Call me Gabelpa, I am in my early thirties with a story that has been running around in my head for several years that I just want to get out. I don't know if I will even try to publish it once it is finished, maybe just print manuscripts for the 3 or 4 friends that have expressed an interest. I just want it to be the best I can produce, and I know I am not very good at this writing lark, so I am hoping others can help me improve my skills. In return, I have a good imagination, and a love of reading. I'm not planning on submitting anything for review for quite some time, and will have no bother giving feedback for other's work.
Welcome to the site, Gabelpa. I hope you enjoy it here, and wish you the best of luck with your story. How come you have to plans submitted here, at least for now? - Andy
Hello Gabelpa, Welcome to the Writing Forums. Even though you have no immediate plans to post your writing, please read How to Use the Review Room before you do post there. Posting your own writing for people to comment on should not be among the very first things you do here. It is worth taking the time to see what other people have done to improve their writing, and see if some of it applies to your writing as well. That is part of why we require members to review other members' work before posting their own for review. On the other hand, there are no restrictions, other than content and copyright rules, on showcasing your work in your member blog. Also, be aware that posting a piece of writing on any public site, including this one, will greatly diminish your chances of selling it for publication. Removing the writing later does not alter that fact - once posted, it is irreversibly considered published. So do not post anything more than a small excerpt of any piece you are planning to submit for publication. If you haven't explored the site yet, you should probably do so soon. Newcomers often gravitate to the Lounge, the Word Games, or the Review Room, but there is much more to be discovered if you poke in the corners. Remember to check out our FAQ as well, and be sure to read through the forum rules, too, to avoid any misunderstandings or hurt feelings. Respect for one another is our principal mandate. As for the Review Room, new joiners often wonder why we do things a bit differently on this site than on other writing sites. We emphasize constructive critique as a vital writing skill. Training your eye by reviewing other people's work helps you improve your own writing even before you present it for others to see. Therefore, we ask members to review other people's writing before posting work of their own. The Review Room forums on this site, therefore, are true workshops, not just a bulletin board for displaying your work (and on that note, please only post each item for review in one Review Room forum). Also, please use the same thread for all revisions and additional excerpts from the same piece of writing. See this post, Why Write Reviews Before Posting My Work? for more information. And while you're looking around, don't forget to check out the RPG forum for improvisational fiction. Also try our Weekly Short Story Contest and Weekly Poetry Contest. They actually run more than one week apiece, but any member may enter, and all members are urged to vote for their favorites. Enjoy your stay here, and have fun!
Yes, it's me LOL I started out just like you, and in fact, your post may as well have been written by me two-and-a-half years ago. Now look what I've done
