Hi, Here's my polite little introduction before I bombard other categories, and the masses wonder, "Where the heck did this one come from?" I'm mid-twenties and a computer technician by trade. I'm currently weaseling my way out of the industry by being a part-time RN student, soon to become full-time. My medical interest is either in NICU, midwifery, or research in juvenille diseases, and I imagine I'll have a long career doing a little of each. My fiance of three years is also taking the RN courses at the same time with a interest in clinical informatics. We have a cozy little family consisting of a 3-headed, 12-legged black furball (or, it might be three cats, we just can't seperate them long enough to tell), a ball python, my younger sister, and any animal that wanders into our backyard. I love music that is artistic thought, not just sound; books that live on long after the cover is closed; travel off the beaten path and experiencing life not shown on TV; caffeine induced late nights; the arcane hidden just below the surface; big parties to mingle and become lost, and small gatherings of friends to be found again; the ocean, not because it makes me feel small, but because it makes the world feel so big; and really damn good rum. But, of course, one of my greatest interests is writing. I enjoy crafting people and places that are entirely their own but glimmer a little of ones I have met, and the reader might have, too. And while I have a lot of sketches here and there, I have only one true love. I've dedicated an enormous amount of caffeine and sweat into countless revisions and taking the heat of a few harsh critics. Now it's at the stage where I've purchased Writer's Market and have begun thumbing through the pages thinking, "What if?" I'm sure I have many more harsh critics to meet All in all, I'm really just joining this forum because I want to be "active". I have no requests at this point: not asking for critiques, or for someone to help patch up a plot hole. But I do love reading, and I like to hope that I've learned at least a little something in the excessively long journey that maybe I can impart a little help. And, I imagine, I'll pick up some useful tips from some of the great minds I've seen here. As a side note, I'm always looking for new people to chat with on Yahoo messenger. So if you share similar interests/thoughts, I'd be interested in adding contacts. Thanks,
Hello rainy, Welcome to the Writing Forums. 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 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!
Rainy, Wishing you a smooth transition from computer tech to RN. Look around here and join in when you're ready. Terry
Welcome to the WritingForums! Hope you get everything you need and more out of this site, and enjoy being here.
