Posted: Sat May 15, 2010 12:43 pm
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
WHAT IS WILD POETRY FORUM?
Wild Poetry Forum (WPF) is a place for writers aged 21 or older of all skills levels (published or not) to share their knowledge and to display their unfinished or draft work for commentary and critique. Wild Poetry Forum is an ACTIVE WORKSHOP. Work should be brought here with the understanding that it will receive commentary meant to improve it. This makes WPF an ONLINE EQUIVALENT OF A LIVE POETRY CRITIQUE OR WRITERS' GROUP.
What WPF is NOT:
an online journal or magazine
a small press
a vanity board
a social networking site
a storage bin for your work
your own private website or blog
a discussion board for social issues or "hot topics"
a museum
an art gallery
a writing exhibition
a boxing ring
a political debate
a biker bar
an elementary school yard
a soapbox
a soap opera
a preacher's pulpit
a den of iniquity
DO I NEED TO BE A MEMBER TO READ? TO POST?
To read WPF's public forums, you DO NOT have to be a member. In order to post your own work or to read material on WPF's private forums, however, you are required to have a member name and password.
WHY IS MEMBERSHIP REQUIRED?
We have had some difficulties in the past with a completely open forum. Anonymous users were abusing our boards. Hence, administration decided to have a members-only forum.
WHAT ARE MEMBERSHIP LEVELS AND WHAT DO THEY MEAN?
There are six levels of membership at WPF. These levels are based on the number of posts, as participation at Wild counts for more than mere longevity. The system keeps track of the number of posts and automatically advances the membership level when the posts reach a certain number. The membership levels and the number of posts required for each are as follows:
New Member: 1-50 posts
Member: 51-100 posts
Valued Member: 101-300 posts
Intermediate Member: 301-1000 posts
Advanced Member: 1001-2500 posts
Senior Member: 2501+ posts
Your membership level will be listed below your member name on each post you make at WPF. If you are new to WPF or are unfamiliar with a particular username, being able to see the member's membership level is a convenient way of knowing whether he/she is new to Wild or has been a long-term part of our community.
HOW MANY FORUMS ARE AVAILABLE AT WPF AND WHAT ARE THEY?
We have changed from an entirely open forum, to a small, more intimate group. Therefore, many WPF forums that were once visible to the public are no longer viewable by those without memberships. The forums you can view as a non-member or guest are few. Following is a brief listing of forums and their function. More information about each of these forums is outlined further down in this document.
PUBLIC FORUMS -- viewable by both WPF Members and Non-Members/Guests
Intuitive Healing
~This forum is for the testing of WPF formatting functions.
Primordial Sound
~This forum is for member announcements regarding personal websites, publication notifications, etc.
Hypnotic Suggestions
~This forum is for information & updates concerning WPF operations.
IBPC
~This forum is for the announcement of the monthly Interboard Poetry Competition (IBPC) results.
Link to WPF BookShop
~This forum contains a link to the WPF BookShop with listings of recommended poetry & writing texts.
PRIVATE FORUMS -- viewable only by WPF Members
Essential Oils
~This forum is for questions and general discussions. It is also the forum where admin communicates with the membership about important topics related to the daily operation of the site.
Creative Visualization
~This is the Main poetry posting forum at WPF. The levels of critique given in this forum are Commentary Only, Light Critique, and Heavy Critique.
Balancing Qi
~This forum is for community involvement efforts.
Asanas
~This forum is for the posting of epic poems (80 lines or longer), short stories, and excerpts from longer pieces of fiction or non-fiction.
Therapeutic Touch
~This forum is for the posting of work with Adult Content.
Nominations for IBPC Submission
~This forum is for the posting of nominations by members for submissions into the IBPC (InterBoard Poetry Competition) from WPF.
Hall of Fame
~This forum is for past posting of announcements by Adminstration of Poem of the Week/Honorable Mention each week. These poems were the ones from which our IBPC selections were made. Since the introduction of the nomination by members of poems for IBPC submission, the Poem of the Week/Honorable Mentions feature has been discontinued.
WPF Weekly Creativity Challenge
~This forum is for the posting of weekly Creativity Challenges, which are prompts for writing poems that adhere to specific guidelines.
Electromagnetism
~This forum is an archive of past work posted at WFP by former/current members.
Naturopathy
~This forum is a library of a wide variety of discussions on many topics, both poetry-related and general, posted by former/current WPF members.
WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO GET STARTED HERE AT WPF?
While we understand the enthusiasm and excitement involved in joining a new group, we do recommend that our new members spend some time (a few hours to a few days) just reading here at WPF before jumping in with both feet. That includes work posted in the forums, and comments on that work, as well as all the other features that are available here. Taking the time to become familiar with our community, our members, and how things operate will be of great benefit to you in making yourself a valuable member quickly and comfortably. When you are ready, we suggest that you post a brief introduction on ESSENTIAL OILS. Feel free to tell us a little about yourself -- what you do for a living, how long you've been writing, why you chose WPF, what you hope to accomplish with your writing, etc. -- in other words, any personal details you're willing to divulge. This will allow other members, both new and established, to become familiar with you as an individual. The majority of members here at WPF are very friendly, and you will most likely be welcomed with encouraging words.
After that, you are free to wander around WPF at will, and to begin posting your own work for commentary/critique as well as offering the same to others. Please reference other sections of this document for full information about such things as where to post, posting limits, and other helpful advice. If you have questions as you proceed, you can post them publicly in ESSENTIAL OILS, or write to us privately at moderators@wildpoetryforum.com or adminwpf@wildpoetryforum.com.
WHAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT FORUM HERE AT WPF?
While most of our members would probably answer that the most important forum(s) here at WPF are those in which you can post your work and receive critique, admin has a different perspective. We think our most important forums are the two that allow us to communicate important information to our membership -- HYPNOTIC SUGGESTIONS and ESSENTIAL OILS.
HYPNOTIC SUGGESTIONS is the forum you are currently accessing and the one which contains all the documents that serve as the basis of our website, and that contain important information about our terms of service. We highly recommend that members read all the documents housed here at least once, and to check them once a year or so to make certain they are aware of any updates to that information. This includes these FAQs, as well as our User Agreement, Disclaimer, Mission Statement, etc.
The other important forum here at WPF is ESSENTIAL OILS. This is our discussion forum, and the one where we (admin) communicate with members about everyday issues concerning the site or important information we think you need to know. It's also where members communicate with each other on a wide range of topics. Keeping yourself up-to-date on topics posted in ESSENTIAL OILS is part of your job as a member of this community. You and we will be more comfortable and your use of this website will go more smoothly if you do. So, please make it a priority to check on this forum regularly. Notices posted there are for your benefit. It's information you need to know to keep you from wandering the site "in the dark." Being informed will also cut down on the number of times you need to write to admin with questions.
WHICH FORUM SHOULD I POST WORK IN?
Here at Wild Poetry Forum, we have one main forum for the posting of poetry, and two smaller specialized forums.
Our main forum is called CREATIVE VISUALIZATION. Unlike most other poetry critique boards on the internet, we do not subdivide ourselves into numerous forums based on the type of critique you wish to receive or give (light, medium, heavy crit and so on) or the type of poems you write. Although we did have various forums for many years that operated in this fashion, we found that most of the forums were only used occasionally or not at all. Or poems ended up in the wrong forums. Therefore, we decided to simplify posting and have all of our members, no matter their skill level or experience or what types of poems they write, congregate in one main area.
The kind of critique you will receive and give is based on a color-coding system instead. When you look at the boards, you will notice that member names are displayed in four different colors. These colors correspond with the type/level of critique members wish to receive. The color coding system for member names is as follows:
RED – those who wish to receive NO critique, just general appreciative commentary.
PURPLE – those who wish to receive LIGHT critique, which includes general commentary and minor suggestions. You are likely to receive more positive reviews specifying what is good/working in the poem.
GREEN – those who wish to receive HEAVY critique, which includes detailed commentary and line-by-line recommendations. You are likely to receive more negative reviews specifying what is faulty/not working in the poem.
