Usermap To the Cafe

It's no secret. Writerscafe has degenerated into the ghetto of internet writing resources. It's also no secret that I'm jaded about it. An influx of scene kids and emo poets has flooded this site making it just another teen livejournal site for rants and raves and very little actual writing.

However, I've been here since 2006, and luckily I know there still exists a smidgen of skill in this corner of the web. For those of you looking for it, there's a reason you haven't been able to find it, so I've compiled a list of the people that I feel are constructive members of this community, and the ones to be avoided (this list is on-going, shoot me a PM to be added or if I missed someone).


Local Talent:

Nihad (Comme Une Fois J'ai Rêvé)- This man is hands down an amazing writer in the poetry genre. He's a published poet (and it's hard to get published in poetry) and does his own photography. He runs the Versenators group on the cafe. Poets can learn worlds from him.

Valerie Jones- Mod of the Underground Writers Network, which was the first ever group on WC (props).

Lola Nation- heads Write The Future and WTF radio. Another amazing poet, published. She organizes the occasional meetups on this site.

Magnolia Belle- She gives the most indepth reviews of just about any writer I've met on this site. Very thorough and helpful, she's a good fiction writer.

Lyttleton- Progressive, Indie, despondent, and talented. His poetry is statement poetry riddled with deeper meaning, same as his fiction but he's primarily poetry.

Hedra Helix- Simply rocks. Another poet whose writing is riddled with deeper meanings and hidden statements. Her fiction is lush imagery and she was also the original erotica guru. Knows her stuff.

Carol Maric- One of the vets of this site, is amazing all around poetry and fiction. Published and knows her stuff inside and out. You will learn.

Roy L. Pickering. Jr- Has been here since this site launched and knows his fiction. Published.

Paul Grimsley- Mod of “Writers, Prizefighters, and Caffeine Inspired All-Nighters” group. Also involved in the Indiebookshelf.com project. Published. Another good fiction writer the rest of us can learn from.

Wendy Grimsley- Mod of the indiebookshelf.com project, I've bookmarked a few of the writers I found on that site. It's different and you'll find stuff you won't find in Borders or Barnes and Noble.

Michael Carr- He sends out tons of read requests so beware if you add him, but he is a really good fiction writer and knows his stuff. Famous for his “Chronicles of Bob” stories. Fiction writers can learn from him.

(ongoing, I removed people and I added ppl, will continue to).


Writers we will dearly miss-

V- You got out early, but damn you were the life of the party. You were what I aptly refer to as an Indie Poet, you didn't care who you pissed off or what your poetry meant to anyone except you. The first meetup was sprung from an idea you got because you couldn't get to sleep. This place is dismal without you taking pot-shots at society. You were WC's original slam-poet.

Justin Aucion- Everyone knows Pirates are way cooler than Ninja's. He was a swashbuckling writer and a elegant poet. Another one I looked up to. So sad to see him go.

L. L. Jacobson- Closed her account early but was an amazing fiction writer, inspired one of my stories. Published, and I hope she's doing well.

Brandon T. Bisceglia- Another poet of endless potential. It's sad to see another one go.

William J. Wilkins- I remember your motorcycle story that was published in a biker magazine. Congrats. Wherever you are, I hope your writing career has taken off.

Angel Marie Antonette- Another beat-poet with good fiction skills. She was a vet member of BAPTS way back when. Hasn't been around, will be missed.

Li Li- another beat writer and slam poet, I think she's now a recording artist as well.

Francis Meyrick- Has started his own site at Writersharbor.org. Unlike some places, he actually moderates.




Writers to be avoided-

Sean Allen- Pedophile. Serious. PM me and I'll send you the emails. I had to block this guy before there was a block button.

Legacy- SPAMMER! I suspect that this writer is actually several users, but he will send you group invite after group invite for his poetry group

Budo- Classic example of freeverse gone horribly wrong, unless you like that kind of stuff. Lousy emotional prose.

Erotic Goddess- Smut Writer. Writes trashy pornographic stories and pushes ethics boundaries to get attention. Let's just say the only reason the FCC isn't on her case is because written word is protected content.

Aradia Redswan- Don't know if she's still here but she tries to write fiction and fails. You will learn nothing or be none the wiser for reviewing and if you leave a bad review, you will be harassed on PM.

