hello everyone, i became a member here some time ago when i first had the notion of writing as a hobby, but i've saddly been too busy to stick around. now that i have some time on my hands, i thought i'd like to try getting involved again in reviewing and hopefully contributing some of my own writing. since i've been gone so long, i thought i'd get a fresh start by reintroducing myself: i don't exactly have a lot of writing experience yet, but i've always had a passion for reading fiction and for anything else with a good story; from modern movies to ancient mythology. i guess for the same reason some die-hard video game fans decide to go into the gaming industry, i now have this dream of being a writer myself and some day having my own work published. i've graduated high school with a few college level classes under my belt such as english literature and biology, so i consider myself still young but fairly intelligent. i feel like i have a good idea of what i takes to make a good story, but whether or not i have what it takes is still untested. well i'm looking forward to learning what i can here and hopefully developing my own writing skills.
Welcome back. greywolf. Just in case you've forgotten, I'll give the grand tour again. Posting your own work should not be the very first thing you do here. It is really worthwhile 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!
