Hey guys, I've joined the forum to learn from more experienced writers. I am new to writing. I studied English Language at A-Level and have a decent understanding of it but no more. I enjoy writing as I have a very creative mind and I feel I can express that best through writing. I'd be grateful if people could give me advice on a few things: 1.The technical aspect of writing, how much knowledge do I need of the English Language to be an accomplished writer? 2.If a lot, what resources should I be looking at? 3.In terms of writing a book, how should I be planning? Glad to be here, Joe.
Hi and welcome! Alright, Joe, I can tell you from the start that you should just begin writing now. Don't attempt to agonize over the thought of grasping and not grasping the English language very well, because even native speakers run into trouble, a lot actually. And as far as planning goes, ask around here. Members are open to answering questions. But my advice would be to just start writing. That is probably the most important thing. Hope you have fun here.
Hi Joe, Welcome to the Writing Forums. Please read How to Use the Review Room before you 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!
Welcome. I think you'll find answers to your questions by browsing around the site, but if you've done A Level English I wouldn't worry too much. I think the main thing is that you write and to focus on the technical aspects etc. when you're editing it. Just get the ideas down first.
Welcome, Tyler. When writing fiction, the technical aspects are not just spelling and grammar, but also narration, exposition, point of view, etc. It's possible to improve a lot by learning about these. If you go to Cogito's blog, you should be able to find lots of useful articles.
