I've been meaning to join a writing forum for some time now; however, lack of time has prevented me from doing so. I've recently realized that lack of time has also interfered with the prolificness in which I both read and write, and so I've been trying to force myself back into the habit. I'm hoping that this forum will enable me to not only hone on my talents as a writer, but also to learn from and enjoy the works of others. I am 22 and completing my bachelor degree in biology. I've recently been accepted to pharmacy school, and will pursue that past my undergraduate work. I chose this field because I knew it to be moderately lucrative and something I could at least manage, even if I wasn't particularly good at science. English is my passion, and it pained me to not pursue it in college. I took as many English classes as I could my freshman year, and I miss that sort of intellectual stimulation in a way that I can't express! My writing has undoubtedly suffered from exposing my mind to the rigid lines of science. I hope to make up for that by talking with English-minded individuals on this forum! Writing is something that I am both fond of and moderately good at. I most often write through journaling, and have composed some pretty admirable excerpts through doing so. Ultimately, I would like to strengthen myself as a narrative writer. While I think I have the ability to write well enough, I unfortunately do not practice writing narratives nearly enough as I should. As a result, I am at a loss for as to how to even begin developing a story beyond coming up with the basic elements of one. I also hope to develop my skills as a writer of both prose and poetry. I adore reading poetry, and believe I have a pretty subjective eye when it comes to critiquing poems, but I am not impressed with the poems I myself have written. I'm not bad at manipulating words, employing metaphors and other literary devices, and I have a decent vocabulary. Unfortunately, I have a terrible time at mastering meter and will end up ruining a poem because I'm so focused on fitting in the constraints of specific forms. I'm hoping the talent of others in this area will rub off on me! It's nice to meet everyone!
Hello, nice to meet you too! You're a member for twelve minutes longer than I am, so it's probably not really appropriate, but welcome anyway! ^^
Haha, so you might say that I am quite the senior member. Well cheers to us newbies and hopes that we soon become established! What sort of writing are you into?
Yes, you're almost as senior as it gets! I would even say nearly as senior as Jayyy1014. I like fantasy literature and literary nonsense (which I also attempt to write) a lot. What are you into then?
Hello Cassie, 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!
