Just another young, aspiring writer, but I've skimmed some of the forums, and this looks to be a good place to spend some down time when I'm not writing (translation: procrastinate). There seem to be some interesting and helpful people here, and I'm looking forward to it. In the interest of full disclosure, I'm also here to advertise my new blog, which showcases my own writing; short fiction, poetry, essays, etc. That said, I won't be an obnoxious marketer all the time. Like, I won't mention that MY BLOG'S LINK IS IN MY SIGNATURE or anything like that. And I won't talk up specific points, like how I post regularly and in various genres, and that some pieces are funny, some are dark, some are pretty, some are not, so there's really something for everybody and YOU'RE PRETTY MUCH GUARANTEED TO LOVE IT, RIGHT THERE IN MY SIG. No sir; none of that. But honestly, I do look forward to contributing to the forums. Seems like a very decent and healthy community of people who share my passion. I love writing, and I love sharing it, and I love reading the work of others. So I couldn't be happier to find a place filled with kindred spirits. Makes me happy to know I'm not the only one out there with no money, no recognition, but a hell of a lot of drive. Greetings to all.
Hello Whiskey Soldier, Welcome to the Writing Forums. The (noncommercial) personal blog link is acceptable, as long as that is the extent of your promotion of it. We do have a rigorously enforced policy against advertising. 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!
Much obliged, everyone. And no worries, Cogito. If it wasn't already clear how firmly my tongue was in my cheek, rest assured that the link in the signature will be the full extent of my shameless promotion.
Well done, but since I have both Scottish and Irish blood in me, my loyalties were split, sadly. I had to pick one spelling or the other.