BLACK – reserved for administrators and moderators, who wish to receive heavy and intensive critique.
This should make it easy for you to tell at a glance, before you even click on a post, what type of critique the author of that post would want you to offer. You can also tell at a glance if you even wish to click on that post at all. For instance, if you are interested in only offering heavy critique, then search for and respond to member names that are in GREEN. If you are interested in only offering light critique, then search for and respond to member names that are in PURPLE. If you are interested in only reading and offering commentary to those who wish no crit, then look for those in RED.
While you are free to leave LESS in the way of critique for someone, for example you only have the time, interest, or experience to offer light critique for a member who wishes heavy critique, please do NOT give MORE critique than someone has requested, i.e, heavy or even light critique for someone who wants only appreciative commentary, or heavy critique for someone who wants light critique. Remember – YES to less critique, NO to more.
These levels have nothing to do with how you or your poems will be received or judged. The coding system is merely a way to indicate how much assistance you would like to receive, and what you will be offered. Heavy critique is not a "privilege." Light critique is not the "dunce corner." And no critique is not just for "special" people. Our categories -- no critique, light critique, heavy critique -- are simply a system for clarifying and controlling the amount and depth of the commentary members offer to and receive from one another. None of the levels is superior or inferior. This color coding is not a caste system. It's merely an indication of personal preference, and has to do with the level of critique desired, not the level of competence of the writer.
Members are assigned a color based on the answer given in our application regarding the level of critique desired. If the color you’ve been assigned is not the level of critique you want, please notify admin by writing adminwpf@wildpoetryforum.com and we will make that change for you.
Those who wish HEAVY critique should be aware of the following disclaimer:
“Going GREEN is an at-your-own-risk proposition. Mama M and the rest of the staff are not here to guard you. We do have some semblance of a life outside Wild. Some of the big boys can play a little rough. And a negative review of your work is not reason enough to come crying to admin or any of the other mods. We don't have the time and/or resources to step in on your behalf for every minor infraction or respond to numerous e-mails. We'll expect you to be able to handle yourself and take a mature attitude to tough/strong critique. No name calling and no hitting below the belt. We'll also expect you to know the difference between tough, but useful critique (i.e., "The foundation of this poem is faulty, and the plethora of clichés in it are dragging it down.") and personal insults with no redeeming qualities (i.e., "You and your poem are a crime against humanity and you should crawl under a rock and take that piece of shit you call a poem with you."). However, if someone should say something like the latter to you, you should report this member to admin, along with a link to the offensive commentary. But do remember that you don't need to report it unless it's as bad as the example or worse. If it just ruffles your feathers a bit, then take a break, calm down, and don't let it ruin your day.
The only valid response to critique you don't agree with, whether it's tough, but useful or even if it devolves into personal insults with no redeeming qualities, is: "Thank you for taking the time to read and respond to my work" or no comment at all. Do not swallow the bait, do not argue in your own or your poem's defense, and do not bite back if you are bitten. This only escalates the violence, and is not worth the trouble and battles that will ensue. Keep your emotions in check and your heart out of it. Writing is a tough business. Critics, editors, publishers are harsh. The hide of an armadillo will serve you well. If you find that going green is too much for you to take emotionally, be honest with yourself and drop back to light critique. There is no shame in that. Wild Poetry Forum should be a fun place for you, not somewhere that makes you feel that dropping your pen and walking away permanently from the writing life is your only recourse. Have confidence in your own voice.”
Please review the WPF CRITIQUING GUIDELINES to familiarize yourself with our rules regarding critique. Ignorance of the rules is no excuse.
Also please keep in mind that Wild Poetry Forum is a peaceful, respectful, and supportive community. We expect your cooperation in keeping it that way. Leave your verbally abusive weaponry outside the door, whether you are offering critique or responding to critique. Abusive commentary is NOT permitted at Wild. If you make rude, abusive, or insulting comments to anyone, personally or as it regards their work or their critique of your work, you will be warned by staff to discontinue this behavior. If you cannot control this behavior and repeatedly ignore staff warnings, your membership will be suspended or terminated.
The two other posting forums on Wild Poetry Forum are called ASANAS and THERAPEUTIC TOUCH.
ASANAS is for the posting of epic poems (those 80 lines or longer). Short stories or excerpts from longer pieces of prose are also welcome here.
THERAPEUTIC TOUCH is for the posting of any type of materials that include adult themes or content. Though Wild Poetry Forum membership is limited to those 21 or older, some of our members do not wish to be exposed to adult themes or content with no warning. Therefore, THERAPEUTIC TOUCH is a password protected forum available only to those with valid WPF memberships who have requested the password. Requesting the password, and using it to enter that forum, implies consent to the viewing of the adult material posted there.
WHAT ARE THE POSTING LIMITS?
Given that we have only one main posting forum here at Wild, members are limited to posting one poem per day to prevent overloading of the forum. Please don't be a "board hog." Overposting pushes work down the boards too fast. Please be considerate of other members and their desire to have their work on display too. Two to three poems a week is an even more realistic goal. If you post numerous poems back to back in a given day, all poems posted after the first will be removed. You may re-post them later, at a rate of one per day.
Also, please keep in mind that membership at WPF is a reciprocal arrangement. The more comments you make on others' work, the more comments you will generally receive. Posting at least two/three or more comments on others' work for every poem you post is a good general guideline. There is no limit on the number of comments you can make on others' work, so if you must overpost, do overpost commentary, not your own poems.
WHAT IS EXPECTED OF ME WHEN I CRITIQUE SOMEONE'S WORK?
Please remember that you will receive from WPF exactly what you put into it. Generic comments like "This is a great poem" or "I loved this poem" are not very useful to the authors who wish critique on their work (either light or heavy). Reserve this type of commentary for those who wish NO critique. When you critique, attempt as much as possible to make your comments targeted and valuable. Point to what you specifically did or did not like or understand. Keep your comments focused on the poem, not the poet. If you have never critiqued in the past or you are unsure of how to critique here at WPF, please read the following guidelines, as well as the more extensive WPF CRITIQUING GUIDELINES post you will also find in HYPNOTIC SUGGESTIONS.
General Critique Guidelines for all forums:
If you are unfamiliar with a particular member here at WPF, please check the color of their membername. You may also check their profile for their answer to the question of what kind of critique they prefer.
Critique and commentary must address the POEM and not the POET.
You need not agree with every comment or critique offered by another member. However, arguing about or defending the work is counterproductive. The proper response to a critique you do not agree with is a simple: "Thank you for the time and effort you spent in reviewing my work." Defensive or hostile responses are not constructive.
If you do not understand a comment or suggestion another member has made, ask for clarification before assuming meaning or intent.
Offering and responding to critique is not an exercise in power, control, or ego-gratification. A good critique is true to the poet's voice, and an appropriate response is gratitude for the time someone spent to assist you, even if you do not agree with their commentary.
Remember that for the most part, we are relying only on our words to convey all the nuance that facial expressions, body language, tone of voice, and personal history normally convey in face-to-face interactions. When in doubt about another member's intent, don't assume the worst. Ask questions first.
WPF DOESN'T SEEM TO BE AS ACTIVE AS OTHER WRITING FORUMS I'VE JOINED. WHY NOT?
First of all, because we are a members-only forum, we have fewer people accessing our site. Which means that you shouldn't expect the same level of activity as you might at those places who have hundreds or even thousands of members. There is also a positive aspect to this--your work will generally stay up and active longer and not be pushed down the page by an influx of other poets and posts.
Be mindful, too, of the fact that if you find one or two members with whom you click and are very productive in sharing critique, this is often much more valuable than dozens of people making comments that don't offer you much editing help. As with most things, it's quality, not quantity, that counts. If you are looking for or expecting lots of comments, this may really be a disguised wish for ego-stroking or popularity, which is not our focus here. We're here to make our writing better, and one person's truly helpful comments or ability to mentor you may be all that you really need to substantially improve your writing.
Also keep in mind that WPF is subject to seasonal fluctuations in activity. We are usually less busy during the holidays (November-December) as people spend more time with family and friends and less time writing. We also take a dip during the summer months, when our members are out and about enjoying the weather and outdoor activities.
