 For Authors: July 06, 2005 Issue [#461] |
 
For Authors
This week: Edited by: Wannabe  
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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 this weeks For Authors Newsletter. Once a month I will investigate, and compile the research I find, and present it here for you to use. I trust you will find the information useful.
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W O W my editor comments from last month newsletter were overwhelming. It is great to see all those who read the newsletter and took the time to comment. It was not surprising to see the out pour from the members letting us all know that they do respond to their review, but not always in a promptly manner. And certainly we can all understand that life sometimes does get in the way of doing those things that we really want to do or should be doing.
Thank you to MotherMouse for giving me such an impacting topic to write about. Speaking of MotherMouse she had a few comments of her own when she realized that last months newsletter was inspired by her.
Submitted By: Mothermouse--come visit me
Submitted Comment:
Wannabe, Thank you for your newsletter. I didn't mean for my gripe to become the topic for your newsletter but perhaps the subject needed addressing. Unfortunately I became guilty of the very thing I complained of and I need to apologize to the wonderful folks who immediately came to my port after your letter came out. I hope you will print this in the next newsletter to help me reach anyone I may have missed in my mailbox.
To those folks that I was tardy getting a reply to, I am sorry. I have been dealing with a family crisis and not dealing with it well. I do not offer this as an excuse but rather as an explanation. I'm handling things better now and will try to be prompt with my replies. Thanks again for visiting and the reviews.  MM
Well I certainly know how the best intentions don’t transpire in the manner you had intended. In the last thirty days, I lost my hard drive, my Writing.com membership expired while I couldn’t access anything, and I couldn’t renew it. Add that to finding out at the last minute that I was moving in less than 30 days, combined with a flat tire just when I needed to go somewhere. So I get to move 3 days before I’m supposed to leave for convention, and my job is changing so I’m back into training the day I come home from convention.
However the most devastating thing that has happened was losing my hard drive. Have you ever seen a grown woman cry? Like anyone that spends a lot of time on their computer, I back up my system constantly, make sure it is protected against any possible virus and hackers. I even ensured that my system was plugged into the top of the line surge protector. I believed I was more than prepared and would never have to worry about losing the thousands and thousands of words that I had written.
So why am I talking about this in a For Authors Newsletter? Because it happened to me, which means it can happen to you. Your work is important and what I found out may save you hours of tears, days of frustration, and keep you smiling when and if the unexpected hits you.
It was a gorgeous sunny Saturday afternoon. My computer was on which was not unusual. I was in the basement when the lights went really dim. Not two minutes later the lights dimmed again. It was only after the third dimming of the lights within a five-minute span, that I made it to my computer to see it feverishly trying to reboot itself. Three power surges so quickly together had rendered my computer useless.
I turned it off thinking if I just shut it down completely and give it a rest that it would miraculously be back to normal when I started it again. The fact that I run a double hard drive (thinking of course that I would always be able to access my stuff) did not help me. When I finally got into DOS (showing my age here LOL) I realized all was lost.
For those of you that don’t know my daughter wrilly she travels a lot. And when she is gone she sets passwords like crazy so her younger sister does not access her computer. Well in this case she was unreachable so I couldn’t even access her computer. By the time she got home days later I was miserable and my tone was more than obvious that I was angry at her as well even though she had done nothing wrong.
You got to just love your children when they are smarter than you. By this point I had purchased another hard drive but had not had the time to put it in. She installed the drive and told me she could probably get my files off the old drives.
A program called Nero, (probably spelt wrong, she’s gone again so I can’t ask her) which meant nothing to me, was what she used. By taking my old drives and hooking them up to her computer as slaves I was able to access the files. I transferred them to a secure file on her computer and she burned a CD with all my wonderful words.
Now there was a method to her madness, after reformatting both drives and seeing that they were still useable she asked for one of them. Such a small price to pay, don’t you think.
Today’s Lesson:
= No power surge electrical bar will save you if you have more than one surge in a five minute time span
= Never throw out your old hard drive for you may be able to recover what you believed is lost
= Be thankful that your children are smarter than you
Talk at Ya Later
Wannabe
Links to Look At 
Submitted By: ♥Flower♥
Submitted Item: "Invalid Item"
Submitted Comment: Hello- I notice a lot of the public reviews seem to use a specific format. Is there a way to save the basics of a review, such as "First Impression" and "Things to improve" and such, complete with ML, in a place I can come back to for my own use? I ask this because I find myself repeatedly typing certain aspects of a review over and over and need a "cheat sheet" I know someone must have figured this out by now. I wouldn't mind if people came by to take a look at the first few chapters of my novel in progress. Thanks ~~~~ Flower
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Submitted By: Starr* Rathburn
Submitted Comment: Is there a way to see the archives on these newsletters? I accidentally deleted one that I wanted to keep. Thanks! Starr*
Hi Star. I think quite a few of the editors keep copies in their ports, I know it is time consuming but you could look there. I also know that the The StoryMistress  was keeping a running journal of all the newsletters on the site, but I’m not sure if it is current as the woman is just so busy and we write way to many newsletters on this site. Good luck in your search.
