Does anybody else think that music nowadays is going downhill?

Hmm... No, I don't think that B&A is going downhill. There are lots of great people still here. On the other hand, there have been a lot of Twilight questions recently.

If I have not answered any of your questions recently, it is because I have not seen them. Sometimes the way you ask a question can make all of the difference. I have been answering questions on B&A for a long time now and honestly, one of the most annoying things an aspiring writer can do is ask half a dozen questions in a very short space of time such as, "What should I name this character?" (use your imagination), "How old do you have to be to get your driver's license in Australia, it's for my story?" (google it) or "Is my story too much like Twilight?" (if it contains a sparkly vampire who falls in love with the new girl in town then yes).

Or if they ask the same question repeatedly. Obviously I'm not trying to suggest that you do this, nor am I trying to single out any individual who posts here. It is just something that bothers me.

Why? Because it shows a complete lack of both imagination and initiative. Anyone who is serious about their writing is going to be serious about doing their research and working through any problems that they encounter.

I do not bother answering questions like this. I am more likely to click on and answer questions that are intelligent and sincere. For example, "May I have some constructive criticism for my story?" or "Feedback needed for novel extract?" along with a short extract is a good way to draw my attention.

I like it when the person asking has put a little thought into the question and appears serious about their work. Sometimes the time of day you ask can make a huge difference, as another answer said. (I find that Sunday afternoon, Adelaide time is always a good time to post questions.) Also, it is a good idea to add people who have similar interests as contacts, as they are more likely to give you more detailed answers.

Again, I'm not saying that you do any of these things. Just my grumble about some of the questions I've seen on B&A lately.

I've noticed a lot more "OMG your book is sooo good, when's it getting published!11" answers, but I haven't seen a decline in the number of constructive critiques given. I used to get about one or two that I could actually use per snippet of writing I posted, and though I haven't posted a question looking for a critique in a while, from what I see of other questions, it appears to be the same. As for questions concerning the writing process and not the actual writing, I haven't really noticed a difference.

In fact, I've noticed a bit of an increase in those answering my questions, though that may be from my growing contact list. Perhaps you should time your questions right so as to get the most answers out of it. More people are lurking about the B&A section later at night, I find, though it may be different in your time zone.

Maybe do a bit of investigating to find what time most people (and the most helpful people) are logged on. Also, try leaving a link to your question in an answer. It might seem desperate, but it works.

Some of the best critiques I've gotten were from answerers whose question I had answered first. This works especially well if you give them a good, solid critique of their work, and then ask for one (humbly, I might add) in return. The sense of loyalty in this B&A community sometimes astounds me :) You could try contacting some members directly as well for an answer.

I have listed on my profile page that I'd love to help anyone who is willing to contact me, and I know of some great writers and answerers on here that have similar statements posted. Anyway, I hope I could help Good luck and happy answer gathering (And, again, feel free to email me. I'm not the most knowledgeable, but sometimes you just need to talk something through, and having a sentient being on the other end of the conversation can oftentimes help :)).

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.