Hi there, guys and gals! Stumbled upon this forum as I was brainstorming with a friend, and realized I might like even more like-minded people to potentially review my work and help me improve. I'm an 18 year old guy who just happens to love writing, it being one of the few things that really makes me feel content. What prompted this love of writing, I have no idea... As a child, I absolutely hated having to write anything remotely fictional or otherwise, and would avoid it like the plague. Somehow, that turned into a growing love for writing as I realized I actually had some measure of talent for it (although I will let you guys decide that, eventually). I'm still very much a newbie at writing though, having no illusions of being able to create a novel just yet. What keeps me going right now is writing fantasy short-stories, while trying to avoid oft-used clichés. I hope that in joining this forum, and participating in the various threads here, I'll grow to become a writer worthy of being published somewhere along the roads. Again, hello everyone!
Hi Jak, Welcome to the Writing Forums. Before you can get critique, you must first give critique. This is not just a quid pro quo, it is because improving your critiquing skills is the primary focus of the Review Room workshop. Improving your critiquing skills will improve your ability to find and fix weaknesses in your own writing. Posting your own work 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 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!
