I hate writing intro posts on forums... Anyway, I'm an aspiring author living in the boondocks of Eastern Kentucky in the United States (yes, we have both shoes and teeth). There's not too many people that are passionate about writing around here: there's a small writing group at my high school, but we only meet about once a month, and then I have my best friend who is also a writer, but to be honest he's just as inexperienced as I am, haha. In short, I don't have too many opportunities for feedback, so here I am. I'm one of those who always starts with this grand idea for a novel, but then run out of steam about 100 pages in. I've never had much luck with short stories, mainly because they end up long enough to be novellas by the end. I had a stint of writing nothing but fantasy when I was younger, but now I've moved away from that and started focusing on more realistic fiction. The project I've got going right now is mostly romance, with a few elements of thriller thrown in. Aside from writing, I draw and play video games. I also have a big black poodle that I love to death. At school I'm on the quizbowl team, which for me basically entails having to learn every classic work ever written from the Epic of Gilgamesh up to the most recent Nobels and Pulitzers. It's fun times. And that's all there is to say about little ol' me. Now that I've bored you to tears, hope to see you around. ^^
Hello Emilie, Welcome to the Writing Forums. Shoes AND teeth? And indoor plumbing I suppose? How will the stereotypes survive? 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!
