FanStory wrote to E. B. Ross: She smiled and said... finished second in the contest ""Embarrassed" a loop poem"


FanStory wrote to E. B. Ross: The ones we want to forget finished second in the contest "My First Win!"


E. B. Ross: As a novice, I find the critiqing process confusing at times. There will be conflicting comments on revisions that ?need? to be made, so how does one know which is correct if it is a matter of conjecture and not a cut and dried grammatical issue? Seems that a lot of suggestions come from a matter of the reader?s own preference, which at times should be over-ridden by the writers, I would think. This business of writing is very convoluted and much is just a matter of taste. One man?s trash, etc. I was told by one person to remove a comma, so I did, and another told me to insert a comma where it had just been removed...this is just a silly example, but you see where I coming from...just wondering if anyone else has or does experience this frustration.
    giraffmang: Happens all the time. There's no substitution for checking the rules of writing for yourself. Commas are a particularly pesky one as there are 17 rules for them and each of those may have various parts to them. lol Some of the reviewers may simply be offering suggestions rather than corrections as well. -
    Jannypan (Jan) : In the end, it is the WRITER who has final say over THEIR work. -
    Gloria ....: Ha, yep I get that from time to time, so I usually go with the Recognized Reviewers advice. -
    mrsmajor: Where poetry writing is concerned there is no definite reason for a comma, but that question isn't new...look back at some of the early poets, and tell me that their work should be challenged, based only one writer...and I say, no...commas to a poet like eecummings, on occasion simply meant to pause...this from a man that certainly knew what he was doing...Recognized Reviewers are to be respected, of course, but I believe a writer, especially a poet, has the right to follow their own way putting pen to paper...to expect anything else would be putting all their creative thought in one basket...to suit any group of people...There will always be writers that have relied on their own
    mindset, why are we to change that...I'm a eecummings fan, and while I will never come even close to how he wrote, he is one of the poets/writers I very much respect...yet he was also one that often stood on the outside of what was acceptable at that time... -
    flylikeaneagle: I also like e.e.cummings and how he wrote outside the lines. He also liked to add things (inside). I think its great to study poets. Yes, commas are pesky. flylikeaneagle -
    Turtle... who?: One thing I tend to warn writers: don't make blind changes. Not because I said so, not because someone else said so, or thinks their way is the only way.

    Feedback may include a differing perspective, and given a suggestion or viewpoint, a choice has to be made; after considering the options as appropriate, varying rules, styles, and what rules you might break for the effect you want, the writer should decide if the change is something they can stand behind.

    For many suggestions, I try to give a reason why I might make a suggestion, be it because of a rule... preference... or point of confusion.

    It's up to the writer to evaluate the feedback and determine if a change is right for them.

    If the reason for making a change is because XXX told me to... then you are setting yourself up for either the same pitfall or a new pitfall when YYY tells you to do the opposite.

    Even solid reviewers can trip up from time to time. -