Welcome back everyone—come on in…have a seat. Depending on where you are coming in from—it’s cold out there.
How was your break?
Mine was good. I wrote quite a bit. Sold a couple short stories. Had a few poems accepted for anthologies. Had fun with family. Traveled.
It’s good to be back.
So what is new?
Here are a few things to look forward to at dVerse in the coming months:
- Holidays – we decided to schedule two (2 week) holidays into our annual calendar. One in Summer (June 24 – July 6) and one in winter (December 23 – January 5). This allows healthy breaks for our pub tenders to be with family and freedom from the obligations here in the pub.
- New pub tenders – we are bringing on a few new pub tenders to balance the load a bit better. Some of these are in place and will be debuting in the next couple weeks and a few we are still seeking.
- MeetingTheBar – What was previously MeetingTheBar and FormForAll will now be under one banner. This allows everyone on that team to choose to explore form or other aspects of the writing process.
- New Header – Wait, don’t look up there yet…we are not there yet, but in the next couple weeks we will be announcing a contest, so start thinking about pictures or artwork that would fit the feel of the pub.
- Critique – This has been a request for some time. Really since we stopped doing it several years ago. We understand the difficulty of trying to do it on a large scale so our first step back into critique will be gathering the names of those willing to become critique partners. We will post this list on a page here at dVerse along with a link to their blog and/or email address so that you may contact them about teaming up for critique. If you are interested please send us an email at: dversepoets@gmail.com
- Commenting – As we were heading to break we debated what to do about those that just link in and never visit anyone else. Someone in the comments said, “People are adults and can choose who to comment on.” This is pretty much the route we have decided to go. I have always made an effort to try and make everyone feel welcome and never allowed myself that choice. So really this will be a personal change for me, as I will focus on those that are creating community and welcoming those that are new. We want to remain an open community and in that we can not force others to care about others.
Outside of that list, we will be looking to bring further opportunities for publication and advancing the cause of poetry. Welcome to the new year — see you out on the trail. ~Brian
dVerse 
Happy new year to all!!! 🙂 It’s good to see the Pub and the folks again.
happy new year to you imelda… it’s good to see you in the pub as well
hey there…def good to see you…happy new year!
So Glad to have this community back. looking forward to reading some more marvelous poetry 🙂
can’t wait til OLN opens tomorrow…smiles
Neither can I 🙂
I always appreciate the hard work of so many talented folks here….. hopefully this year will not send me for a loop like the last couple. I look forward to contributing more within our community and blocking more time to just mingle and enjoy the fellowship.
cheers to that… good to see you in the pub chris and happy new year…
Hurray! Good to see you! Bravo on your decisions. I enjoy reading and giving in-depth comments but don’t think I am a “critique” person anymore. I like getting it, but hesitate to give it. That may be like lots of others. Do we still have an open myc in the Pub once a week?
yep… openlinknight will continue on tuesdays…
i found it very difficult to give critique when i first started but i think i learned a great deal through giving crit as well as receiving it…
yup yup….we will kick OLN off again tomorrow…so get your poems ready…smiles.
Hi and a happy new year. I had both a marvelous holiday and wrote quite a bit… I have decided to do my first book this year… so if anyone have good advice in self-publication I would be happy to hear… There are some challenges sitting in Sweden doing this.. but I think I know how to solve it..
I’m looking forward to the first real pub tomorrow..
wow…that’s a big project…wishing you all the best.. and yep… def. looking forward to tomorrow as well… excited like a child in fact…smiles
I think it will be around haibun primarily.. the mixture of prose and poetry works for me…
My advice would be to work with an editor/proofreader. I happen to know one of those very well … in fact, I shave his chin every morning … smiles. You can contact me by e-mail if you want to chat about that.
That would be great 🙂
how cool is that… i bet you’re an awesome proofreader tony
I can vouch for Tony’s editing skills 🙂 K
YaY! I bet you’re good.
Just embarking on the self-pub thing myself. My sons/husband got tired of me publishing here and there and everywhere, and raised money to publish. Happy to answer questions. We’ve gone with Lightning Source, though they are hard to deal with, because of their reach (and they supply Amazon anyway).
But if you only do ebook.. I guess you could go directly to Amazon..
Hi Bjorn, this is a good resource on self-publishing by Guy Kawasaki:
it def. feels good to be back….woot!!
smiles
Wonderful
that is awesome news bjorn…i look forward to having your book on my shelf….
