My name is Gus, and I have been writing for quite a while. I love short fiction and comedy. Wr1t3r 4 Lyf3 =D
That was a little 1337-speak. Yeah, welcome Gus, but make sure not to use 1337 around here, it's against the rules. But anyway can't wait to see what you've got for us!
Ah, I see, thanks for the explanation. Yes, please don't use it here, it's a writing site. Plus some of us are a bit old to be involved in some internet/textspeak versions of communication.
Hello Gus, Welcome to the Writing Forums. It's not a matter of being too old to decipher 1337. It has everything to do with a love of the English language, and a wish not to see her ravaged so casually. 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 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!
Atop this Hill This is a poem I did recently, so I hope you enjoy it =). I lay atop this rolling hill, with single parchment, ink, and quill. The moon illuminates this starry night, as I dip the quill and become eager to write. A quill foretells a prophecy, of one boy who will surely be, the brave hero that dared to think, and now his journey is determined in ink. The boy shall defeat an evil lord, with a precious, gallant, golden sword. The fatal swing will test his might, and what will happen next, is what I choose to write. As dawn brakes, the journey fades. The grass is flattened from where I laid, the prophecy has ended, because on this hill, I now only stare at a broken quill.
I'm sorry, but this is a full participation workshop, not a place to merely share your work. You are required to post at least two constructive reviews of other members' work before posting your own work for comment. A constructive review is one which is specific enough to tell the writer exactly what about the writing worked best for you, or what did not work for you. Vague, general praise does nothing to help the improve his or her writing, or to know what not to mess with. Thread locked until the reviewing requirement is met. Contact me or another moderator when you feel you have met the requirement, and point out the qualifying reviews. DO NOT create a new thread of this or another piece without verification that the requirements have been met! Note: The requirement is a minimum of two constructive reviews prior to each new piece of writing you submit. You are encouraged to post more than the minimum number of reviews; it may make a difference in the effort others are willing to put into reviewing your work.
