Preston Writer's Group Forum Week 1 Prompt - Love Stories a..

1) Don't just say "haha that was great i loved it." I get it if some of us aren't as good as spelling or if big words and deep thoughts aren't our forte, but we can all try and give decent feed back. 

2) Don't bash. Even if someone has a different writing style than you, this isn't the internet. Okay, yes it is, but we don't want trolls here. Don't make fun of people because its fun to watch the chaos. Or for any other reason. 

3) If you can't think of anything to write, try this: Find your favorite line in the piece, and explain why you liked it. Explain is the key word. Let the author know what it was that drew you to the work. 

4) Constructive criticism. I know I said "don't bash," but note I also said "constructive." If somebody has a hard time spelling, offer to help them proofread. If a sentence doesn't make sense, let them know. If it's a larger work like a novel or a play, point out problems in continuity. If something doesn't make sense, ask about it. 

5) Perhaps most importantly, don't bash YOURSELF. We are all friends here. Some of us have had more time to improve our writing skills, and some of us have bigger vocabulary. This DOES NOT MEAN that what you have to offer is any less valuable. If I see a comment that says "Oh my gosh this is so good, my stuff is crap," I will hunt you down and force feed you some self esteem. We are all writers who want to improve. In my mind, that makes us equals.