I am tired. Life has taken so many turns, but I am still drawn to writing. I have always wanted to write. I even garnered somdecent e attention through humor columns and freelance journalism in my 20's. I also had many options to move forward ft journalist, masters thesis that oud have been a play, butwe don't always end up where we want do we? We all have regrets when it comes to writing. I think that is the most important part of it. There does come a day though where you realize you aren't the center of attention, and that shouldn't be your main objective in life. I work in a library now- pay is low, but I can take classes for free. At age 39 I have decided to do two things: Join a forum to meet other writers, and to pursue a degree in Creative writing. I start this fall. I'm excited and fighting off all of the voices that have slowed me in the past (study Science, become a math teacher, computer programmer) this time I move forward. I am writing, reading, and working hard towards the goal of being a published creative author.
Hello John Paul, 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!
