|
Post by thetourist on Jun 15, 2012 7:37:33 GMT -5
I will admit upfront that I have a love/hate relationship with anything "cyber." For example, I'm an old school biker, and I do not understand why I see guys roll their bikes to a stop and check messages. Getting away from things/people is the very reason to ride.
Considering that, there are times when you have to join society. Like many of you, I'm working on a story. To complete that goal I became a member of two other creative writing forums. One had a dictitorial moderator, so many of us left to start a "better forum." Yikes, that's a mess, too!
I seem to be struggling in finding a place for writing information while maintaining my mantra of "no drama." If I wanted more drama in my life I'd go find most of my ex-girl friends.
While not understanding this concept of "social media," why is it that simply becoming a member of a hobbyist forum implies you want to devote most of your private life to the 'net? I'd rather have a few real friends than a thousand cyber friends.
Additionally, in all of this drama that turned me off of those two forums, I didn't learn a thing.
|
|
Richard
Member
Posts: 610
Joined: July 2011
|
Post by Richard on Jun 15, 2012 10:26:07 GMT -5
I will admit upfront that I have a love/hate relationship with anything "cyber." For example, I'm an old school biker, and I do not understand why I see guys roll their bikes to a stop and check messages. Getting away from things/people is the very reason to ride. Considering that, there are times when you have to join society. Like many of you, I'm working on a story. To complete that goal I became a member of two other creative writing forums. One had a dictitorial moderator, so many of us left to start a "better forum." Yikes, that's a mess, too! I seem to be struggling in finding a place for writing information while maintaining my mantra of "no drama." If I wanted more drama in my life I'd go find most of my ex-girl friends. While not understanding this concept of "social media," why is it that simply becoming a member of a hobbyist forum implies you want to devote most of your private life to the 'net? I'd rather have a few real friends than a thousand cyber friends. Additionally, in all of this drama that turned me off of those two forums, I didn't learn a thing. I appreciate this post on many levels. I too am not a fan of not only the 'cyber' world, but much of technology in general. Does it make things easier, yes and no. I use it, but wouldn't be upset if it didn't exist. I think people spend more time communicating on phones and in cyberspace than in person. It is a shame and often an annoyance to others. If you don't learn anything from this forum hopefully it isn't a drain to you. Venting is welcome too.
|
|
Lily
Administrator
Posts: 2,197
Joined: May 2011
|
Post by Lily on Jun 15, 2012 14:25:59 GMT -5
Everything has a trade-off of some sort, and modern technology is no exception. It has both plusses and minuses. The problem comes when people abuse it. Take television, for example. Anyone who can watch a favourite program then get up and walk away is ahead. But the person who crashes out in front of the telly all day, everyday, has a problem. So it's not so much the technology, but our way of using it that's the key.
|
|
|
Post by thetourist on Jun 15, 2012 16:48:52 GMT -5
I'm wondering if this 'media information' is needed at all.
For example, let's suppose you need a new muffler on your truck. As the service writer pulls out the work order to take the necessary information, he tells you about his one bad kidney, his failed marriage, a tattoo he wishes he never got and how many singles you'll loan him for the strip club after he leaves work.
At some point (me sooner than you) people have to wonder if they're ever going to get the flippin' muffler.
My experience with these two forums was exactly like that. I came there to discuss works in progress, and places for information. Yikes, I didn't care if the responder was male or female.
I finally told these guys, "no drama." And I hate people who think that parsing every comma you type is a rebuttal. I learned nothing, other than there's a very good reason I don't watch the Kardashians...
|
|
Lily
Administrator
Posts: 2,197
Joined: May 2011
|
Post by Lily on Jun 15, 2012 18:02:56 GMT -5
I hear you, Tourist. I've also left forums because of the unwanted drama. Some are worse than others. I guess it's all down to human nature -- the dark side. We do try to keep this forum upbeat and drama free. I believe so far, we've succeeded.
|
|
|
Post by thetourist on Jun 15, 2012 19:20:43 GMT -5
Glad to hear it.
