Hey guys, My names Travis, I'm a student at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute working towards my B.S. in Aerospace Engineering. I've always had a passion for writing, and I'd really like to develop my technique and work on my style. Anyway, I've read a couple stories here-and-there on this site and they all seem pretty good. This should be interesting. On an aside: My PM's don't seem to be working. Or at least, if they are, my mailbox is leaveing me unaware. I've sent two messages, and I can't check either of them--that is, they do not appear in my sent folder. Just wondering if this is because I'm a new member. Well, Cheers.
Hello Travis, Welcome to the Writing Forums. There is a setting in your profile options that allows you to choose whether copies of sent messages are saved in a Sent Items folder. By default, that option is selected, so you probably cleared it accidentally. 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. 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!
Oh, believe me. My main purpose here is to develop my style of writing--a bit selfish, maybe, but I intend to do so mainly by reviewing others. I find that in critiquing the way other people write, and things that I find strange in their style, I come to better understand my style and what I see as correct and interesting. I simply have one story that I'd like reviewed. It is my first attempt at writing fiction--I have published an academic paper, and my hard drive is filled with volumes of what are certainly not stories. I simply want to see if my style is fitting for fiction, or where I should make changes if it is a bit off. Thank you for telling me about posting online and getting things published. I've been working on some other things, and if any of them gain favor in my mind, I'll think twice before posting them! I appreciate the advice. I feel welcome already
