Scribophile
reviews and complaints

I started using Scribophile two years ago when I was just starting out as a writer. I was looking for a platform where I could connect with other writers and get feedback on my work. Scribophile has been a great resource for me because there are so many different groups to choose from that cater to different writing interests.

The critiques I've received on Scribophile have been extremely helpful. As a writer, I tend to think that I'm clever and that my writing is perfect. However, the critiques have shown me that there is always room for improvement. I've learned so much from the feedback I've received and I've been able to apply it to my writing.

Thanks to the feedback I've received on Scribophile, I've been able to improve my writing and become a finalist in six national short story contests. While I haven't won yet, I know that my writing has greatly improved thanks to the critiques I've received on Scribophile.

One thing to keep in mind is that the critiques you receive on Scribophile can vary greatly. It all depends on the experience of the person critiquing your work and their ability to provide insight into how you can improve your writing. However, I've found that the majority of critiques I've received have been helpful and have given me a lot to think about.

Scribophile is a free site, but I decided to pay for a premium membership to get added benefits. With a premium membership, I'm able to message other authors and arrange more consistent critiques of my work. This has been really helpful because I've been able to connect with other writers and get more feedback on my writing.

Overall, I find Scribophile to be a much more helpful resource than the writers group I attend at a local writers center. The feedback I've received has been invaluable and has helped me to become a better writer. If you're looking for a platform where you can connect with other writers and get feedback on your work, I highly recommend giving Scribophile a try.

I've been a member of Scribophile for a good few years now, and I have to say, it's been a mixed bag. Some critiques have been absolutely fantastic, while others have been, well, not so great. But that's to be expected, especially when new members join and are still figuring things out. Despite that, I've made some great friends on this site, and it's been a valuable resource for me.

I use Scribophile to get critiques on my work, and then I take that feedback to my in-person critique group. It's a great way to get a variety of perspectives on my writing, and it's helped me improve a lot over the years. Since I moved to a smaller town, I don't have an in-person group anymore, so Scribophile has been a lifesaver.

Critiquing other people's work can be a bit of a chore, but I find it really helps me improve my own writing. And I've had some great conversations with other writers on the site. Some of the newbies really appreciate my insights, and I've learned a lot from more experienced writers as well.

One thing I will say is that the site could use some more professionalism when it comes to critiquers. Checking spelling and grammar is all well and good, but sometimes people completely change sentence structures and information in rewrites. It's also really helpful when people take the time to read previous chapters to get a better understanding of what they're critiquing. I really appreciate it when people check my historical references or adjectives, for example.

Posting critiques is pretty easy - just answer a few questions and then copy and paste your feedback. I really like Scribophile, and I hope that critiquers take their suggestions more seriously. After all, they're given karma points, which are easy to accumulate and can be a great way to get your own work read. I've had no problem accumulating points or using them to get feedback on my own work.

All in all, I hope to see more professional writers on the site in the future. But even with its flaws, Scribophile has been a great resource for me, and I'm grateful for the community it's provided.

I stumbled upon Scribophile with the hope of improving my writing skills and connecting with other writers. The website is pretty well-organized and encourages writers to support each other. However, I must say that their critique system could use some improvement, and the overall attitude of members and moderators could be better.

One of the things that I found frustrating was that commenting on other people's work in regards to grammar or other technical aspects could earn you flags. Additionally, lengthy critiques were discouraged, which I found odd. Moreover, they have a rule that limits the number of words you can post, which can be quite a pain for writers who have longer pieces. This means that many writers have to divide their work into smaller parts to comply with the rules.

If you're not a paying member, you'll find that it can slow you down to a snail's pace. You're limited in the amount of work you can post, and you can't message other members freely. This can be frustrating, especially if you're looking for serious feedback on your work. Even if you do a lot of reading and critiquing, the limitations they set make it hard to earn karma points.

