tamarap2: I have missed the site and missed contributing to it. Just been in a bad place and my creativity flew out the window to some unkown location. Hopefully, it is on its way home again. I will try to offer up some reviews. I haven't forgotten all of you. T


tamarap2: I think if people did not give five and sixes just because poems award big bucks...that would help the ranking to hold more clout. That's my suggestion- rather than complaining. And rate poems that are good poems, not that award higher member dollars. With integrity, I feel we can get the site on track! It is a shame for so many good poets to have such low ratings when their poems are jewels.
So anyway, that's my suggestion. And is the rule I play by-
    Border Reiver: You're not the only member to have commented on this. Check out the forums. -


tamarap2: Ever since I have set my reviews to "comments only", it's as if I get less reviews than normal. I'm offering the same amount of member dollars. Wierd.
    Bellydanser: That is weird. You'd think people would feel more free to comment. Just shows how stuck some peoples' mindsets are. -
    Border Reiver: I've noticed that--not on my own work, I haven't tried it, but definietly on the works I've read. It's sad really. -


tamarap2: What does Level 7 mean in regards to reviewing? I still have the one blue star I've always had.
    Border Reiver: That's where I'm at too. I think you need to get to level 14 before you get the next star. They mean very little really. There's a vague correlation with the number of pieces commented on, but you get far more points from something in the up-next section than you do just reviewing you friends' work. You may have written far more reviews than someone with two stars. -
    tamarap2: I see. Thanks for answering my question -


tamarap2: when I am up late writing, I always have the tv on for background noise and I have become addicted to Friends reruns. I don't like to write sitting in a silent room-maybe jot down notes, but...


tamarap2: Well,I did it. I am accepting comment only. I took the plunge.
    --Turtle.: Good for you. I have been doing comments only for public posting for over a year.

    I like it. -
    tamarap2: It's a thrill to see that sixth yellow star, but... -
    tamarap2: It feels fine. I don't mind it at all. I've gotten some good reviews and some good guidance. I have learned from this site and for that I am grateful. -


tamarap2: You know, there are some reknowned poets who write poems that I wonder if many people understand. It's as if one needs a classrrom setting to dissect them and figure them out. I have felt that it is straying from the art of poetry to include author notes with my posts. But on occassion, maybe it's ok to do. What do you think? As much as I like Plath and Sexton, at times I ask myself what in the hell are they talking about. I prefer poems that encompass clarity and allow the reader to "get it".
    Sally Carter: So do I! If I want a puzzle, I prefer to do a crossword. LOL -
    another jim: I've got mixed feelings about the author's notes here on FS. On the one hand, they sometimes provide useful information; as a new writer, then, I find them handy as a teaching tool.

    Other times their use can be analagous to explaining the punchline of a joke, i.e., if you have to explain why it's funny, it probably wasn't much of a joke to begin with!

    I don't "get" every poem I read, either. But I also think it's the poet's prerogative to express what he/she wants to express in whatever way he/she finds artistically appropriate.

    Of course, when that happens, I turn to my crossword puzzles...LOL! -
    Lady & Louis: There's also the problem people have encountered of readers who apparently never contemplate Looking Something Up. "What is this sort of poem, I've never heard of it, therefore it gets three stars because I'm a lazy ignoramus who can't do a Google search" is the sort of reviewer who makes people put lengthy explanatory notes about forms into the notes. -


tamarap2: Where do you click to make your poem unavailable to rate, but open for reviews?
    Lady & Louis: Near the bottom of the edit screen is an Advanced Options button. Click on that and it shows extra menus. Ratings is one of them - normal (with stars), comment only or no reviews. :) -
    tamarap2: Got is! Thanks so much. I couldn't figure out where it was. T -
    Lady & Louis: I know, it's a pest that it's hidden like that - it used not to be. Glad to help! :) -
    tamarap2: So, I did it twice but I am still getting stars Mm? -


tamarap2: What's the difference between a Level 1 Professional and a Level 2?
    another jim: Um...one level?

    **slaps knee self-amusedly**

    I believe the level represents the number of Seal of Quality awards the member has received? Level 1 = 1 SoQ, Level 2 = 2 SoQs, and so on... -
    nor84: Yep, Jim, that's about it. -
    tamarap2: That's is funny. Good one. Uh, one level...yea, I think you're pretty much on top of things -


tamarap2: How do you type a hyphen? It's not in symbols and I have been using dashes, because I can figure out the whole hyphen thing. Can someone tell me.
    nor84: A hyphen is a dash - like that. In a hyphenated word, it looks like this: self-important. An em-dash, sometimes called a long dash, indicates a break in a sentence, and it's written with two dashese -- like that. -
    Lady & Louis: There are several ways of doing it. Some word programs will turn a hyphen (which is the minus symbol on a keyboard) into a dash when you put spaces between it and the words on either side.

