I just want to say hello and introduce myself. The past two days or so I have been browsing these forums. For some reason I have had the urge for the past three years to write a novel. However, I would not consider myself a writer at all. I am psychology major and I have had little writing courses. My writing skills need a lot of work, but I am enthusiastic to write a novel. The idea of creating a world and characters of my choosing excites me. I would like to write a fiction novel, but I am not sure what genre at the moment. Any helpful tips or advice would be very appreciated!
Welcome! If you are unsure what to do, I would recommend doing a fair deal of critiques in the review room; it will help you develop the mechanical skills needed to write.
Hey! Welcome! See this is a major misconception that people have. You DONT need to be an English major to be able to write. As for writing classes, there are other ways to substitute for that. First read as many books as you can from as many genres and writing styles as possible. If you're into descriptive writing, I'd suggest Ernest Hemingway, if you want to know how to develop characters and details try Tolkien, for satire and humour, try Douglas Adams' Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (and it adds up for the Sci-Fi genre too). Then I'd recommend you to read Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Salman Rushdie to see how writers tackle magic realism etc. What I'm trying to say is that you need to read a lot to both expand your vocabulary as well as get an idea of how to write - the kind of tips and tricks you see some of these well published writers use. Next like Lord Kyle said if you review someone's work you learn a lot from that person's mistakes. Then, write something yourself and let someone review it (someone you are sure would not give you a review like, "Wow great story!" rather a very detailed review pointing out areas of improvement) and learn from it. I hope you'll be able to write that novel you desire to! And you'll enjoy your stay here!
Welcome to the forum! I guess, most of us feel the urge to write. So, you are definitely with the right company...;-) I have a few ideas for novels, but I am also not bound to any specific genre. I like to read newspapers and I get a lot of ideas from there. The story line of my first novel, which I started a little over a year ago, was strikingly confirmed by current events in Northern Ireland. My next work will be about immigration, still a hot topic here in the US - and I am an immigrant myself. I remember another entry somewhere here in the forum: Write about what you know, what you are familiar with and write with passion and dedication. Anyways, just do it and have fun! Writing is an adventure! Wilfried Voss http://www.frogenyozurt.com
Hello USCSux, Welcome to the Writing Forums. Majors are what you select for career earning prospects. They may have little to do with your interests and creative strengths. I majored, at different times, in Mathematics, Chemistry, Electrical Engineering, and Information Systems. Although those have all contributed to my job history, so has my ability to write clearly, even though as yet I have never earned more than $25 specifically from writing (and that was a short article in a tech magazine, years ago). 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 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). 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!
