Ever felt like this?

[Magpie]

There are few things that disappoint me and all the other mods/admins more than the members who take so much more than they give -- but we're simple creatures, as you know, and it doesn't take much for us to be turned around.

Perhaps we should kick off more with the way that some people use the site. It could be directly to individuals discreetly pointing out that their habits don't go unnoticed or it could be a general 'What the fuck you playing at?' message sent out. Although I know that the second of those choices is done now and then, but I don't think that the people who turn up occasionally and give one half-hearted cliched critique before presenting their poem to the world are the kind of people who read 'other' posts elsewhere on the site and therefore may be blissfully unaware that they are pissing people off. In theory they are following the rules, the fact that it is the bare minimum required may be neither here nor there to them whereas to others like myself it seems like a pure piss take. Perhaps the rule should be 3 critiques for every time you post a poem, but then that might just create 'people who turn up occasionally and give three half-hearted cliched critiques before presenting their poem to the world', and then that would clutter the site up.
Personally I've wanted to kick off a few times with some people but ultimately I don't want to be banned and that's more important. I stopped posting poems in the critique forums, I've only posted 3 in 2 and a half years and one of them got nothing so I became quite disheartened and stuck to the other forums and critiquing others poems as best I could. In fact I got to the point where I really enjoyed critiquing and I get a buzz out of it. But every now and again I get pissed off when I see the same old 'YOO HOO - 1 critique - "Look at my poem!!" - YOO HOO' patterns emerging. Don't get me wrong there are some excellent new members who occasionally turn up and play the game. How come some folk just 'get it' and take part the way that makes sense? How come others don't? I wish I could figure it out.
Give me a baseball bat (metaphorical of coarse) and a nod and I'll silently go about my business ruthlessly... 

@cidermaid:

I know I personally could do better at providing more criit. I often read a piece, start a crit in my head, tell myself I'll come back after a few more reads but if the piece has some crit I often don't take the time. I also haven't done a search for zero posts in a while, thanks for the reminder.

I am also guilty of this... And also I used to check for for threads with zero posts and I've stopped doing it. Damn, have I become bitter and cynical. Thanks for the reminder reminder.

I know I've become reluctant to post on a first thread seeing so many 4-posters 

Hmmm not sure about the term '4-posters', makes them sound like luxurious beds... Although, they do partake in what could be seen as '4-play' and then piss off, presumably after they have been satisfied. Tick tick BANG!!

I've been thinking about this and I think part of the problem is from members who are reluctant to move out of Novice. Their poetry improves but the threads become practice grounds for the many posters who just offer the required first three, often the only three they've ever written. For the meaty critique that they deserve as active members they really need to put their poems up at least in Mild.

Is this possibly due to the title of the 'Novice' forum? The other two forums indicate a level of critique that is required whereas the novice forum could be read as indicating the level of poet that is to post in there. I get the feeling that a lot of poets who turn up here would mostly start by posting in the novice forum out of respect for the site. I know that's what I initially did (also I was a rubbish poet, oh how the times have changed   ). I often see poems in the novice forum that I want to give more in depth critique too but I can't because of the forum. I usually say to the poet that I wish their poem was in a different forum so I expand my critique more. I'm not entirely sure if newbies fully comprehend this and perhaps some leave because they don't feel as though they are getting enough feedback. Perhaps a change to the title of the forum or a relaxation of the strictness of giving brief feedback in the novice forum, I know it isn't really strict but I've often had gentle reminders of which forum I'm critiquing in and as you can see from this reply I have serious problems in keeping my replies brief.

Just some thoughts...