Crescent - had a specific vision in mind when she started the writer's forum - waaaaaaay back when :) Cres wanted this forum to not only be a fun place to rub-elbows with other writers, but also a place for sharing ideas and improving our craft from the critiques of our fellow writers. Praise is easy - honest, constructive critiques are hard. Not only to receive, but to give. Like many here, I belong to a writer's group, whose members are brutal in their critiques. The first day I read a story, I drove home in tears, vowing to never go back to another meeting - that was over 5 years ago - and the only time I missed a meeting was last year when I was in the hospital with a stroke. There is a fine art to giving a constructive critique, and an equally fine art to being able to accept and reject the suggestions directed at your work. First thing to always keep in mind - the person critiquing your work, is doing just that critiquing your work, not critiquing you. Ye Gads ... I am rambling on and on it is waaaaaaaaaay TOOooo late - I have to get to bed before dialyn starts to tear out her hair cause I am not using em-dashes :P Dee-Marie