Hello everyone! After having joined the forum and reading other people's introductions, I asked myself what am I even doing here? I don't have much experience in writing, though I used to write poems in my native language during my teenage years. I don't even recall whether they were any good, because I couldn't care less, I just wanted to get my overwhelming feelings out. Now I want to write stories. To make it even harder, I want to write them in english. I have no intentions of getting published or even trying to submit my work anywhere in the writing world, primarily I want to write for myself. And here is why... I have an anxiety disorder (and I work at a psychiatric medical centre - yes, what an irony). Reading helps a lot, it weakens some very loud thoughts in my head. A while back I realised I liked creating my own characters, making them suffer, torturing them. It takes my mind off of real life problems like no antidepressant ever will. The only problem is, I am awful at it. I lack creativity. English is a foreign language I basically learned through reading books and watching films. I have an analytical mind and writing isn't something you can measure with logic, as it seems. Long story short, I want to get better. But is anyone cut out for it? Anyway, have a great day, you talented people!
Hello, WinterSoldier! As one of the forum's moderators, I'd like to personally welcome you to the forum. I think you have already realised one of the best things about writing. It can certainly be theraputic, especially if you use your characters to act out issues that are important to you in some way. You CAN torture them, of course, but sometimes it's more cathartic to put them in situations you've encountered yourself, and then change what happens to them. I don't mean you write a 'happy ever after' story, but just change your own reality. For instance—just as a simple example—what if you had an abusive mother? Instead of writing a character who also has an abusive mother—which would encourage you to re-live an unchangeable past to no real purpose—why not create a character who has the kind of mother you wish you'd had instead? In other words, give your character—who can be 'you' in many other ways—a different start in life. Of course any story must contain problems that aren't easily overcome. Otherwise, the story will be boring—and possibly preachy as well. But if you give your character a different start from what you had, it's fun to see how 'they' handle serious problems. Would they do things differently from you? Sometimes that change of perspective can be incredibly enlightening. (I've done this myself in my own novel, and the results were surprising AND cathartic.) I must say, I don't know what your native language is, but your English is excellent, judging by the content of your post. But you aren't confident about doing creative writing in English? You say you have no interest in publication, and you are only writing for yourself, so why not make it easier for yourself, and write stories in your native language? That way you'll only be struggling with one problem at a time. If nobody is going to see what you write but yourself, it might be a good way to get started. Use the language you're most comfortable with? If you don't write in English we won't be able to offer specific feedback on your work here on the forum, but if you don't plan to show it to anyone anyway, that shouldn't be a problem. Basic storytelling tools will be the same in any language, so we can certainly help you focus on what the story should contain, how to make things happen for the reader, etc. You may well surprise yourself. And if your stories do turn out 'well,' and you decide you'd like the English-speaking world to read them, there is no reason why you couldn't translate them. Just thinking out of the box here.... Anyway—my thoughts aside—while you're getting to know us, why not take a look at the following links. The first one, New Member Quick Start is written expressly for new members, and contains useful information. Here are our general forum rules, which you should also become familiar with. Forum Rules And here are another couple of links some members find helpful. The FAQ section contains a map of links to all areas of the forum, many of which are hidden behind the menu tabs. And the other is a well-written article on how to give constructive critiques to other members' work, if you ever feel so inclined. https://www.writingforums.org/faq/ https://www.writingforums.org/threads/constructive-critiques.20627/ Anyway, take your time to get to know us, and let us get to know you. Don't hesitate to participate in any of the discussions that interest you, or to critique any pieces that catch your eye in the Workshop area. If you encounter any problems, feel free to 'start a conversation' with me, and I will do my best to help. Just click on my glass owl avatar, then click on 'start a conversation,' and go from there. See you around the threads. Have fun! And I hope the forum provides the support you are looking for. Cheers, Jan
Hello Welcome to the right Forum for you. We are most likely all here learning, OK some may be so amazing they won't need to learn anything . Hello WinterSoldier103 I would be happy to be on board. Its all an experience whichever way you think of it.
I want to take that, but first I need to find a new apartment which lets me have one of those companions. Right now I am renting a very expensive half of a room, but that horrible story is another topic. I want out of here. Not the forums but the place I live in. I deal with anxiety and mental health issues. I have ADD with OCD and Bipolar for the fun of it. I want to write the perfect book but my ADD gives me focusing issues. (Not only that but where I live is so annoying but that is another topic for another topic or day.) I do not deal with just depression but I get manic at times too, which is why I think I have bipolar. Some think I have a schizoaffective disorder, but I do not hear voices or have any delusions other than delusions of grander. Anyway even if you write for yourself only or for publication, it needs to be written down first. Why do you want to write in English when that is not your first language? I guess that would be like me writing in Spanish but I do not speak or write Spanish fluently. Well I do not write English fluently and I know because of spell check is on this computer. Even if it is written to be published, it needs to be written for yourself first. If you enjoy writing it, someone might enjoy reading it.
1. I'm autistic. (Asperger's syndrome.) This forum is full of nontypical folks. It makes being here easier. 2. You was creative when you was a kid. You can get it back iff you want to, but usually it's a slow process. Methods to make it faster are not publicly available - yet. It might take long time before they are. 3. That means that you watch movies undubbed. As a Finn I'm immediately interested... Are you from some part of Fennoscandia? (Fennoscandia = Scandinavia + Finland.) 4. Analytical does not mean same as logical. It contains only less from 50% of logical thinking. Analytical thinking splits things to parts and studies parts. It's the opposite of thinking big picture. Analytical mind can be a big obstacle to creative thinking - especially if one thinks that analytical thinking is almost the same thing as intelligent thinking. (It rarely is.) 5. Scott Adams, Lawrence Block, Dale Carnegie, David Corbett, Lisa Cron, Carol Dweck, Eric Edson, Richard Feynman, Syd Field, Natalie Goldberg, Michael Hauge, Aki Hintsa, Stephen King, Adair Lara, Annie LaMott, Jordan Peterson, Terry Pratchett, Linda Seger, Dani Shapiro, Blake Snyder, John Truby, Nassim Taleb, Christopher Vogler, William Zinsser... ...have written books about writing, thinking and organising them. Those can be a big help. And video lectures. You can start from Brandon Sanderson if you want to. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLH3mK1NZn9QqOSj3ObrP3xL8tEJQ12-vL
