Hi all, I love to read. Thriller blockbusters, sci-fi classics, fantasy adventures, and disturbing horrors, I will read them all. Writing however is a different kettle of fish. Ive always wanted to write. I'm just lacking in some basic skills (and probably lots of advanced ones). My education leaved alot to be desired, and what passion I had for writing was soon lost in the apathy of living of the dole. The remainder beaten out of me when I started in full time employment. Drifting from dead end job to dead end job. I'm 36 now and the urge to write has returned. I just don't know how. I sit at the pc, ideas swimming in the old head, but no way of getting at them. I had toyed with the idea of paying some one to tie me to a computer, threaten me with physical violence, until i manage at least 500 words. So hopefully you fine ladies and gents will help stear me on the right (or write) direction. Thanks for reading. Hope this kinda makes sense, I'm typing it out on my smart phone, ha. Cheers Ian
Hello Ian, 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!
Alright Mate? Welcome to the Forums and make yourself at home. I'm here for the same reasons really. When it comes to writing though, there is nothing better than just simply writing to improve it. Yet advice and insight as well as a friendly crowd to chat to about such things is priceless also. So give us a shout when you feel like it.
Maybe you should get one of those voice recorder things and dictate to it. Fill out the basic plot and give yourself a minimum of description words that you have to place in the story. That's my only suggestion, welcome to the site.
Hi Ian, Id say start off by reading what other people have written here. One of the big things on this site is the critiquing. Read what people post up and say what you would change. You might think it's great but there might be one or two images that you didn't like or were confused by. You will start to recognise different writing techniques and in a while might write a short story yourself for others to say how it could improve.
Thanks for the welcome and the advice. The voice recorder is a great idea, and definitely something I'm gonna try.
Hi Ian You say you'd like to write 500+ words a day. Well on your introductory post you have written about 150 words. So you're getting there. As to education, there are classes for adults to help you catch up.Because of my parents way of life, I myself only went to school for three months continuous every year. the rest of the year my education was spasmodic, a week here, a fortnight there. I note that you live in Clacton on Sea, So instead of siting at the computer trying to think up ideas, Why don't you take a nice long walk along the sea front and let the invigorating sea breeze sweep away the cobwebs that seem to be clouding your creativity. Oh and cheer up, you never know If you persevere one day 'IT' might happen. The best of British. Trilby
I actually like your writing style. Your introductory post was interesting fun and gripping. Can you meditate? I use it to help form ideas and increase my concerntration. It works particularly well on the beach like Trilby suggested My advice is just write something everday. Some days I write 100 words, yesterday I wrote over 8,000 in an afternoon, And my writing has improved, the people here will help with that. If you are an avid reader, you have the grammar rules all inside your head without realising it. I unschool my children and it is possible to learn my osmosis. Despite a good education when I first started my novel six months ago, I couldn't remember any rules of grammar lol. Then I started to read it over and edit it, by the end of the first draft I was beginning to realise how I had to right it to make sense, and to make my words understood. My descriptions got better etc You could start with a cheap MP3 player to speak your ideas. Or I make scrapbooks of images that describe my story.
Wow. Thank you all for your warm welcomes, and helpful advice. Not sure if im cut out for a bit of meditation; Sitting still for any lenth of time is likely to lead to sleep, but walking the beach is right up my street. Thanks again
Hello there Ian, and welcome to this forum, I hope you´re enjoying your stay, i´m new here too, and I like to see others opinions and ideas, it helps me evolving. When you get published and go on to a great interview don´t forget to mention us pals from the forum Cheers, and good writing mate
