Thanks for your thoughts, Schrodinger. I have oft and repeatedly wondered the same. If it comes down to it, many institutions in the English language are artefacts and exist only because there is a social agreement that "this is the way it is supposed to be." For a long time people used to say that it was "ungrammatical" to end sentences with prepositions. (I think we have come to realise that this is false, but as with all other human creations such as the significance of writing forums, such beliefs take an awfully long time to reform.)
However, I - also not being a published writer, and being fully aware that all my efforts are little more than having fun with words - as I say, I see no harm in connecting with other people with similar interests. If the order of the day is writing forums, then I will gladly dive into a writing forum. If it is mailing lists, let it be mailing lists; if conventions, then conventions. I have mentioned elsewhere on the Southperry forums how isolating the writing process is. This applies to fiction just as much as non-fiction, as I have repeatedly seen with my fiance, who is a blogger + medical journalist of sorts.
I am, perhaps only subconsciously until you had said so, painfully aware that the cost-benefit analysis is not optimistic! Food for thought, for me
. However, in addition to connecting with other writers, seeing other styles, and seeing with pleasant immediacy how others react to your writing (even if it is not well thought out), I am the first to agree that competition with other writers is a major motivating factor. I'm not sure about other people, but I am atrociously prone to procrastination. The writing group reminds you that there is a massive body of beautiful things still being written, that you could contribute to. Even if you might get a bunch of "Cool 10/10"s, or "Nice story"s, there is the inherent pleasure of knowing that you have created another piece; even, dare I say, improved your skills through practice. After all, you get better at writing by writing.
(EDIT: I'm going to reiterate my comment about the cost-benefit analysis. I agree with you very strongly - perhaps unwisely? - regarding the nature of a forum. Forums are subject to their own peculiar politics and conventions, not all of which support writers, for example opinions on free speech, or to what extent the writers serve the forum vs the forum serves the writers, etc. I won't expound further on this, it gets too murky for my taste. However no forum is perfect, and even if I speak from an entirely selfish perspective, I would still rather bear with an imperfect mode of communication to the end of improving my writing, than risk isolation. There is nothing so perspective-giving as a big slice of humble pie - a valuable attitude, I think.)
Regarding your comment about "tricking" the community, I'm not sure if I have observed this as a deliberate act. I probably need to visit more forums! However I do take some comfort in the fact that established writers know what is and isn't good, and I personally believe there is nothing new on the face of the earth, and that the craft is in no danger of truly falling apart. We are too self-obsessed to let that happen!! All joking aside, good writers existed thousands of years ago, and they exist today, and they will most probably continue to exist tomorrow too.
Concerning the issue of "growing illiteracy" I have exceedingly mixed feelings (I would wave a flag cautiously from the descriptive linguistics camp)... but I may post my thoughts on that later for fear of too much text
However, I - also not being a published writer, and being fully aware that all my efforts are little more than having fun with words - as I say, I see no harm in connecting with other people with similar interests. If the order of the day is writing forums, then I will gladly dive into a writing forum. If it is mailing lists, let it be mailing lists; if conventions, then conventions. I have mentioned elsewhere on the Southperry forums how isolating the writing process is. This applies to fiction just as much as non-fiction, as I have repeatedly seen with my fiance, who is a blogger + medical journalist of sorts.
I am, perhaps only subconsciously until you had said so, painfully aware that the cost-benefit analysis is not optimistic! Food for thought, for me
. However, in addition to connecting with other writers, seeing other styles, and seeing with pleasant immediacy how others react to your writing (even if it is not well thought out), I am the first to agree that competition with other writers is a major motivating factor. I'm not sure about other people, but I am atrociously prone to procrastination. The writing group reminds you that there is a massive body of beautiful things still being written, that you could contribute to. Even if you might get a bunch of "Cool 10/10"s, or "Nice story"s, there is the inherent pleasure of knowing that you have created another piece; even, dare I say, improved your skills through practice. After all, you get better at writing by writing.(EDIT: I'm going to reiterate my comment about the cost-benefit analysis. I agree with you very strongly - perhaps unwisely? - regarding the nature of a forum. Forums are subject to their own peculiar politics and conventions, not all of which support writers, for example opinions on free speech, or to what extent the writers serve the forum vs the forum serves the writers, etc. I won't expound further on this, it gets too murky for my taste. However no forum is perfect, and even if I speak from an entirely selfish perspective, I would still rather bear with an imperfect mode of communication to the end of improving my writing, than risk isolation. There is nothing so perspective-giving as a big slice of humble pie - a valuable attitude, I think.)
Regarding your comment about "tricking" the community, I'm not sure if I have observed this as a deliberate act. I probably need to visit more forums! However I do take some comfort in the fact that established writers know what is and isn't good, and I personally believe there is nothing new on the face of the earth, and that the craft is in no danger of truly falling apart. We are too self-obsessed to let that happen!! All joking aside, good writers existed thousands of years ago, and they exist today, and they will most probably continue to exist tomorrow too.
Concerning the issue of "growing illiteracy" I have exceedingly mixed feelings (I would wave a flag cautiously from the descriptive linguistics camp)... but I may post my thoughts on that later for fear of too much text