Submitted By: Lolli is back
Submitted Comment: What do I have to do to someday become an editor on writing.com?
Well let’s see first you go through years of education, then you complete an intense application, then an extremely personal interview, and if you type really fast then you’re in.
A sudden red flash blinks on Wannabe ’s screen as the The StoryMistress appears:
Wannabe you put that silly hat away it’s not convention yet, now tell Lolli is back and everyone else how to become a editor.
 Okay putting my silly hat away now!
Seriously: Editorial spots are filled by moderators and senior moderators from the site. Once you become a moderator you are eligible to apply. The StoryMistress takes all applicants into consideration and will assign newsletters to those moderators or senior moderators per their preference list and availability.
Submitted By: Margaretbeth
Submitted Comment: I am a newbie, I have been reviewing other writer’s work with out much results. Very few members read my work. What else do I need to do? I am not sure how to enter the contests or how to use the forums. Any suggestions would be appreciate. Thanks Margaretbeth
My first thought would be for you to click on “Getting Started” there you will find all the information that you need to know in order to navigate the site. While it is easy to just ask someone, you will learn so much more and feel a greater accomplishment knowing that you did it on your own.
Submitted By: DB Cooper
Submitted Comment: Dear Editor, I would like to recommend an article condemning critics of POD. POD has benefits too!
I would tend to agree that POD does have its good points as well as its faults. While I have done a POD with a group of authors from this site and it went well, not everyone has that same experience. As far as doing an entire article on POD I honestly don’t think I could provide a positive enough experience in words that would benefit others to try it themselves. It is an incredible amount of work and the profits are nil to minimal.
Comments from June 8th, 2005 Newsletter
Submitted By: PastVoices
Submitted Comment: Another outstanding newsletter Wannabe. My recent and past negative feedback to both acknowledged and unacknowledged reviews has me pretty wary lately. I had a 4.5 anonymous reviewer so mad about the anonymous part, I am not sure he realized how deeply the piece both effected me and made me love it. This is truly a hot topic! Thanks. Newsletter ON!! PastVoices
Submitted By: AnnMarie
Submitted Comment: I was just able to get to this issue. It's great! I've always been sort of interested in submitting some stuff to card companies, but didn't know how. Thanks for the addresses and the article! - Dream Princess
Submitted By: Shanachie 
Submitted Comment: I will admit I sometimes get bogged down in other things and don't immediately reply to reviews I get but I do try to go through my mailbox at least three times a month and reply to all the reviews and return review if I can mange it. Thanks for the reminder that people like their good deeds acknowledged.
Submitted By: Ms Kimmie
Submitted Comment: Thanks is nice. I don't get them every time either--nor do I send them every time--because I'm a notorious "to do" list-maker. I'm still thanking people for reviews sent last year . But I DO reply--sometimes timely, sometimes not, but most times not, and it's not because I don't appreciate the reviewer! I DO! I'm just buried under a ton of to do lists. Come to think of it, many of them are from last year too. Gotta get busy and go work on an nl myself--and make my son's omelet--and finish sewing those pillows I made not last winter, but the winter before (it's on this weekend's list though)--and answer some more emails. (PS: I got this nl June 9. It's the 19th today and I JUST read it--I rest my case.)
Submitted By: Faery ~needs longer days
Submitted Comment: I must admit, I am not the most active person on the site. So, when I review a piece it is usually because it really managed to catch my attention in some way. A non-response makes it difficult to continue reviewing. My plan of action now when I receive a review is to respond to the review, then return the favor. Thank you for bringing up the subject!
Submitted By: auterpauvre
Submitted Comment: I have to agree whole-heartedly with Mother Mouse. I am constantly ignored by people who I R&R. Way too many for there to be any excuse.
I'd also like to know what happened to giving reviews in return for reviews. My bio-block states that I do this, and I never fail to return reviews. Yet often people who have received reviews from me and have promised to return the favor fail to do so. Courtesy of the simplest kind seems on the decline at this site.
