Many years ago, many, when the Internet was mostly AOL and porn, AOL had great message boards and one of them was a writers' section. I posted there daily when I was working hard at becoming established. Those old forums are gone now. I've been a member of many forums since, none about writing. I've been writing, though, and even getting paid for it on occasion, through all these twenty + years. I entered my 6th decade and decided, finally, I'm ready for a novel. I left all my other forums and finally finished all my other projects, started my research and realized, there's something missing. My online community. So, here I am. And here is my first question: how do we do this nowadays? That is: Is there some freeware novel-writing software I'm going to wish in three months I'd asked about at the start? Are writers more focused on the e-book market, which is so appealing for the number of trees it saves? I'm hoping to find out what I need to know that I don't even know I don't know. In return, I bring you my own experience and encouragement and, uh, well I'm pretty sure I'll be bringing something of value, we'll have to see what it is as we go along. Hello. My name is Elle, and I'm happy to meet y'all.
Hi Elle, from what I've noticed people aren't all that fussed about e-books. This is merely a place people discuss their writing be it using a pen, a typewriter or a computer. I'm only 22 and even people my age don't really seem to use Ebooks all that often.
Welcome Elle. There are various novel writing software available, but really you just need Word or equivalent if you're using a computer. As Donal said above, I don't think people are focusing much on e-books. But it's up to you how you want to publish your writing.
Thanks, everyone. One of the improvements in these communities over the years is the international nature of the membership. It always makes me happy. I do think I will research the e-book thing a bit, I just like the idea of it, what with the icecaps melting and all. Be well, Elle
Hello Elle, Welcome to the Writing Forums. Please read How to Use the Review Room before you post there. Posting your own writing for people to comment on 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. 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 the RPG forum for improvisational fiction. Also try 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!
