Hi I'm John I have always wanted to have a go at writing a novel and now I find I have the time to at least make an atempt. I have ideas spinning around in my head like jumbled clothes in a washing macine but when i start to write i feel silly and slightly unworthy. Anyway I am determined to try. It would be nice to meet people in a simalar position or people who have been successful. Any tips on starting out will be greatly appriciated. John
Hey, John. Welcome to WF. Right now I'm in the same spot as you. I have some ideas, but I can't seem to begin. If you can make it past the first sentence, then go ahead and just start. I know it's not the best feeling to write when you think it might be junk or that it might not even end up anywhere, but at least you did write. Good luck.
Welcome John. My advice is forget about feeling silly and/or unworthy when you start to write, just keep writing anyway. But this is a great place for writing advice.
Welcome to the forum John You could always try what got me into writing in the first place...write one page about the scariest, creepiest house you can possibly imagine. The rest is up to you. Just a suggestion anyway...worked wonders for me!
Thanks for all your encouraging comments. I feel inspired to write more and more. Could anyone explain to me how the short story competions work and how you post entries Thanks John
Hello Tayleea thanks for the support. I might try one of the weekly short story contests. I think writing to a deadline will spur me on a bit. Have you ever tried the short story contests? John
Hello John, 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!
