I always find it a little hard to start an adequate introduction post, so I'm sorry if it seems nonsensical or such. Well...to begin with, I found this site using Google. Actually, that's an oversimplification of what really happened. The whole thing started with me idly checking out a piece of paper pertaining to the Writer's Festival; following that, I had a vague notion to look up "writing forum" in Google, and...well, here we are. I, uh, suppose you wanted something longer, but that's all. Also, I'm not usually this hesitant, but it's just the attitude I initially adopt when I step in a forum full of members that I can't help but respect; better safe than sorry, after all, and I suppose you may call it an "inferiority complex". If I contribute and don't lurk too much, I usually end up developing over time; I may turn out either very nice and emoticon-happy, or cynical and elitist, or leave altogether, and it really depends on how I react to the--"vibes"--I get as I stay in the forum. I used to write plenty of stories when I was younger (I still remember the times when I'd write silly pieces of prose in Windows 95's Creative Writer, complete with fancy border and large searing red Lucida Sans Handwriting ), but these days, aside from the all-too-rare fire of short stories and fan fiction, I delegate my literary capabilities to Argh Peeing--er, roleplaying--and critiquing the occasional story. As of late, I've been trying to get that old fire back, though I haven't made much progress. I'd like to conclude this with a question: When I read the rules, I noticed that you don't exactly condone excessive violence in writing. I know this almost sounds stupid, but what do you consider as "excessive violence"? I'm asking this because sometimes I tend to write pieces that involve this sort of thing, and while I believe in restricting elaborating the results of a shotgun blast or a flaming sword to the face, I may have different standards. (I could show one of my fanfics to clarify, but hopefully I don't need to.) Er...that was quite long. Well, um, nice to see you chaps and chapesses, and I hope to learn something here. :redface:
Hey there. I'm pretty darn new myself, too (joined five minutes ago). Thought I might welcome you anyway. Can't hurt to meet new people and make a few friends.
Hello Pooncha, Welcome to the Writing Forums. Hey, someone who actually reads the rules BEFORE posting! That's a great start. Generally, the guideline approximates a US motion picture rating of PG-13. Some bad language, mortal prtil is ok, so is sexuality if it's not too graphic. But the swearing shouldn't dominate the dialogue and narrative, leave out gratuitous torture or graphic dismemberment, no rape or incest, or explicit sex acts. 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 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!
Hey, welcome to the WF! And you set a good example for others probably without even knowing it. I didn't read the rules before I said hello. LOL Z
