Community Profile

April 30, '09 - As much as I'd like to revivify APC, I'm not getting any applications I feel I can accept. I'm going to temporarily abandon the search for serious poets on Live Journal, mothball the workshop yet again, and go back to hunting needles in haystacks. If someone reading this page wishes to correspond about the APC workshop, feel free to comment at my personal journal.

veritasinverse






PLEASE DON'T APPLY WITHOUT FIRST READING EVERYTHING THAT FOLLOWS.

APC is, in theory at least, a workshop for LJ users who believe they're serious about learning to write better poetry. (Unfortunately, there don't seem to be a lot of them on Live Journal. Fortunately, it only takes a few.)

Members are asked NOT to participate at the community from their workplace. Without explicit permission from your employer, it's unethical. It's theft of time the employer has purchased. Please participate at APC on time that you still own.

Members are asked to treat one another as they themselves wish to be treated. That includes replying to comments on poems in a reasonably timely manner, if only to say thank you. It means offering at least as much criticism to others as one receives. Above all, it means courtesy at all times.

Courtesy doesn't require silently enduring uninformed or discourteous criticism of one's work. It seems reasonable for poets to defend their poems if they choose. But such defense shouldn't spring from simple defensiveness, an inability to handle criticism. While we are all no doubt defensive to some degree, the challenge is to never reveal that reality to those critiquing our poetry. If you're unable to handle frank criticism of your writing, APC is definitely the wrong place to display it.

Anyone who wishes to join APC should click near the top of this page. We accept applicants who look like they may meet the following criteria: a record of courtesy at Live Journal; some mastery of spelling and grammar; basic understanding of poetic composition, expression; attainment of a minimum skill level (in the very subjective/arbitrary judgment of the community's two maintainers); and a seemingly sincere interest in learning to write the best poetry of which they're capable.

Whenever we suspect the applicant might not be an active or equitable participant at APC, we decline the application. When we can't find two or more poems to read, or can't learn something about the applicant because we can't view their journal, or because it is brand new, we decline the application.

There is no disgrace in not being accepted into our little workshop. We have a pretty narrow focus: serious poets who understand courtesy. Because of that narrow focus, more applications are declined than are accepted. There are hundreds of writing communities on Live Journal, most of which welcome every applicant seeking admission. APC is intended for poets who are deadly serious about their writing and who can handle honest criticism.

Because we believe an understanding of meter is very useful in writing adequately rhythmic poetry of any and every sort, NEW MEMBERS MUST START OUT BY POSTING ONLY METRICAL, RHYMING VERSE. What sorts of metrical verse? It doesn't matter. Sonnets, ballads, limericks--whatever. Is it okay if their meter needs a lot of work? Definitely. But if you don't seriously want to learn the basics of regular meter, or already understand those basics, this is the wrong community to join.

After demonstrating adequate competence with meter and rhyme, and (more importantly) non-hostility towards it, members are welcome to post most any sort of poem they wish--or prose, especially if it's about poetic theory. The only limit on subsequent member posting might be this: Members shouldn't take more from the pot than they contribute. It never takes long to figure out which members are interested only in their own work.

New members should offer a thoughtful comment on at least one or two poems posted by others before posting their own work. Members who post more than they comment are soon ex-members, as are those who join but don't participate at all.

Members who don't comply with the rules and spirit of the workshop are expelled, frequently without warning. The maintainers take APC very seriously, perhaps even too seriously.

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