Dear
Everything2 and the users within,
I am a graduate student in a class on computer supported cooperative works. In this class, we discussed Everything2. Now, from first glance it would seem that joining Everything2 would be a great outlet and excuse to work on some creative writing that I don't really have time for. So, I joined (obviously).
How mistaken I was! I submitted a poem, complete with pipe links (which I was quite proud of) and the very next day I had such negative feedback. Wait, I shouldn't say feedback. Feedback would imply some sort of suggestions or critique. This was not the case. Instead, it was just that some of you, decided that my work was not good enough. And in fact, felt so deeply on this matter that you desired to negatively mark my poem. Now, I am no Emily Dickinson but this particular poem I wrote in a creative writing class during my undergrad. And this particular poem has already gone through many peer critiques and edits. And you know what? Those critiques made that poem pretty decent. Do you know what doesn't? Giving my poem a negative rating and not even bothering to justify it. What, were you having a bad day? Exactly what makes you think that you are so "all knowing" and magnificent that you know what does and does not deserve a negative score? Giving someone a positive rating is one thing, because it is like giving someone a compliment. And giving compliments is something people do in real life all the time, because it makes others happy. But would you go around calling strangers ugly to their face, when you are walking down the street? Probably not. Just because you are basically anonymous shouldn't change how you treat people, should it?
The email that Everything2 sent me when I first signed up said "It's a place to grow and learn, both to showcase your writing and about each other." But then people go around and delete or give negative points to perfectly fine work. How does this help me grow? This did not give me any suggestions on how to make the poem better. In fact, all it really made me want to do was quit the site. And then the site wonders why new users don't stay around long. Perhaps some users like asserting their power? I only wish I could be there when a person gives this post a negative rating. I think it would go something like:
"*whispers under breath* I don't care about asserting power! *disgruntled look on face* What a bitch. I'm gonna show her! *gives negative rating* Yeah, like she knows. I know. I know! showed her..."
That's just my guess.
Anyway, after being upset by this site and how I don't think it fosters creativity at all, I went and talked to the professor who teaches the class where we learned about the site. And he told me, that if I want to get positive ratings on the site, I need to look at the work that has positive ratings and write things like that. Hmmm...so, not only does this act of negative rating not encourage creativity, but it actually encourages conformity? He also said that some people just don't like poetry. Or, that they saw my poem and noticed it was short and probably thought some 12 year old wrote it without even reading it. If you don't like poetry, fine. Then just don't read my poems. If you think short form is dumb, fine. Then don't read my poems. But take your power struggle out on someone else. In my opinion, something needs to change. And I plan on sticking around, at least for a little bit, just to spite you.