Great to see you back but very glad you guys all took a break.. you need it! What you do here is wonderful and deeply appreciated. Happy dVerse year to everyone!
happy new year to you as well becky… and the break def. was much needed to re-charge the batteries and get a new vision for the pub as well
Happy New Year everyone – and it sure feels good to be back in the Pub … smiles.
smiles… looking forward to what you’re having for us on thursday….
Happy New Year to all, and may it be a wonderful world of words for us all! Thank you for what you do….
a world of words…that sounds wonderful… happy new year annell
Yippeee! Happy New Year.
jane – great to see you – and happy new year as well
I hope your holidays were fabulous and am looking forward to a fantastic 2014. The idea of two breaks a year is welcome as are new members to the team. I don’t know if you remember, but I participated as a critique guest when we had the critique sessions before and I cringe at the thought of large scale critique again. Not only was it hard, intense work but the critique was not always accepted in the spirit offered. One poet friend found himself completely blocked after receiving three hard critiques on one poem that he linked to dVerse Crit and Craft and has written only a handful of poems in three years following. I think critique sessions need to be reserved for small, private groups. Just my opinion but a valid one.
I’m looking forward to interacting with my poet friends again, old and new. Welcome back, dVerse!
i totally agree – it requires trust.. looking forward to what you’re having in store for us on your mondays beth…
That all sounds great! I know I was a sporadic participant last year, but I’ve set new goals for this year, and plan to come to more open mic nights, and learn some new forms. I’m putting my novel on hold (that was a tough decision but it just doesn’t fit with raising my kids at the ages they are right now.)
I like your decision about the commenting issue. It’s a thorny one, and we haven’t found the right solution for the big blog hop I’m a co-host of every April. This sounds like a great solution for your venue, though.
Cheers to a great new year!
Tina @ Life is Good
cheers and happy new year tina…and looking forward to seeing you more in the pub… and maybe a wise decision with putting the novel on hold..it is hard work..
Seriously when the the dVerse post chimed its arrival to my email inbox I shouted “Yeah dVerse is back.” Then I proceeded to apologize to everyone around me.
Wow! It sounds like 2014 is going to be a wonderful year to be at the pub!
Thank you all for what you do and offer.
Happy 2014 Everyone, Cheers!
oh i would’ve loved to hear this….smiles
happy new year delaina
big smiles delaina….
Congratulations and welcome back. I would be happy to be on the list for either critiquing and/or mentoring partner. >KB
very cool… i will scribble you in..
Nice to see the pub open again… Always nice to have a break, but nice to return again and see so many old friends as well as to have the opportunity to meet some new.
hugs and much love your way mary – and thanks for everything you do in the pub
Great! I will be here tomorrow with something, not to depressing. I hope.
Pamela
*too* depressing.
smiles….looking forward to read..
smiles….hopefully not pamela…i know this has been a tough time for you and been thinking about it since reading over the weekend….
Wishing everyone an inspired year . . . I can’t believe it took me so long to find dVerse but I’m really glad that I did.
i’m also glad you did… always good to see you in the pub kathryn
oh – i forgot to wipe my feet…. smiles
Oops I can help to wipe the floor… 🙂
thank you…smiles
hahaha….
that is what brooms are for….
maybe a mop….
did you bring the thieves with you?
Happy New Year everyone! Nice to see that you are back. Looking forward to writing and reading lots of new poems this year. Thanks again to all dVerse team members for the great work!
Thanks to all the poets that make it a great place to be 🙂
here’s to loads and loads of new poems… so looking forward to OLN tomorrow…did i mention this already…? smiles
Happy New Year! Looking forward to reading (and posting, once by blog has recovered from spamming and hacking 😦 ) loads of poetry very soon!
ugh… hacking sucks… hopefully things are back to normal quickly… saw your email as well… we’ll be back with more once we sorted things a bit.. thank you…
Welcome back ! Hoping to stop back tomorrow for OLN…but we will see what the day brings! HUGS round about!
i will have a drink ready for you tomorrow… hugs back
Welcome back! It all sounds good. Happy New Year 🙂
Will there still be OLN and Saturday poetics?
yep… no changes in the weekly schedule other than that we gonna mix up MTB and FFA a bit..
HAPPY NEW YEAR! May the year 2014 bring a lot of joy and exciting reading. DVerse is a very nice service, and I am exited about the decisions made.
thanks anders and happy new year to you as well
Hope all the bartenders had a great break. It was well deserved! Glad the holidays are over, though…’cause I’m gettin’ thirsty! 🙂
that’s great… and it was cool to meet you over at FF as well and get to know you a bit better
Welcome back and looking forward to reading and visiting everyone again ~ Excited for the new things coming to our community ~
Happy week to all ~
happy week to you as well grace… and thanks for all you’re doing in the pub
Happy New Year to all, and welcome back! Looking forward to a new year of poetry!
hey happy new year kelly!
smiles.
