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Some Questions for You

Posted: Sat Aug 06, 2016 8:38 am
by glorybee
I didn't have the chance to write a lesson this week--I had between 2 and 10 guests in various combinations every day for the last week and a half. But I do have some very important questions for you that may determine the direction of this forum.

1. What ideas do you have for future lessons? I'm willing to expand into grammar and writing mechanics, but my preference is for topics relating to the art of writing, literary terms, and writing literacy.

2. Has this forum run its course?

3. Do you have any suggestions for me as to how I might improve the lessons? Are they too easy? Too difficult? Too something else?

4. How can I better meet your writing instruction needs?

5. Anything else you'd like to say?

I'm really not looking for "this forum is great, very helpful, you're doing fine." Those sentiments are lovely, but they don't give me any direction.

Help!

Re: Some Questions for You

Posted: Sat Aug 06, 2016 11:18 pm
by CatLin
You share many helpful, "random" tips on your Superior Editing FB page. If you're willing to venture into grammar and punctuation, you could build posts on some common errors. For example, the importance of commas? I can see you using a sentence like this one (part of a helpful post on a local "homeless" Facebook page I'm a member of) as a springboard:

"The charity has a soup kitchen. Immigrants can get a meal as well as other struggling families."

Re: Some Questions for You

Posted: Sun Aug 07, 2016 12:19 am
by CatLin
My previous post was in answer to Jan's question #1. I'll do my best answer the rest of the questions.

2. Has this forum run its course? I say "no". Even when you "teach" on a subject I think I'm well versed on, I learn something new. FaithWriters is about growing and improving, and your lessons are an invaluable addition to the site.

3. Do you have any suggestions for me as to how I might improve the lessons? Are they too easy? Too difficult? Too something else? I think your approach and voice as you seek to reach the wide span of writing experience of our members is perfect. Nothing to suggest here.

4. How can I better meet your writing instruction needs? See #3.

5. Anything else you'd like to say? This forum is great, it's very helpful,and you're doing fine. :lol: (you asked, and it's true.) Keep up the good work as long as you feel led. But don't feel obligated if the Lord is telling you otherwise.

Re: Some Questions for You

Posted: Mon Aug 08, 2016 6:06 pm
by oursilverstrands
Jan wrote:2. Has this forum run its course?
Jan, I'm not sure if the forum has run it's course, but I was wondering if perhaps it needed a more interactive format to revitalize it.The number of critiques for weekly Challenge articles seems to be on the decline. Yet some authors are still requesting them. If there were sufficient volunteers from Challenge Level 1 or 2 willing to participate (especially those whose authors have asked but not received "red ink", perhaps one entry from each week could be "critiqued" by those of us on this forum under your guidance, and based on the principles you've covered over the years. For example: You would chose the article, take note of whatever errors exist, and then we would be challenged to find the errors before you reveal them.

This could encourage reluctant reviewers as they "practice" here, and also be an advertisement for the Critique Circle. I don't think it would take away from the Critique Circle, since it would only be one article a week. I suggested Level 1 and 2, but there may be other Levels where you might find sufficient errors that create teachable articles and willing author volunteers

Not sure if my suggestion is clear, but I like the idea of putting your lessons into meaningful practice where everyone benefits, all the while knowing that, if one is wrong, you or someone else will set them straight. :-)

Tell me if I'm off the wall or infringing on other Faithwriter initiatives.

Lillian

Re: Some Questions for You

Posted: Mon Aug 08, 2016 6:13 pm
by glorybee
Lillian, you're not infringing on anything, but I'm not sure your idea would work. I ask for participation in the form of questions or comments or ideas every week, and I get almost none. I just don't think people are into participating in forums anymore.

We've tried ideas similar to this one in the past--at least once, maybe twice. It gets feeble participation for a week or two, and then nothing. I think the amount of cajoling to get willing participants for critique would be prohibitive, and I think it would be even more difficult to get critiquers.

Sorry to be a downer, but this feels like more work for me, with less payoff. If someone else (you, perhaps?) would like to start a new thread like this, I'd definitely support it and participate in it. But I don't think it's a direction I care to go in this particular forum.

I appreciate your idea so much, and your willingness to propose it. You're a gem!

Re: Some Questions for You

Posted: Mon Aug 08, 2016 6:45 pm
by oursilverstrands
Jan wrote:Sorry to be a downer, but this feels like more work for me, with less payoff. If someone else (you, perhaps?) would like to start a new thread like this, I'd definitely support it and participate in it.
Well, I'm willing to throw out a few "feelers" to see what response(s) I get, if you're willing to support it.

Ready, set, go. :-)

Lillian

Re: Some Questions for You

Posted: Sat Aug 13, 2016 2:54 pm
by AnnaBanana
I have benefited greatly from your writing lessons, Jan. I'm not super active on the forums, or even Faithwriters in general, but my hope and dream is to write more. You are helping me to do that. When I had a story idea, but not a theme, I went to your lessons and used the one about man vs, himself to help me write my idea in first person. :thankssign
I think you have a very good list of lessons that are really usable. I'd like to,see you stick to the "art of writing" because the grammar help is out there already, in massive amounts ( I google stuff all the time to use in my EFL classes :) )
I'm not sure this is doable, or even the direction Faithwriters wants to go in, but would a connection with the Facebook page work? I know I check that much more than the forums and would probably comment there more.

Re: Some Questions for You

Posted: Sat Aug 13, 2016 3:37 pm
by glorybee
AnnaBanana wrote: I'm not sure this is doable, or even the direction Faithwriters wants to go in, but would a connection with the Facebook page work? I know I check that much more than the forums and would probably comment there more.
I post every week's lesson on the FaithWriters FB page, and for a while, I tried setting up a FB page that mirrored this one, with the weekly lesson in both places. No one visited the mirror page much. :(