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Exiled in a kilt

Voting in Contests

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by
kilted exile
, 02-19-2008 at 01:45 PM (1272 Views)
Ok, I was going to post this as a comment to Pen's blog, but decided it was too long/slightly off topic.

I am one of the people who will very rarely vote in any of the contests. I will vote occassionally when the mood takes me, but I virtually never visit the personal writing sections of the forum anyway. There are some talented poets here, but there are also a lot that are not. Same goes for the story writers.

I do not read a lot of poetry - limited to Scots & War poetry for the most part - I never really studied literature at school (was in the "idiot" english class), so I cant really analyse poetry from a "critical" aspect. I go based on sole personal feeling brought out by poetry, and imagery & rythym pattern. As a result I am unable to make a real educated decision as to the merits of one poem over another, just go by gut decision. As an example my favourite poem that has been written by a member is Mir's "I sold myself on e-bay" I like it it makes me laugh. I know there are probably more technically correct poems, but for me it doesnt matter. I likes what I likes.

Regarding the short stories, I do not like reading things much longer than normal posts on a computer screen (eyes begin to hurt). I know I could print them out and read them, I tried that before but I get waylaid with my own reading of books on the list and never get round to reading and voting on them. I could force myself to read them but I dont force myself to do anything when it comes to leisure time. So I have stopped checking the short story contests, none of them have ever really hit me and immediately captured my interest.
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Comments

  1. Virgil's Avatar
    Kilt, I still think you should vote. The only criteria is what sounds best to you. You're only voting for a forum contest with no prizes. It's not like someone's scholarship is at stake. And i know what you mean about reading long posts. i have the same problem reading off a computer screen. That's why i don't usually comment on people's short stories. For the contest though i print them out and read them.
  2. mtpspur's Avatar
    I had just gotten done commenting in Pendragon's entry when I got to yours--I'm in one of my every blogger will get a comment mood--and you as always hit the nail on the head and summed up my meanderings better then I --Thanks. Almost everything you wrote applied to how I feel about things--excpet my laziness.
  3. Granny5's Avatar
    I go by how a poem makes me feel. I don't really care if it's written correctly or in perfect form. I like what I like, too. Some just make me feel and that's a good poem to me. I try to read and vote on as many contests as I have time for. I do read and vote on the short stories and I use the same method to judge, I like what I like. Do try. Any comments help the writers of both poems and shorts.
  4. kilted exile's Avatar
    I understand that it just for fun etc, and I should vote. It's just the idea of me voting on one poem being better than another is like Pol Pot voting on the nobel peace prize
  5. 's Avatar
    Very few us on the Forum are, probably, "experts" in judging writing/poetry but one thing is for sure that we are all devoted readers and know what we like and we don't like. And that is all we ask for when there is a competition:
    Please vote for the work(s) you like best!