Glad dverse is back. Looking forward to reading and learning from some wonderful poets and doing a little writing myself.
woot all about it…smiles.
YAY!! Glad to see everyone back and looking forward to a fantastic 2014 full of inspiration and camraderie 🙂
Congratulations on your productive holiday Brian! If you have a chance, could you please explain how you get poems accepted by anthologies?
it is much like the submission process for magazines and such…or being invited to submit…the biggest thing is finding the ones to submit to, but there are listings in several mags and some websites…i will see what i can put together for you…
that would be really great Brian, I am sure others would be interested in that info also!
Happy New Year Claudia and all the great poet’s here. I am so glad to see the doors open again. Can you believe it’s -40 degree’s in Minnesota with wind chill. The governor has closed all schools K-12 Monday and Tuesday. BRRRR :-0
Getting the same minus 40 C tomorrow as well ~ Good to see you ~
brrr….we are already out of school tomorrow here because of the cold…its bitter…thought my face was going to freeze off directing traffic out of the school this evening….
Ohhhh its so good to see everyone back and starting off 2014 with a new spirit – Happy New Year! K
Happy New Year to you too K ~
most def a new spirit…hows the weather in your neck of the woods…or mountains….k?
Yay – welcome back! Happy New Year!
Good to see you too Mary ~ Happy New Year ~
hiya mary….happy new year!
Like Other Mary before me – Yayyy! Happy New Year and looking forward to meeting everyone at dVerse here again
See you at OLN tomorrow ~ Cheers ~
So nice to have the pub open again, and glad to see you all scheduling breaks (so important). Looking forward to spending time in 2014 with you !
Looking forward to your poems too ~ Cheers ~
smiles….always good to see you ds….
glad the changes are pleasant… thanks ahead of time for opening the doors for 2014…
most def…will be good to be back tomorrow and seeing what everyone has stored up over the holidays….
nice changes guys… welcome baaaaaaaaaack!!!!!
and welcome aboard anthony….smiles.
I’m so happy we are all back in the pub… I missed you! I’m looking forward to all that’s to come and might be interested in critique… just not right now. Cheers.
understandable laurie….know you have been in mind and prayers this holiday….
Thank you… I appreciate it tremendously.
Welcome back and Happy New Year 🙂
happy new year ayala!
How exciting! Change is good, but this is not so radical that the bar feels like it’s under new management…! Great idea to instigate the scheduled breaks – we all need holidays! Thank you to all of you great bartenders – you all do a wonderful job.
thank you…i hope the holidays were good to you….
They were indeed, thank you. And likewise!
Sounds great, Brian. I look forward to hearing from the bar!
coolio….just stop by tomorrow….
Looking forward to new prompts and new poetry pals! Thanks for continuing this community!
Congrats on the sales and acceptances, too!
most definitely karen
i hope the holidays were good for you.
It sounds like the team has made some good changes which I hope reduces the workload of each one of you. It feels great to be starting off a year that doesnt have a thirteen in it! Glad you took a break and glad you are back, Team!!!!! Thanks for being there. dVerse is a Force in blogdom!!!!
thank you sherry…for all you do encouraging everywhere…smiles. hey maybe no 13 is a good thing…smiles.
And a very happy, healthy, successful New Year to all of you! Missed you and look forward to catching up with all of you and your poems in 2014 as well.
happy new year marina
So glad the pub is open! Happy New Year to all. Brian contact me if you are still looking for Pub tenders and let me know what it entails. Liz
thanks liz…smiles.
Welcome back everyone, I hope you all enjoyed a nice holiday. I look forward to seeing what the new year holds and may our minds continue to explore new ideas.
hey there is always something new under the sun…you just got to find it right? smiles.
Welcome back! I look forward to meeting up again throughout the year. A new year with new ambitions~ how awesome 🙂 ~peace, Jason
happy new year to you jason….
Huzzah!
Sounds like a good plan, but break? Pffft I don’t need no stinkin break lol give me a month or so and I’ll have posts done to july lol
i am man enough to admit that i do…ha…between work, grad school, family and my own writing…it gets a little busy at times…
Happy New Year. Hope you all had a wonderful time with family and friends. Looking forward to reading some more fantastic poetry and discovering new blogs through links 🙂
woe is me…of unclean lips….
i like your tag line…
happy new year…
Thanks 🙂 looking forward to what this year brings at dVerse
most def…me too….look for you tomorrow at openlinknight.