    Hyphens are the connectors: they make two words one, like Norma's example. Dashes are to separate things. There's the style (is it American, Norma?) of word--word, no spaces; or there's the one I'm more used to, of word - word. The space maketh the dash, lol. I confess I prefer the latter because the long-dash style without spaces looks cluttered, but that's just my taste. Only thing is to stick with whichever you choose. :) -
    tamarap2: So there is no way to have one smooth em-dash line vs two dashes? -
    nor84: Some writing programs will change two dashes to an em-dash if you leave the -- unattached to words, like that. I use several, so not sure which one does it, Word2010 or Scrivener. Pretty sure Scrivener will, though. -
    nor84: Word2010 will do it too, and if you don't want the spaces between words, type it that way, then back up. The long dash still remains. -
    tamarap2: I figured out how to do it in a word doc...by accident. But when you copy and paste it to fanstory it becomes a quotation mark -


tamarap2: Do not let your fire go out, spark by irreplaceable spark. In the hopeless swamps of the not-quite, not-yet, and not-at-all, do not let the hero in your soul perish and leave only frustration for the life you deserve, but have never been able to reach. The world you desire can be won, it exists, it is possible, it is yours. Ayn Rand "Atlas Shrugged"


tamarap2: ok, I am feeling very disillusioned. I really like fanstory. I like being a part of this writing community and I enjoy reading the poetry on this site. And I learn here, as well. With that said, I do think we are living in a small world. In the grand scheme of things, I feel that there is some good poetry on the site. Excellent-occassionally. Exceptional- not really. That definitely goes for me. I know I am a very average poet in this great big world. I think we are comparing each other within the site and have created our unique subjective way of rating poetry. I wish we could re-adjust things. Average to good=excelent to exceptional, and it should not. People are so offended if they recieve a good-ridicules. Average poetry is average poetry, but on this site it is a big slap in the face. All of us, including the top ten poets on the site, have plenty of room for improvement. I am asking everyone to be conservative when rating my poetry. Goods are ok with me. That way, an excellent will mean something. I would be embarrassed for certain poets to see some of my poetry that has been ranked exceptional. This is where I am with all of this tonight. I am aware that this is commented on repeatedly on this site, but this is how I feel.
    nor84: It's the way many of us feel. -
    tamarap2: Yea, I know a lot of people feel this way. I wish there was a way to remedy the situation. Last year, the ratings had a description beneath them (i.e. needs work, need lots of work, ect.). Something along those lines. I liked that. It helped clarify ratings just a bit for those of us who chose to stay within the parameters of the descritions. -
    Judian James: The rankings on this site no longer mean anything due to the way they now may be obtained ... either through posting TWICE a day, EVERY day (which has nothing to do with talent), and/or buying reviews with high payouts (which has nothing to do with talent) Therefore, I am of the opinion that the rankings should be dispensed with OR totally ignored by those of us who are here to learn and want to EARN our ranking on merit and not with money. Well said Tamara. -
    tamarap2: I think we need to have a revolution. Maybe Organize a sit-in. :) -
    steevie : Ouch! If you happen upon one of my poems, be gentle. I am one of those really sensitive types you were refering to .... lol
    steve -
    tamarap2: I so agree Judian...earn on merit not on payouts -


tamarap2: Does anyone out there sometimes feel that there style and voice has become predictable? I do.
    Lady & Louis: I do, but I'm writing journals, not stories, so it isn't a problem there. -
    tamarap2: yea, that would be different. -
    tamarap2: Maybe I should start writing journals. I will check your out -


tamarap2: what are your feelings re: free verse poetry with no punctuation-just line breaks and that's all?
    Lady & Louis: I like it. I do most of my poetry that way (not that I write much now). I like the implied punctuation one can create with line breaks. -
    redrider6612: I prefer minimal punctuation in free verse too. -
    another jim: I think it's fine--admirable, even--if it's done in a way that the reader (me) can still comprehend what's being said. If I have to continually stop and ask myself, "What did she just say?"...not so much.

    IMO, with the possible exception of SPaG errors, nothing will turn a reader off quicker than having the message get lost in the medium. -


tamarap2: I seems that I have graduated from writing about trees to writing about the night. Mm?