I've wasted a decade trying to avoid writing and now I'm ready to do the hard work that's going to be required to make my dreams come true. The best way I can think to introduce myself is to link to a recent post I made on my website about how I feel about my writing and my future right now, as well as a link to the one and only short story that I feel confident sharing which I wrote several years ago. I'm not looking for feedback on either, necessarily; I just felt that it was the most appropriate way to introduce myself. I look forward to joining your community if it feels like the best place for me. Note: If any of you are members of WritersBeat.com then yes, you will see a copy/paste of this exact introduction. Please do not think that makes me a spammer. I just don't see a reason to introduce myself to another group a different way. Getting back into writing: http://jofaba.com/2010/06/pages-chapters-acts-oh-my/ A short story of mine: http://jofaba.com/2009/12/the-something-a-short-story/ Thanks so much! - Joshua
Hello Joshua, 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!
Hmm, do I get points for getting myself in trouble so fast? =P I never meant for that to be a submission for reviews. I just figured I'd point to some relevant things. That story has been on the web for around 6-8 years now. I just share it with whomever is interested in my writing. Thanks for the welcome Shinn, I am glad to be here!
No, you aren't in trouble. I begin with a caution about posting in the Review Room because too many new members run there pell mell immediately upon joining, with no idea that it is a critiquing workshop with specific restrictions.
Sorry I disappeared. I lost my net. I did check in now and again but my abilities were limited. I had plans to set my apartment up this weekend to move attention away from my entertainment center and refocus it onto the desk I put into retirement, but that didn't work out either. I'll be doing that this week. I look forward to slowly integrating into the community and hopefully drawing on your support and reactions moving forward. I'm ready to do this. Thanks for the kind response and I look forward to getting to know you all! =)
