I have a question

[rm]

Why is ogi_ogas the maintainer of something that purports to be an SFF critique group?

http://community.livejournal.com/m00nr0cket/profile

Comments

[xtricks.livejournal.com]

I find this post interesting - not so much for the rather immature concepts on writing but the emphasis on rules. Very oriented to (inflexible, imo) structure, that one.

http://community.livejournal.com/m00nr0cket/6194.html

ETA: oosp, wrong link. http://community.livejournal.com/m00nr0cket/5875.html

[annlarimer.livejournal.com]

Writing is a craft with rules that can be learned. Otherwise, how would anyone get better?

Quite a few people don't. Kof.

[xtricks.livejournal.com]

Well, all you need to know are the rules - you don't actually need any of that mysterious talent or nothing.

[mintwitch.livejournal.com]

...or, you know, years of practice, failure, and rejection.

[kita0610.livejournal.com]

That's just crazy talk, Missy. (HI MINT)

[mintwitch.livejournal.com]

HI HI HI!!!

[jalendavi-lady.livejournal.com]

Or experience using the rules.

Just because you know the rules for writing A Sonnet doesn't mean you can write one that won't make ears bleed.

Non-drabble non-flash/non-short-short fiction? Is a lot longer than 14 lines even if it does have the advantage of not HAVING to be in meter.

There's a reason the library has a few style and grammar guides and then a section at least ten times bigger on writing - essays, short stories, novels, genre pieces...

If it was all the rules, and everyone recognized the same set, the two sections would be the same size.

[lyorn.livejournal.com]

I'm not too convinced of this whole "talent" thing, if it is defined as an inborn, immutable trait (which is often is). Too essentialist for my taste.

But IMO the rules are, 1. pay attention, 2. learn, 3. practise, 4. repeat #1-#4. And he seems to be very bad at least with #1 and #2.

[kalichan.livejournal.com]

Erk. This reminds me of those paint-by-number things you can send away for. You too can paint a picture like those of Van Gogh! Just call this toll free number...