews have changed, in that I offer more detail of what I liked and disliked, and what I thought could be improved. I find that I am more aware of other’s questions about the site and how it works. I keep an eye out for questions by newbies and offer my help to them and anyone else that I think could use it. Generally, besides trying to improve upon all of the things that made me gold in the first place, I’m reaching out more to others with the intentions of helping them and Writing.Com at the same time. I run contests, give GPs for good reviews and have created a group that supports Writing.Com while doing something nice for fellow authors. Becoming involved for some of us can be intimidating, but I can tell you first hand that if you do, you won’t be sorry, and you may even turn gold in the process! petitewriter ____ Warmest Regards, Pita  Your editors: outlawpoet amawitch yesnomaybe  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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