Writing.com

“Whether you are a writer looking for the perfect place to store and display your masterpieces or a reader willing to offer feedback for our writers and their work, this is the website for you. No other website services the writing world better than we do!”

Writing.com is unlike any other creative writing website out there because of its vast diversity in what it has to offer. Unlike most writing sites, which focus on a small niche, Writing.com offers many different services – including posting stories and other works of creative writing, madlibs, user polls, crossword puzzles, word searches and many other ways to interact with other users. And while celebrating its tenth anniversary, the site has been spiffed up with an improved layout and many new features.

Viewership and Feedback

One of the best things about Writing.com is that it's filled with serious writers, writers who are both looking for feedback and willing to hand it out. With its points system constantly encouraging participation (writers can reward readers who leave solid feedback and readers can reward writers who post solid work) and several different parts of the site devoted to getting unnoticed and new writers viewership, Writing.com is certainly a site that does it's best to encourage members to lend each other a helping hand.

But while Writing.com has a lot to offer it's writers, it doesn't seem to be a site that has a lot for the readers. If you're simply looking for a good piece of fiction to read, this site is probably not the place for you. With clustered overview pages, unusual labeling of pieces, and a distinct lack of genre separation, most Mibbians would find it difficult to find a piece to their liking. The overview page for any sub-type (like novels, for example) is unattractive and holds a list of generic looking story titles and short descriptions. The only thing that separates one story from another are the colorful ribbons and badges (which you'll have to search the site to find the meanings to). The boxed rows of story titles (three to a row, from left to right) makes it difficult for users hoping to peruse the section and find a short summary that appeals to them. It seems that Mibba's simple list has proven to be the most effective layout.

Ease of Use

As far as I can see, Writing.com has a definite learning curve. I've been using the site on and off for nearly three years and I still haven't found a good rhythm. Setting up stories feels like a task. Though all needed information is on a one-page form (with six steps), this makes for a very jumbled experience. Each step is thoroughly defined with paragraph upon paragraph of unneeded explanations, muddling the submission page. By the time you've reached the end, it's very likely you'll be too flustered to care.

Another issue with Writing.com, is the complexity of the user's personal page and account information. It's filled with seemingly random numbers and statistics, from counting your merits and badges to tracking your activity on each aspect of the site. Six tabs under “My Account” and six more under your “Portfolio” is just too much. It is extremely easy to get lost within it all. There is also very little member individuality, with little to no option to personalize your profile, story layouts, avatar or anything else.

But the Writing.com user experience isn't all bad. Once you have figured out how to post and view your work, there are a couple of well welcomed perks. The detailed word-count function is one of them. With a click of a link you can not only see your word-count but the frequency of your most used words. For writers who often wonder if their writing (specifically their details) are redundant or lacking in variety, this function could be a godsend.

Also, from the same page in which you'd view your story, a simple link for editing and deletion is provided. This system is much easier to use than Mibba's - in which you'd have to return to your 'My Mibba' page and then your 'Stories' page. For those who find errors while re-reading their posted work, this makes editing a snap.

The Price to Pay

While Writing.com does offer free membership, it is limited. Only paying members can enjoy the full benefits of the site and participate in all aspects. There's four levels of paid membership (basic, upgraded, premium and premium plus), starting at $9.99 for three months. For a site like Writing.com, I don't think the price of any paid membership is worth the cost.

Busy Bee and all the Confusion

Books, articles, stories, poems, crossword puzzles, word search games, interactive stories, quizzes, photo albums, audio uploading, madlibs, forums, contests...Writing.com has it all! If you can find it. Writing.com is certainly a case of too much in too small of a space. The organization here is terrible. Each and every page is jam-packed with too much activity and not enough separation to make it easily navigational. There's just too many features – seeming to be a mash-up of Fictionpress, Fanfiction.net, and Quizilla neatly packaged into one little disaster.

While I find Writing.com fun to visit every once in a while, it certainly isn't the site for me. Points, badges, awards, rewards, membership caps, and a million other things to figure out are just too much for me. It's distracting from the real purpose of joining a writing website: The Writing.

Helpful Links

If you decide to try out Writing.com yourself, here's a few links that might be helpful:

• Reading Main Page: Here you'll be able to find stories to read. Just click a category.
• Writing Prompts: Here you can find random writing prompts. Just click “>>>More>>>” and a new one will pop-up.
• The Plug Page: Similar to Mibba's Pimpin' & Reccin' thread, this is where you can shamelessly whore your stories.
• Forums: Like Mibba, Writing.com features a forum section where members can interact.