sengmeng: As a writing student, I've heard a lot of the same "rules" repeated ad nauseum. "Show, don't tell." "Avoid cliches." "Adverbs are bad, mmmkay." Etc., etc.

I'm not interested in knee-jerk responses here. Adverbs are to be avoided, not forbidden. Likewise, repetition and redundancy CAN be used effectively. Writing is always about breaking the rules. Skilled writers think about it beforehand, unskilled ones don't. I don't believe in "never do this" in regards to writing.
    William Walz: I totally agree. The problem is that in order to break the rules effectively you have to know what those rules are to begin with. So many here make mistakes without ever realizing they are making those mistakes. -
    rama devi: Ditto what William said. What you say is true for a mature writer but most writers here (not all) need to become more adept in the basics before breaking them skilfully. -


sengmeng: I am a 28-year-old veteran seeking a degree in creative writing. Much of my writing, and especially my most successful writing, is focused on my military experiences, but I'm trying to break away from that. I have been trained in form poetry, but I'm not biased for or against free verse. I can be harsh in criticism and constantly try and often fail to keep my arrogance in check, but please realize that if I review something at all, I believe it has quality.
    nor84: If you are using the site's Star system and if you're polite in your constructive criticisms, that's all that's required. It is NOT a requirement to give only 5 stars. -
    crystal brandon: Hi sengmeng I'm crystal brandon.you told me on fanstory i got an nomonation vote how did u finnd out -