Finally, poetry itself is different than other genres of writing and is subject to changes in its popularity. Some years poetry is "in fashion" and lots of people are writing and posting it. Some years poetry is out of fashion and people are out exploring and enjoying other creative activities.
WPF has been around for almost two decades. We roll with these fluctuations and we suggest you do as well.
HOW DOES THE WPF AUTOMATED E-MAIL WORK?
You may subscribe to receive automated e-mails from WPF. You may choose to receive these automated e-mails for posts made to entire forums, or for individual topics (threads). There is an option to subscribe for automated e-mails at the bottom of each individual forum or topic (thread).
You must make this selection for EACH individual forum or topic in which you are interested in receiving e-mail notification of activity. In other words, for each individual poem you post, you must select the option to receive e-mail notification concerning that poem. Your selection applies to that particular poem. In order to receive notification on any subsequent poem(s) you might post, you will need to make the selection for those. Each topic (thread) is handled individually. You can also have all reply notifications e-mailed to you by default, rather than thread by thread, by changing the settings in your member profile. Click on the 'User Control Panel' at the top left of the screen under Board Index to change your settings.
Futhermore, WPF’s system will only send you automated e-mail for the FIRST post made on the forum or topics (thread) to which you have subscribed, until you visit the forum or the topic (thread). Once you visit the forum or topic (thread), then a subsequent automated e-mail will be sent notifying you of any addition to that forum or topic. EACH individual e-mail sent to you must be acted upon (with a visit to the specific forum or topic), before further e-mail deliveries will be made. A visit by you to the forum or topic is what resets the counter for these automated e-mails. If you do not visit the forum or the topic, no subsequent e-mails will be sent, even if there has been activity in that topic. You do not have to visit from the link in the automated e-mail. Even if you visit outside the link in the e-mail, the counter will still be reset.
To reiterate, if you expect to get 10 e-mails for 10 posts on your 'watched' topics, that is NOT how this works. You will only receive e-mail on the FIRST post of those 10. The automated e-mail generator will not send another e-mail until you visit that topic or forum. Then you will receive another e-mail for the next post after you have visited.
The system works in this fashion to prevent your e-mail box from being flooded with automated e-mails. The system has been designed to notify you that activity has occurred, but it will do so only once until a visit is made. Therefore, your e-mails are not getting lost or not being delivered. An action by you, in the form of a visit to the forum or topic, is required to keep the automated mail coming to you.
WHAT IS ADMIN'S PICK FOR POEM OF THE WEEK?
This feature was discontinued at the end of 2013. However, here is the history. When we established WPF in November of 1998, we began a feature in which the administrators and moderators selected one poem each week from all the work posted on CREATIVE VISUALIZATION to receive a special honor called Poem of the Week. In addition to this poem, several others were noted as Honorable Mentions. The Poem of the Week and Honorable Mentions were then showcased in the HALL OF FAME forum and archived. An announcement was made notifying the members of the winners of these honors each week. These were the poems from which our IBPC selections were once made. Since our IBPC submissions are now made via member nomination, this feature has been discontinued. The archive houses Poem of the Week and Honorable Mention selections from 2000 through 2013.
WHAT IS THE IBPC?
IBPC, which is short for the InterBoard Poetry Competition, is a cooperative of many different forums and poetry boards. It is an ongoing monthly competition among these boards that encourages interaction and community building while showcasing the best talent of participating boards. When you post work on Wild Poetry Forum in the CREATIVE VISUALIZATION forum, you are automatically eligible for the IBPC.
WPF Administrators select poems from member nominations each month to submit into the IBPC. These selections are combined with the selections from all the other participating boards and sent to the IBPC judge(s) (author’s names and the boards the poems were originally posted on are stripped off to make the judging fair and unbiased). Each month, first, second and third place winners are chosen along with a number of honorable mentions. Those winning poems are featured on the IBPC website as well as the main discussion forums of all of the participating boards. Announcements concerning this competition can be found here at WPF in our IBPC forum.
For more information about the IPBC, please go to the IBPC website:
IBPC
HOW IS A POEM SELECTED FOR IBPC SUBMISSION?
Our IBPC submissions are selected from WPF member nominations each month. We have a forum in which any member can nominate poems for this special recognition. Please go to our Nominations for IBPC Submission forum for more information on how to nominate poems. You may nominate poems posted on the CREATIVE VISUALIZATION forum. All other forums at Wild are ineligible for IBPC Submission.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY "ADULT CONTENT?"
Because even the Supreme Court of the United States struggles with this definition, we have general guidelines rather than specific rules regarding adult content.
If it's written specifically to arouse and titillate, and it has no other focus, it's erotica and belongs in the THERAPEUTIC TOUCH forum.
In the public forums, we have no restrictions against four-letter words or strong language. We do allow oblique references to sexuality/sensuality in the public forums. And granted, after that it gets kind of sticky.
In the case of less clear-cut issues, admin and the staff try to judge based on how the adult content is handled in the context of the piece. Is the poem trying to make a political/social point? Or is it just using references to sex/sexual parts in a gratuitous fashion? Sex for sex's sake? How explicit is it? Is it just a breast or a thigh? Or are we seeing penises and vaginas floating by?
Another guideline we use is television. Would it play on major TV networks in the U.S. before 9:00 p.m.? If so, then we let it remain on the public boards. If it's only for late night or pay TV, we ask the author to post it in THERAPEUTIC TOUCH.
We choose to make these decisions on a case-by-case basis. When there is some question about a piece, every member of the staff gets to take a look and come to his/her own conclusions. Then we discuss it back and forth and admin usually sides with the majority of the staff.
We STRONGLY encourage authors to send us the piece by private e-mail if the author has doubts about the poem's suitability for the public boards. We will be more than happy to review the work, and to inform the author about the most suitable forum at Wild for that particular piece. We are always available for questions by writing to moderators@wildpoetryforum.com or adminwpf@wildpoetryforum.com. So, if there are questions, write to us first before posting. That is much less difficult (for us and the author) than having to move a piece after it's been posted.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY POSTING PRIVILEGES?
The ability to post here at WPF is not a right but a gift from us to you, and our moderators are NOT paid to help keep things running smoothly. Any amount of time they spend here to help you, answer your questions, mop up wayward posts, and yes, reprimand you is generously volunteered and they should be treated with the respect they deserve.
Anyone who continuously disregards or disrespects the authority of WPF moderators or administrators is subject to suspension or complete termination of membership. You will normally be given warnings first, but we reserve the right to terminate any membership at any time without notice.
DO YOU SUPPORT THE POSTING OF PICTURES, GRAPHICS, AND IMAGES?
We allow the posting of pictures, photographs, and other visuals in the poetry posting/critiquing forums so long as there are some kind of words attached to the visual that the author wants critique on. If what you wish to post is only images/artwork or links to artwork at sites outside WPF with no words attached to the artwork, we request that they be posted in PRIMORDIAL SOUND, a place for announcements, visuals, links to sites outside WPF, and anything else that doesn't have to do with the critiquing of poetry in specific. Members click on threads in our main forums expecting to find poetry to read and/or critique, not just artwork to look at. That's the separation and distinction. We are, first and foremost, a writing forum, not an art gallery, but we do support authors who work in both or a blend of mediums. Therefore, please utilize PRIMORDIAL SOUND for the posting of visual-only art, and links to the same, and feel free to post in CREATIVE VISUALIZATION, ASANAS, or THERAPEUTIC TOUCH if your visuals are also accompanied by poems or other forms of the written word. There is only one exception to the posting of images, and that is pornographic images. Decisions about pornographic images, or what might be considered as such, are made on a case-by-case basis. Please write to adminwpf@wildpoetryforum.com if you have further questions about what constitutes "pornography" here at WPF.
IS WORK POSTED AT WPF CONSIDERED PUBLISHED?
