Hey everyone, my name's Hugo and I currently live in Aberdeen, Scotland. I'm 19 years old and have only recently discovered a passion for writing. To be honest, much of my writing is a coping mechanisim for dealing with a lot of personal issues - I have aspergers syndrome, and deal with a lot of grief from home for recently dropping out of university (I was studying computing science at Robert Gordon University). My parents are kind of science orientated, and think that unless you're studying a science at university, you're wasting your life (my mother has a PHD in Neurobiology, my dad has a PHD in Petrochemical Engineering). Writing for me has been a massive escape from my pressures - I'm currently working on a dystopic sci-fi novel in the style of 1984, and I've recently picked up writing song lyrics. Of course, I'm constantly looking to improve my writing however I can, and any positive feedback I can get in any form is always a good thing. I look forward to sharing some of my writing with you guys!
Hello Hugo...Welcome to the forums. Hope you enjoy the place, there are some great members here to help and encourage your writing. Before you post an item for critique you should read the rules concerning posting your work. You can find these in the New Member thread on the home page. Also, Cogito will send you a helpful "Welcome" and this will help guide you into posting and critiquing. Have fun, Chimmy Bear
^What she said. A lyricist eh? Must be great then. Unlike most poetry, you could put a melody into the words, or you can give the lyric to someone to do that for you. I'm a poet myself, and you're bound to see me in the weekly poetry contest on a regular basis. I'm only starting to get into writing lyrics since most of my friends are really musical, and I'd love it if we complement each other's talents. Well, I hope to see you around soon.
Hello Hugo, Welcome to the Writing Forums. 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. 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 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!