I'm working on a story from which the arc was written 30 years ago. I kill the lead in the first chapter. Granted, it makes the second chapter a bit dicey to complete, but after all this time, what's a few more months?
Ya' know, the reason I turned to creative writing forums was that I cannot find the group that once met at my favorite coffee bar.
Not many literature fans at the Harley shop...
|
|
|
Post by thetourist on Jun 16, 2012 21:11:37 GMT -5
Consider this an update, or a kind of rant, as the spirit and intent will be much the same. LOL.
I wrote to their forum administrator asking for my account to be disconnected. In effect, I asked to ban myself.
I told him up front in his open forum that I no longer wished to be associated with him.
|
|
raemorgan
Member
Posts: 105
Joined: June 2011
|
Post by raemorgan on Jun 16, 2012 21:35:28 GMT -5
Good for you Tourist. BTW, check your PMs.
|
|
|
Post by thetourist on Jun 16, 2012 21:58:15 GMT -5
I did check messages. I did not see anything. I think an attachment is missing.
|
|
raemorgan
Member
Posts: 105
Joined: June 2011
|
Post by raemorgan on Jun 16, 2012 22:34:27 GMT -5
Sorry about that, I've resent.
|
|
|
Post by thetourist on Jun 16, 2012 23:40:20 GMT -5
Got your PM and answered the issue. No biggee. My mantra is "no drama." I figured you did what I usually do--hit the wrong button.
Well, that's my story and I'm sticking to it... ;D
|
|
|
Post by thetourist on Jun 17, 2012 0:25:37 GMT -5
Yikes, the drama continues.
The owner has refused to offer my request for a ban. So I had to start a new thread telling the members I had just banned myself.
How pathetic is it to refuse to flip a frakken switch? Is his membership, overall post count, and ego so important that you cannot even get banned as a favor?
It reminds me of that phone commercial where a girl calls her ex-boyfriend informing him she's giving him 'the silent treatment.'
If a coax cable falls in the ethernet, does it make a sound-byte?
|
|
Lily
Administrator
Posts: 2,197
Joined: May 2011
|
Post by Lily on Jun 17, 2012 16:03:15 GMT -5
I believe every member has a right to edit or delete his posts, indefinitely, and to cancel his account if and when he so chooses. This forum was started by a few of us, who were refugees from a pretty awful site. There had been no moderation in years (literally) and this allowed a very nasty forum gang to take root. They would go as far as to stalk members who stood up to them, trying to find out their real identity, and make death threats. Then when the site changed ownership, the moderator was a little Hitler and terribly unfair. Fortunately, she didn't last, and the new mods cleaned house and banned the forum gang, who have started up a forum of their own where they continue their nastiness. One senses a huge frustration and anger in people like that, which they vent in the relative anonymity of the Net. Are writers forums nastier than most? I recall asking a musician friend that and he told me forums for musicians were just as bad. Perhaps it's the creative instinct and all the rejections?
|
|
|
Post by thetourist on Jun 17, 2012 16:09:11 GMT -5
Well, I like then place so far. I just joined in collaboration with another refugee from the first forum, and my writing is coming along. My issue with the second forum was the manner in which the founder "tailed" us.
He would monitor when we signed in or out, and during the last go-round, as I signed in, I found him poking around in my profile. I was one of the founding members. He had asked me to join him. He knew pretty much about me already.
When it became clear he was a bit too attached to us outside the constraints of the forum, I thought it was better to scrape him off my boot.
Now, no drama. As soon as my partner gets back from a brief respite and reads the rough-out of my new chapter, we can get back to producing good writing.
|
|
Lily
Administrator
Posts: 2,197
Joined: May 2011
|
Post by Lily on Jun 17, 2012 17:05:15 GMT -5
Some administrators encourage controversy because it creates more activity on the forum. But that's not the right kind of activity, and eventually only the nasty members remain because no one else will post there, and the forum is finished. Nobody wants to participate on a forum where they're subjected to accusations that they're a former member (paranoia run wild) and to personal attacks. I don't care who's who here, that's the nature of the Internet. A writers forum should be about writers helping other writers in a supportive environment. But hey, that's pretty hard, if not impossible, to find.!
|
|