Hello, RPG-D! For those who don't know, the Writing and RP'er group has been dissolved. This was needed in order to make a more 'rounded' set of groups to better represent the writing section. The new groups are: Pro Writer A group based solely on writing. The requirements will focus heavily on the library and the new muse section. Raving RP'er This group is based on general RP'ing. The requirements will focus primarily on roleplay talkand RP sections within the library. Bookworm (returned) Usergroup for book readers. This group main requirements are based on book reviews and book discussions in general. We hope you enjoy the new usergroups!
Hi I have a couple questions! For the writing library piece, would Roleplay posts count? These are directly related to RPing. What is the definition of finished? If the RP has 3 pages and fizzles out (which is very common in any RP thread) is that considered finished? Do the same 20 settings, plots and characters still count for 30 items in the writing library? What defines an acceptable critique? Thanks!!!!
This muse section? What about those of us who consider writing less of a say, car, you can refuel with whatever "muse" is? I have and always will contributed to the Writing Discussion section, which I always found a great thing. I'm a writer, I discuss writing. I don't need to "get some muse" and I don't think it makes me a good (read "pro") writer to ask people to help me get motivation to finish my chapters, imho. Read: Why muse section and not writing discussions? When writing discussions actually show you are interested and knowledgeable about writing or both at least?
lol I don't really believe in writer's block either . I really just think that discussing the fundamentals of writings is more interesting than "writer's block solutions" (lol it does sound a little better). I mean I can google writer's block solutions and it comes up with a lot of exercises and challenges and all that. Why would I post 20 different topics there? Asking for 20 different writer's block solutions? I really must be a terrible writer! Oh and another thing: Why would only the person who started the Open RP get the points. It's the same amount of work on both sides... it's not exactly conducive to joining one. And it's not really fair, how can I influence whether someone "finishes" the rp with me?
Wow. I disagree with the qualifications on all fronts. This is fun. :/ I hate the "muse" section. I do, rather wholly. As @stainsofblue said, many of us don't think of writing as a car to refuel or, more to the point, something mystical. Fine, maybe it's just semantics. But why would we need another forum to languish when more writing prompts could be given and encouraged, options for tough spots discussed, and interaction as the biggest part of earning a user group? So much of writing is solitary, writer's groups are often INVALUABLE to the process. Making me post random ideas on a board no one is going to look at? So not worth my time and, quite honestly, a detriment to the community, as we have some really strong and interesting writers who likely would otherwise be involved. My two (or twenty) disgruntled cents.
I know Kajouka has already asked this but I have to echo the question: why aren't roleplay posts being included in the requirement? This baffles me. So do either we have to have three threads in open rolelplaying or we have to have them completed? Saying "started" and "completed" in the same requirement is beyond confusing. Writers discuss writing, not muse. Also, given that "muse" is an incredibly subjective concept for many I don't understand why its required to be recognized as a writer on the 'd. Starting 20 topics, in my opinion, as a requirement is just insane. I can understand wanting to place emphasis on a new forum, but forcing members into a forum is not the way to go about it. Why not something like "30 topics participated in writers/writing discussion; 5 topics started"??? ADDED: You do realize that the only other group that requires topics started is "community devoted" and that number is also 20... right?
To answer a lot of the questions (or the best way I can). Roleplay posts are already included. The others listed as well are just alternative options you can choose from. Anything involving roleplay inside the library is acceptable for the RP'er group. EDIT: The requirements for both Raving RP'er and Pro Writer has changed to incorporate the ideas you guys have given! For those who disagree with the number requirements: Please remember that these are not badges, but groups. If they were badges the number of threads needed would be greatly smaller in comparison. And why should writing be separated from roleplaying, when roleplaying is writing? Actually, writing and roleplaying can be two very different things. Writing deals more with wider story arcs while roleplaying, of course, deals primarily with characters. For example: you could consider yourself a roleplayer, yet that's completely different from being an author writing a novel. As for critiques: any constructive feedback on another member's work is acceptable. We aren't asking for much in that department, but well thought out critiques are desired! I hope I've answered all your questions. If you have anymore concerns, please don't hesitate to post them up!
@Perfect Circle & @Aki Are there supposed to be trophy points associated with the new member groups? I ask because when I looked at the master list of trophy points only the old group "Writer & RP'er" had was even listed.
@Elenitsa To further answer your question, Writer and RPer has been separated because there was a number of complaints about the RPer requirement. As RP most of the time depends on two or more people taking part in a thread, it means the requirements of a member gaining the group promotion does not rest solely on them, but on other members answering and continuing the thread. Therefore, we decided to split Writer from RPer to give members a chance to earn a Writing promotion by themselves if they choose, and to earn a different one that involves multiple participation. @kisstheground and @stainsofblue I am happy for you that you feel you do not need any assistance in sparking ideas for writing. However, part of the Muse forum is not to get ideas for yourself, but also to supply them to help others. So, maybe you are lucky enough to not need writing ideas and challenges to improve, but some people do. This is why we have the muse forum in the writing section, not so you can 'refil your car' but so you can help inspire others to try to drive!
I wasn't actually questioning its existence - I personally have a lot of books on the matter but I understand people need help. I was questioning starting threads in there as the major indication that you are a writer deserving of the usergroup. I mean generally I think starting threads in any interactive forum isn't much on an indication but participation is (as you said, the helping and not the asking for help) -- but yeah, I mostly wondered why just muse section and not a combination of that, writing discussions and/or prompts and/or writing challenges etc.