No, the work posted here at WPF is NOT considered published by us. You, as the author, retain all copyrights to your own work. WPF is an online critique workshop, not a magazine, journal, or other publishing venue. Work posted here is often in a draft stage of development and is not considered "best/final." Work is displayed at WPF for differing periods of time, depending on the forum in which you post. These forums are not available for viewing by those without WPF memberships. Work is regularly archived, and that work is then placed in a locked forum accessible only to other WPF members. You should NOT refer to any work displayed here at WPF as a "publication credit" and you should NOT credit WPF as a First American Serial Rights publisher should you someday publish that work in a magazine, journal, or book, online or in print.
Please realize that since work you have posted here at WPF is posted in the members-only areas and then archived in a private forum after a reasonable display period (normally 60 days), that work is not available for viewing by the general public. You MUST be a member to view work posted here at WPF in our private forums (which are nearly all of them). Which means that any search for that work (by title or some other passage of text) using any internet search engine will result in no listing at WPF or a 404 error if you are not a member. What this means is that you need NOT be concerned that an editor at a journal or magazine that does not accept "previously published" work will find it here at WPF. It will be as if it was never posted online. You can safely say that the work is NOT "previously published" as it concerns Wild Poetry Forum. Of course, this does not apply to other places where the work has been posted by you (other online critique forums, your own personal blog or website, etc.)
Any further questions about this issue can be directed to us at adminwpf@wildpoetryforum.com.
BESIDES POSTING AND COMMENTING ON POEMS, ARE THERE ANY OTHER SPECIAL FEATURES AT WPF?
Yes, we have attempted to make WPF a very full resource for writers of all levels. Here is some brief information about other programs at Wild that may be of interest to you:
WPF Weekly Creativity Challenge Program
The Weekly Creativity Challenge Program is an opportunity for you to write poems that adhere to specific guidelines and prompts in a specified period of time (in the past, one week, but the program has now been changed to bi-weekly), and to post the results of your efforts alongside the poems of other members who are also participating in the Challenge. If you are new to writing, you might be frightened at first to try to compete. However, please remember that this program is less a competition than a learning tool. If you put aside fears about competing and not being skilled enough, you will find that the Creativity Challenges offer you a chance to write poems and learn new techniques you might never have thought of or run across. Consider the Creativity Challenges a classroom of sorts. We certainly welcome less experienced poets who are attempting to learn. You will not be ridiculed. You will grow as a poet.
Please do check out all of the expired Challenges in the WPF Creativity Challenge Archive to see how fun and educational they can be. The Challenges are particularly helpful if you've become stalled in your writing or are experiencing writer's block. A prompt in one of the Challenges can be just the spark to get you writing again. Even though these Challenges are closed, please do consider giving them a try. You can then post the results in any of our critique forums and receive comments and additional help.
BALANCING QI -- Community Involvement Forum
If you would like practice writing small poems in short time frames that adhere to a set of guidelines determined by other members, please investigate BALANCING QI, our Community Involvement Forum. The style and type of poem are dictated by the author of the individual thread. By author of thread we mean the person who started it. Any other member may then add to the poem or contribute a poem to the chain by posting in the thread according to the parameters set by the original author. You will find many different types of poems in this forum, including haiku, cinquain, tanka, limerick, etc. In addition, you can find threads that simply require you to write small free verse poems based on a set of criteria, for instance, a poem that contains six words given to you by the member who posted in that thread prior to you. BALANCING QI is a great place to learn about new forms, and to contribute to a growing thread of poems. You are not required to comment or to critique in this forum, so it’s also a good place if you just want to write and post your creations. There are no posting limits in this forum, so feel free to add as many poems in as many chains as you wish. And to start your own poem chains as well!
WPF BookShop
We have many types of books for sale in the BookShop -- books by our members, books by famous poets, books that teach the skills and techniques of writing, particularly poetry. There are also links to poetry-related DVDs, products, etc.
The BookShop can be particularly valuable to new writers who are looking for instructions and training in writing poetry. We've done the work for you and found the best books. Now all that's left for you to do is choose some selections and start reading!
NATUROPATHY -- WPF Library
The WPF Library is housed in the NATUROPATHY forum. We've had some pretty fascinating discussions here at WPF about writing in general, poetry in specific, and other topics. You will find many of these discussions in our library, from answers to grammar questions to publishing tips. If you have a question about poetry or writing in general, chances are we might have handled it in the past. Please wander through the Library. We may have already discussed exactly the topic you have in mind or question you have.
Please consider all these valuable tools when it comes to improving your poetic skills and learning more about this craft we all practice and love.
I'VE FORGOTTEN MY PASSWORD, NOW WHAT DO I DO?
Unfortunately, writing to admin to let us know you've forgotten your password is not going to help. Passwords are kept in an encrypted file that even admin and other staff cannot access. If you forget your password, click on the following link:
I Forgot My Password
The system will send an automated mail to the e-mail address we have on file for you.
When you get that mail, follow the instructions in it. Once you have logged back into Wild, go to the User Control panel (upper left corner of your screen):
User Control Panel
Select the “Profile” tab, then the “Edit account settings” option. You can set your password to anything you want.
We highly encourage you to write your new password down somewhere safe so that you will not have to go through this again in the future.
If you have any difficulties with this procedure, then by all means, do write and let us know.
IF I NO LONGER WISH TO PARTICIPATE AT WPF, DO I HAVE TO FORMALLY CANCEL MY MEMBERSHIP?
No, you need not formally cancel your membership if you no longer wish to participate in the WPF community for whatever reason. Before you leave, simply uncheck any boxes on your profile that requested automated mail to be sent on your posts. Any memberships that have remained inactive for a period of six (6) months are automatically deleted. An open, unused membership at WPF causes you and us no difficulties. Unless your membership has been suspended by us, you are always welcome to return, and if your membership has been deleted after the six-month period of inactivity, you can always re-apply when registration is open.
HOW IS WPF FUNDED?
Wild Poetry Forum is a non-profit, all-volunteer organization. It is funded primarily by its own administrators, and supplemented via private member donations and purchase of products in the WPF BookShop. Membership is free and private donations and BookShop purchases are not a requirement. However, if you wish to donate to WPF you can do so through the option for donating located in the BookShop, a program through PayPal. Although we do very much appreciate simple cash donations, we would prefer that you help WPF through purchases in our BookShop. WPF receives a percentage (about 4%) on everything you purchase there. This includes both the products listed and anything else you purchase through WPF's link to Amazon. If you choose to help WPF in this fashion, you acquire books and other products you most likely would have purchased anyway, and WPF benefits. It's a win-win situation for everyone. All money donated or received via member purchases is funneled directly back into WPF and used to fund important member programs.
WHAT DO YOU DO ABOUT PLAGIARISM?
Posting at Internet critique forums like WPF is a bond of trust -- trust by our members that the work you have posted is your own creation. Or if you are posting work for or written by someone else (your child, your friend, etc.), that you have obtained that person's permission before doing so.
Therefore, we take plagiarism very seriously. PLAGIARISM WILL NOT BE TOLERATED. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. Should you be caught posting someone else's work (in whole or in part) as your own without permission, you will be suspended from posting at this site and your membership will be revoked indefinitely. We would also appreciate being notified of any suspected plagiarism on WPF. If you recognize a piece of work, but know/suspect it was written by a different author, please alert us at adminwpf@wildpoetryforum.com. The alleged plagiarism will be fully investigated by us. The original author (if that author can be identified and located) will be contacted. WPF maintains close relationships with other poetry boards on the Internet. The Administration of these boards will be notified of the plagiarist's username and IP address. As far as plagiarism is concerned, don't even consider it. It's just not worth the risk.
WHAT DO I DO IF I HAVE A QUESTION NOT ADDRESSED IN THESE FAQs?
If you've searched and searched our website, and just can't find an answer to a question you have, you have two options. You can post your question publicly in ESSENTIAL OILS. We highly recommend this option. If you have an unanswered question, chances are someone (or several someones) might have it too. And having a public record of the question and its answer is beneficial to everyone. If you'd rather not post the question publicly, however, do feel free to write us at adminwpf@wildpoetryforum.com. We'll try to answer the question as soon as we can.
We hope you have found this information helpful. Thank you for your attention.