I eventually became a paying member so that I could fully utilize everything the website has to offer. However, I still felt that it was overpriced. There were times when I spent a lot of time reading and critiquing other people's work, only to get flagged or receive half-assed critiques in return. I found this to be pointless and a waste of time. Furthermore, I didn't appreciate the pushy, snooty, and condescending attitude of some of the moderators.

Overall, Scribophile has its pros and cons. While it's a good platform for connecting with other writers and getting feedback on your work, the limitations they set can be frustrating. If you're serious about improving your writing skills, you may want to consider other options.

I've been a member of Scribophile for quite a while now, back when it was just starting out. The community of writers was amazing, but unfortunately, most of them have left. However, I decided to come back last year because a friend encouraged me to return to writing. And I have to say, it's still a great writing community. But there's one major issue that I need to address: the owner, Alex Cabal.

Let me tell you, he runs the place like a dictator. If you say anything on the forum or in a group or even in a private message that he doesn't like, you'll get your message deleted, a strike against you, and you'll be stalked. And if you continue to speak out, you'll be banned. It doesn't matter if you paid for a premium membership, you'll be permanently banned and all of your writing will be deleted. You won't have access to the writing community anymore. It's a scary thought, isn't it?

The people who remain on the site are silenced through fear of being banned. So, if you're thinking of joining Scribophile, be prepared. Anything you say can be held against you. The owner can ban you even if you paid in full, and you won't be able to appeal any decision. You won't be able to speak out on behalf of any friends who were unjustly banned. And if you dare to protest anything, you'll be banned too. It's a harsh reality.

Oh, and let me tell you about Alex's favorite words for people who dare to speak out: Jerks. $#*!s. He proudly comes onto the forums (another intimidation tactic) and brags about the jerks and $#*!s he's banned from the site. He lies and makes up reasons when he bans people. He's a bully who has created a reign of terror on the site. The forums are dull and dead because everyone fears him.

So, my advice to you is to look for another community of writers. This one will break your writing spirit and your heart. Don't let Alex Cabal's terror tactics scare you away from writing. There are plenty of other writing communities out there that are welcoming and supportive. Don't let one bad apple ruin your love for writing.

I've had the pleasure of trying out both Critique Circle Pro and Scribophile Pro, and I have a few things to say about the service for anyone who might be interested in signing up.

First and foremost, Scribophile is completely free, which is a major plus in my book. However, if you're willing to put up with some critiquing, the Pro version is definitely worth it.

Speaking of critiquing, I have to say that the feedback I received from Scribophile was absolutely invaluable. Even when I posted a piece of writing that was absolute garbage, the community was quick to point out everything that was wrong with it. In fact, I got more feedback from Scribophile than I did from a $400 writing course I took at a community college. The professor was completely disengaged, and the other students were too afraid to give me any real criticism. If I'm paying for a writing course and putting my work out there, I want people to rip it to shreds. And that's exactly what you'll get on Scribophile - honest, constructive criticism that will help you improve your writing.

Now, if I had to choose between Scribophile and Critique Circle, I would definitely pick Scribophile. I've seen some professional editors give feedback on the site, and while it won't promise you published work, it will definitely enhance your writing and help you identify areas where you need to improve. At the end of the day, it's up to the writer to take that feedback and use it to make their work better.

One thing I really appreciate about Scribophile is the Karma point system. It makes me think twice before posting something impulsively, and I've actually improved my own writing style by critiquing other people's work. It's like a writing course without the professor, and it's much cheaper. I've seen some people complain about the site, but honestly, they just need to take a writing course with a mediocre professor.

Of course, there are some areas where Scribophile could improve. The critiques can range from poor to excellent, and some of them can be pretty harsh. But personally, I prefer harsh criticism over sugarcoating. If you're someone who doesn't want to spend a lot of time critiquing other people's work, this site might not be for you. But if you're serious about improving your writing and you're willing to put in the work, Scribophile is an excellent resource. Just be prepared to go in with a thick skin - you won't be getting feedback from friends who are too afraid to point out major plot holes.

