Mercy! Mercy! That Dang Nabed PERCY!

Some Don't Get It

Some Don't Get It.


There must be something about me that is hard to get….I didn’t survive in this world in a violent profession learning to dance on eggshells. I don’t try and antagonize people and maybe I am insensitive at times…hHowever, since this is Wisconsin I can always duck personal responsibility by transfering the blame elsewhere.

I am trying though….when I see an inexperienced writer or someone who is here for the social benefits the site offers….nothing wrong with that…I apply a different standard to a review than if the writer is talented and experienced.

When I sense someone is a mature gifted writer I dispense with all the platitudes and cut to the chase…what do I see in the work that will make this writer better than he/she already is. Sometimes there is a disconnect between a writers maturity and skill level and I get in trouble….

If it’s a guy it comes in the form of “Who in the heck do you think you are…” In a woman it sounds something like, “…How dare you?”

I do not get some kind of a cheap and perverse thrill out of these responses…".Oppps," I say to myself, "another one of those cases where I need to scratch the name off my review list". Then I get on with life…

The difficult I have here is being able to prescreen those with the maturity and desire to become better writers. I am getting better at it but still make mistakes from time to time…but only once. This isn’t baseball.

The problem is that what it takes to improve the skills of an advanced writer and what it takes to teach the basics are two different things….The first requires a lot more patience and encouragement….the second, pointing out areas of improvement…If the advanced writer has plateaued and doesn’t really want advice then so be it. How much trouble is it to delete a name?

The object to all this is to identify a group of writers raising in the craft and get them to elevate their skills….Anyone who feels they fit this category and want to try out an advanced review then let me know….please be advised it will involve some pain but after all nothing of real value ever comes easily.