Thank you,
WPF Administration
WHAT IS WILD POETRY FORUM?
Wild Poetry Forum (WPF) is a place for writers aged 21 or older of all skills levels (published or not) to share their knowledge and to display their unfinished or draft work for commentary and critique. Wild Poetry Forum is an ACTIVE WORKSHOP. Work should be brought here with the understanding that it will receive commentary meant to improve it. This makes WPF an ONLINE EQUIVALENT OF A LIVE POETRY CRITIQUE OR WRITERS' GROUP.
What WPF is NOT:
an online journal or magazine
a small press
a vanity board
a social networking site
a storage bin for your work
your own private website or blog
a discussion board for social issues or "hot topics"
a museum
an art gallery
a writing exhibition
a boxing ring
a political debate
a biker bar
an elementary school yard
a soapbox
a soap opera
a preacher's pulpit
a den of iniquity
DO I NEED TO BE A MEMBER TO READ? TO POST?
To read WPF's public forums, you DO NOT have to be a member. In order to post your own work or to read material on WPF's private forums, however, you are required to have a member name and password.
WHY IS MEMBERSHIP REQUIRED?
We have had some difficulties in the past with a completely open forum. Anonymous users were abusing our boards. Hence, administration decided to have a members-only forum.
WHAT ARE MEMBERSHIP LEVELS AND WHAT DO THEY MEAN?
There are six levels of membership at WPF. These levels are based on the number of posts, as participation at Wild counts for more than mere longevity. The system keeps track of the number of posts and automatically advances the membership level when the posts reach a certain number. The membership levels and the number of posts required for each are as follows:
New Member: 1-50 posts
Member: 51-100 posts
Valued Member: 101-300 posts
Intermediate Member: 301-1000 posts
Advanced Member: 1001-2500 posts
Senior Member: 2501+ posts
Your membership level will be listed below your member name on each post you make at WPF. If you are new to WPF or are unfamiliar with a particular username, being able to see the member's membership level is a convenient way of knowing whether he/she is new to Wild or has been a long-term part of our community.
HOW MANY FORUMS ARE AVAILABLE AT WPF AND WHAT ARE THEY?
We have changed from an entirely open forum, to a small, more intimate group. Therefore, many WPF forums that were once visible to the public are no longer viewable by those without memberships. The forums you can view as a non-member or guest are few. Following is a brief listing of forums and their function. More information about each of these forums is outlined further down in this document.
PUBLIC FORUMS -- viewable by both WPF Members and Non-Members/Guests
Intuitive Healing
~This forum is for the testing of WPF formatting functions.
Primordial Sound
~This forum is for member announcements regarding personal websites, publication notifications, etc.
Hypnotic Suggestions
~This forum is for information & updates concerning WPF operations.
IBPC
~This forum is for the announcement of the monthly Interboard Poetry Competition (IBPC) results.
Link to WPF BookShop
~This forum contains a link to the WPF BookShop with listings of recommended poetry & writing texts.
PRIVATE FORUMS -- viewable only by WPF Members
Essential Oils
~This forum is for questions and general discussions. It is also the forum where admin communicates with the membership about important topics related to the daily operation of the site.
Creative Visualization
~This is the Main poetry posting forum at WPF. The levels of critique given in this forum are Commentary Only, Light Critique, and Heavy Critique.
Balancing Qi
~This forum is for community involvement efforts.
Asanas
~This forum is for the posting of epic poems (80 lines or longer), short stories, and excerpts from longer pieces of fiction or non-fiction.
Therapeutic Touch
~This forum is for the posting of work with Adult Content.
Nominations for IBPC Submission
~This forum is for the posting of nominations by members for submissions into the IBPC (InterBoard Poetry Competition) from WPF.
Hall of Fame
~This forum is for past posting of announcements by Adminstration of Poem of the Week/Honorable Mention each week. These poems were the ones from which our IBPC selections were made. Since the introduction of the nomination by members of poems for IBPC submission, the Poem of the Week/Honorable Mentions feature has been discontinued.
WPF Weekly Creativity Challenge
~This forum is for the posting of weekly Creativity Challenges, which are prompts for writing poems that adhere to specific guidelines.
Electromagnetism
~This forum is an archive of past work posted at WFP by former/current members.
Naturopathy
~This forum is a library of a wide variety of discussions on many topics, both poetry-related and general, posted by former/current WPF members.
WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO GET STARTED HERE AT WPF?
While we understand the enthusiasm and excitement involved in joining a new group, we do recommend that our new members spend some time (a few hours to a few days) just reading here at WPF before jumping in with both feet. That includes work posted in the forums, and comments on that work, as well as all the other features that are available here. Taking the time to become familiar with our community, our members, and how things operate will be of great benefit to you in making yourself a valuable member quickly and comfortably. When you are ready, we suggest that you post a brief introduction on ESSENTIAL OILS. Feel free to tell us a little about yourself -- what you do for a living, how long you've been writing, why you chose WPF, what you hope to accomplish with your writing, etc. -- in other words, any personal details you're willing to divulge. This will allow other members, both new and established, to become familiar with you as an individual. The majority of members here at WPF are very friendly, and you will most likely be welcomed with encouraging words.
After that, you are free to wander around WPF at will, and to begin posting your own work for commentary/critique as well as offering the same to others. Please reference other sections of this document for full information about such things as where to post, posting limits, and other helpful advice. If you have questions as you proceed, you can post them publicly in ESSENTIAL OILS, or write to us privately at moderators@wildpoetryforum.com or adminwpf@wildpoetryforum.com.
WHAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT FORUM HERE AT WPF?
While most of our members would probably answer that the most important forum(s) here at WPF are those in which you can post your work and receive critique, admin has a different perspective. We think our most important forums are the two that allow us to communicate important information to our membership -- HYPNOTIC SUGGESTIONS and ESSENTIAL OILS.
HYPNOTIC SUGGESTIONS is the forum you are currently accessing and the one which contains all the documents that serve as the basis of our website, and that contain important information about our terms of service. We highly recommend that members read all the documents housed here at least once, and to check them once a year or so to make certain they are aware of any updates to that information. This includes these FAQs, as well as our User Agreement, Disclaimer, Mission Statement, etc.
The other important forum here at WPF is ESSENTIAL OILS. This is our discussion forum, and the one where we (admin) communicate with members about everyday issues concerning the site or important information we think you need to know. It's also where members communicate with each other on a wide range of topics. Keeping yourself up-to-date on topics posted in ESSENTIAL OILS is part of your job as a member of this community. You and we will be more comfortable and your use of this website will go more smoothly if you do. So, please make it a priority to check on this forum regularly. Notices posted there are for your benefit. It's information you need to know to keep you from wandering the site "in the dark." Being informed will also cut down on the number of times you need to write to admin with questions.
WHICH FORUM SHOULD I POST WORK IN?
Here at Wild Poetry Forum, we have one main forum for the posting of poetry, and two smaller specialized forums.
Our main forum is called CREATIVE VISUALIZATION. Unlike most other poetry critique boards on the internet, we do not subdivide ourselves into numerous forums based on the type of critique you wish to receive or give (light, medium, heavy crit and so on) or the type of poems you write. Although we did have various forums for many years that operated in this fashion, we found that most of the forums were only used occasionally or not at all. Or poems ended up in the wrong forums. Therefore, we decided to simplify posting and have all of our members, no matter their skill level or experience or what types of poems they write, congregate in one main area.
The kind of critique you will receive and give is based on a color-coding system instead. When you look at the boards, you will notice that member names are displayed in four different colors. These colors correspond with the type/level of critique members wish to receive. The color coding system for member names is as follows:
RED – those who wish to receive NO critique, just general appreciative commentary.
PURPLE – those who wish to receive LIGHT critique, which includes general commentary and minor suggestions. You are likely to receive more positive reviews specifying what is good/working in the poem.
GREEN – those who wish to receive HEAVY critique, which includes detailed commentary and line-by-line recommendations. You are likely to receive more negative reviews specifying what is faulty/not working in the poem.
BLACK – reserved for administrators and moderators, who wish to receive heavy and intensive critique.