Scribophile (Scrib) is the real deal for writers. I was hesitant to join at first because of the membership cost, but let me tell you, it's worth every penny. For only $65 a year, you can store as many works as you want. That's a steal!

The karma system is a bit confusing at first, but it's pretty simple once you get the hang of it. You have to read and critique 3-5 other people's works to get your own critiqued. I'm a novelist, so I usually seek out other novels and critique them. I found that karma didn't really matter to me because by the time I had read and critiqued 2-3 novels, I had enough karma to post my own work.

The beta spotlight is a game-changer. If you create or join a group, you can exchange without using karma towards the posting fee. You do have to pay for premium for this advantage, but it's not expensive at all. Plus, there are a lot of generous members who gift premium to people who are struggling financially.

The community is pretty awesome. The main forums can get a bit intense, but that's to be expected on a site with writers. Groups are a great way to socialize with like-minded people and avoid the general area if that's more your speed.

There are policies in place to handle people who give poor critiques and don't follow the "pay it forward" mindset of the site. Some other reviews here criticize it, but in my experience, the moderators and owner do their best to be fair. It may seem a little harsh, but if you follow the rules, you shouldn't have any problems.

The site can be overwhelming at first, but it's fantastic once you get the hang of it. The only thing I would suggest is having site ambassadors who reach out to newcomers and help them learn the ropes of the site. Maybe they could even assist with or review their first couple of critiques.

Overall, I highly recommend Scribophile. It's one of the best decisions I ever made as a writer.

I've been a member of Scribophile for about five years now and I've seen a lot of changes happen over time. While I have found the critique format to be helpful, there are definitely some limitations to the system. Essentially, members earn "karma" by giving critiques and then spend that karma when they want to post their own work for critique. However, the moderators can be pretty stingy with handing out karma and there are hidden fees for non-paying members that aren't always clear.

One of the biggest issues I've had with Scribophile is the behavior of the main moderator who runs the site. He can be very petty and childish when it comes to running the forums and doesn't like to be challenged. In fact, he has been known to be downright abusive when someone crosses him. Last year, he even shut down one member's site for speaking out about the abuse she had suffered at the hands of other members. If you try to create a new account after being banned, he will likely find out and counter your attempts.

There are also a lot of punitive rules that members have to follow, including a ban on discussing anything related to politics or religion, even if it pertains to fictional writing or the craft of writing. Members who speak their minds in the forums are often "shamed" and some have even been threatened with being banned from the site altogether.

Overall, I don't think Scribophile is the serious writer's site that it claims to be. It's okay for beginners who want to get started with critiquing their work, but you have to be willing to follow all of the rules and agree with everything the moderators say. It seems like the site is designed to keep writers at a low level and discourage them from aspiring to anything higher. The Premium membership fee of $65 is not worth it, in my opinion. While it does allow you to post an entire novel for critique, there's no guarantee that you'll get equitable critiques for your work. It could take years to get enough members on board to critique your entire novel, and even then, you'll have to earn enough karma to post it in the first place. Plus, there's a karma tax for anyone who tries to help their fellow members by sharing karma between them.

In the end, most members just use Scribophile to network and beta read offsite, which can be done for free. While the site has some benefits, I don't think it's worth the hassle of dealing with the moderators and their punitive rules.

Scribophile is a site that I have been a member of for quite some time now, and I have to say that my feelings about it are a bit mixed. On the one hand, I have really enjoyed the opportunity to connect with other writers who are just starting out like me. It's been great to be able to network with people who are in the same boat as me and to get feedback on my writing.

However, I have to say that the critique system on the site can be a bit hit or miss. If you don't have a reliable group of critiquers, you can end up wasting a lot of time sifting through critiques that aren't very helpful. This is partly because everyone has to learn how to write a critique, but it's also because some people just don't seem to know what they're doing.