Kisstheground, however, did mention a hatred of the section as a whole. As Kisstheground was commenting following your comment, Stains, I figured it best to address both concerns in one go. If you notice, many promotion groups on RPG-D have an element of helping others. In Community devoted, there is the requirement of 50 welcome threads answered. In Graphics Artist, 50 requests completed, in Support Coder, 30 help topics replied to. The element of muse section of the Pro Writer was geared towards the helping of others, exactly the same as the other groups do. Obviously, now this has been changed to meet the wishes of some members, though this was where we were coming from when we had previously placed the muse section in the Writing promotion, to help others, as well as bettering yourself.
Honestly, I think very few people even know the muse section exists and if they do (like me I will be honest) don't know what we are supposed to do there. Yes, personally I have a deep loathing for the idea behind the word "muse" but that's a different issue. I think replying and posting in the writing discussions is helping, too. In fact it is helping with actually writing related issues and concerns and not with concerns that as far as I understand the idea "muse" have to do with a lack of motivation or inspiration. I am sure you put a lot of thought into it but at the same time it was a little disheartening when the old usergroup was dissolved in favour of one that nobody was anywhere near having because there is exactly one member-started post in that section and that is imho actually about rp and not about writing outside of rp. So yeah, some help on what the new section is actually supposed to be about might also be cool. As for interactivity - it just feels sometimes like there are great ideas tossed around but they aren't really addressed or read. Like, I think it's a great idea that people are encouraged to critique - at the same time, there is little in the way of explaining what counts as one or documentation on how a critique should be given, what points could be addressed etc. If someone comments on a poem "Aww that's so cute!" surely that's not it... right? It relates to posts in the Critique station? And this is where I have a problem again because that is so open and writing is so personal. I know there were quite a few discussion here on how writing groups or critiquing groups could be implemented so that you have some influence over who looks over your writing. Or at least, could we open critique shops (like the graphics and review ones)? So that we can at least ask specific people who's writing we actually respect for critique?
@Chele: I did admit a large part of my objection to the "muse" section was likely wrapped up in semantics. The notion of a "muse" makes my skin crawl and makes me foam at the mouth. That said, I DID continue my commentary to include the fear of another unused forum when, quite rightly in my opinion, the majority of such discussions SHOULD go into writing discussion. Inspiration, or lack thereof, is part of writing, too-- why have a different forum for inspiration? At that point, we might as well start parsing out forums for writing software, and one for editing help, one for proofreading, etc.
Ok, this is quite a few points, so I'm going to answer each one individually. Also, I would like to state now that these are my own opinions and views, and may not reflect those of the rest of the Writing team. I do not speak as a whole for them, but giving my own views on each section. The Muse Station: From my understanding of the muse station, it is a place to inspire and urge people to write. Whether that is simply giving 'story ideas' for people to expand on, or to make suggestions on how people can go looking for ideas. I personally will be putting in some of the writing exercises I used for my Creative Writing degree, exercises which don't say "Write about this" but more "go and try this, see what happens". The only reason I have not done so so far is because I am focussing most of my attention onto the Creative Circus (something that will, hopefully, inspire more members to use the Writing Section in a number of ways.) The muse station can be directly related to the Prompt Project and writing discussion, but this is an area for members of the site to give their own experience in what inspired them, or what methods yielded good results. Help on the new sections: You (the collective you, all members of the D) are always more than welcome to contact the staff to ask about certain areas. If anyone would like to contact me personally, I am more than happy to point people in the right direction or if I do not know the answer, I have screen to screen contact with the other staff so I can contact them for members. Critiquing: Your comments, funnily, bring up something I have addressed in the creation of the Creative Circus. Critiquing will be a method of earning points, but there are certain rules involved as to what counts as a critique. As useless as 'this is cute' is, it is also as useless to put 'this is horrible, change all of it'. Flaming in the critique section is unacceptable. All critiques should be constructive and focus in on certain parts of the piece given. Whether that it copying the whole text and highlighting spelling and/or grammar areas, or discussing the use of character in the piece, each are equally helpful to the author. Therefore, in the Creative Circus at least, there are a selection of areas (like in site reviews) given, and at least two must be talked about when critiquing for it to count. (About six areas have been given.) However, (and again, this is personal opinion) I would not support the opening of 'Critique shops'. This is not because I don't admire certain writers, nor is it because I do not want to do the work. The reason I would oppose the opening of critique shops is for a number of reasons. My main reason is that critiquing is often given best when the writing style does not match your own. The people you may have nothing in common with in content or style can often give the most informative, the most challenging, and in the end, the most helpful advice. Therefore, simply seeking out members may actually not help as much as the random member who comes in and points something out that completely deflects from your style. This coming from someone who spent 3 years having her work critiqued by a number of people who I shared little with in terms of style and content. The best advice I received were from those I never expected it from. This is not to say those with similar tastes cannot help, but I think narrowing the field of critiques to asking them of specific people may detriment writing expansion. Writing Groups: This is something that has come up time and again, and the main snag that is often come across is that it relies heavily on the honour system and the matching in not only ability and length, but also member time. If one member gives over a 1,000 word piece and the other gives up 300 words, there is a vast difference in the amount of work one member will be putting in compared to the other. Also, unless heavily moderated, could result in one member receiving a wonderfully detailed and informative critique where the other receives nothing more than a basic spell check. Ultimately, this could put people off entirely. This is why, as a whole, I am very much of the belief that people should critique if they want to critique, not because they want something in return. In response to your notes, I will try to formulate a documentation of Writing Critiques with the other members of the writing team, to give members a better guideline on methods to help fellow writers. Thank you for your input.
All new systems and changes need an adjustment period. I have never actually walked around or participated in the writing area's of the D. However, now I think I will, just to test the waters with the group changes and such and I hope the members of the D will join me in testing the waters. How can we know if a change will work unless we set aside our preconceived opinion, jump on in and just have fun, and relax. Focussing on negatives straight away means we'll never get the chance to test any system out and formulate constructive pro's and cons.