This should make it easy for you to tell at a glance, before you even click on a post, what type of critique the author of that post would want you to offer. You can also tell at a glance if you even wish to click on that post at all. For instance, if you are interested in only offering heavy critique, then search for and respond to member names that are in GREEN. If you are interested in only offering light critique, then search for and respond to member names that are in PURPLE. If you are interested in only reading and offering commentary to those who wish no crit, then look for those in RED.
While you are free to leave LESS in the way of critique for someone, for example you only have the time, interest, or experience to offer light critique for a member who wishes heavy critique, please do NOT give MORE critique than someone has requested, i.e, heavy or even light critique for someone who wants only appreciative commentary, or heavy critique for someone who wants light critique. Remember – YES to less critique, NO to more.
These levels have nothing to do with how you or your poems will be received or judged. The coding system is merely a way to indicate how much assistance you would like to receive, and what you will be offered. Heavy critique is not a "privilege." Light critique is not the "dunce corner." And no critique is not just for "special" people. Our categories -- no critique, light critique, heavy critique -- are simply a system for clarifying and controlling the amount and depth of the commentary members offer to and receive from one another. None of the levels is superior or inferior. This color coding is not a caste system. It's merely an indication of personal preference, and has to do with the level of critique desired, not the level of competence of the writer.
Members are assigned a color based on the answer given in our application regarding the level of critique desired. If the color you’ve been assigned is not the level of critique you want, please notify admin by writing adminwpf@wildpoetryforum.com and we will make that change for you.
Those who wish HEAVY critique should be aware of the following disclaimer:
“Going GREEN is an at-your-own-risk proposition. Mama M and the rest of the staff are not here to guard you. We do have some semblance of a life outside Wild. Some of the big boys can play a little rough. And a negative review of your work is not reason enough to come crying to admin or any of the other mods. We don't have the time and/or resources to step in on your behalf for every minor infraction or respond to numerous e-mails. We'll expect you to be able to handle yourself and take a mature attitude to tough/strong critique. No name calling and no hitting below the belt. We'll also expect you to know the difference between tough, but useful critique (i.e., "The foundation of this poem is faulty, and the plethora of clichés in it are dragging it down.") and personal insults with no redeeming qualities (i.e., "You and your poem are a crime against humanity and you should crawl under a rock and take that piece of shit you call a poem with you."). However, if someone should say something like the latter to you, you should report this member to admin, along with a link to the offensive commentary. But do remember that you don't need to report it unless it's as bad as the example or worse. If it just ruffles your feathers a bit, then take a break, calm down, and don't let it ruin your day.
The only valid response to critique you don't agree with, whether it's tough, but useful or even if it devolves into personal insults with no redeeming qualities, is: "Thank you for taking the time to read and respond to my work" or no comment at all. Do not swallow the bait, do not argue in your own or your poem's defense, and do not bite back if you are bitten. This only escalates the violence, and is not worth the trouble and battles that will ensue. Keep your emotions in check and your heart out of it. Writing is a tough business. Critics, editors, publishers are harsh. The hide of an armadillo will serve you well. If you find that going green is too much for you to take emotionally, be honest with yourself and drop back to light critique. There is no shame in that. Wild Poetry Forum should be a fun place for you, not somewhere that makes you feel that dropping your pen and walking away permanently from the writing life is your only recourse. Have confidence in your own voice.”
Please review the WPF CRITIQUING GUIDELINES to familiarize yourself with our rules regarding critique. Ignorance of the rules is no excuse.
Also please keep in mind that Wild Poetry Forum is a peaceful, respectful, and supportive community. We expect your cooperation in keeping it that way. Leave your verbally abusive weaponry outside the door, whether you are offering critique or responding to critique. Abusive commentary is NOT permitted at Wild. If you make rude, abusive, or insulting comments to anyone, personally or as it regards their work or their critique of your work, you will be warned by staff to discontinue this behavior. If you cannot control this behavior and repeatedly ignore staff warnings, your membership will be suspended or terminated.
The two other posting forums on Wild Poetry Forum are called ASANAS and THERAPEUTIC TOUCH.
ASANAS is for the posting of epic poems (those 80 lines or longer). Short stories or excerpts from longer pieces of prose are also welcome here.
THERAPEUTIC TOUCH is for the posting of any type of materials that include adult themes or content. Though Wild Poetry Forum membership is limited to those 21 or older, some of our members do not wish to be exposed to adult themes or content with no warning. Therefore, THERAPEUTIC TOUCH is a password protected forum available only to those with valid WPF memberships who have requested the password. Requesting the password, and using it to enter that forum, implies consent to the viewing of the adult material posted there.
WHAT ARE THE POSTING LIMITS?
Given that we have only one main posting forum here at Wild, members are limited to posting one poem per day to prevent overloading of the forum. Please don't be a "board hog." Overposting pushes work down the boards too fast. Please be considerate of other members and their desire to have their work on display too. Two to three poems a week is an even more realistic goal. If you post numerous poems back to back in a given day, all poems posted after the first will be removed. You may re-post them later, at a rate of one per day.
Also, please keep in mind that membership at WPF is a reciprocal arrangement. The more comments you make on others' work, the more comments you will generally receive. Posting at least two/three or more comments on others' work for every poem you post is a good general guideline. There is no limit on the number of comments you can make on others' work, so if you must overpost, do overpost commentary, not your own poems.
WHAT IS EXPECTED OF ME WHEN I CRITIQUE SOMEONE'S WORK?
Please remember that you will receive from WPF exactly what you put into it. Generic comments like "This is a great poem" or "I loved this poem" are not very useful to the authors who wish critique on their work (either light or heavy). Reserve this type of commentary for those who wish NO critique. When you critique, attempt as much as possible to make your comments targeted and valuable. Point to what you specifically did or did not like or understand. Keep your comments focused on the poem, not the poet. If you have never critiqued in the past or you are unsure of how to critique here at WPF, please read the following guidelines, as well as the more extensive WPF CRITIQUING GUIDELINES post you will also find in HYPNOTIC SUGGESTIONS.
General Critique Guidelines for all forums:
If you are unfamiliar with a particular member here at WPF, please check the color of their membername. You may also check their profile for their answer to the question of what kind of critique they prefer.
Critique and commentary must address the POEM and not the POET.
You need not agree with every comment or critique offered by another member. However, arguing about or defending the work is counterproductive. The proper response to a critique you do not agree with is a simple: "Thank you for the time and effort you spent in reviewing my work." Defensive or hostile responses are not constructive.
If you do not understand a comment or suggestion another member has made, ask for clarification before assuming meaning or intent.
Offering and responding to critique is not an exercise in power, control, or ego-gratification. A good critique is true to the poet's voice, and an appropriate response is gratitude for the time someone spent to assist you, even if you do not agree with their commentary.
Remember that for the most part, we are relying only on our words to convey all the nuance that facial expressions, body language, tone of voice, and personal history normally convey in face-to-face interactions. When in doubt about another member's intent, don't assume the worst. Ask questions first.
WPF DOESN'T SEEM TO BE AS ACTIVE AS OTHER WRITING FORUMS I'VE JOINED. WHY NOT?
First of all, because we are a members-only forum, we have fewer people accessing our site. Which means that you shouldn't expect the same level of activity as you might at those places who have hundreds or even thousands of members. There is also a positive aspect to this--your work will generally stay up and active longer and not be pushed down the page by an influx of other poets and posts.
Be mindful, too, of the fact that if you find one or two members with whom you click and are very productive in sharing critique, this is often much more valuable than dozens of people making comments that don't offer you much editing help. As with most things, it's quality, not quantity, that counts. If you are looking for or expecting lots of comments, this may really be a disguised wish for ego-stroking or popularity, which is not our focus here. We're here to make our writing better, and one person's truly helpful comments or ability to mentor you may be all that you really need to substantially improve your writing.
Also keep in mind that WPF is subject to seasonal fluctuations in activity. We are usually less busy during the holidays (November-December) as people spend more time with family and friends and less time writing. We also take a dip during the summer months, when our members are out and about enjoying the weather and outdoor activities.
