Hello! :] I noticed this site a while ago, but didn't think to register. But after sneaking around for a while have decided to join. I won't be posting any of my work here, but am rather here to give comments and to join in with discussion with people more open-minded than those I've grown up around. I am member of other writing forums, but the majority of them are made up of the same regulars. So I've come here to try and find a new community to get involved with for a little more variety. So, an introduction. Yikes. Well, I'm Tina, or Yoshiko. I'm seventeen, located somewhere in Europe with my beloved laptop and a cup of tea. Aiming to be an English (language, not literature) teacher, and with the more personal goal to be published by the time I hit thirty. But while I'm still a student, I make use of my free time by going to the gym and socialising. My preferred genres include romance, realism and psychological thriller. I prefer to both read and write subjects that would make most squirm in everyday-conversation, and think that engaging reader emotion is one of the most important aspects in writing. So I don't quite grasp the thrill in comedy, unless we're talking films. But fantasy completely goes over my head. Unless I can imagine it happening in the real world it fails to enthuse me.
Hello Tina, Welcome to the Writing Forums. Your tiny font choice is giving me eyestrain... Posting your own work 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. 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). 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 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!
