Hey there everyone, I've been lurking for a few months now and figured it was time to get a bit communicatey and say hi! I've been writing for myself forever, but have never really shared it. One of my main goals is to write a novel (no grand ideas of being published...yet. I'd just like to finish something I start for a change!) and truly, my motivation levels have really increased since frequenting this forum. I try to write every couple of days but working full time and having two children under five usually keeps me on my toes and away from the keyboard. Plus all my notebooks tend to end up covered in drawing of lions eating space monsters, or characters from the Wiggles. Sometimes it's vegemite toast pressed between the pages (and if the toast's not in the notebook, it's usually in the VCR.) Clearly the kids share my creative DNA! The last few years of writing have specifically been cathartic pieces helping to deal with my PND and anxiety. I finally feel like I have emotionally vomited as much of that stuff as I can, and now my head and heart are in a much better place, so I'm looking forward to working on my fun creative side again. I've missed it. Thanks for reading and I'm looking forward to becoming a part of this community and (hopefully!) finally sharing my work.
Heya and welcome! I've had anxiety problems too, though didn't know about PND before googling it. Good to hear that you've gotten the upper hand over it. I've also found out that frequenting this forum helps to keep me motivated. I've been writing steadily 1k words / day since I joined this site.
Hello Shaezy, Welcome to the Creative Writing Forums. Please read How to Use the Writing Workshop before you try to post there. Posting your own writing for people to comment on should not be among the very first things you do here anyway. 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!