Blackbirdsong- another example of freeverse gone horribly wrong. They need to create a group for these writers and just shove them to the side. You won't learn anything from reading their writing.

Rain- This guy is high strung and uber-philosophical. In other words, he spouts philosophy that doesn't make sense and if you call him on it, he blocks you. Don't bother, unless you like rolling on X and musing about random BS.

Ice Queen of the Vampires- What part of “Enter your real name at sign up” don't you understand?

*Basically avoid anyone with a weird pen name who is around 18 years old and has four pages of poetry on their profiles.


For those of you who wander here in search of literary support and find nothing but junk, I hope this will help you navigate your way around the ghetto. I wish I would have been more involved in the community when it was at it's peak. There was a meetup like 20 mins from my house once and I didn't go. Regretting it, regretting that I thought social networks were a fad, and hoping to see this site restored.

Some people will most likely complain about this list (notably the ones on the lower part of it), so I'd copy and save this before it gets deleted. If it does, you'll know who complained.

As for me, I'm a journalist and not even I'd ask for a review from myself. I'll admit that much. I'm working on a "big project" that has a publisher's eye and am only on here because there's no where else to go. I'm like that kid who graduates high school but still hangs around the building, free to go but where? If you want a review, PM me, I'll see what I can do.

Hopefully this place will get back to being a grassroots Writers Cafe instead of a mainstream trendy Barnes and Noble.

Reviews

[Nannette LaRee~]

A few years ago, on American Idol, Simon told Jenifer Hudson that she would never go anywhere. Simon told Jen she was too overweight, didn't know how to dress in-style and that her musical talent was, at best, minimul. Today, Jen Hudson NOT ONLY HAS AN OSCAR for Best Supporting Actress, but she has a banging career in the music industry. I too, am a 'certified'journalist. So what? That degree does not make me better than anyone else, or set me on a pedestal apart. In fact, as good of a writer as I am, I still have it in me to say that my ex-fiancee, who broke my heart, is a God Gifted writer on a level to which I will never ever reach. Never, never, never cut down the words of another writer. In that writer, whom you have judged, could very well be another "War and Peace", "Atlas Shrugged", "The Great Gatsby". A writer is someone who reaches out to the world, using words as a stepping stone to cement understanding. In all of us, is a writer. And while some might be further along than others in their prose, this does not mean that anyone has the right to judge how another writer reaches out to the world with their words. To some, there is not greater book than "Catcher In The Rye" others prefer Dr. Suess. To each his own. Lastly, as a journalist you should know the meaning of the word LIBEL. I would be careful calling Sean Allen as you did. That sort of name calling and accusation can get you sued....

[---]

I agree with you...I hope I'm not one of those emo kids. Granted, I do have depression and am a teenager, but all my poetry comes from feeling. But I definitely do agree with you on some of those authors.

I like how you had the guts to come out and say it.

[R J Askew]

You cricicise several writers here whom I regard as my personal favourites. Here is why:

Budo -- if you are referring to Bubo then you are maligning one of the finest poets on this site. Bubo has an instinctive depth of understanding of the human soul and her poetry has an inventive force and brilliance of expression which I for one love and have learnt a lot from.

Erotic Goddess -- a highly skillful wordsmith whose understanding of an important aspect of what it is to be a human being runs deep. She is imaginative and writes in a sustained and gripping way. She also loves the creative process and writes about it in a highly intelligent and informative way.

Blackbirdsong -- how dare you malign this wonderful poet! Blackbird song happens to be one of the very best poets of form on this site. I have admired her villanelles and at least one sestina by her and I know she has written in other forms. To lambast her on account of 'freeverse gone horribly wrong' is unbalanced. I have learnt a great deal from reading Blackbirdsong's writing and been inspired to try some of the forms myself. I have also read her free verse and know that she puts exactly the same creative force and spirit into it.

Rain -- a man of large and generous heart and wide experience. I have enjoyed reading many of Rain's stories and insights into American life. I have huge respect for him as a person and a writer.

[Hedra Helix]

Hooooley cow woman, you know how to start up a s**t storm. ;)

Dude I haven't seen this type of anger since the old days when Vince was running around. Kinda makes me feel sentimental. And for me back then was close to the end already. It used to be uber productive here before that. Less fighting means more time to learn, yeah? Vince had voice though, so it was worth it to me.

Yeah. I miss the way it used to be too. Damn.

