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Quick links: NewsBiscuit Home • Chat Room • Writers' Room • Top Ten

1. 

   B.E.P.
   

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   There seems to be a bit of a downer at the moment, so I thought it would be good to know why people visit NB, and why people sub on NB.

   Until I forgot my password, I would sub on NB to try and improve my writing with the feedback given by other users. I also enjoy given feedback to those who want it. I have also found it a useful place to practice comedy and the process of honing stuff to make it as funny as possible.

   So what makes you visit here, and what do you enjoy about the process of subbing?

   Posted 10 months ago #
2. 

   Yikes
   

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   I like Newsbiscuit because you can practice your writing, make people laugh a bit, and every once and a while see your story on the front page. It is also good to read some of the great stuff other people write and both laugh and learn from it.

   The site would be better if the spam was sorted out, and there was a touch more moderation. More discussion of other comedy genres would be good as well.

   Posted 10 months ago #
3. 

   Idiot
   

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   Habit, mainly.

   Posted 10 months ago #
4. 

   charlies_hat
   

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   I have felt for about 2 years that I'm sharing what is funny with like minded people, which is something I find enjoyable.

   More recently tbough I'm wading through what is not funny by people who I'm not sure I like, which is something I don't find enjoyable.

   I still look at NB probably daily, but for moments rather than any significant time.

   Posted 10 months ago #
5. 

   Tripod
   

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   Eeee, it were better in 't good old days. I can remember when this was all fields, y'know. Now, what did I come in here for?

   Posted 10 months ago #
6. 

   wallster
   

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   I come to Newsbiscuit for many reasons. The camaraderie, the jolly banter, the badgers, the constructive support I receive for my occasional, mildly humourous contributions.

   But mostly I come to Newsbiscuit to meet other men for sex.

   Posted 10 months ago #
7. 

   Al OPecia
   

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   I joined NewsBiscuit to share ideas and the occassional thrill of getting a ticker item, like Wallster (but not the other men), in an environment where anyone could post anything and take the rewards/constructive criticism/negative criticism/abuse. A lot of good writes with raw talent have turned into great writers as a result. It is a great shame that this outlet/training ground is currently at a nadir. It has been a lot of fun.

   Why is it so dire at the moment? In my opinion we have lost a whole bunch of great writers wholesale, and abruptly, to the Evening Harold, hence the dearth of good material at the moment - at least half of the Harold items would have appeared on NB in the past.

   At the same time we have picked up a couple of reactionary bigots who would make Bernard Manning blush.

   Posted 10 months ago #
8. 

   Ironduke
   

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   I come for the merry banter. It is my online 'common-room' where I can read witties and josh around. I tried subbing, with little sucess, and I do find the strict format guidelines restrictive. I prefer short and punchy to some of the FP articles which need more investment of time and concertation than my butterfly mind can contribute. I find less and less of interest in the writer's room, where the standard has plumetted; but enjoyable banter in the chat room.

   Of course, taking turns on Wallster is a hell of a fringe benefit too.

   Posted 10 months ago #
9. 

   wallster
   

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   Ironduke, Al, enough with the private messages. I don't really want sex. Jeez, you people are so literal.

   Posted 10 months ago #
10. 

    Al OPecia
    

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    That's not what you said last time. How's the bruise?

    Posted 10 months ago #
11. 

    Ironduke
    

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    There does seem to be a very strenuous reaction to the duff Green Fag post, and to something about the Pope's ring that got tickered. I'm damn sure in the past there have been histrionics over taste that have flickered brightly and then got lost in the wealth of other good material. Sure, we stretched it out to tease Dvo for months but that just good old-fashioned bullying, and he took it in good part (or at least, blubbed into his pillow in private). I suspect it is the loss of the 'wealth of good material' to encourage everyone to move on that is the main issue.

    speaking of which, Wallie... invest in one of those delicatessan counter ticket machines. That way, we all know when our turn is coming round and we won't have to pester you.

    Posted 10 months ago #
12. 

    Al OPecia
    

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    Where's Rikkor's acid commentary when you need it? Rikkor, are you out there?

    Posted 10 months ago #
13. 

    Clucksy
    

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    Well I still love it - there are still so many writers of talent in here, I'd hate to see them disappear. I don't sub at all, even the spammers would have a laugh at my efforts, but I really enjoy reading both rooms.

    Keep writing and encouraging/bullying each other, you lot - and there's no reason why NB and EH can't both be successful, it's not a competition!

    Posted 10 months ago #
14. 

    nickb
    

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    Yes hooray etc. We must do better.

    Posted 10 months ago #
15. 

    AReader
    

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    Now that I know that Bourbon is gay, what do I do?

    Posted 10 months ago #
16. 

    beau-jolly
    

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    Exactly what ID said. No that bit, the other bit, but without that bit of it. Plaguarism isn't as easy as it looks is it?
    Anyway, I come for the merry banter. It is my online 'common-room' where I can read witties and josh around. I tried subbing, with little sucess, and I do find the strict format guidelines restrictive. I prefer short and punchy to some of the FP articles which need more investment of time and concertation than my butterfly mind can contribute. I find less and less of interest in the writer's room, where the standard has plumetted; but enjoyable banter in the chat room.

    Posted 10 months ago #
17. 

    Al OPecia
    

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    "I prefer short and punchy" what, like Barry McGuigan?

    Posted 10 months ago #
18. 

    Nails UK
    

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    I came here originally with a mate, he needed a bit of moral support and a few stars, you know how it is.

    I quite enjoyed subbing and had one or two minor successes (eventually).

