Just so there's no confusion:
Unless you're fixing a typo (and we all have those - my brain is convinced that "cemetery" is spelled "cemetary"), we ask that you not edit a piece once it's been posted. It can be confusing for those who might copy a poem to study and jot down notes before posting a critique, or for those who read through the comments when the poem that was first posted is now suddenly different and the comments are no longer relevant.
Then, I'm sure that we've all copied and pasted a wrong draft from our files. What to do, what to do.
So, here's the skinny on edits:
1. Unless you're correcting a typo, leave the poem as it was originally posted. As tempting as it is to fiddle with your poem, don't do it for the reasons stated above.
2. If you accidentally posted the wrong version of a poem, edit out the text, edit in a mea culpa, and ask a mod to delete the thread for you so you can post the version you meant the world to see.
3. I know the temptation is to revise on the fly, to make the poem "better" as you read the comments, but instant revisions are almost always a bad idea and often add new problems to existing ones. (Beyond that, a revision is considered a *new* poem and should be posted to its own thread.) Resist. Resist.
4. Even if no one has yet commented on your poem since you posted it, please don't make changes. As already noted, just because no one has yet posted a critique doesn't mean someone isn't thinking about one.
Really, it's common sense and common courtesy not to edit a posted poem except for typos. Save your editing for when you have the time and distance to devote to a proper revision. And remember: it's not necessary to post every revision. I repeat: it's not necessary to post every revision.
And for those of you who might want to review the condensed version of our guidelines, here's the link to the New Posters' Orientation thread.
Donner