I have nothing much to say bout what you've noted cos I hardly hang here anymore, I have no idea whom anyone is. I do agree Charlie took off long ago. Otherwise we'd at least get a notice before the site goes black for 3 days straight. Alas.. it is made of crack at its core the WC, and for some reason I'll prolly check in till the very end and the world goes Boom! I'll be like "hang on, hang on, I just gotta check this old site real quick...hang on..."

Anyways, aww I feel bad for all the people you called out {again ppl, I'm not here- so I don't f*****g know what's the haps..} but yeah I've had mad bad experiences here too so I imagine some of it at least is true.

Overall I miss having strong contemporaries. Remember..*sigh*
Ohhh mayyyn the old days, yeah I'm that person, S**t, I've said this before too- I know- but maaan in the beginning {for me} it was crAzy here. So many distinctly good writers cropped up out of nowhere, so obviously so that weak writers were afraid to post..and a big ole group of us willing to invest time into each other too. Getting to know each others strengths and weaknesses, learning from our critiques of others, noting what was weak what was strong.. morphing that madness into our own understanding of how to get across the thought.. getting high on getting better, all while still being true to our individual voices, that's what I singularly miss most. Cos there's no copying when you have pride in your own voice.... What a shame it didn't last. {again ppl, if you're getting that here now kick a*s for you, I'm just talking about me and my perception, no seeding the s**t storm cloud here, let's be clear. I'm simply reminiscing.}

::

Nicole, lol I clicked on and my first thought was daaang look at all the long in depth reviews! Well, that's not like the cafe lately, what is going on?
Haa ha.
Ohhhhhh.......

Dude, is it really even worth it here anymore? Again, not cos I presume to know the community but simply cos I do know the leadership, he doesnt care anymore, its a free for all- and has been for awhile.

Put the feelers out, get yourself into a good writers group you trust and admire.
Cos when the door closes, the sky's the limit. Truly.
It won't be the same here.
{And thank you thank you for the vote of confidence, it means tons to me. Thank you.}

[Adrian K. Smith]

"Newsflash, freeverse isn't poetry, it's stuff that people write when they want to yell at their husbands or cry or reach out or god knows what. No meter, no pentameter, no verse, just junk. Anyone can write it, everyone does, that's why it's the worse form of poetry in the god damn free world."

Do these names mean anything to you?

T.E. Hulme, F.S. Flint, Richard Aldington, Ezra Pound, T.S. Eliot, Carl Sandburg, William Carlos Williams, Marianne Moore, and Wallace Stevens?

I suppose everybody has their right to their point of view, even a confused little girl.

"Hey, believe me or not about Sean Allen. PM me and I'll send you the rest of the emails. Your call. Nitpick if you want."

It is basically a case of defamation. Though some may claim journalistic credentials because of having a blog (by the way, to use your own words on this matter - Newsflash, blogging isn't journalism, it's stuff that people write when they want to yell at their husbands or cry or reach out or god knows what . . . Anyone can write it, everyone does, that's why it's the worst form of journalism in the god damn free world.); even then only the most obtuse person would not be aware of defamation laws.

"To everyone who thinks writing poetry is a form of "emotional release," go over to eliteskills.com and release all you want, or cut yourself, or take prozac, or do whatever it is you do, but stop diluting the quality of writing on this site with cheesy emo prose. There were good poets on here once. Writing is a craft, not a therapy session."

What on Earth are you even trying to say here? Are you aware in the least whatsoever as to the actual definition of what poetry is? You are entitled to your opinion on the value of another writer's work to you, but to suggest that they simply go somewhere else is sheer insanity. If you do not like what somebody writes, then do not read it. Nobody is holding a gun to your head and forcing you to read anything you do not wish to read.

"I don't need to write my criteria, you can spot lousy writing a mile away."

Again, this is within the realm of your criteria. The folks in DC have not declared you the US Poet General. The UN has not gotten together and decided that you are the Poet Ambassador to the World. You are simply one person. Your opinion matters a great deal to you. We get that. We really get that. I suppose though, we really just do not care about it . . . having seen nothing of any substance to it.

"If people make a living off sulky poetry it's because of chic-readers and lonely housewives who have done their part to ruin the publishing industry."