    But then it started to go a bit stale, tickers weren't updated for ages, loads of old jokes instead of biting satire, and my friend turned out to be a far better writer than me. So I stopped subbing because it just wasn't fun any more.

    I'm sorry, it's not you, it's me.

    Posted 10 months ago #
19. 

    Gerontius
    

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    Nothing wrong with NB
    it's just waiting for the next wave of contributors to take up the baton.
    I always thought it was set up to provide an opportunity for would be/aspiring writers to test the waters.
    Many have come and gone, some have gone on to greater things, most gave it a go and then disappeared.
    I agree with B-J about the chat room. It is often the funniest part of NB and is often the source of material or the germ of an idea.
    If you only contribute because you want to be on the FP then you're doing it for the wrong reasons.
    You don't play Sunday league football because you're hoping there's a scout from Man Utd watching.

    Posted 10 months ago #
20. 

    sydalg
    

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    I've only been here two months but I think it's great - I come to read the subs in the Writers' Room, mostly, but I like going into the archives and reading old articles too. I'm a very poor judge of what I write, so I post anything I can think of and wait to see what kind of reception it gets. Were things that much better here in the old days? Going back over the old stuff, I don't see any great deterioration in standards.

    Posted 10 months ago #
21. 

    The All New Jeni B
    

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    sydalg, what you're reading in the archives is the stuff that was selected for publishing, but the quality on the subs board had less ill-considered, poorly thought out stuff in it.
    There's far more of that now.

    I came here about a zillion years ago thanks to a link on the BBC Magazine site, and I've been here ever since. At first, I just sat back and read everything that was posted, observed the style of the site, and tried to learn what would work and what wouldn't.

    After a few weeks I took the plunge and subbed something which sank without trace. A few days later I made a suggestion on someone else's sub which was used and I got my first hat-tip. It took a while before I had my first FP, and like all my subsequent FPs, it was a joint one.
    I soon realised that I preferred the banter in chat, although I still enjoyed reading the subs board and offering suggestions or advice when necessary.

    And that's where I've kept, and why I still come on here. I had a flurry of FPs and Nibs the latter part of last year and earlier this year, but that was because I'd been nagged mercilessly by my writing partner to actually put my name to something rather than giving him ideas and lines to use.

    I have adored NB for so long, and I'll still pop in with my usual witterings, but the subs board holds little interest for me now.

    Posted 10 months ago #
22. 

    Paddy Berzinski
    

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    I was attracted here by a link to an article. Tried a couple of submissions which didn't get anywhere, but on the positive side I had encouragement and feedback from a couple of members. Even invested in founding a humour site myself, although I don't do any of the writing.

    I think NB is a good opportunity for people with an interest in comedy writing to dip a toe into the water in order to gauge the reaction. I understand the feeling that the format is a little restrictive, leading some to experiment with Evening Harold. I don't think the breakaway writers should be castigated for that. Surely it's better to swim than to merely tread water. From what I've seen of it, it's entertaining, and IMHO worth taking a look at.

    As for NB - like some others have stated, the Writers Room does seem to have gone downhill to some extent. It seems to mainly be one-liners, which isn't what attracted me here. Generally though, I'm happy to pop in here on a daily basis, if only to see what's happening.

    Posted 10 months ago #
23. 

    Tripod
    

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    Hey, thanks to the internet, there are loads of places where we can offer up our writings for a critical mauling and no financial reward...

    Posted 10 months ago #
24. 

    godly1966
    

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    Paddy, In your profile it lists your interests as vintage tractors. I have a Ferguson T20, fordson super major and a Massey Ferguson 35 TVO we could start up a comedy tractor splinter group. sadly this is all true.

    Posted 10 months ago #
25. 

    Titus
    

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    Sorry, can't resist the obvious:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZY6jC5Dh6c

    Posted 10 months ago #
26. 

    godly1966
    

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    my heros

    Posted 10 months ago #
27. 

    sigmund
    

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    I come here because, every now and then, someone writes something that makes me laugh. But the chat room has always struck me as 'cliquey' and often pointlessly hostile. I've seen the word cunt used more on this site than at any other, usually in dialogue between respondents, not in jokes. Throw in the bigotry and some people's penchant for self-righteousness and sanctimoniousness, and it's not a particularly pleasant place to hang out.
    As to the fun side of it, whatever you call it, it ain't satire. Good satire takes on the deadly sins (greed, gluttony, sloth, etc) and subverts powerful orthodoxies. That really doesn't happen here. The surrealists have all gone to EH. So, what's left is not particularly appealing. Ultimately, it doesn't matter. It's only a joke site, but it has become the joke, which is a bit sad.

    Posted 10 months ago #
28. 

    Not Amused
    

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    I came here because there were stories in the writers' room which didn't make the FP which I found very funny. I had no ambitions of subbing anything but, over the year and a half, have been tempted into it. Not particularly well but slowly improving.
    I enjoy the banter in the chat room and often spend more time here than the writers' room now.

    I love surreal stories so have felt the drop in the numbers of them quite strongly.

    There have been quite a few dominant stories over the past few months which may be why subjects are being overused. Hopefully the news sites will get their acts together and give us a wider mix of material to work with.

    I am sure we'll get writers to replace the ones we have lost and other writers improving.

    I would say a block on self starring would be an interesting change.

    Posted 10 months ago #
29. 

    Sinnick
    

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    Need a break from working from home, so I come here for laughter & pleasant banter.

    Just not interested in the negative stuff that goes on.

    Posted 10 months ago #
30. 

    Hooch
    

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    Visit in the hopes of getting something posted on the main page. Always a thrill when it happens.

    Posted 10 months ago #

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