The showcase: should we all be less uptight?

[Feo Takahari]

I'd like to begin with two assertions:

1): Most of what's posted in the showcase isn't that good, at least in the form that it's posted in.

2): Not only is this to be expected, it's completely okay.

To explain, if I had something really good that I wanted to post, I wouldn't post it in a forum for commentary and criticism. Instead, I use the showcase for things that I think might be good with a lot of revision--hence why everything I've posted in the showcase has kind of sucked. I think most people who post stories there are doing the same, but not everyone who reads stories there realizes this, leading to a certain amount of friction (which thankfully doesn't often bubble over, due to the relative politeness of this site's community.)

Looked at in this light--it all sucks, but we're trying to make it suck less--the question of whether or not to post something in the showcase because you're "afraid it's bad" ceases to be an issue. Be bad with everyone else, and try to be less bad in your next revision. Conversely, while commenting on stories there is still something of a chore, it's a more agreeable chore if you look for the potential greatness in bad stories, rather than searching for (and often failing to find) good stories.

Maybe some posters will think this is completely obvious. Hell, maybe you all will. But it took me a while to think of things in these terms, and I wanted to pass the thought on.

 

[Ireth]

I agree with you, Feo, and I think the name "Showcase" is misleading. A showcase is something that you put shiny trophies in to be admired, not things that need the dents hammered out and a good coat of polish. Posting things you're proud of is all well and good, but I think that might be what the portfolios are intended for. The Showcase is more about getting and receiving critique.

 

[Black Dragon]

I agree with you, Feo, and I think the name "Showcase" is misleading. A showcase is something that you put shiny trophies in to be admired, not things that need the dents hammered out and a good coat of polish. Posting things you're proud of is all well and good, but I think that might be what the portfolios are intended for. The Showcase is more about getting and receiving critique.

In practice the Showcase is commonly used to to receive critiques, but it was never intended to be solely for that purpose. People can, and sometimes do, post stories in there simply to share them with others. When posting a new thread, it's up to the member to specify what kind of feedback they are seeking, if any.

In the early "private beta" phase of Mythic Scribes, that forum was named "Critiques," or something similar. The feedback that I received was that people found it intimidating to post in there, knowing that a critique was expected. Members wanted to be able to share their work with each other in a private forum, without necessarily always having it critiqued.

And so the name "Showcase" was adopted. It is more inviting and more inclusive. And frankly, posting your stuff in "The Showcase" sounds way cooler than "the critiques forum."

The portfolios came later. They were created to fill a need to be able to post longer works. Also, they gave members the option of collecting their writings in one place, and making them public if they so choose. That's how most members choose to employ them, as a public collection of their writings for the general public to enjoy. But they were not intended to displace the Showcase as a forum where more polished works can be shared.

 

[robertbevan]

what i think we should stop doing is trying to fix a problem that doesn't exist. i'm thinking of both this thread and the half pregnant thread. the showcase here, as it stands, is doing a lovely job.

 

[Aosto]

I agree that the showcase is doing as intended. A few minutes of browsing the showcase will show a new member what it's used for. Also, members are happy to point someone in the right direction should they seek feedback on a piece.
I also agree that not everything posted is a polished shiny piece of work, I've posted a lot of my crap in there. I have also received some great feedback on what I've posted. However, much like the beta reader debate, not all feedback is taken to heart. Yes, I look for help on my grammar and structure. I also seek feedback on the flow of the story, and if it's readable to the masses. Sometimes, though, I receive a piece of feedback that I don't 100% agree with. This is the business of writing through, accepting critique with a grain of salt.
I am thankful that this site openly welcomes new and professional writers alike to post a piece for critique. The time put into it is invaluable, and for that I'm thankful.

 

[Guru Coyote]

I agree that the showcase is doing as intended. A few minutes of browsing the showcase will show a new member what it's used for. Also, members are happy to point someone in the right direction should they seek feedback on a piece.
I also agree that not everything posted is a polished shiny piece of work, I've posted a lot of my crap in there. I have also received some great feedback on what I've posted. However, much like the beta reader debate, not all feedback is taken to heart. Yes, I look for help on my grammar and structure. I also seek feedback on the flow of the story, and if it's readable to the masses. Sometimes, though, I receive a piece of feedback that I don't 100% agree with. This is the business of writing through, accepting critique with a grain of salt.
I am thankful that this site openly welcomes new and professional writers alike to post a piece for critique. The time put into it is invaluable, and for that I'm thankful.

Absolutely. I've been here for maybe a week, and I already have benefitted so much from posting my story fragment to the Showcase. And yes, the purpose and use of said forum was clear to me after just a few reads.

 

[Weaver]

I only got a couple of responses to my story in the Showcase before I removed it (for reasons that had nothing to do with those response), but based on that limited experience, the people on this site are more likely to be helpful and encouraging - without just giving empty fluff "feedback" if the author asks for more - than members of other sites I've posted my work on in the past. Nor, it seems after I looked through comments on others' writing, are the people commenting on the writing likely to throw a fit if the author disagrees with some of the feedback - again, unlike other sites I've known.