Is it an overall disdain for poetry as a writing form that you have then? Are only those that write novels, novellas, short stories, and the like to be considered actual writers? Are you breaking this down based on creative, professional, and technical writing? You have a series of short stories here. Unfortunately, most of them are awkward and tedious to read. You write like the language is new to you, and you casually flipped through a creative writing for dummies book before setting out on the endeavor (to be honest, the more I look at the work - the more it appears you may have simply read the captions for the cartoons)...

"Here's the problem people. Most of you suck. That's just a given because most writing sucks. Even most published writing sucks, heck that's why we have awards just to sort the suckiness. It's nothing to be ashamed of. What needs to happen is that this community needs to stop being run by the majority because, as I have so painstakingly and repeatedly pointed out, the majority of writing is lousy. That only hurts the real talent on this site, and I don't mean the people who might scrape a living by marketing to lonely housewives and attention w****s. Personally if it were me running the site, I'd cut some people's hands off so they can never torture the world with their unbelievably bad poetry. The good writers are bigger than to be offended by anything I could possibly say, the little insignificant ones are raising hell on my page."

You are such a little conforming rebel, it is somewhat hilarious if one were to pause for the slightest moment to think about it. Most people had sorted out their confusion in this sense in their early teens. This must conform to that. Screw conformity. It is fun reading as you go back and forth, the more you go back and forth, simply weakening any value of anything you are trying to say.

Some people might simply have been bored and your little cry out has provided them a distraction. Some people like to feed the trolls as well, as this has been little more than a troll on your part. They could have a multitude of reasons behind their decision to comment on this particular piece. For me, I simply cannot stand that vile concoction of ego and ignorance. Ego when somebody has a clue is bad enough, but when somebody hops up to the podium to sputter such mindless garbage with the delusional belief that they are God's gift to the written word - well, some of us just have to point and giggle.

"Grow up people, buck up, take a bad review with a grain of salt and PLEASE leave WRITERScafe.org and go to eliteskills.com or poetry.com or fiction.net or whatever, those sites are set up for people like you. This site isn't. YOU leave."

Nah, we will stay. You can leave. Then again, what have you really done here? I mean, seriously, did anybody even know you existed before this piece?

You complain about all the random bits of emo fallout that are diluting the Cafe, yet this is little more than the pathetic drivel of some emo raging little girl that got her panties so bunched up she forgot she was posting it here instead of on her blog.

[Blackbirdsong]

No actually this is the fourth time.

*Newsflash*

1. Free Verse can be about any subject. Laura wrote a brilliant response to you about it so I won't add more.

2. Most of the poets you've praised write mostly free verse. So I think you might want to rephrase what you've said into "free verse I hate and free verse I don't hate." Just the same my poem wasn't written in Free Verse, which has to do with form and not subject matter anyway.

3. I didn't say I didn't believe you. I just said that calling someone a pedophile is incorrect based on legal definitions and it can get you sued.

4. Most of the people you praise use funny nicknames so your comment about avoiding anyone who uses one is essentially moot.

5. My poem was written the way it was because it was for a contest, "Know Who You Are." I ended the poem with "I am Rachel Blackbirdsong" because that is my name. I am Rachel Blackbirdsong just like you are Nicole Hellene. It seems that you think I was saying that I'm so kind of blackbird of woe. Sorry about the confusion. It's a Native American name. I have a friend whose last name is Eagle Bull and he has some interesting stories to tell about how people have mangled or misinterpreted his name. So par for the course. You have chosen to judge all of my work based on one piece that you clearly didn't like and possibly didn't understand and that's fine. It's silly, but it's fine.

6. In your opinion the definition of poetry is what is written in the fewest lines, but there are epic forms of poetry. "The Iliad" and "The Odyssey" to name two as well as the longest poem ever written which has 98,728 words; 449,441 characters (with spaces); 23,161 lines written on 728 pages. It was written by Nigel Tomm and no, I'm probably not going to read it either.

7. I'm not bipolar and don't have mood swings. I am a woman so yeah I have PMS, but since so are you, so what's the point?

8. You clearly have a lot of opinions but you need to learn to express them more coherently. I've read some of work and I like the humor and frankness of it, but trashing other writers simply because you don't like the subjects they write about or how they write it doesn't had credibility to anything you say. Also listing the writers you don't like beside someone you call a pedophile is a bit of stretch. Bad writing is one thing, but thankfully it's not punishable with jail time.

[The Rock And Roll Cowbo..]

