Hi, I'm a University student from Canada. I'm looking to break into fictional writing as a break from most of the work I do. Two of my favorite books are The Outsider (Camus) and 1984 (Orwell), I guess I could say I would like to write in this sort of genre, could someone point me in the right direction? Sci-fi? Fiction? I'd like to read some similar works if anyone has any suggestions. I'm also into alternate history. Anyways, enough about me. I look forward to how WF can help!
Hi and welcome! Fiction isn't a genre. All novels are fiction. Genre, however, has rather more blurred definitions and you will find plenty of discussion about those on here.
Hey there Drisdell....is Outsider that French novel? I won't say that sci-fic exactly...seems more of a basing fiction on social reality type of book. Not sure which genre it'd fit into. But you'll find plenty of help about that in the General Writing portion--though make sure you don't post any work of your own without reviewing others' before. Cogito will give you the run-down. Welcome to WF-Hope you have a great time here..
Welcome to the site Drisdell. While I haven't read The Outsider, I have read 1984 and I think it is technically classified as science fiction simply because it deals with a futuristic type of world. I'd also suggest reading Alduous Huxley's Brave New World as I remember being required to read the two of them together for my English class. ~Lynn
Yes. The Outsider is a french book by Camus, also known as The Stranger in some countries. I guess I'm floating towards more of a dystopian or absurdist perspective. It was fairly late (or early) when I made my original post so forgive my lack of clarity. I've lurked the forums for a little bit so I look forward to seeing what WF can do for me. I've already found it a good read in my short time here. Thanks for the welcomes.
Hello Drisdell, Welcome to the Writing Forums. Lynn already mentioned Huxley's Brave New World, so I'll mention Heinlein's Stranger in a Strange Land. Thesetting isn't as dystopic, but society is put under the microscope from another perspective. Posting your own work 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. 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 reviewing as a critical 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). 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 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!