Looking forward to it 🙂 can’t wait to see what people write.
Welcome back and a Happy New Year to everyone. I would like my work critiqued or possibly a mentor. In saying that though, I guess how far does the critique border run? We all think we are capable of writing poetry, we all have our unique style of doing so. What we write and how another perceives what we write, could mean either a complete change in who we are and our style of thinking and writing which could lead to being a bit well …pissed off. For the critiques role would be that they want to change how we write to have the style that suits them? or am I simply being a bit too D & M here? Happy writing everyone. Thank you ‘Team’ for returning, for encouraging and supporting. 🙂
i appreciate your open thoughts…and i def. think critique is something that has to be done in a sensitive and respectful way… we all have our individual writing style and good critique tries to see this and helps the other to grow in their writing without wanting to change their style but helping them to carve out their strength
agree…i think it works best in the context of relationship as well…which takes time…as does developing an understanding of the other persons style…when you first start the suggestions may seem a little shallow but as you move forward i think you get a bit braver and understand where to make cuts and in a way not to make the writer bleed out….smiles..
thank you Claudia – yes that is what is required and I am open for any suggestions with my work – thank you and welcome home 🙂
Good to see the pub back and whole lot of action eagerly awaited for! Critique is a welcome move, i am having a first feel of that in another forum for haiku and will be glad to be have my pieces ‘ripped apart’! I have been away from writing for quite sometime now. hope to get back soon! Happy writing everyone and hope to give my two pence to this ‘growing’ community!
we look forward to your return…i enjoy a good rip too…
I am so excited for you Brian! Where were your short stories published – I’d like to purchase the magazine or go to the website! Sounds like a great line up of ideas here at the pub and I will do my best to support this beautiful site as best I can!
http://www.nonsportsmanlikeconduct.com/2013/12/mr-wilsons-cat-by-brian-miller-short.html
http://www.nonsportsmanlikeconduct.com/2013/12/zoo-keeper-by-brian-miller-short-stories.html
were the two stories sold…also sold the rights for use in their anthology…
Yes, it was good to see that email arrive saying the door is open wide again, and I like the modest new look of things…some critique (must require calmness)…and is that new upholstery? 😉
I will also do the best I can to read and contribute even though I’m a slow reader and the words don’t always come to me as quickly as I’d like. Nice to feel the energy recharged. Welcome 2014 and all contributors who enter this wonderful place!
ha. we are trying to make a few changes…it will be nice to try on a new header and spruce it up a bit in the next couple weeks….
katy… you may be a slow reader but you read with all your heart and comment in a very sensitive way… your last comment on my accordion man piece brought me to tears…. it’s still in my inbox and i read and re-read…thank you.. and it’s great having you around…
I just now saw this, Claudia..thank you. Sometimes minds just connect…amazing, huh?
Glad the pub is open for the new year…many thanks to our capable team of bartenders! It’s a frigid night here in Iowa…pass me something hot! I look forward to linking and learning more this year 🙂
its a cold day here as well…brr.r….we threw a pot of boiling water out and it made a fog bank..a fun trick in the cold….
over here it’s almost like spring.. i was sweating in my coat today…what a crazy weather..
Happy New Year! I’m planning to be more active in 2014 provided I don’t get any curve balls like 2013! Love this community even though I haven’t been able to visit others as much as I’d like in the past. Here’s to new beginnings!
hey here is to hoping you get no curves…smiles…
always new beginngings….every single day
wishing you a wonderful new year with loads and loads of poetry… good to see you and def. cheers to new beginnings
Yay! I’ve been checking all week for your return! Welcome back and happy new year! Glad to hear it was a great vacation for all. Now back to poeming. I wanted to make this year a better poetry year, you know? 😉
Also, I can’t wait to see all the changes in store for this place in the coming months!
it’s kinda cool to be missed you know… smiles… here’s to a year filled to the brim with poetry…
Yes to a poetry filled year! …smiles… And I’m glad u guys are back. The poetic world wide web was feeling kinda bland without you you guys!
Welcome back – I’ve missed you, even though my poeming is going through the doldrums.
smiles… sometimes the doldrums are a place to gather new breath… and who knows what creative explosion is going to follow..
