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ELI5 what makes a Pub different from other bars.
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The Irish pub owner's AMA had an interesting comment "all pubs are bars, but not all bars are pubs". Being Canadian I love going to chill bars, and one of these that I go to is an irish free house...a pub...but others are just, bars...what exactly constitutes a pub?
*edit: It seems that historically speaking, there was a difference, but these days the difference is simply atmosphere. In pubs you feel comfortable, almost at home.
*EDIT 2: a couple of different people have asked now...is there a difference between a pub, a tavern and a saloon? or are they different words from different geographies basically meaning the same thing?
Top Comment:
"Pub" is short for "Public House". It used to mean a place where anyone could stop in for a pint. Pubs serve food, bars don't. Also, and this is a small detail, Irish Pubs tend to be named after people (McHale's, O'Conner's) where as English Pubs tend to be named a bit more creatively (The Dog and Duck, The King's Goiter, The Stag and Cock).
That's the main idea, pubs are bars with a family atmosphere.
What makes a pub “good” or “bad”?
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So I have recently moved to the UK and the first piece of advice I got from friends and colleagues was to find some good pubs near me, but at first sight they all seem the same (apologies for offending anyone 😭).
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What makes a Pub a Pub and a Bar a Bar?
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Help me out here. We are discussing what it is that makes a pub a pub and a bar a bar. We thought it might be that you go to a pub for a casual drink, whilst a bar is somewhere you go on a night out. But not sure that’s it’s. It feels like there is a quintessential feel that makes a place a pub. Been to bars that look like pubs but you just know it’s not a pub. So what is that thing that makes it a pub?
Top Comment: I don't think there's any one thing, it's multiple different things. But the most pithy summation I've seen is: if you'd take your kids and dog in, it's a pub. It's not perfect, but it's a fairly good rule of thumb.
[Discussion] Do you feel like PubTips is a welcoming space for all?
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I'm a long-time lurker. I used to be on a writing sub a few years ago but had some negative experiences and left. I also had a mixed bag of experiences on the now defunct QT forums (most feedback was centered on me changing ethnic traits, or people not understanding cross cultural norms).
IRL, I also had to leave a writing group because it was all male fantasy writers who talked down to me and eventually made me feel dumb/paranoid for wanting to meet up at public places instead of their basements. The writing community on twitter doesn't feel as strong anymore, ig is too visual for me and I still haven't adjusted to it/learned how to build community there, so I decided to try a writing sub again. I'm starting to feel lost, community-wise, and I'm having trouble finding welcoming spaces.
From what I've seen, PubTips seems well moderated and welcoming, and I would just like to know how people's experiences have been on here (especially if you're a writer from a marginalized community). Do you feel like you're a part of the community? Or does it always feel like you're looking in from the outside?
EDIT: Thanks for the replies everybody, I feel like most of the answers are in sync with each other, in that this is a place with a business lens on succeeding in tradpub, and as such, pack a thick skin and appreciate that people are taking the time to be honest with you, regardless of how that honesty is packaged. Looking forward to coming into my unlurking (?) era. (Also! I'm new to this sub but not to this industry. Started younger than most, sucked harder than most, still younger than the average debut, and still suckier than I'd like to be.)
Top Comment: The thing is, compared to all the writing communities you’ve listed, this isn’t really a writing community. It’s focused solely on advice for traditional publishing. It’s more about the business side of things. That said, yes, I enjoy this community very much and have gotten a lot of help on my publishing journey.its filled with experts that other communities don’t have. You just won’t be talking shop about the craft of writing here.
[Discussion] From PubTips to Publication- or how I bore you with a detailed timeline of how no’s finally turned into a yes.
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Well, it’s been a few years and a handful of books, but my PM announcement finally went live today! I always loved reading a breakdown from authors who secured an agent or a book deal (almost as much as I loved reading birth stories while pregnant. What fun is doing something if you’re not going to obsess over it, I guess!) so I figured I’d post my story here! Sorry for spoiling the ending in the title, but hopefully it’s still a helpful read!
In 2019 I finished my first book- a YA Fantasy Romance. I entered that book into REVPIT- and while I wasn’t selected as a winner, that’s where I met my gem of a critique partner who has been with me through three books. This (forever shelved) book taught me so much about revising, and introduced me into the tough world of querying. I learned so much!
In 2021, I finished my second book, a YA Contemporary romance. I finished it just in time for AMM entry. This time, my MS was chosen! My mentor taught me so much about editing, querying, and how publishing works. She also warned me that my book was super quiet and may not be right for a debut. Turns out, she was right! While I got super close with some agents, it never quite worked out. But it was a great learning experience. I took a little while to mourn this book. I’d def call it the book of my heart and needed a minute. While I waited, I thought of how 90% of the feedback was that a debut in YA contemporary needed to be “hookier”, so when I finally was ready to move I took that advice to heart.
In 2022, I wrote my next book. I kept a lot of the quiet heart I like in a book, but I added as much punch and hook as I could. In 2023 I posted the query here and got some great feedback! In April, I got a full request from an agent and an offer from her 3 days later 😭. It was a dream. We revised a little, and shortly after submitting to publishers, we received an offer (late 2023) for publication in 2025.
Anyway- thats my timeline! Thanks for all the help, encouragement, and incredible community here! And at the risk of being cheesy, just because it doesn’t work out with the first book doesn’t mean you aren’t on the right path!!
Top Comment:
Congrats!!! Prime example of persistence paying off! What was the reason behind writing in a different genre than YA Fantasy Romance? Did you feel like it made your path a bit easier with that change?
r/AskUK on Reddit: How often do you go to the pub?
Main Post: r/AskUK on Reddit: How often do you go to the pub?
What in the world is a pub???
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I keep seeing people commenting/posting about having 20+ pubs?? do you guys have 20+ papers in pubmed??? how in god's name do you do that???????
Top Comment: The number of bars you own in the UK. I only have 2 pubs. But they get me drunk enough that I feel like I have 20
The Irish pub: A cultural institution or dying tradition?
Main Post: The Irish pub: A cultural institution or dying tradition?
Top Comment: Yeah, like come on. The only reason people don’t go as much is the price. This headline comes out every few weeks. We know the problem. Is there gonna be a solution? No. Maybe they want the pubs to die out.