Hi all. Thought Ide quickly introduce myself. Im Ann, a 43 year old mum who has 3 daughters of 21, 19 and 15, and a beautiful baby boy of 9 months (yes he was a suprise!!). I would describe myself as a frustrated writer who hopes that joining this site will give me the inspiration and encouragement to get scribbling again. Ive done numerous creative writing and short story courses and am currently considering signing up for a distance learning course in freelance journalism. I know if I dont take my writing seriously and give it a good go then I will forever regret it, and being at home fulltime now I feel it is the ideal time to get my creative juices flowing again. Anyway, wont keep you any longer . . . look forward to 'meeting' you all soon. Ann.x
Hello Ann, Welcome to the Writing Forums. Any time is a good time to "get serious" about writing. I consider myself to be ramping up still, and I started just before my 54th birthhay, as I was finally finishing with college. I had gotten accustomed to spending time on papers, so I chose to make use of that momentum. 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. 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). 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!
welcome, ann! btw, i had 5 in less than 5 years, then my last 2 of the final 7 some years later, the last born when i was pushing 40, so can empathize with you completely! drop me a line if you ever need a sympathetic ear/shoulder, or just want to chat... or need help with the writing... love and hugs, maia
Namaste Ann....WF main aapka swagat hai...aasha karti hun aapka safar sukhad rahega! (Hey, Welcome to WF, hope your stay here will be pleasant.)
