Howdy do! I've been looking for a good writing forum for a long time. Back in college, I was a member of a "writing critique" forum that I treasured despite it being a bit... well, a bit crap, really. I finally left after a couple of years because I got fed up with the utter refusal to, y'know, critique things. I know there are things wrong with my stories that I can't see, but actually making criticisms qualified as "being mean." I also heard a lot of, "You can't judge my ART!" More recently, I joined an email workshop group through a friend of a friend. I, my wife, and the originator of the group were the only people who posted much of anything, and it died after about a month and a half, which occasioned great sadness. So anyway! I am hopeful that I can find some people with whom to workshop and discuss and improve my writing, and eventually go from "aspiring author" to "published author," which has been my lifelong dream. (Well, from about fourth grade on; that counts as lifelong, right?)
Hello ScatterCat, Welcome to the Writing Forums. Our Review Room forums are a critique workshop. We focus more on the writing of critiques than on passively receiving them, because of the importance of that keen critic's eye to good writing. So to get good critiques, you will practice giving them first. You'll benefit all the more from the crtiques you do receive. Posting your own work should not be the very first thing you do here. It is really worthwhile 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!