Finally, poetry itself is different than other genres of writing and is subject to changes in its popularity. Some years poetry is "in fashion" and lots of people are writing and posting it. Some years poetry is out of fashion and people are out exploring and enjoying other creative activities.
WPF has been around for almost two decades. We roll with these fluctuations and we suggest you do as well.
HOW DOES THE WPF AUTOMATED E-MAIL WORK?
You may subscribe to receive automated e-mails from WPF. You may choose to receive these automated e-mails for posts made to entire forums, or for individual topics (threads). There is an option to subscribe for automated e-mails at the bottom of each individual forum or topic (thread).
You must make this selection for EACH individual forum or topic in which you are interested in receiving e-mail notification of activity. In other words, for each individual poem you post, you must select the option to receive e-mail notification concerning that poem. Your selection applies to that particular poem. In order to receive notification on any subsequent poem(s) you might post, you will need to make the selection for those. Each topic (thread) is handled individually. You can also have all reply notifications e-mailed to you by default, rather than thread by thread, by changing the settings in your member profile. Click on the 'User Control Panel' at the top left of the screen under Board Index to change your settings.
Futhermore, WPF’s system will only send you automated e-mail for the FIRST post made on the forum or topics (thread) to which you have subscribed, until you visit the forum or the topic (thread). Once you visit the forum or topic (thread), then a subsequent automated e-mail will be sent notifying you of any addition to that forum or topic. EACH individual e-mail sent to you must be acted upon (with a visit to the specific forum or topic), before further e-mail deliveries will be made. A visit by you to the forum or topic is what resets the counter for these automated e-mails. If you do not visit the forum or the topic, no subsequent e-mails will be sent, even if there has been activity in that topic. You do not have to visit from the link in the automated e-mail. Even if you visit outside the link in the e-mail, the counter will still be reset.
To reiterate, if you expect to get 10 e-mails for 10 posts on your 'watched' topics, that is NOT how this works. You will only receive e-mail on the FIRST post of those 10. The automated e-mail generator will not send another e-mail until you visit that topic or forum. Then you will receive another e-mail for the next post after you have visited.
The system works in this fashion to prevent your e-mail box from being flooded with automated e-mails. The system has been designed to notify you that activity has occurred, but it will do so only once until a visit is made. Therefore, your e-mails are not getting lost or not being delivered. An action by you, in the form of a visit to the forum or topic, is required to keep the automated mail coming to you.
WHAT IS ADMIN'S PICK FOR POEM OF THE WEEK?
This feature was discontinued at the end of 2013. However, here is the history. When we established WPF in November of 1998, we began a feature in which the administrators and moderators selected one poem each week from all the work posted on CREATIVE VISUALIZATION to receive a special honor called Poem of the Week. In addition to this poem, several others were noted as Honorable Mentions. The Poem of the Week and Honorable Mentions were then showcased in the HALL OF FAME forum and archived. An announcement was made notifying the members of the winners of these honors each week. These were the poems from which our IBPC selections were once made. Since our IBPC submissions are now made via member nomination, this feature has been discontinued. The archive houses Poem of the Week and Honorable Mention selections from 2000 through 2013.
WHAT IS THE IBPC?
IBPC, which is short for the InterBoard Poetry Competition, is a cooperative of many different forums and poetry boards. It is an ongoing monthly competition among these boards that encourages interaction and community building while showcasing the best talent of participating boards. When you post work on Wild Poetry Forum in the CREATIVE VISUALIZATION forum, you are automatically eligible for the IBPC.
WPF Administrators select poems from member nominations each month to submit into the IBPC. These selections are combined with the selections from all the other participating boards and sent to the IBPC judge(s) (author’s names and the boards the poems were originally posted on are stripped off to make the judging fair and unbiased). Each month, first, second and third place winners are chosen along with a number of honorable mentions. Those winning poems are featured on the IBPC website as well as the main discussion forums of all of the participating boards. Announcements concerning this competition can be found here at WPF in our IBPC forum.
For more information about the IPBC, please go to the IBPC website:
IBPC
HOW IS A POEM SELECTED FOR IBPC SUBMISSION?
Our IBPC submissions are selected from WPF member nominations each month. We have a forum in which any member can nominate poems for this special recognition. Please go to our Nominations for IBPC Submission forum for more information on how to nominate poems. You may nominate poems posted on the CREATIVE VISUALIZATION forum. All other forums at Wild are ineligible for IBPC Submission.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY "ADULT CONTENT?"
Because even the Supreme Court of the United States struggles with this definition, we have general guidelines rather than specific rules regarding adult content.
If it's written specifically to arouse and titillate, and it has no other focus, it's erotica and belongs in the THERAPEUTIC TOUCH forum.
In the public forums, we have no restrictions against four-letter words or strong language. We do allow oblique references to sexuality/sensuality in the public forums. And granted, after that it gets kind of sticky.
In the case of less clear-cut issues, admin and the staff try to judge based on how the adult content is handled in the context of the piece. Is the poem trying to make a political/social point? Or is it just using references to sex/sexual parts in a gratuitous fashion? Sex for sex's sake? How explicit is it? Is it just a breast or a thigh? Or are we seeing penises and vaginas floating by?
Another guideline we use is television. Would it play on major TV networks in the U.S. before 9:00 p.m.? If so, then we let it remain on the public boards. If it's only for late night or pay TV, we ask the author to post it in THERAPEUTIC TOUCH.
We choose to make these decisions on a case-by-case basis. When there is some question about a piece, every member of the staff gets to take a look and come to his/her own conclusions. Then we discuss it back and forth and admin usually sides with the majority of the staff.
We STRONGLY encourage authors to send us the piece by private e-mail if the author has doubts about the poem's suitability for the public boards. We will be more than happy to review the work, and to inform the author about the most suitable forum at Wild for that particular piece. We are always available for questions by writing to moderators@wildpoetryforum.com or adminwpf@wildpoetryforum.com. So, if there are questions, write to us first before posting. That is much less difficult (for us and the author) than having to move a piece after it's been posted.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY POSTING PRIVILEGES?
The ability to post here at WPF is not a right but a gift from us to you, and our moderators are NOT paid to help keep things running smoothly. Any amount of time they spend here to help you, answer your questions, mop up wayward posts, and yes, reprimand you is generously volunteered and they should be treated with the respect they deserve.
Anyone who continuously disregards or disrespects the authority of WPF moderators or administrators is subject to suspension or complete termination of membership. You will normally be given warnings first, but we reserve the right to terminate any membership at any time without notice.
DO YOU SUPPORT THE POSTING OF PICTURES, GRAPHICS, AND IMAGES?
We allow the posting of pictures, photographs, and other visuals in the poetry posting/critiquing forums so long as there are some kind of words attached to the visual that the author wants critique on. If what you wish to post is only images/artwork or links to artwork at sites outside WPF with no words attached to the artwork, we request that they be posted in PRIMORDIAL SOUND, a place for announcements, visuals, links to sites outside WPF, and anything else that doesn't have to do with the critiquing of poetry in specific. Members click on threads in our main forums expecting to find poetry to read and/or critique, not just artwork to look at. That's the separation and distinction. We are, first and foremost, a writing forum, not an art gallery, but we do support authors who work in both or a blend of mediums. Therefore, please utilize PRIMORDIAL SOUND for the posting of visual-only art, and links to the same, and feel free to post in CREATIVE VISUALIZATION, ASANAS, or THERAPEUTIC TOUCH if your visuals are also accompanied by poems or other forms of the written word. There is only one exception to the posting of images, and that is pornographic images. Decisions about pornographic images, or what might be considered as such, are made on a case-by-case basis. Please write to adminwpf@wildpoetryforum.com if you have further questions about what constitutes "pornography" here at WPF.
IS WORK POSTED AT WPF CONSIDERED PUBLISHED?
