Dec 01, 2007
A Guide To Posting
by JohnFog
I just though I would write a guide on how to make a good quality post. These are just guidelines to make your post look more attractive and easier to read. It is also to prevent bad quality posts. I messed around with the Microsoft wordpad toolbar in this article.
First of all, before you post a thread/reply, think of the following:
- Am I contributing to this thread with this post?
- Am I flaming/trolling?
- Am I taking the thread off-topic?
Am I contributing to this thread?
This is the most important guideline. If you post a reply saying "I agree" or "lol", are you actually contributing to the thread? Anwser: No. If you are going to reply, you might as well add something onto the thread like "I agree, I saw this *insert youtube link" a while ago and this reminds me of it" or "lol, that is funny, where did you get that joke?". Those example are kinda of bad, but I hope you get the basic jist of it.
Am I flaming/trolling?
If you dislike a person for whatever reason, don't bring the fight to realpoor. Face it, internet drama sucks, and I don't want to waste my time reading it. Take it outside, you can fight/argue via PM or MSN. No reason to make the fight public. Trolling is also quite annoying, if you come to these boards and post just to put other people down, you shouldn't be here. I know, you criticism is good, but "positve" criticism (i.e. "Good for your first guide but try using paragraphs") is the way to go. "Negative" criticism (i.e "lawl, u sux") won't get you banned, but you won't be liked.
Am I taking the thread off-topic?
Pretty basic stuff here. Some people don't like it when there threads go off-topic. Most threads this doesn't apply to, but in some cases like "What is WoW?" and the reply is "I played that once, the graphics are good" it's frustrating to be the person with the question.
Now, as for the skill of writing posts. When writing a post, use the following:
- Grammar
- Paragraphs
- Structure
Grammar
When your reading a post, I'm sure you've noticed, it's a lot easier to read if the person uses proper spelling and proper grammar. Now, apply these things to your post to make life easier for everyone. If you say "It takes too much time", it really doesn't, an extra minute of concentration and the occasional spellcheck isn't alot. In the long run of things this will help your school work. I started using proper grammar on forums when I wrote "*blank* wud b suitable...". Eventually it will effect your schoolwork, and then you will suffer. It also makes a good impression for new users who start out on these boards, if they see everybody using proper grammar, they will most likely use proper grammar. There are alot of great contributing users on these forums that don't use grammar, but I'm asking you to try.
Paragraphs
This one just annoys me. The wall of text. My only foe, my arch-nemisis, my rival. The most annoying this about this wall of text is, you almost always lose which line you were on, I always end up reading some lines 3 times. The worst thing of all is, it's so effortless to do. Just everytime you change subject or time, start a new paragraph. If you can't do that, just do it every so often at the end of 5/6 sentences. It looks better, and alot easier to read. This one is just for me.
Structure
I fall victim for this one alot. I don't plan what I'm going to write and I end up babbling on about nothing. Most posts don't require this, but a long well-thought out one may need one. You don't need a proper plan, just get the basic idea of what you will write in your head. This just stops your posts looking like they don't make sense.
That is really the end of the guide, rate as you wish. Any "postive" criticism, leave a comment
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