Heej everyone, Guess I'd use this part of the forum for the reason it has been brought into existence. My name is Erik, and I'd am a beginning writer. 19 years old atm, and from the Netherlands, which explains my lack of knowledge of the beautiful language we call English. Though I write and read English most of the time, as it is indeed a lot prettier than Dutch (at least, to me). Actually I registered here in order to read what you have written. Like I said, I just started writing, and never really have paid proper attention to how a book is written. I used to be / am a composer of new age orchestra music, but that won't be of much help here. Anyway, nice to meet you all, and I'm eager to learn from you all! I hope writing stays as soothing to the mind as it is now in the early days. All the best, Erik
Hello Erik! Welcome to you. Hmmm...Writing is still my comfort today as it ever was before. Enjoy your time here, there's some great people to share with. Chimmy Bear
Hello Erik, Welcome to the Writing Forums. Posting your own work should not be among the very first things you do here anyway. 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 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!
Well, if you like to read peoples' work, why not pay them back by posting a constructive review? Check the guide that Cogito provided, and these people are sure to pay you back with the same generosity.
