Hey, My name is Daniel and I've been working on a story of mine for quite some time. I've given it to friends to read which I know is cardinal sin #1 for getting any constructive feedback, and I'm feeling the repercussions of it. My writing has gone stagnant because all I hear is that its so good from friends but can never get any real feed back, especially since I believe it's all crap anyway and I suck. So rather than hearing what's so good, I want to hear what's bad about my writing from like people. Meaning people that love to read and write and hopefully I can make a decision on whether or not I want to continue writing simply for pleasure (which I will always do) or with a lofty goal of someday being published (which I'm told is a possibility but I have no belief in myself). Hope to hear from anyone soon...
Well you have definitely come to the right place for that kind of feedback! And just by browsing here the last few days I have come across many posts about self-publishing and such, and it seems that one day becoming published is a lot more achievable than you may think. Negative thinking towards your own work probably wont help you out too much though
Doesn't self-publishing require a lot of money and then even after you do something like a vanity press, no large chain book stores would by your book because it wasn't widely available of even enough copies to supply any type of real demand should your book become a hit? Those were the horror stories that I've heard unfortunately and it just taints any writing experience.
Unless you have belief in yourself you will not get anywhere. The most successful people in the world have endured countless setbacks to become a success. Never give up.
No such thing as luck. Don't put your faith in anything outside of yourself where writing is concerned, or anything else for that matter. 'If it is to be, it is up to me' a quote from 'The Guide'. My writing has been transformed since reading that book. I now believe I am a good writer.
Hello DL, Welcome to the Creative Writing Forums. Please read How to Use the Writing Workshop 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 Writing Workshop, 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 Writing Workshop, 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. We also impose a two-week waiting period before you may post writing for critique, to give you time to become familiar with what is expected and how the site operates. The Writing Workshop 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 Writing Workshop 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!
Hello, and welcome to the writing forums. I must say, You've got to have an positive attitude towards your work If you want to achieve anything. If you have an negative attitude it'll eventually strive you To where you will stop writing because you simply think its a waste of your time Because it's not good enough. At some point every writer Feels down about their writing but what makes the difference is if you Do anything to make it better or just stop writing. I'd suggest have an positive attitude and never stop writing.
Welcome, Daniel. I think you need to change your attitude and become more positive towards your own writing. That will really help.
Thanks everyone for the encouragement! I think this forum seems to have a great community that really responds to it's new members in a positive and welcoming way. Its no doubt due to the regulations laid out by its administrators and I apologize for not recognizing them foremost and seemingly trying to shirk them by posting my writing without first exploring the talent of others on the site. At first when I posted I didn't think that I would get any responses let alone the seven I received in a day. All were optimistic and informative. I look forward to reviewing everyones work, maybe eventually posting my own and becoming an active member in the fold!
