1. xocia

    xocia New Member

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    American Hello From Sweden

    Discussion in 'New Member Introductions' started by xocia, Sep 15, 2010.

    Just thought I'd introduce myself though doing so feels somewhat like getting a tooth pulled.

    I've been writing since I was in elementary school. In 3rd grade or perhaps 4th the class was given an assignment to write short stories for a writing contest between several schools at the same grade level. It earned me more than a 2nd place ribbon. I was bitten by the writing bug. I wrote the finishing sentence on my first book a year later. I was about 11 years old.

    Except for a few exceptions like a 5 year spell where my love of writing was completely undermined and shaken by the vicious criticism of a friend, I've always had some story or book in the works. Hundreds of pages crammed with tiny handwriting. It was my escape.

    Most of my friends and family have known I write though I've always been reluctant to share. It was never anything I did for others to enjoy but something I jealously guarded. There were always the inevitable "You should get published" comments which I never took seriously even when I cranked out a novel in less than 3 weeks.

    Maybe now I'm ready to loosen my grip a little. I've been writing like a mad woman for the past couple years. Watching my stories shift and evolve even while feeling a dissatisfaction with my writing style and wanting to improve it. I can finally see the glaring weaknesses in it. At times it's bad enough I cringe even as I whip out 3000-15,000 words on some days.

    I feel the need to move my writing forward. I'm uncertain where it will lead me. Actually, I'm trying to decide what I want my goals to be. Perhaps I'm an oddity in the writing world. I've always written for myself while being almost resistant to getting published.

    So! There's my fumbling introduction. Out of curiosity is there anyone else who has had this 'MINE!' attitude about their writing?

    Terii
     
  2. Cogito

    Cogito Former Mod, Retired Supporter Contributor

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    Hello Terii, 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!
     
  3. Melzaar the Almighty

    Melzaar the Almighty Contributor Contributor

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    Hellooo and welcome! :D

    Writing for yourself can produce some of the best stuff - it's when you start pandering to a market that you shed integrity points, and writing points. Perhaps your way is a right way? I've pretty much grown up sharing writing online, and I think it's helped me improve a lot - but as I was with a tight community I do feel that if they were influencing me, it was as friends, not as a potential market or something. And only occasionally I wrote with them in mind - I write what I want to read, and nothing else. :p Just that at the end of the day, I'd love others to know how I feel about my stories too. :D
     
  4. Eunoia

    Eunoia Contributor Contributor

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    There's nothing wrong with just writing for yourself. I would like to be published, but I don't write because of that. I write because I need to, for myself.
    And welcome. :)
     
  5. xocia

    xocia New Member

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    Melzaar! Thank you! Those few little words helped loosen the knot in my belly somewhat. It was probably put there by all the 'We write for the cash! Why else would we suffer for our craft?' I've been reading the past couple days. You mean the pure love of crafting whole worlds with their own people and cultures can't be enough?

    I've always felt that making money from it would only be gravy on the perfectly cooked steak and potatoes. It doesn't really need it, but still might be nice!

    People have seen my writing, but not my books. I spent many, many years on MUSHs (Multi-User Shared Hallucinations). For those who have never heard of them, you essentially write a single character's part in a very organic and on-going story in response to events and actions of other players' characters. Makes you think on your feet!

    Terii
     
  6. Lothgar

    Lothgar New Member

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    Greetings and welcome to the forums :)
     
  7. Naiyn

    Naiyn New Member

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    Welcome, xocia. I too, write for myself. Mainly because I have to due to the voices in my head. They are a strange lot, and persistent. Always demanding my attention and that I portray them appropriately on the page.
     
  8. xocia

    xocia New Member

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    Precisely! The world/series I work on most will wake me at 2 am sometimes. Nothing for it but to get out of bed and bash the scene out on the keyboard before crawling back under the covers.
     
  9. Litoralis

    Litoralis New Member

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    And a hello to you too :D :p
     
  10. Trilby

    Trilby Contributor Contributor

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    hello and welcome
     
  11. Gigi_GNR

    Gigi_GNR Guys, come on. WAFFLE-O. Contributor

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    Hope you like it here!
     

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