Three or more years ago I found a great writers’ website. BeWrite had everything I looked for as a relatively newbie seeking research tools, writerly comrades, editorial advice and good-natured and supportive chat. Sadly some members of the forum while being encouraged to use the site as a sandpit of ideas, prefer to seek weakness and trample on the castles rather than construct them. That is one reason why the forum is likely to close next week. The owners and moderators of the site have given hundreds of hours of their time helping individual writers to develop over the years. Sometimes we have not been helpful enough – it is a sad truth that we see fledgling writers that will probably never be any good. They might have a spark of creativity but lack so many writing skills, and more importantly, the ability to take advice, that they will never be puiblished. Should those unfortunate souls be encouraged? Probably not. A writer once said that if a writer could be encouraged to give up writing then they should be.  It is hard though to do that. When I encounter stories in the submissions list at BeWrite, where I am a volunteer editor, I sometimes squirm with angst knowing that I am going to have to reject the result of someone’s efforts and hopes. I always send a personal note pointing out areas for development, books they could read or courses to attend. Many have no idea of Show Not Tell, POV, active voice, creating three dimensional characters and many other attributes of a good writer. They can all be learnt, though a natural writer can zip along these learning curves much faster than others. Some don’t want to learn…

It is not the timewasting silliness on the BeWrite that would close it down – or fundamentally change it – it is the belief that there is a better, more productive way, to encourage promising writers to make it big. So it will not die so much as metamorphose.  And BeWrite remains as a bookshop. There are a growing portfolio of good books of all genre there – have a look.

Strange Matters is a brand new review site of science fiction. Created by two avid readers with no hidden agendas re: promoting or publishing. Give them a look here.