h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I'll only write about things that a) I'm interested in, b)I have some knowledge of the subject c)something that's perhaps in the news may trigger something worth writing about, (The Heavy Horse series is one example, it was in the news plus I had worked with and had knowledge of the Shires many moons ago),d)places I've visited, either recently or in the past.
Someone mentioned earlier about visiting places for field research prior to writing, obviously not only is that not always possible but even after a visit you can still find information that wasn't available at the time of the visit. The Arboretum I'm doing now is a case in point. Since I visited there has been 3 new memorials unveiled.
As for GB's constellation entries, I've read everyone, commented in PR on some and I think, as has been mentioned, she's manged to take a massive topic and made everyone not only easy to read and understand but has gone into the myth and folklore as well.
Since Rich started the researchers group where folk declared what they could or couldn't do in terms of writing for the guide, I was actually down as a 'as and when' in terms ofwriting for the guide. As it's turned out I've actually averaged 2 a month which was the figure set initially. That was more luck than judgement but the difference for me is I've not felt under pressure so have actually enjoyed doing what I've done.
That's something we shouldn't lose sight of here, we must have writers writing not just to keep up numbers, important though that is, but writers must enjoy doing what they do. You get a better end result for a start.
We're all volunteers at the end of the day, most of us are not professional writers, (I sure as hell ain't), we're not on 'publishers deadlines' as such so I say lets be constructive in what we say and do and lets enjoy what we do. The guide and hootoo in general will reap the rewards then.

Don't go using intellectual words at me, miss. I have no idea what you're on about

I think that's quite an important point ST made. When "duty" is the only motive for writing, it often creates a crashingly dull product.

That was the reason I couldn't sign up to Rich's group - even though I thought it was a great idea and has spawned a lot of entries.

I've just signed up, but not for a specific number of entries per month. They seem to come in clusters with me - usually when I'm avoiding Uni work . So I might average out at one per month, but deadlines will just make me procrastinate.

Ah, well... we all love deadlines, don't we?

Exactly. Deadlines are the surest way to get me procrastinating.

(Or, to quote from Calvin and Hobbes - "last minute panic is my muse")

A-men to that sista!

>>Not least because h2g2 won't die<< (post 36^^)

Please, please, please do not make that assumption Pin. H2g2 could *very* easily die. Times are changing for the BBC and it only needs some faceless numbers man/woman in BBC management to look at h2g2 and decide to scrap its already miniscule staff (the Eds), and h2g2 is dead in the water, volunteers or no volunteers. It is therefore important that everyone is as active as possible, including PR.

I have a feeling though that we may need to review just what does make it through to the EG. I am far from convinced that we need every Scout to pick 3 entries every month. I personally sometimes find it difficult to select 2 worthy entries that haven't already been picked. Perhaps the EG should be more selective and include only good examples of a wide range of subjects and writing styles, both quirky and not. There is nothing wrong with writing pieces that remain Guide Entries rather than EGEs.

wrt Peer Review, I would like to see constructive criticism of the content where necessary, especially:

* filling in gaps
* awkward sentence construction (often resulting from on-the-fly editing and blindness to your own mistakes - I know I'm guilty of this one)
* points which are clear to the author, because of familiarity with the subject material, but which need elucidating for a more general readership
* viewpoints from different nationalities
* supportive aid to new writers
* etc

Comment has been made about listing grammar/spelling errors in PR, generally the view being to leave it to the subbie to sort out. Well IMHO, leaving it to the subbie is both unfair and more importantly, it doesn't help the writer to (hopefully) learn for their next entry. I agree a huge list can be offputting for someone who is weak on say spelling, but picking just a few important examples, and explaining why it is wrong (in the case of grammar errors) is positive assistance.

As a professional writer in RL, my work is subjected to *very* careful scrutiny in an equivalent PR forum, and it doesn't get accepted until everyone is satisfied.

My view on commenting on PR is that it shouldn be content-focused first. If there don't appear to be any content issues, then move on to the grammar, spelling and so on.

So first grammar/spelling then content?

I am of the exact opposite opinion.

When I've done professional writing content has always been the main issue. Of course you can't submit sub-standard writing, but there's no point whatsoever in bashing out the placement of every apostrophe if the entry is a load of twaddle.

