Sorry, Bar Stward - didn't realise that! It does happen occasionally that people join just because they want a review but don't want to contribute and it gets a bit irksome - hence me having a go!

Hi Bar Steward, I've been an avid member/contributer to Write words for a number of years, but won't be renewing this time around as it has become so quiet for so long.

There are some active chat threads, but writing and critiquing seem to have become secondary. It was that side of it that I enjoyed, not so much the chat threads.

Nick

I suppose it depends what you want from WW. I have been on here for a few years but have had patches when I barely look and patches when I'm pretty active, starting a group and hosting it and so on.

I have recently come back after not being around much, and asked some technical questions in the technique forum, and have been lucky to get some wonderful replies, which have really helped me. I hope I get the chance to return the favour (to someone less experienced than me).

I definitely want to stick around here, cos technical discussions have always been what I valued most and I think this is the best forum for it (that I know, anyway).

I reckon that if you stick around a bit longer you'll find some like-minded folks to bounce off. It seems too soon to throw in the towel.

Im not throwing in the towel, I just commented that it was much quieter than I remembered it. Around 2009 I was very active, however, I first started using Writeword around 2003, so Ive know it busy for many years, and am a little shocked at how the activity has gone quieter now

I've just looked at the list of groups, in order of "activeness", and loads have last activity within hours. That doesn't seem too quiet to me.

IME how busy the site is does tend to wax and wane. Be noisy and make it less quiet...?

Some of the people who used to talk too much and piss everyone off have had babies, which means they're always breastfeeding and now findi it too mcuh frigging effort to type one-handed.

Any of these still around?

fbtoast

freynolds

Jane Elmor

StephB

SJ Williamson

NMott

nezelette

Any of these still around?

No, I'm afraid they've all gone.

Bloody'ell, all of them, like me, use to be on every day

I've just looked at the list of groups, in order of "activeness", and loads have last activity within hours. That doesn't seem too quiet to me.

Yes, but that doesn't mean the activity was writing-related. In IC recently, and maybe for longer, the membership seems to fluctuate for no apparent reason, and it's classed as activity. For example, one member duplicated himself for a few hours, then disappeared. Later there was activity when the group seemingly lost a member. Yes, resignations and new members cause 'activity' but so does something else which I don't understand.

people join just because they want a review but don't want to contribute and it gets a bit irksome

This point about 'review grabbers' is valid. IMO, newcomers should give a bit before taking. Perfectly reasonable. I'm not suggesting anyone here does it, or intends doing it, btw.

Wish I realized that before I spent £20 on new membership

Can only speak for myself, but I couldn't put a value on the worth of the advice here, plus the critiquing. I'd say it was priceless.

make it less quiet...?

Yes. Debac has made it less quiet recently, and look at the responses. Great stuff.
If you can change things for the better, then do it.

Trouble is, all the writing fora are quiet these days, barring one which is so lively I can't afford to go there... and can't keep up when I do.

WW remains the best for the things I use it for; most places I express opinions, here I seek them. I certainly don't upload work for crit anywhere else. But, yes, sometimes a bit tumbleweedy.

The solution remains the same as it has always been; we need more new members to inject life and interest. People here are willing and able to share great knowledge, experience and wisdom but nobody is starting those threads because we've mostly been here ages and mostly been through it in one form or another.

There are recent success stories - the new Whole MSS group, for example - but we need more people who need and/or want that kind of thing to stand a hope of rebuilding the vitality of a year or three ago.
G

The site needs to reach out then, advertisement, find new and aspiring writers and let them know the site is here. I imagine there are more writers than ever, especially since you no longer need a publisher to sell your work nowadays as anyone can publish their own ebook on sites like Amazon

It has been particularly quiet the last few days - no idea why, although are we in the school holidays yet? There are phases like that.

BarS, if you want more new blood here then why not advertise it yourself on other online media, like facebook or twitter if you're on either? I have loads of writing friends in other places, like facebook, many from here but many who have never been here. Perhaps you're the same?

As for missing people who have left... you left! Don't worry about the people you remember from before - get to know the people who are here now!

You do seem to be looking at this rather negatively, and within a couple of days of arriving have been negative about not getting feedback swiftly, not finding the people you used to know on here, not seeing as many flurries of activity as you remember. Perhaps you're remembering it through rose-coloured specs? I've been on here for years, on and off (always a member but not always active), and it does seem to vary, and perhaps the flurries you remember were the high points? I'm sure there will be more flurries. Be a bit patient and also... try to make it happen yourself.

I have my own pet theory as to why things are quieter than a couple of years ago.

Pre-computers, the only people who 'wrote' had typewriter skills (none of all this spell checking and deleting malarky) and a real typewriter (not many folk had one remember).

Then we all got computers and though - this looks easy I'll write a book! It's taken a few years for the reality to sink in, that getting published is very difficult and pays very poorly. These two facts have probable shattered lots of dreams and thus folk have given up writing as a hobby.

Well that's my theory antway...