Hi, I've long harboured a desire to become a writer and I realised I had better get writing to accomplish this. I enjoy reading everything, from the back of shampoo bottles all the way through to Hesse. I will primarily submit poetry but with the occasional chapter or paragraph of fiction depending on my mood/belief in my work. I look forward very much to reading others' submissions and hope that my view may be of use. dice PS. I'm Scottish so I expect to write in British English with a wee bit of spicy Scots dialogue. My spell checker is already giving me hassle!
Hello Dice, Welcome to the Writing Forums. 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 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). 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!
Hi Dice, welcome. I write poetry as well (sometimes!). Hope to see some of your work about soon. Whereabouts are you in Scotland?
Thanks for the welcome. Sorry for the delay in replying. I've been reading others' work on the site. It's daunting offering critique as I tend to have a lot to say about every piece! I don't read any genre specifically but I do enjoy more classic literature. Herman Hesse, as I mentioned, is a favourite. Anything which creates a real sense of place and character is what I'm after. I will try to do this in my work too. dice edit: I'm actually in Brighton on the south coast. The English say a Scotsman improves when they come to England. It's certainly sunnier here.