Maybe it's just me.

Elentari - I've just re-read your post. Did you write what you meant to write, or is there some kind of editing required?

**then move on to the grammar, spelling and so on.**

Oooh, i is gud wiv spelin and gramma and punkchewation i fink.

You know what I mean - what is the point of hours and hours of correcting grammar/punctuation when the content is clearly wrong.

I'm going to happily throw my two cents in - particularly regarding chatter in PR, which was mentioned early on in this thread:
It is my personal mission, my sacred duty, my reason for being, etc, to throw completely inane remarks into PR whenever I can for the simple reason that PR should be as fun as possible. Oh, I'm apt to throw in some actual suggestions too, but that's quite beside the point.

What I love most about h2g2 and what keeps me interested is really the process involved in getting entries to the Front Page. The best ones, for my money, also tend to be the most collaborative. Matt's Morning Glory (the Entry, I mean - not the actual...), and GB's Cane Toad stand out in my mind as prizewinners for 1) Most Fun in PR, and 2) Most Delightfully Collaborative. There are many more of course and these are but two examples.

The fact that some entries are fairly routine or technical should in no way consign them to tedious PR. I wish I had the time to read every single entry in PR, but at least I can say that there has not been one yet that I have read that I couldn't post at least one pointless or stupid remark.

I already have a day job, and spending more time at work here would not do at all. On the other hand, all entries require work. So, what to do? Here's what I suggest:

Whistle while you work

Yes, content first, then grammar, spelling etc.

Took me a while to get back to this - RL can be such a trial at times.

Rich I think it was FM (who isn't here) and Jordan that were disliking the entry .... and I don't mind that at all, I think it's cool because any entry is a matter of personal taste and I certainly don't like everything that hits the FP. The point I was trying to make is that if anyone doesn't like an entry the place to say it is in the PR thread of that entry - not in PR threads of other unrelated entries, that's just naaaasty.

Regarding chatter in PR .... I don't mind it at all - in fact, I'm probably guilty of a hell of a lot of it. The way I see it is if chatter keeps an entry on the info page it's more likely to entice someone to comment on it - and I can vouch for the fact that several of my PR threads include comments from people I've never seen in PR before and I think that's great .... they may decide to stay in PR or write an entry themselves.

Mala, I'm with you .... I find restaurant peices sorta boring .... unless I'm going to go to them - which is unlikely - but they should of course be in the guide.

GB, I'm sorry - I'm guilty of the .... it's GB it'll be alright .... mindset, and that's just lazy. I think you should continue with your project and I'll try harder to find something to comment on ... just to let you know I've been (if you don't object to chatter).

My daughter has used h2g2 to research things for school and she's doing very well at it thankyou, it's much more reliable than other sites and it's more fun for her read and understand. She was able to teach her RE teacher a thing or two thanks to the recent 10 commandment entries and has used my Frankenstein research in English, geography, latin and science have also been researched on h2g2 so I'd hate to see any major changes restricting the type of entry we deem acceptable.

Re going out an researching entries. I'm not fit to go much further than the library and between work and hospital visits for myself, my sister, my cousin and now my daughter so unless you want a load of entries about A&E, fracture clinics, vascular surgery, mastectomies, podiatry, maggot treatment, foot ulcers, ischemic heart disease or congestive heart failure ..... I don't think so.


Finally, I am subscribed to the EGWW and do think that content should be sorted before spelling and punctuation in PR .... did I cover everything.

Yay!

That's the !




Oops Topic Drift!

<>

No, I don't object to chatter,

Mala mentioned above my "Honey" entry, and that's not a constellation, so, is this a pan-GB problem (issue) if so then what to do? Will people read my work and review accordingly, or assunme it doesn't need it because I display a 100 solo EGE badge on my PS?

If the site is suffering from overexposure to GB then maybe I need to retire from writing, and just review and sub and Curate away in the background for a while.

Don't you dare ... just because we're lazy doesn't mean that you have to be too.


It's the reviewers that are at fault - not the writer - anyway when Tony Slattery stopped appearing on tv due to over exposure he never came back.


Keep on doing what you're doing and I for one will try harder.