If I Were New To Writing.com

MY WRITING.COM BEGINING

Like most writers, I am self conscious. The first few years after introduction to Writing.com, I would log on. Challenge myself to write a few words. Do a quick bit of prose. Then I would disappear. It was important that my words be read, but I was scared someone might actually read my words. What if someone reads and then writes back with some feedback? My worries were definitely overblown! No one read my writings and I never received a review.

I wasn't inspired to do much after that, but still felt compelled to do a bit of posting here and there. Thinking about something to write about that wasn't too transparent in revealing what I actually thought about life, was difficult to come by. Right!

Then I noticed something called "Community Recognition." It sparked my curiosity. I gave myself the critical mission to find out how "Community Recognition" worked, and why it could be critical to my development as a fearless professional writer.

This Was My Brilliant Conclusion:

GIVE HEART & SOUL TO REVIEWING

Blaze the community with your dynamic sense of prose and style in your reviews. What are you saving up your words for? Reading something you don't feel like reviewing? Then Don't! Nine out of ten writers who get corrective suggestions to their work ever go back to correct what you saw as a flaw. Don't waste your time.

Find something that dazzles your imagination and give that author 500 words of your most eloquent prose. Let the writing of others inspire your creative spirit in response and don't let go of your praise, encouragement and minor suggestions for revision until you have tears in your eyes because of your unashamed brilliance!

          BRAND YOUR REVIEW STYLE

Give yourself a brand. You may need to upgrade your subscription from "free basic" to get the fullest use of images, but employing emoticons, colors, highlighting and font sizes is a great place to start creating your unique Writing.com style.

As a part of your brand, uniquely set apart the elements you want to see in someone's fiction, article, essay or poem and become an expert in sharing your thoughts. Headings to break down the elements of your review should be embellished with some highlighting. This will set you apart as someone who will respond creatively to an author's "characters," "plot," "theme," "relevance," "inspiration," etc. The point is not necessarily on how well the author met your expectations, but rather how well you can inspire the author to keep on writing.

Writing more. Writing often. Writing rapidly and thoughtfully, improves writing. Inspire the one you are reviewing to keep writing more. Reviewing is an activity that can improve your own ability as a writer. Reviewing is helpful when I can't think of something to write about. A thousand writers on Writing.com have given me a platform on which to practice my use of words.


Here is a sample of my simple brand:

Greetings mars , I enjoyed reading your article and would like to present you with a few thoughts your writing inspired.
 
  FIRST IMPRESSION
 
Some nice thoughts about the impact of the piece.
 
  THEME
 Searching for love, coming of age, growing in faith, etc.
 
  STRUCTURE
 
How author used point of view, or voice or scheme.
 
  MY FAVORITE MOMENT
 
There is always something to be highlighted. If not, I probably should have went on to another author.
 
  SUGGESTIONS
 
If you don't have any, just say so. If there were some errors to correct, pointing out one or two is okay. But use suggestions only to inspire, not weigh down the author.

  IN SUMMARY
 
I always refer back to the piece as having a special "take away," that I can respond to. For me this is critical to why I would have read and reviewed the piece to begin with.
 
I hope my thoughts and impressions have been a help. Let me know if you have any questions about my review.
 
Kind Regards,

~Kenword~ 

Note that I use a simple tag line to close every review.


I use this format for every review I give. It is uniquely mine. It shows up well on the reviewing page and in the author's inbox.

I may have a lot to write. But the format of my review template divides up the presentation on the white page to keep the verbiage from being to dense. Some of the more experienced reviewers on Writing.com get a bit more elaborate, and that is great, but a simple format will make you stand out above 90% of the authors who review here on Writing.com.

          CREATE A FORM

Once you have your elements of style in place, save it to your portfolio as a form to use every time you review.

The beauty of the headings in your review form is it does a lot of the thinking about a piece of writing for you. When you re-read an author's writings, getting ready to review, just note how the piece answers the questions in your headings. Then let go of the reigns of your prose and let the words fly off your fingertips. Don't worry about impressing anyone else. Impress yourself. If I haven't amused myself at least once in giving a review, I quit for the day and come back at it tomorrow. Why in the world would you do anything that doesn't amuse the daylights out of yourself!

          REWARDS & RECOGNITION

Every review you give will earn a reward for you and for the one you review. The reward is in the form of what Writing.com calls "gift points." The reward on a review through the system is minimal, but it gets some "coin" in your account to use towards "Community Recognition."

At the beginning of your Writing.com experience, you may not care about receiving reviews of your work. But eventually, it is probable, that you will care. Gift points and "Community Recognition" elevate your chances of obtaining the reviews you will eventually want.

It is simply the law of sowing and reaping at work. When you give of your time and talent to encourage a writer to keep developing their craft, you will inevitably receive back accordingly.

          GET AFFLIATED

Once you are branded, and have created a review form, consider your commitment to your Writing.com community. If you are willing to do 5 to 8 reviews a month that are of the "highest quality" possible, please join (affiliate with) a reviewing group. In addition, focus your reviewing on new members of Writing.com and those who are celebrating a Writing.com Anniversary.

The links to these groups follow. Click on the link and do exactly what the managers of those groups say to do and you will raise the funds in your Gift Points bank expadentialy within 3 to 4 reviews.

With a steady flow of Gift Points coming in, you may increase your "Community Recognition" by helping to fund contests, raffles, auctions and reviewing groups. Generally, managers of all groups will offer Merit Badges for donations, or reviewing accomplishments or as prizes for participating in an activity. Merit Badges increase your "Community Recognition," and the probability that your work will be noticed, appreciated and reviewed.

Check out these groups:

GROUP

WdC SuperPower Reviewers Group  (E) Join the fun! We inspire reviewers through kindness and learning! Winner of eight Quills! #1300305 by Maryann

FORUM

Gang's Monthly Review Board  (13+) Alumni & Newbies, post all reviews here. Earn badges, ribbons & Gps. #1706303 by Osirantinous

FORUM

Angel Review Forum  (ASR) Read, Review, Rate and Record all items read by the Army Angels. #1188311 by iKïyå§ama

Also consider reviewing in these activities to receive additional Gift Points on reviews you do in any of the other review groups on Writing.com.

FORUM

Anniversary Reviews  (E) Celebrate Writing.Com member account anniversaries with reviews. #1565040 by NaNoNette

Newbie Welcome Wagon  (ASR) Do You Enjoy Reviewing NEW Members to Welcome Them to WdC? Earn Goodies for Your Reviews! #1814944 by River

          MY CONCLUSION

Yes. This is where I would have started in 2010, if I would have known what I know now.

IN FACT_ I actually did what I have just proposed in the fall of 2013. Within several months, my community recognition rose and my work on Writing.com began to be noticed and appreciated.

Along the way, I did have to take some time off because of some major life transitions, but even after taking a year and half off from Writing.com, I still came back into relationship with good friends here. The fellowship of writers here is positive and the doors to meet many new writers is wide open.

After you get a good foothold in the area of reviewing, consider posting new works to contests, or blogs and the "News Feed." All of these areas of participation will get your work noticed. Hopefully that will inspire more writing and the more we write, the better our writing becomes.

So my new friend, Welcome to Writing.com. We are delighted you have chosen to join us.

If you have any questions please feel free to send your inquiry to ♫~ Kenword~♫ , I am always glad to help!


Blessings & Cheers

~Kenword~ 

 
                 
 
 

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