Am not sure if this question I posted is getting vicious or not. However, thank you for your replies.

I think that everyone is allowed to work as they wish. When someone asks you to comment on their work (and this has never happened to me - is that good? or bad?) I don't think the person is obliged to comment (though I agree that there is an implied obligation in a writer's group - the Crime and Thriller one needs help for instance, but that's a subject for my next post). I am not sure if I am misreading but I read that Dee prefers to answer people in public posts (on their work, not in the forum) and she did say that she nearly always does. That is quite a utilitarian attitude which must be applauded. Everyone obviously has their own work to do. I have read comments others have made and found them useful and it is nice to see that thought has gone into this.

However, it is also nice to see that Nell and oldfriend are willing offer more private assistance when requested, though once again, I don't think they are obliged to. I for one am heartened by this degree of comradeship on this site. I am sure there will be occasions when I might want an individual to comment privately on my work and it is nice to know people are willing to do this also.



And as for IB: well, his comments are always fantastic!

Cheers one and all

james (anthony)

Not vicious I hope James - it's the pixels, blame the pixels, which tend to arrange themselves mischieviously and put odd slants on postings.

I'd like to think that WW can work in many ways to help writers with different needs. There could be any number of reasons why a writer might want private feedback, and if Len and I are willing to give it occasionally then what harm is it doing? I'm sure there are enough archived comments to provide a wondrous teaching resource well into the next millennium, a few private ones will not be missed.

If on the other hand either David Bruce, Anna or Richard believes that this is against the spirit of WW, well then, I'll desist forthwith.

Personally I'm glad that I know.

Whilst I wouldn't want to give you loads of my work, I am glad that I know where I can turn for help on this site.

Thank you again for responding. It is very much appreciated

I think there is something about reading off a computer screen that can cause people not to pick up what someone else is saying sometimes. Perhaps we speed read in these forums too much and miss things. Whatever it might be, there are very few people indeed, - if any, - who, while holding strong views of their own, don't respect views held by others of us. So we can hold opposite views and be comfortable about that, can't we? (I don't really need an answer to the question).
IB I suspect you've been drinking ox blood again. I spoke to you about that last week, you know it gives you irritable bowel syndrome. But you persist don't you?
Becca.

Nell, James, et al- we're delighted that there is such a wide variety of responses on the site, from comments that everyone can learn from, to more private responses that a writer might need at certain points- they're all useful and indeed, we think that's what makes the site a special place. I know that for myself, I sometimes get a lot from reading criticism of someone else's work, as I can draw parallels with my own and then apply that- and other times, I would only want a 1-2-1 dialogue. Horses for courses.