That being said, once you do find a group of reliable critiquers, it can be a real game-changer. Getting feedback from people who know what they're talking about can be incredibly valuable, and it can really help you to improve your writing.

One thing that I don't like about Scribophile is the forums. They are moderated in a really arbitrary way, and both the mods and the owner can be pretty harsh with members. Even if you pay for a premium account (which is really the only way to use the site if you're writing novels), your account can be closed at the owner's discretion. And sometimes, the reasons for closing an account aren't very clear.

The forums themselves can be pretty toxic, too. Even though there are rules against discussing politics and religion, people still manage to find ways to be mean to each other. New members often get mocked for asking "simple" questions, and I've seen people get made fun of for everything from their mental health to their writing genre. It can be really brutal.

The site does try to combat the toxicity of the forums with a system of strikes and banning, but it's applied differently depending on who you are. The rules seem to change depending on who's being reprimanded, which can be frustrating.

All that being said, I would still recommend giving Scribophile a try. If you're just starting out as a writer, it can be a great way to connect with other people who are in the same boat as you. Just be aware that the forums can be pretty toxic, and that you might have to sift through some unhelpful critiques before you find a group of reliable critiquers. And if you're a poet, this site might not be the best fit for you.

I'm writing this review to share my experience with Scribophile, a writing and critiquing community that I have recommended to people for years. However, I have seen first-hand how it fails the kinds of young writers I've mentioned the site to, and I wish to correct this.

On the surface, there's no reason for a writing and critiquing community to be particularly bad. It's as good as the community is, right? But therein lies the problem. First, the critiques from the main spotlight are close to universally poor. It's very common for people to be desperate to post their own endless novel chapters to the point they will hit the precise number of words for a crit. These are nearly always inline crits, so comments stop wherever the hit that minimum. You then get a copy-paste closing section with something like "well done for being so brave to post this! It's really good!" Now, to be fair, this is not a dealbreaker. You can join a group, find critbuddies and get out of the standard crit economy. That does take a premium account, though, as if you are on free you're locked into the standard offering.

Second, the community is heavily skewed towards older people who are often quite rude. Their viewpoint is generally accepted within the forums, and people disagreeing are dogpiled on. This is something that other users remarked to me as having happened to them. I've talked personally with a young disabled writer who felt turned off from the site by how ignorant that older userbase was about disability issues. The level of wilful ignorance definitely shaded into insult. I would say this is also true for issues like BLM, where discussion of it seemed pruned from the forum. You'd expect writers engaged in human issues to talk about BLM a lot, but very few posts directly addressing it existed. I am quite sure this is because people talking about it had their posts silently removed. Someone recommended Chick-Fil-A sauce to me, I pointed out I'm not interested because of their history on LGBTQ+ issues, and my post was removed. Even innocuous posts are removed. An older user remarked that I'd insulted them, and I apologized. My apology was removed.

Again, to be fair, this is not a dealbreaker. You could use this site without using the public forums. But I think that this site will never suit younger authors until there's a massive Zeitgeist shift in terms of userbase, moderation, and where the money comes from. Currently, it's skewed so far in favor of certain values that open discussion just isn't possible. You can work around this issue. Still, I know multiple wonderful authors who just fell off Scrib because they felt belittled on the forums. I know people still very active in writing and publishing who still have accounts but otherwise just don't use it as being there is so draining.

Censorship of perfectly civil opinions is definitely a massive step too far for me. When that censorship is completely unexplained, and your only evidence of it happening is a feed with "X reacted to a forum post," "Y replied to a thread," the identifying info having been removed by the deletion, it's more than a little creepy.

Overall, it's not ideal for open discussion. You can entirely sidestep Scrib and the benefits it offers by getting a group of writers together and simply committing to commenting on each other's work, e.g., through using comments in a Word document, or simply writing your comments in a different colored typeface. That might be why Scrib works so hard to prioritize its aging userbase: someone younger and with a little knowledge of simple stuff like Google Docs could easily sidestep it completely, as long as they have a group to share writing with.

