FLOOD ALERT

I thought this was going to be an environmental thread on the threats to the Norfolk coastline by rising ocean levels... maybe David A. can do a programme on that, too... I agree wholeheartedly with a 'read this first' pop-up when joining. It gets to be too much reading in one go, especially if the pieces are very long... good idea.

My goodness, I've just been to have a look. You're right, camus. I count twenty of 'em. Overload! Overload! *claxon wails*

excellent idea camus and I doubt there'll be any disagreement Harry Kerdean

I was on my way to post something about this but now I'm more worried about the Norfolk coastline, archergirl. Should we set up some kind of focus group? Ooh, I know the mum of the guy who played Alex Adams in Holby, shall I get him on board? He can champion our case at the showbiz parties...

ha! I doubt focus groups can do much but help hand out sandbags when the time comes, lib; and I fear it will be coming sooner rather than later. I have yet to see the Broads; I'd better get my skates on, or soon I'll be needing waterskis instead... Now, if you know the mum of, say, Brad Pitt, however... ;-)

Some kind of response-earns-right-to-post scheme would be ace. You score points by clicking a button that recommends a piece, and filling in a box with some comments. You spend points by posting your stuff, This is happening all the time these days, so I think something does need to be done. Pronto. Aside from it burying other contributions, it's no good for the misguided ladies and gents who're doing it. None of their stuff gets read, because everyone's annoyed at them, they get no response, and they go away thinking that the site's rubbish.

Yes, he is the man in the car advert. I'm afraid I have to tell you that he is gay though, the whole "let's see" thing is a SHAM. He was in that movie with Grace from "Will and Grace" so if we got HER on board then it is possible that we could get to Brad by a process of elimination...I shall give it some thought. I'm sure Will guested on Diagnosis Murder one time, that's an interesting angle... Duly noted archergirl, first thing on the focus group action list is the handing out of sandbags and/or water skis. Of course, then you'd need a motor boat to pull the water ski wearer....dag nabbit, this is going to take more planning than I originally thought...

he's gay!?! bugger

Um, and now I'd like to point out that there is another one. Does anyone have an idea of how to *gently* suggest that nary more than three ought to be posted, especially when done in ALLCAPS? Reading in allcaps is difficult; I feel like I'm being shouted at; reading lots of poems in allcaps is something else entirely... TC man at the top, what say you? Help?

Okay, addressed it myself, gently, with the culprit. But can we make it a condition of posting, somehow?

I LIKE SHOUTING

Hello I am posting as a newbie. I am a bit tired of seeing the elite few of you who believe that because you have been here for some time and are well versed in the etiquette of posting that you have the right to patronise lesser experienced users. As a newbie I read the forum guidance and followed it to the letter only to receive a ridiculous comment from Jack cade "hey you. Stop posting threads on your own stuff" well hey Jack did you notice that I had posted a comment on your stuff several hours before? Sure you did and you received my mails informing you of same but have chosen to ignore them. For you Archergirl who chose to agree with Jack, though more politely, please read the forum guidance for yourself and tell me or anyone what I did wrong by posting feedback on 3 other writers and then asking politely for some feedback. Admittedly because I am not a computer whiz I did make a technical mistake but rectified it. Why don't you all just concentrate on your own efforts instead of trying to become judge and jury on all who post. If you must point out to a new member that they have made errors try to be polite! To save anybody the time of looking up the guidance here is one of the relevant passages. "The best way to ease yourself in is to politely ask for some feedback, including a link to your work (see 1 above) so that people can find it easily and have a read of some work by other people, joining in with some of the discussions that you find about other pieces."- Markbrown. cheers NW

Good heavens. No need to be so sensitive. There's enough of that around here already. We were just trying to be helpful. It's not about being 'elite'; it's more about the fact that this site -very often- gets people coming and 'hey, look at my work!', not participating in anything else or making a half-arsed effort at it, and then vanishing again when the accolades don't arrive right away. So chill, man.

It was meant to be gently chiding, Nighty. I also commented on a piece of yours. You've got a point about Mark's guidelines. I personally don't think it should be encouraged, because otherwise you get far too many threads from newbies asking for feedback, especially if the site starts to grow more popular. And is it worth anyone's time? I know you yourself have got stuck into commenting, but by my guesstimation, most of the newbies who've asked for feedback have disappeared soon after. Makes you wonder if they're just asking for praise, or trying to get noticed. I know it's not your fault. But how are we supposed to tell people without sounding like we're telling them off?

I reckon on Monday we should start a whole new load of threads and forget about this shitty week. Nightwriter - I guess Jack Cade was writing that in a jokey manner, one which is hard to recognise as things in type often cannot convey tone.

I joined this group to try to improve my writing. I write because I enjoy it. I am more than happy to forget all this and I look forward to posting more here. I do think there has to be a rethink about how we 'newbies', I hate that term, are supposed to proceed. Perhaps set aside a discussion forum just for newbies to post their stuff. Anyway, 'nuff said on this by me. Take care NW

Fergal, I do believe that is the best suggestion I've heard, ever. It -has- been a shitty week. The world is going bonkers, I think, and we humans along with it. I'm game. Count me in.

Could the editors also email peeps about forum swamping? Argh, I've just spotted a flaw in my plea. or is that a flea in my paw? Submissions requested for the missing L Ink accepted, provided it is not green.