Hi everyone. Just joined and my name is Matt. Am stuck in a bit of a rut after ending up in 'limbo' following a hectic decade. Am contemplating writing about the events of the last ten or so years, but to be honest I have no idea how or where to start! I guess I am not the first person to ask this, or be stuck like this! How did you guys first get over this? I think I have a fairly interesting story to tell. I spent many years as a police officer in the UK later becoming a member of one of the specialist divisions rather than filling out endless amounts of paperwork. After a fairly major incident I was unceremoniously told to leave the job, with immediate effect!! And so began my journey! At times it was terrifying, shocking & dark. I went from a world of unemployment, disgrace & depression into an unexpected world of sinister events, strange meetings, unbelievable jobs and, more than once, near death experiences, and then as quickly as it all started, it stopped... Without any explanation, everything stopped and I was a nobody again. Now all I have is time, my story to tell and perhaps more than just a little bit of a grudge!
Hello Matt, Welcome to the Writing Forums. It does sound like you've been through the wringer. Posting your own work should not be among the very first things you do here. 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!
welcome to the forums! a word of advice... don't write that book while still in grudge-mode... it will affect the writing negatively, as you'll be more angry than careful about what you write... and you can easily make it impossible to publish, if you malign any real folks in the doing... first thing you need to do in such a situation is to consult a literary attorney [barrister/solicitor/whatever] to find out what you can afford to tell and what you shouldn't, if you don't want to be sued for all you'll ever own/earn [or worse!]... i speak from experience, since the first novel i wrote featured myself as the protagonist, my not-yet-ex-husband as the villain and some former lovers blended into the hero of the piece... but i was able to 'step back' and be less participant and more professional writer, plus make it fictional enough so it would have been 'safe' enough to publish... your story may not be publishable as a memoir, due to the obvious legal probs regarding real participants, but sounds like it could make for a rousing novel... think on it... and don't rush headlong into a disaster of your own making... love and hugs, maia
Seems to me you might use your 'cooling down' period to read the particular genre you're interested in. You might try reading some of Ken Bruen's 'Jack Taylor' novels, or Lawrence Block's 'Scudder' series, both about an ex-cop using his talents as a P.I. Good luck with it.
Hey Matt Collins! Welcome to the WF! No worry's my friend, your problems will be resolved (Obviously soon) Nice to meet you - Jack
