Felicitations from the Frozen North! As a refugee from political posting, I am looking for opportunities to read and review some fresh material and managed to find my way here. Could someone please point me in the direction of our modern day Prousts posting here before making a marquee name for themselves?
Hello Mr. M, Welcome to the Writing Forums. No relation to the mysterious head of MI6, I presume... Posting your own work should not be the very first thing you do here. It is really worthwhile 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 reviewing as a critical 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!
lol... Sadly, no. And no relation to Peter Lorre in Lang's 1931 movie either... I "lurked" a bit before signing up and spent a few profitable minutes in the "Reviewing" section early on, C. You will certainly see more reviewing than submissions for the time being. My only reluctance in reviewing is the temerity of a forum debutante taking the liberty of reviewing established talent, a reluctance I'm sure I'll overcome by easing into the pool. I appreciate the suggestions, a little social lubricant in the corners of the forum might be just the thing to get the ball rolling. Though I have spent no small amount of time in the Thunderdome of vicious partisan politics, there is a civil side to me. I'll make sure to put it front and center; it is, in fact, one of my reasons for branching out a bit. Talented reviewing is every bit as valuable a skill as actual writing and not merely opinion dressed up for dust jacket diatribes. I believe it was Northrop Frye who opined that criticism is a structure of thought and knowledge in its own right. While I don't aspire to his lofty and magisterial standards, it provides a stretch goal nonetheless. I have read several of your "stickies" on the subject and will certainly use those as guidelines. I have not made it through that section just yet. I expect it will provide engrossing reading and want to set aside several unencumbered hours to give it the attention it undoubtedly deserves. I have already enjoyed the time I've spent absorbing some of the material here, and look forward to more of the same. I do appreciate the time you have taken to show someone new the ropes; it speaks well of both you and the forum. Cheers!