Happy New Year to everyone….I am hoping 2014 will be the year I can join in here again. I have missed my dVerse time. My own tutoring etc is now under control and I want to write more this year…balance is my aim! The new ideas look great and the tried and tested dVerse fun is beckoning.
balance is a big aim for me as well… hubs says i’m way extreme in all directions… ugh… not easy… hope you’re finding yours…
Happy New Year and it is wonderful to have you back! Congrats on selling the short stories, Brian. Maybe let us know where we might find them later?
One of my few resolutions is to engage more here and a couple other sites. Unlike those impossible weight ones, there is so much to gain and nothing to lose!
it will be great to seeing you more around lydia
Good to see you back and the pub reopened. Happy New Year to all at dVerse. Hope to continue commenting and contributing during 2014.
happy new year to you as well james
Happy New Year to ALL!!!!
Thank you for being a big part of my 2013 and looking forward to the wonderfulness of the pub this 2014.
Cheers! 🙂
raising my glass to that…
Great to have y’all back!! Interesting reading, hmmm. I’m not sure about the whole critique thing, however, I do believe in the spirit of community and appreciate it for myself. Hard therefore to be selfish so I’m willing to give it a shot. I do try and visit as many as I can from all the visitors and always love the random, the unexpected, the moving and the inspirational, all of them I read. Hope all your plans work out, I’ll do what little I can to help, Kevin.
thanks kevin – that is much appreciated
Just a relative newbie, but glad to have the forum back. I think you took the right route on comments, I think it evens out in the end, with people who are committed to being part of a community making an effort. Inspired by your success, well done Brian.
yep – i too think it evens out in the end – and a friendly atmosphere draws people in as well
Welcome back! Just winding down from winter break myself…see you on the trail 🙂
yep… see you out on the trail – can’t wait until the OLN doors open
Welcome back everyone! We celebrated Ukrainian Christmas last night (Christmas Eve). Today is clean up day, quiet with guys gone to work and school. Watching birds, dreaming up poetry and listening to some classic rock.
pretty cool…did not realize it was later in january…enjoy your day shanyn
It goes on the Orthodox calendar so it is a bit later 🙂 New Years is a big party for some! ha ha
Have a great day my friend.
very cool…
and yummy too! 🙂
Woohoo! Welcome back! I like this, especially the critique part. I would rather someone explain to me why they thought it was good, or suggest another idea, then just say “lovely write” and leave it like that. I belonged to a group before that gave constructive critique, and I learned a lot from it. One doesn’t have to be cruel in critiquing, just offer a bit of thought or advice. I’ve always tried to offer an honest opinion on my comments, but to do that can be a bit more time consuming than just offering a bit of “fluff.” Anything that helps us grow as writers is a good thing!!
Again, welcome back!! Hope everyone is well rested from their holiday sabbatical!! You’ve been missed!!
Brian, wish you a very happy new year. Looks like you had a perfect holiday. Good to read about the new things you are planning. I have dropped you an email on this note as well.
I don’t think it is fair to say that people who don’t comment and register they have read the work in some way, don’t care.
Many people are very busy and taking the time to read the work of one or two others is as much as many can manage and some, at times, none at all.
The other point is that you can read someone else’s work and have a negative opinion and the choice then is, do you honestly state your opinion, do you lie and say something positive or do you say nothing? I opt for the latter. I will at times read quite a few poems but I only comment when I can say what I truly believe – in other words, if you can’t say something good, say nothing.
So there is no way of knowing who has read how much unless they comment and I don’t think it should be turned into a competition. There is a large community here and many people comment far more and more often on these threads for instance than I or other do and that is not because we do not care but because we do not have time, or perhaps, anything to add.
I think that applies to poetry posts. I value constructive comments myself but not everyone does and while it is ‘nice’, a word an aunt of mine said long ago equates with ‘pink, sticky and sweet’ and has about as much substance as fairy-floss, to have people comment on posts, I don’t see it as a necessity.
What is important for me here is the opportunity to be stimulated by prompts; to share at times in a conversation and to post my work somewhere that it may be read by a few people and appreciated or not.
Just my thoughts.
I’m a late returner and so glad to be back again. I’m happy to see the format you’ve set forth so brilliantly. I am having some internet connectivity issues, so bear with me. Hope to jump on OLN later today.
Happy New Year!! Welcome back 🙂 Congratulations on selling some stories and having some poems added to anthologies–wonderful way to start the new year. I’m still bumbling about a bit. Took some time off and now playing catch up. Hope to post later tonight. Wonderful to see everyone!