Submitted By: Vivian 
Submitted Comment: Thank you for another helpful newsletter, Wannabe. As authors we need to be aware of reviews and replies; both are necessary to make the system work well. ~~ Viv
Submitted By: AuntyNelly
Submitted Comment: Hi Wannabe, Thanks for such an interesting NL. Regarding people not acknowledging reviews I agree that someone might feel bad about it but personally I don't feel touched by this criticism as I always answer my reviewers and thank them. I must say that most of the people I have reviewed always answer even if it's a short thanks or thanks for yr kind comments. Some people that have been busy write back even after a month apologizing that they've meant to write back earlier but hadn't had the chance. Most people have a reason for not answering immediately and I'd like to give them the benefit of the doubt. I'm sure those that don't respond are only a small percentage on the whole. Take care AuntyNelly
Submitted By: PastVoices
Submitted Comment: Another wonderful newsletter. I know your next one is already in my mailbox I am so far behind. Thanks for the list of card companies. As a grief and bereavement specialist, though Hallmark does a wonderful job, there are still some thoughts that could be addressed. Thanks. PastVoices
Submitted By: Brians Next Novel Almost Done!
Submitted Comment: This was a good NL. I recently had a situation with a writer on this site. After reviewing a short work of mine, the person requested that I take a look at a much larger work of theirs. I was quite willing to do so, but told them that a good, thorough review would likely take a while, as I did not have much free time at that point. After a couple of weeks the writer got impatient and let me know about it in a couple of e-mails, ultimately saying they didn't care if I reviewed anything for them because they wouldn't read it anyway, convinced that I was merely taking and not giving in return. I felt like pointing out some of the reasons you listed for why responses can take a while, as well as noting the couple hundred reviews I've given here, but decided to simply let it be. People have lives outside of WC, so I try to remember that when responses lag a little--it's not the end of the world.
Submitted By: Kamie
Submitted Comment: I ALWAYS, reply to reviews ... even if they are not well written or positive.
I received this review a couple of days ago: "First, I'm not precisely sure one dissolves into a plight. Second, I think the title and the poem do not precisely agree."
I disagreed with the author on the "First" point as 'dissolve' is 'To cause to break down emotionally or psychologically; upset.' OR 'To lose clarity or definition; fade away.' and plight is 'A situation, especially a bad or unfortunate one' (from dictionary.com). So although my critic didn't feel that it fit, I felt it did. The "Second" maybe valid.
I wrote back "Thanks very much for your review, I'll take your suggestions into consideration.”
In the "real world" when someone offers a suggestion, its quite rude to just stand there and stare ... you normally say "thank you" or explain why it wasn't done that way. Why not online??
Thanks for another great newsletter. R, Kamie
Submitted By: mithrandir
Submitted Comment: I don't always reply to these Newsletters, but I do read all of them so: Thank You! Your efforts are appreciated and helpful to me. Great job, keep up the good work!
Submitted By: schipperke
Submitted Comment: Mom's advice always holds true: Say please and Thank you, watch your elbows on the table and tuck your shirt in!
Submitted By: T.L.Finch 
Submitted Comment: I started to post on this site with considerable caution but found it uncalled for. I'm not a pro at this and from what I can tell I'm not alone. As far as reviews and a reply to them, some of us do and some don't for various reasons but if you show some faith they will come. I think I've always tried to look at my writing as a hobby and if I get some personal pleasure from it, the therapy worked. If someone else enjoys my work then maybe I've helped someone else in the process. I've read some very interesting and captivating writing here at WDC and hope everyone continues with their writing. Keep an open mind along with an open heart and be considerate of the next person's feelings.
Submitted By: Minerva
Submitted Comment: I just read your newsletter about responding to the reviews you get. I always thank someone for the review they give me, it seems wrong not to. It's too bad so many people don't respond. I know when I give reviews; I'd like to know the person received it.
Submitted By: Raine
Submitted Comment: Mothermouse is absolutely right. When a review is done, it should never be done to tear something apart or tear someone down. A review is meant to be another set of eyes on our work. We should appreciate those who take the time to send a review and take the few minutes required to thank them for their time and effort.
Submitted By: ldylore
Submitted Comment: Wannabe, I couldn't agree with you more on the reviewing. It's simply a common courtesy to reply back to someone who has willingly taken the time to read you. And when you take the time to look at their own work in return? I think it encourages the reviewer to come back and read more pieces.
Submitted By: esprit
Submitted Comment: Good topic, Wannabe, and thanks to Mothermouse--come visit me for bringing it up. You caught my attention. Thank you too, for adding my article on reviews. I appreciate it.
Submitted By: Antonio 
Submitted Comment: I for one respond to every single review I am given. Most often I am saying think you, but there are occasions when I felt the review was totally off base. Why is the author so often painted as a bad guy when he or she is simply exercising the same right as the reviewer?
Submitted By: Puditat
Submitted Comment: Wannabe, a nice point on responding to reviewers. Maybe my technique will help some people. I always respond to a review with a thank you. I always do a return review also, but sometimes I do not have the time right there and then. I keep the email in my inbox and will not delete it until I have reviewed them. It may be months before I get to do a review for them, but they are never forgotten.
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