In conclusion, I will never recommend Scrib to anyone ever again.

I have been a member of Scribophile for quite some time now, and while I have had some positive experiences, there are definitely some drawbacks to the site. One of the biggest issues I have seen is the prevalence of bullying and abusive behavior among some of the members.

Recently, I witnessed a group of writers completely tearing apart a complete stranger without any real knowledge of her or her work. They targeted her simply because she was also a literary agent, even though she had never advertised her agency on the site. This woman is a true professional who simply wanted to participate in the writing community, and yet these writers decided to attack her and discredit her without any real basis.

What's worse is that the moderators of the site seem to be doing very little to address this kind of behavior. In fact, my acquaintance has told me that her posts are being deleted by the moderators, while the abusive posts of the bullies are being left up for hours on end. This is completely unacceptable, and it's clear that the site needs to do more to protect its members from this kind of abuse.

It's really a shame, because Scribophile could be a great platform for writers to connect and share their work. But when there are so many bullies and trolls running rampant, it becomes a very negative and toxic place to be. I know that my acquaintance has been trying to fight back against the bullying, but it seems like the site's owner and moderators are more interested in silencing her than in addressing the real problem.

I think it's important for other users to know what they're getting into when they join Scribophile. While there are certainly some good people on the site, there are also a lot of trolls and bullies who are more than happy to tear others down. If you're looking for a safe and supportive community of writers, this might not be the place for you.

In my opinion, the site's owner needs to take a much stronger stance against bullying and abusive behavior. Trolls and bullies should be banned from the site, and there should be clear policies in place to prevent this kind of behavior from happening in the first place. Until that happens, I can't in good conscience recommend Scribophile to other writers.

UPDATE: Unfortunately, it seems that the site's owner is not interested in addressing the problem of bullying and abusive behavior. In fact, my acquaintance has been banned from the site simply for trying to stand up to her bullies. This is completely unacceptable, and it's clear that the site is not a safe or supportive place for writers. I have also heard reports of work being stolen from the site by con artists and thieves, which is another major concern. In my opinion, it's best to steer clear of Scribophile and find a more reputable writer's circle to join.

I gotta say, Scribophile ain't my cup of tea. The whole site just feels off, ya know? And don't even get me started on the admin. Dude had a total meltdown over a measly 311 words. Like, seriously? I get that there's a limit and all, but come on. And then when I tried to get my points back, he just straight up refused. Not cool, man. Not cool at all.

Scribophile is a website where you can get feedback on your writing. It's not perfect, but it's a good place to start if you're looking for feedback on your work. The downside is that it can feel like slave labour for what you actually pay to get out of it. You need to write hundreds of words to collect karma points, which you can then use to submit your work for critique. If you don't have enough karma points, you won't be able to submit your work. This can be frustrating, especially if you're just starting out and don't have a lot of karma points yet.

Another downside is that if you dare to submit a work for critique that is a bit on the long side, you will get a snotty email from the moderator. This can be discouraging, especially if you've put a lot of time and effort into your work. However, if you can get past these issues, Scribophile can be a great place to get feedback on your writing.

One thing that sets Scribophile apart from other writing communities is the quality of the feedback. The critiques are usually very detailed and insightful, and the community is generally very supportive. If you're looking for feedback on your writing, Scribophile is definitely worth checking out.

Overall, while Scribophile has its flaws, it's still a good place to get feedback on your writing. If you're willing to put in the time and effort to collect karma points, and if you can handle the occasional snotty email from a moderator, you'll find that Scribophile can be a valuable resource for improving your writing. However, if you're looking for a more laid-back writing community, CC might be a better fit for you.

Scribophile ain't good, man. The team there banned me for writing a novel about a war between Christians and Muslims in Lebanon. Like, what gives them the right to silence me? I ain't gonna let them stop me from sharing my work, though. There are people out there who wanna read about crime and stuff, ya know? It's a bummer that this happened.

