URL: www.writeoutloud.net
Type of Site: Community/Directory
Rating: 7/10
"A great resource for poets, Write Out Loud is based in the North West and provides an extensive list of gigs and poets."
The design of the site is very intuitive, however the front page is
far too cluttered and is what will cause some visitors to be
overwhelmed. However, once past the front page there is a wealth of
interesting and engaging content. This site is a cross between a
social network and a directory of poetry events. The sheer amount of
information requires persistence, but the 'directory' area website
can become a favoured resource for anything you want to know,
containing lists of many events and groups active in the North West.
The site, as previously mentioned does have a feel of a real
community, if you are one of the registered poets. Members who are
allowed to sign up can not only publish their work via the blog, but
also place an audio file on their profile so that the reader can
hear what the poet sounds like. This small addition helps feed Write
Out Loud's 'showcase' feature. This page is a simple list of the
poets registered sorted by the people who have updated their profile
most recently. The showcase seems designed to be used by people
looking to book talent for various evenings and events.
Extending from the simple ability to blog using Write Out Loud,
members can also join the many discussions going on within the
forums/message boards, which are called 'discussion groups' on the
site. This area is a rather volatile place where opinions are
expressed openly and is certainly not for the faint hearted or
easily offended poet.
Overall the site is a nice, if little too cluttered corner of the
web that will easily feel like home to any performance poet,
providing a great resource for poets.
All reviews are presented from an objective viewpoint and are not intended to be offensive in any way.
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