Barny

Sand

Mum was a good woman. I say was; I mean is. She’s still alive. But since the diagnosis of dementia, well, for a long while before that, I knew she was slipping away.

She sits with me as I work.

I have a phone to repair. A capacitor has failed, a tiny surface-mount component. It is fiddly and the manufacturer won’t replace it. But I wil…[Read more]

Sorry, late as usual! Having read through the comments, I think there are lots of excellent points made and, yes, it feels like the site needs sprucing up. For example, there is always a big buzz in the autumn when the annual challenge is announced – but how to maintain that buzz? For a prospective new member, the general lack of activity must be…[Read more]

Well, there’s a lot to think about. And to get started on.

I agree with everything said so far, from the time pressures for people with publications etc in the works via Richard’s points about the site layout right through to feeling that posting stuff may not be worth the effort. And yes, idle chat would be lovely.

I don’t use social media but I’m quite active on Jericho Writers and therefore could…[Read more]

I like Kate’s suggestion of a fortnightly writing topic. A clearly marked heading and space might draw in potential new members among people who are Googling for writing advice. But it would need the links problem to be solved.

I agree with Richard about subjects currently being hidden away.

As a member of Kate’s SE 2016 group, this site has…[Read more]

Even after a year-plus of lockdown in various degrees I don’t do social media at all, no Facebook, no Twitter, no Zoom, no anything, so the Silence of the Denizens has been quite saddening for me. Not that I’ve been better (except in one respect) than anyone else. My problem is the opposite of that of several leading lights here: having…[Read more]

I certainly agree with the point about idle chat.

My thoughts… I agree that the format doesn’t help and I’d love to see it changed. Maybe to something that would encourage more idle chat. Something about the format makes me feel I need to have something particularly worthwhile to say in order to post. I think idle chat is important for keeping relationships going but I may be in a minority…[Read more]

First off, apologies. I am not as active on here as I was, and definitely not as active as I was on the Cloud. Partly, recently that’s been due to being swamped with book release stuff. Partly though it’s because of the format & the way the site kills off chat. Both in hiding replies and in it’s weird notifications limitations. I think that’s a…[Read more]

The Den’s been a lifeboat for my SE group. And I love the inspiration the winter writing challenge brings. It’s also lovely to be able to see the successes of people I met on the cloud.

But I wonder if, for the main page to be active, we need writers at different stages. I think we’ve all got a fair amount of experience on here, have writing…[Read more]

I don’t post here as often as I perhaps should, though I love knowing it’s here if I need it, or to celebrate good news with other peeps, and of course, to be challenged to write a short story every now and again.

Beyond that, I think because I’m published, working on new material, editing for other people, testing a writing course, I don’t have…[Read more]

A quick run of thoughts apologies for typos. I came to the Cloud just before it collapsed so I do not have the same level of emotional investment as those who were floating there together for years and years. I discovered and came for my Random lovelies, and stayed for my Random lovelies. They are my only priority. I show up when they show up, and…[Read more]

I have belonged to one or two sites that have been invaded and effectively ruined by the invaders, after which they failed. How is a site murdered?

As for contributers…well, that’s tricky. When it comes down to it, it’s people’s leisure time. If they feel compelled to contribute then I’d sort of hope it was some sort of internal compulsion…[Read more]