Looks like I found an active forum. Tried WD but its not as populous with questions, answers and contests and they love tto fill the in box with special 'how to' book deals. I'm late in getting started on serious wwriting, where I've always had a fiction interest, and have much to overcome in deficiencies. That just means from first draft to any submission will take longer than anyone else. I'm game. It will make me better. I say that because my experience in school was not positive. I was not taught how multiple drafts work until college, and honestly, I couldn't stand writing about anything where I had zero interest. So, if theres zero interest then how can someone learn cretaive writing when they hate the assignment? Ah, but we had to learn to write well first and then they would let us take classes in creative. BS I say. Grab a pen, write a story and then learn by cleaning it up. There, problem solved. Middle finger given to my establishment. They don't listen. I'm teaching myself now. It's the only way with a bizarre schedule and a bizarre volume of crazy ideas. I write small flash so I don't feel overwhelmed and then pick at it over time until it gets clean, clear and short. A few a week. And then something larger comes along I start inn on that but just exercising the muscles has done wonders, I already see progress since I started to organize everything where I can keep track of it. I have no business critiquing work but I can critique a story and the feel. So, I can help out there. Otherwise, I'm here to ask and learn. I'll jump into a contest or two and see what can happen. See you out there.
Second the welcome Try out the https://www.writingforums.org/threads/new-member-quick-start-guide.132102/ to get you started too! I look forward to you participating in the contests, have fun!
A very 60's attitude. When I was working my way into the world of music, I had no formal training, just nine months spent with a book by Frederick Noad on learning guitar. I was told over and over that if I wanted to make money as a musician, I had to do the college thing. But I never did and I had a nine-year career onstage. I never got a recording contract, but I had a lot of fun and made a crap-load of money. I was functionally illiterate until the writing bug bit around 1990. I'm still learning, still writing and someday plan to make another crap-load doing this.
