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?
Lv 6
? asked in Arts & HumanitiesPoetry · 8 years ago

Has anyone from here been to PFFA?

Has anyone from here been to the Poetry free-for-all site. I've used it and I do enjoy the fact that I get long, constructive criticism on my works, but it seems like they pick out or sometimes, even make up negative remarks just because the site's motto is to 'slash your soul to ribbons'.

I'm all for good criticism, but has anyone here benefited by continuing down this path? Is PFFA worth it?

3 Answers

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  • 8 years ago
    Favorite Answer

    I've never used the site myself - though I lurk there. It has always seemed to me excessively US-flavoured in its preconceptions about the nature of poetry.

    On the other hand, several poets I respect and admire (all Americans, as it happens) tell me they were regulars on the site during the early stages of their development. (The moderately well-known younger American poet Devlin Bryant is probably the best known of them).

    They all commented that they found the more aggressive comments overdone, and often forced; but they put up with that because some of the other remarks were well-informed and sometimes acute (well above the amorphous gush or catcalls you find on most internet poetry forums). They also all commented that after a year or so on the site, they felt they had outgrown it - and moved on to other forums (Sonnet Central was where most of them migrated after they had mastered the basics)

    From what I've heard, and from what I see, PFFA is probably a useful rite of passage if you are a tyro and don't mind being American.

    It has its uses; but from what I've read of your work you might already be past the pupation stage. I know I am.

  • ?
    Lv 7
    8 years ago

    Synopsis, with whom I get to have issues from time to time,

    is advising you well......

    I find your work well past the da-da-da-da point and to risk getting yourself

    turned upside-down when you benefit here, as do we...I would say not,

    at least not as a card-carrying dependent member?Keep your options open, for now D..

    I`ve known some neophytes tread rhat path......two benefitted and 3 did not..

    the 2 who did best were U.S born..I doubt it`s intentionally this way..

    but note Syn.(his critiques are very sniffy and over high-handed imho

    I want to say that...it needs saying lol)

    but he knows the world of poetry well and would not mis-advise you , imho

    If it`s helping more than hurting.......browse there, with time-or-offering limits

    If not, think again Dinesh.

    x

  • Anonymous
    8 years ago

    Ask them to post their creations and call me to analyze them. I 'll be more than happy to offer poetry my intellect. And real poems.

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