Scribophile: a wonderful writer's resource

--Speaking of the necessity of feedback, I've just joined Scribophile, an online writing group, courtesy of my Spark award, and I'm extremely impressed with the quality of the critiques I've had and the works posted. Scribophile works on a karmic point system--you aren't obliged to post work at certain intervals, like some writers' forums, but you have to earn karma points by posting critiques of others' works in order to post your own. There is a free version and a paying version. Inside the system, you can join groups, gain favorites, message and write on other writer's walls, similar to facebook or linked in. There are more fiction writers than poets but even so, lots of quality poetry being posted!

Feedback, the essential fuel for writing

One thing I like about certain journals is that the editors take the time to provide precious feedback for the writer.

A remark by the editor of Boston Literary Magazine enabled me to vastly improve the poem I had submitted, and led me to seek more individual help, which is how I found Andrea Hollander, both a gifted poet and tutor.

In all endeavors in life, sometimes you get to the point where you can't proceed without help. Journals like Boston Literary Magazine and Spark, A Creative Anthology, whose editors and staff provide that essential feedback, are invaluable to a writer at any stage in their development.