Oh Lordy you just can't admit when you are wrong, all these people call you on it so you think they all suck.
This is an open site to all writers, its like television if you don't like something turn it but there is room for anyone who writes. Why don't you stick to writing whatever it is you write and review those who work you like and leave everyone else to do there thing. If you want to start some elite country club then go start your own damn site. The main fact here is the conditions of this site state you are not to talk bout other writers publicly. For a college person you lack maturity and intelligence. Can't even spell dying. I can see you will make a great journalist. I think you just lack self esteem and need to take it out on the world. Basically if you don't enjoy the site leave. Did you call us Nazis on your bio page... coming from someone who is trying to police the site herself and decide who stays, I believe we call that the pot calling the kettle black.

P.S. Free verse is a form of poetry... Have you ever heard of Edgar Allen Poe

[BrightEyes]

Here is a definition of free verse poetry for you:

http://www.readinga-z.com/poetry/lesson_plans/freeverse/freeverse_print.html

I'm sure Walt Whitman would be glad to know you do not consider him a poet nor deem him worthy to be a member of this site.

A few more definitions for you, since you do not seem to understand the difference.

Blog/blogger

http://www.marketingterms.com/dictionary/blog/

Journalist

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Journalist

Please take note of the word UNBIASED in that definition. This does not qualify as a journalistic piece nor does anything else you've written, neither here nor on your website.

Sorry, blogging your opinions on the internet does not qualify you as a journalist.

No one is "hurt" by anything you state here, except perhaps Sean Allen whose character you have defamed. You are not a child. While you have every right to be offended by anything he said that does not make him a pedophile. Since you seem to need things spelled out I'll give you that definition as well.

http://dictionary.die.net/paedophile

Your own pieces are full of misspellings and grammatical errors. If you cannot spot your own bad writing, I do not think you are qualified to pass judgment on anyone else.

Most of the writers you list as ones you deem worthy have not written anything in five to six months, do not review anyone and do not welcome new writers. What are they contributing to this site? The "honor" of someone reading them?

If you could step back and get over your big head, you could have approached this with a little grace and dignity while still managing to get your point across. You are indeed entitled to your opinion as to what writers you enjoy reading. Personal taste is personal taste. You are not qualified however, to decide that an accepted form of poetry is not poetry, nor to demean those who write in that style.

Go back to school; learn some basic grammar rules and how to spell. (Or at least how to use spell check to your advantage). Then sit down with your parents and ask them to repeat a few lessons on humility, grace and basic manners. You apparently weren't listening the first time they tried to teach them.

[Blackbirdsong]

Get your terms straight and stop this libelous nonsense about Sean Allen. Calling an adult female sexy does make a man a pedophile. Even if you were a teenager at the time it still doesn't. A pedophile is someone who is sexually attracted to a prepubescent child (aged 13 or younger). Here's the definition from a website with medical information for children - http://www.emedicinehealth.com/child_abuse/glossary_em.htm

As you've said you have only been on this site a few years, so you don't fall into that category. Perhaps his comment offended you and that's one thing. It's not my place to tell you or anyone else what right they have to be offended by anything, but what you have said here can get you sued. It can get the site owner sued for allowing it up here and it can result in this site being taken down.

If you really believe that Mr. Allen poses a threat to this site because he said you looked sexy in a t-shirt, then write the site owner about it privately or call your local authorities. Publicly slandering someone isn't doing anything to resolve the issue.

[Karen666]

You seem to be a very insecure person. I feel sorry for you.

[John Stussy]

You definitely presented your opinion with a very journalistic front. It has worked quite effectively in getting the way you view some of the writers on this site, good and bad, and may help those with the same literary taste as you. While some may be offended at this post, since this is a writing site I will have to put aside whatever agreements and arguments I have personally and judge this as a piece of writing, for that is the purpose of this site, and you no doubt will have had enough heated arguments and/or solid agreements flooding your inbox from the readers. This was a well done article, potent and presented honestly, and speaking simply as one writer to another I must commend you on this. Journalism is not a style that comes easily for me, so I respect those who can perform it as well as you have with this piece of writing. Keep up the good writing, though unless you have no worries about riling up some of the people here, I would suggest watching your subject matter. Now if you'll excuse me, I will be backing away, drama just isn't my thing. The site has enough of it, don't want to be a part of any further storms. I bid you good day or night, depending on when you read this.

Mr. John A. Stussy