Back in June, during the heat of a closing scholarship competition, someone started a Coalition Against Bad Blogging (CABB). It has provided a space for many people to vent about the misuse and abuse of this site by users who appeared more interested in monetary gain then progress, but I don't believe it has provided the most productive outlet for constructive criticism. The negative cognitions of the name (fighting rather then supportive, saying bad blogs rather then good blogs that could be better) do not encourage users who would like constructive criticism to seek input on their writing from the coalition.
This is why I am proposing a Coalition For Good Blogging. Such a coalition would allow readers to voluntarily receive constructive criticism and feedback on their writing, as well as the typical comments on the content of their writing. By joining the Coalition For Good Blogging users would say that they welcome constructive comments on their writing style, format, length of post, spelling, grammar, and readability. Providing such an outlet for constructive feedback would encourage users to improve their writing skills, which would improve the over all quality of the site, and allow them to communicate more effectively with each other, teachers, coworkers, politicians, and anyone else they exchange written communications with.
If a Coalition For Good Blogging existed, would you join it? Do you think encouraging comments on writing and grammar would be productive, or that it would distract from the content of the posts? Feel free to comment on my writing as well as the content of this post, since after all that is what I wrote about, but please try to keep it constructive and not nit-pick.
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That was essentially the foundation of the CABB (if you read the founding post). Since its creation, there have been posts about the qualities of a good blog/comment and what makes a blog/comment counter-productive. The group is more about eliminating distructive and 'useless' (I shy to use that word) blogs and comments.
--Mike
I like your positive outlook. I know there are other members on the site who are looking for constructive criticism on their writing, in addition to commentary and debate on the content.
We're working on a software upgrade right now that will add the ability to create organic groups. This should be complete by the end of September. Once that is done we can certainly form a Coalition for Good Blogging group for you. We can also add a category tag that people could use when they want to invite constructive criticism on their writing style and grammar.
I would definitely join. I am a rising senior, and looking to improve my writing. I have recently put in a blog about a very short essay I have written for my English AP class, and I was very disappointed in the turn outs of the criticism. I am very open to constructive criticism, I am really working on improving my writing. So please comment, not only in the context, but the grammatical aspect of my writing as well.
I never let my schooling interfere with my education. - Mark Twain
I would definitely join you, so count me in. Support will probably prove to be the most progressive form of criticism here. We don't need people totally trashing other people's pieces due to just a few grammatic or formating problems. Plus, it proves people truly want progress if they themselves seek criticism to improve their writing. Way to go. Count me in :)
Two updates:
1) The organic group feature is now active. You can create your own groups by going to Create Content and then selecting Group. Look for more info on how to use groups in the near future.
2) We've added a category tag called "Critique my writing." This was added because some people want feedback on their writing style, and some students are even blogging as part of their college English classes. If you are open to feedback on your writing (as opposed to content), feel free to add this tag to any of your posts.
Does this require that all blogs be of a serious nature? I ask this because I firmly beleive that not all people want to read serious blogs all of the time. I think it is important to be creative in your blogging and allow for your readers, and your self, just to enjoy. Sometimes figuring out what is a fun blog and what is just a plain old lame blog takes a bit of experimentation. Therefore, I wonder, to be a member of this coalition should your blogs be serious all of the time? Is there room for experimentation of ones creativity?
About constructive critisism, I think that a person needs to be ready to receive it. That isn't always so easy to do, but joining such a coalition would be a step in the right direction.
~~Miss Priss
Just because you're writing about something serious, doesn't mean you can't be creative or enjoy yourself. I think an important part of the nature of this site is to be a little serious, and to think about what we can do to cause progressive. Posts on this site should be enjoyable, but they also should be informative and make the reader think. There are other sites, such as myspace and xanga, which are better suited for writing just for fun posts, and where people can go if they want to read blogs that aren't serious. So yes, there's room to be creative, but you should also have a serious point or something that makes your readers think.
Accepting critisism can be hard, esspecially if you aren't ready to receive it, but accepting constructive critisism is an important part of improving your writing. This is why the "critique my writting" tag Art mentioned above was added.
Wow, that sounds like an awesome idea. I'm for it.
Sincerely,
Ashleymarie Sey DeBondt
visit my art website Behind the Brush
or for my photographic work my deviantart page
If such a "good" coalition existed, consider me a member now! I think it's a great idea to help people write better blogs or at least teach them the idea of constructive critisizm. It sounds like that other coalition became a bashing site for people to vent their anger but not get anything done.
There is not an official group or tag for the Coalition For Good Blogging. The "Critique my writing" tag was added for those who want feedback on their writing, and many of the still active members who originally expressed an interest in the coalition are now site moderators who are working to inform other users on how to write high quality blogs, and to enforce quality standards. If reading this has given you an inspiration for a way to connect with others to improve the over all quality of ProU blogs feel free to run with it, but the "critique my writing" tag serves the main purpose I had in mind for this coalition, and doesn't require additional explaination to understand it's purpose.
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"If con is the opposite of pro, is Congress the opposite of progress?"
"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure." - Marianne Williamson