Who can post?

Any member of the Ladies of Lallybroch is welcome to post their original fiction including plays and poetry. Jamie and Claire fan fiction is not permitted and will be deleted from the board.

Do I need to critique other posts before I can show my own work?

While there is no set requirement for critiquing a specified number of pieces before you can post your own, it is Lit Forum courtesy to critique the work of other members before and after you post your own. Remember that if you want someone to take the time to carefully review your work, it is in your best interest to provide the same courtesty to other writers.

Everyone at Lit Forum understands the pressures of everyday life, and the unexpected crises that come along. No "member" should feel guilty about protracted absences or about 'falling behind' in their board reading and critiquing. We only ask that when you do come back and would like your work to be read and reviewed, you resume critiquing the work of others to the extent that you are able.

How do I post?

Begin by adding a new message to the main board. If you are new, introduce yourself. If you are an "existing member", you might want to give us a short reminder of who the feature characters are, or ask for a specific type of crit. Then post that intro only. Once the introduction has posted to the main board, reply to your own post and place your excerpt/work in the body of the first reply.

If you forget, and instead place your excerpt on the main page, don't panic! And don't be embarrassed! We've all done it. One of the "older members" of the board will alert Board Goddess Mel who will mystically move your post into its proper location.

How do I ask for a critique? Is there more than one way?

There are many ways to ask for a critique. The easiest is to simply post your work! But if you are looking for a specific form of feedback, be sure to request it.

For example, if you want to know if your characters are believable, make certain you state that in your post introduction. If you are concerned about your dialogue being realistic, ask. Likewise, you can ask for a general crit, a hard crit, or a gentle crit.

Keep in mind, though, that "newbies" are often handled with kid gloves until board "members" can get a feel for how thick the author's skin is. Take some time to check any post asking for "full crit" or "hard crit" and you'll get a sense of how involved those crits can be. If you feel you are ready for that depth of critique right off the bat, go on and ask for it. But usually, it's enough just getting up the nerve to post!

How often may I post?

This is always a tough question because there is no real answer. How frequently you may post depends upon how active the board is. If the board is slow, you can certainly post twice in one week provided you have critiqued the other posts on the board. But bear in mind that sometimes the board is slow because Life is happening. The holiday season is notoriously slow at Lit Forum, so you might post all you want, but there may be very few people around to read.

However, if the board is "busy" and posts are scrolling off faster than you can read them, allow a decent amount of time between your posts, assuring that everyone has a chance to be read.

Be watchful and you'll be able to judge when it's best to post just a little or when it would be okay to post a few times.