Hey. Just in case my username didn't give it away, I am OpposableThumbsBoy, (which, funnily enough, is also my preferred appellation). I consider myself an artist—mostly digital art, graphic design, and photography, not including my class doodles. I also consider myself fairly musical—I really enjoy music (if you ask me about it, I'd be more than happy to discuss it with you) and I can play an instrument or two myself. Anyway, I figured that it'd be a good idea to complete the trifecta—artist, musician, writer. So...I came here. Well, that's not exactly true. As a small child, I used to enjoy writing a lot of fiction, just for fun. But somewhere along the way, this tendency and I parted ways (perhaps I took a wrong left turn somewhere?). Now, however, I am trying to rekindle this love of the written word in myself. Thus, my arrival. You've probably figured out by now that I don't really have much to say (ever), so here's what I'm really trying to say: Hi. P.S. As I said, I'm not really a writer, so please be gentle with your criticism. That said, I am looking to improve, so I think I can take it. And I know about the whole "review before you post" policy, so I guess I'm off to do that now.
Hello OTB, Welcome to the Writing Forums. Actually, it's constructive critique that is required. Review is pretty easily misinterpreted. But posting your own work should still 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!
Alright — thanks, Cogito! I know I'm special when you edit your standard new member spiel for me! In all seriousness, thanks for the pointers. I've already started browsing around the boards looking for interesting topics to leave my mark on. And yes, I meant constructive critique, not review. And I understand that posting your own work isn't necessarily the purpose of this site, and the fact that just posting two constructive critiques before going off to do your own thing is, while perhaps allowed under the rules (although I'll have to check up that one), is still not following the spirit of the rule, which is ultimately more important. Besides, I think I'm too shy about posting my written work until I've "proved myself" as a valuable member (or at least semi-competent ) around here. So...thanks again, Mr. Cogito!