I gotta say, Scribophile is a pretty decent site for writers. The critique features are pretty cool, but let me tell you, it takes a lot of work to post anything. I mean, I gotta critique five other works just to get one chapter of my own work up. It's a bit of a hassle, but I guess it's worth it in the end.

Now, the leadership on this site is a bit of a mixed bag. The mods do a pretty good job of keeping things moving, but they can be a bit biased at times. And get this, they're all volunteers! I mean, come on, if you're gonna run a site like this, at least pay your staff.

And don't even get me started on the head guy. He's a bit unprofessional and plays favorites. It's not a good look, and it's causing a lot of people to leave the site. Honestly, I'd say save your money and go for something else.

Overall, Scribophile has its ups and downs. The critique features are cool, but the posting process is a bit of a hassle. The leadership could use some work, but the mods do their best. Just be aware of the biases and favoritism, and you should be okay.

Scribophile is a website that is supposed to be a great place for writers to get feedback on their work. However, it's not all sunshine and rainbows. There are some people on there who are just plain mean. They don't have any writing experience, but they still feel the need to tear others down. It's really frustrating.

That being said, there are also some really great people on Scribophile. They are experienced writers who are willing to help others improve their craft. They give thoughtful feedback that can really help you take your writing to the next level.

One thing that I found frustrating about Scribophile is that there is a lot of Fantasy content on there. If you're not into that genre, it can be hard to find something that you're interested in reading. I personally had to leave the site because it was just too overwhelming for me.

Overall, I think that Scribophile can be a great resource for writers who are looking for feedback on their work. However, you need to be prepared for the fact that there are some trolls on there who will try to tear you down. If you can handle that, then it's definitely worth checking out.

Scribophile is a platform where you can share your writing with others and get feedback. However, it's important to note that you don't actually own the content you post there. This means that if the site owners or moderators don't like you or your writing, they can remove you from the site and all your hard work will be lost forever. Unfortunately, there's no way to retrieve your content once it's gone.

It's also worth mentioning that Scribophile isn't the best place for creative freedom if you're writing about something controversial or not PG-13. Even if you're writing romance, you can still get reported and potentially removed from the site. This can be frustrating for writers who want to express themselves freely without fear of censorship.

Art should be freeing, and writing is no exception. Just like music, a CD will warn listeners of explicit content, but it won't be removed from stores. It's important to remember that writers should be treated like adults, not children who need to behave and stay silent. Losing all your work because someone didn't agree with your vision is a terrible feeling, and it's not fair to writers who put their heart and soul into their work.

Overall, Scribophile can be a helpful platform for writers who want feedback on their work. However, it's important to be aware of the limitations and potential risks involved. If you're looking for a place to express yourself freely without fear of censorship, you may want to consider other options.

I gotta say, Scribophile is pretty cool. I've been using it for a while now, and I've gotta say, it's been a pretty good experience. However, there are a couple things that I found out as a non-paying member that kinda bummed me out.

First off, you can't italicize anything in your submitted stories. Now, I don't know about you, but I use italics a lot in my writing. So when I found out that I couldn't use them, I was pretty disappointed. I mean, they do say that "premium members" get certain format enhancements that make your writing really pop. But I didn't read the fine print, so that's on me.

Secondly, I somehow missed the fact that at a certain point, you gotta pay up to keep using the site. I mean, I get it, nothing in this world is free. But I had already critiqued enough stories to earn 5 credits, which is enough to submit my next story. So I was kinda bummed when I found out that I had to pay to keep using the site. But after reading more fine print, I found out that you can delete past stories and critiques to keep submitting stories for free. You just gotta stay on top of it, ya know? They do have some sneaky ways of trying to get you to become a "premium member," but I guess that's just marketing for ya.

Overall, I'd say that Scribophile is a pretty solid site. It's got a lot of cool features, and the community is pretty supportive. But just be aware that there are some limitations if you're not a paying member.