Thread: The Dark Art Of Posting.

The Dark Art Of Posting.

Hello.

Gleaned from the steady application of making mistakes, I have a few things to share. Hopefully other, more experienced posters will chip in along the way with a few choice hints and tips.

First off there are some useful locked-off threads at the top of every thread listing. They are called 'stickies' they contain the rules, and other helpful information.

What makes a good poster?

Reading other posters work and commenting on it. You need no special skill, your SPAG (Spelling, punctuation and grammar), need not be world class. Just letting the writer know you enjoyed their work, or if they failed to capture your interest. A few lines explaining why would be good. If you can provide something more detailed, feel welcome to do so. Writers need readers.

Be polite, be honest. Do not take offence if someone is clumsy in their attempt to help.

Not everyone is as they seem, there are members with Dyslexia. OCD. And other problems. There are very young members who at first appear quite mature, and sometimes you can get your genders muddled.

Everyone starts at the same place, worried about how their work will be received. Worried about offending someone by clumsy commenting. It will take a little while to gain some confidence, or at least lessen the fear. Every post helps. Practice, it works for writers, athletes and artists.

If you find a like minded individual, consider a friend request.

Do not put out personal information! If you do so, you cannot take it back.

If you wish to work with a partner, or team, how about setting up a writer's group?

Have fun!

Layout.

Please be polite and put roughly how many words your story or article contains in the title.

Adult themes and language(Swearing) (Sexual Content) warnings must be noted inside brackets in the title box.

As a rule it is best to avoid introductions. Posting is an invitation in itself for help and comments. Self deprecation will only put readers off.

There are some individuals who have a unique style all of their own. There are some who wish to see a common style. This is your choice. If you want to make it easier for the reader try to stick to a common format.

Putting spaces between paragraphs, using a font that can be read without a magnifying glass and sticking to the punctuation rules as best you can are recommended.

Poor presentation will put readers off.

I expect to add to this as I learn more. If anyone else can add something, I will gladly learn from it.

If there any questions, try asking them here. Hopefully someone will have an answer.

Good luck and good posting!

I typically don't read the 'do's and don'ts' for forums because I don't usually partake of behavior that people would find offensive. I did, however, go over them on the writingforums.com web site, due to me not wanting to do something accidentally. This is my first time of this type of web site. That being said, I do like your sort of condensed down version of rules for posting. It's good stuff. I like the parts giving suggestions about how to format a post. I'll definitely be taking it into account.

Rules are for rich people.

Originally Posted by philistine

Rules are for rich people.

Comparative wealth makes very little difference on the wf site, if you can afford a computer connection and you are literate you are in. Generally the rules are firstly to help people get on with each other, secondly to protect the site from prosecution for such things as copyright infringement and being barred by public institutions for things like obscenity. Point me a rule that is to do with wealth if you can. (At least that might get him to read them looking for one )

By the way, most of these are not rules, simply hints and tips on how to go about it, if you want to post 2,000 words in a tiny font you are quite welcome, but I won't read it, my eyesight isn't up to it even if it is erudite and brilliant.

Yeah, I did pick up on that the rules were as much for our benefit personally as the website itself.

Originally Posted by bazz cargo

using a font that can be read without a magnifying glass

See below.

Originally Posted by Olly Buckle

if you want to post 2,000 words in a tiny font you are quite welcome, but I won't read it, my eyesight isn't up to it even if it is erudite and brilliant.

You should have remembered this from when I first told you; anyway now it's here for everybody - just about anything on any website - including posts here - can be resized up, using Ctrl and +, and resized down, using Ctrl and - .

If I find something in a tiny font that looks as if it may be erudite and interesting, I frequently Copy/Paste into Word, then enlarge as required, to read and comment, before reversing the process.

I do the same when someone uses a giant typeface, except I copy to Notepad.

I'm new hear and had no idea you could do that. I'm glad to know, it's a nice little feature.

Pretty informative stuff and it makes sense.

Hello, Bazz Cargo! Thanks for the informative thread! I am replying just so you know I read it and I am going to put it in my favorites for future reference, too!

Thanks for the guidelines. I'm good with most of them, but I fail with "clumsy commenting" (my own as well as others). I hate truncated, poorly thought out responses. I refrain from responding to many posts for fear of sounding inept or trite.

I definitely have an opportunity for improvement there. I appreciate the reminder.

Originally Posted by philistine

Rules are for rich people.

That's a good rule to live by Philistine.

Read the second paragraph of this. I encourage you to read the full list of rules, which are also on that page.

Quietman, you have a message, click top right, "Notifications".

Originally Posted by Olly Buckle

if you can afford a computer connection and you are literate you are in.