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

Hi, Yang. I've read your comments on the Literacy thread and I've posted a story, as you requested. Feel free to take a look, or not, I don't mind. It has been published, so there's no danger of anyone making off with it! (Joke.)

Seriously, I feel a bit bewildered and depressed by some of the comments. I think the published writers on the site would be being really patronising and misleading if they told everyone that spelling and punctuation didn't matter. Accuracy isn't the be-all and end-all of the creative writing experience, I quite agree, but if you're going to take your stuff to a publisher, then it should be as error-free as you can get it. That's all.

I really enjoy contributing to the threads and do think there are times when I can pass on useful bits of info; similarly, I've picked up a few along the way. I'd like to crit as well, but ironically I got into tremendous bother the last time I did a crit for someone because another member of GW accused me of being too kind and therefore being "unhelpful" and "misleading". It really knocked my confidence as a critter. So I save my crits for another site where the atmosphere's less charged.

Anyway, I thought I'd drop by and say I've taken your comments on board. Cheers!

Hi Nemo, thanks for taking time out to write the note, which is much appreciated. Have you noticed the thread is now taking on a more aggressive tone? I don't like it at all.

This is an important debate, I think. People put work up to be critted, and if they say, 'Hit me between the eyes with the truth as you see it, bearing in mind I want to write a bestseller,' then we should do so. However, if that isn't explicitly stated we should tread carefully.

Some of the guidelines on this site suggest that work should come with suggestions from the author about what they would like crits to focus on. I think this is good advice for the more sensitive amongst us. Personally, I don't give such guidelines so I'm happy to receive any kind of crit. Sure, critical crits sting, but I don't lose any sleep over them.

I do think it's appalling that your crits have been critted! Don't be intimidated! If you feel like being nice you must. It may lead to wonderful things for the person concerned.

In the east, the definition of the truth is more concerned with arriving at the right outcome than factual accuracy. Yes, it may be truthful to say, 'For me, your work lacks focus, imagination, pace, cohesion, and every third word is incorrectly spelt,' but you have to ask yourself if that will lead to the right outcome. Maybe, at that stage of a writer's development, or given the nature of that person, encouraging them to continue is more important.

Fidgit's post confirms my worst fears about all of this.

Anyway, I'll certainly check your work, and I would appreciate any kind of crit you care to give!

Yang