No, the work posted here at WPF is NOT considered published by us. You, as the author, retain all copyrights to your own work. WPF is an online critique workshop, not a magazine, journal, or other publishing venue. Work posted here is often in a draft stage of development and is not considered "best/final." Work is displayed at WPF for differing periods of time, depending on the forum in which you post. These forums are not available for viewing by those without WPF memberships. Work is regularly archived, and that work is then placed in a locked forum accessible only to other WPF members. You should NOT refer to any work displayed here at WPF as a "publication credit" and you should NOT credit WPF as a First American Serial Rights publisher should you someday publish that work in a magazine, journal, or book, online or in print.
Please realize that since work you have posted here at WPF is posted in the members-only areas and then archived in a private forum after a reasonable display period (normally 60 days), that work is not available for viewing by the general public. You MUST be a member to view work posted here at WPF in our private forums (which are nearly all of them). Which means that any search for that work (by title or some other passage of text) using any internet search engine will result in no listing at WPF or a 404 error if you are not a member. What this means is that you need NOT be concerned that an editor at a journal or magazine that does not accept "previously published" work will find it here at WPF. It will be as if it was never posted online. You can safely say that the work is NOT "previously published" as it concerns Wild Poetry Forum. Of course, this does not apply to other places where the work has been posted by you (other online critique forums, your own personal blog or website, etc.)
Any further questions about this issue can be directed to us at adminwpf@wildpoetryforum.com.
BESIDES POSTING AND COMMENTING ON POEMS, ARE THERE ANY OTHER SPECIAL FEATURES AT WPF?
Yes, we have attempted to make WPF a very full resource for writers of all levels. Here is some brief information about other programs at Wild that may be of interest to you:
WPF Weekly Creativity Challenge Program
The Weekly Creativity Challenge Program is an opportunity for you to write poems that adhere to specific guidelines and prompts in a specified period of time (in the past, one week, but the program has now been changed to bi-weekly), and to post the results of your efforts alongside the poems of other members who are also participating in the Challenge. If you are new to writing, you might be frightened at first to try to compete. However, please remember that this program is less a competition than a learning tool. If you put aside fears about competing and not being skilled enough, you will find that the Creativity Challenges offer you a chance to write poems and learn new techniques you might never have thought of or run across. Consider the Creativity Challenges a classroom of sorts. We certainly welcome less experienced poets who are attempting to learn. You will not be ridiculed. You will grow as a poet.
Please do check out all of the expired Challenges in the WPF Creativity Challenge Archive to see how fun and educational they can be. The Challenges are particularly helpful if you've become stalled in your writing or are experiencing writer's block. A prompt in one of the Challenges can be just the spark to get you writing again. Even though these Challenges are closed, please do consider giving them a try. You can then post the results in any of our critique forums and receive comments and additional help.
BALANCING QI -- Community Involvement Forum
If you would like practice writing small poems in short time frames that adhere to a set of guidelines determined by other members, please investigate BALANCING QI, our Community Involvement Forum. The style and type of poem are dictated by the author of the individual thread. By author of thread we mean the person who started it. Any other member may then add to the poem or contribute a poem to the chain by posting in the thread according to the parameters set by the original author. You will find many different types of poems in this forum, including haiku, cinquain, tanka, limerick, etc. In addition, you can find threads that simply require you to write small free verse poems based on a set of criteria, for instance, a poem that contains six words given to you by the member who posted in that thread prior to you. BALANCING QI is a great place to learn about new forms, and to contribute to a growing thread of poems. You are not required to comment or to critique in this forum, so it’s also a good place if you just want to write and post your creations. There are no posting limits in this forum, so feel free to add as many poems in as many chains as you wish. And to start your own poem chains as well!
WPF BookShop
We have many types of books for sale in the BookShop -- books by our members, books by famous poets, books that teach the skills and techniques of writing, particularly poetry. There are also links to poetry-related DVDs, products, etc.
The BookShop can be particularly valuable to new writers who are looking for instructions and training in writing poetry. We've done the work for you and found the best books. Now all that's left for you to do is choose some selections and start reading!
NATUROPATHY -- WPF Library
The WPF Library is housed in the NATUROPATHY forum. We've had some pretty fascinating discussions here at WPF about writing in general, poetry in specific, and other topics. You will find many of these discussions in our library, from answers to grammar questions to publishing tips. If you have a question about poetry or writing in general, chances are we might have handled it in the past. Please wander through the Library. We may have already discussed exactly the topic you have in mind or question you have.
Please consider all these valuable tools when it comes to improving your poetic skills and learning more about this craft we all practice and love.
I'VE FORGOTTEN MY PASSWORD, NOW WHAT DO I DO?
Unfortunately, writing to admin to let us know you've forgotten your password is not going to help. Passwords are kept in an encrypted file that even admin and other staff cannot access. If you forget your password, click on the following link:
I Forgot My Password
The system will send an automated mail to the e-mail address we have on file for you.
When you get that mail, follow the instructions in it. Once you have logged back into Wild, go to the User Control panel (upper left corner of your screen):
User Control Panel
Select the “Profile” tab, then the “Edit account settings” option. You can set your password to anything you want.
We highly encourage you to write your new password down somewhere safe so that you will not have to go through this again in the future.
If you have any difficulties with this procedure, then by all means, do write and let us know.
IF I NO LONGER WISH TO PARTICIPATE AT WPF, DO I HAVE TO FORMALLY CANCEL MY MEMBERSHIP?
No, you need not formally cancel your membership if you no longer wish to participate in the WPF community for whatever reason. Before you leave, simply uncheck any boxes on your profile that requested automated mail to be sent on your posts. Any memberships that have remained inactive for a period of six (6) months are automatically deleted. An open, unused membership at WPF causes you and us no difficulties. Unless your membership has been suspended by us, you are always welcome to return, and if your membership has been deleted after the six-month period of inactivity, you can always re-apply when registration is open.
HOW IS WPF FUNDED?
Wild Poetry Forum is a non-profit, all-volunteer organization. It is funded primarily by its own administrators, and supplemented via private member donations and purchase of products in the WPF BookShop. Membership is free and private donations and BookShop purchases are not a requirement. However, if you wish to donate to WPF you can do so through the option for donating located in the BookShop, a program through PayPal. Although we do very much appreciate simple cash donations, we would prefer that you help WPF through purchases in our BookShop. WPF receives a percentage (about 4%) on everything you purchase there. This includes both the products listed and anything else you purchase through WPF's link to Amazon. If you choose to help WPF in this fashion, you acquire books and other products you most likely would have purchased anyway, and WPF benefits. It's a win-win situation for everyone. All money donated or received via member purchases is funneled directly back into WPF and used to fund important member programs.
WHAT DO YOU DO ABOUT PLAGIARISM?
Posting at Internet critique forums like WPF is a bond of trust -- trust by our members that the work you have posted is your own creation. Or if you are posting work for or written by someone else (your child, your friend, etc.), that you have obtained that person's permission before doing so.
Therefore, we take plagiarism very seriously. PLAGIARISM WILL NOT BE TOLERATED. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. Should you be caught posting someone else's work (in whole or in part) as your own without permission, you will be suspended from posting at this site and your membership will be revoked indefinitely. We would also appreciate being notified of any suspected plagiarism on WPF. If you recognize a piece of work, but know/suspect it was written by a different author, please alert us at adminwpf@wildpoetryforum.com. The alleged plagiarism will be fully investigated by us. The original author (if that author can be identified and located) will be contacted. WPF maintains close relationships with other poetry boards on the Internet. The Administration of these boards will be notified of the plagiarist's username and IP address. As far as plagiarism is concerned, don't even consider it. It's just not worth the risk.
WHAT DO I DO IF I HAVE A QUESTION NOT ADDRESSED IN THESE FAQs?
If you've searched and searched our website, and just can't find an answer to a question you have, you have two options. You can post your question publicly in ESSENTIAL OILS. We highly recommend this option. If you have an unanswered question, chances are someone (or several someones) might have it too. And having a public record of the question and its answer is beneficial to everyone. If you'd rather not post the question publicly, however, do feel free to write us at adminwpf@wildpoetryforum.com. We'll try to answer the question as soon as we can.
We hope you have found this information helpful. Thank you for your attention.
Thank you,
WPF Administration