Hi, Well my names samantha, I'm 21 and been writing since i was about 12 years old. I'm now in the throws of writing a book I started years back, finished and lost all copies of when my mothers computer contracted a virus. I'm up to chapter 5 so far, pleased with it, but not sure its good enough. At the end of the day who is!! I live in the UK, just looking for some like minded people, and help, support in getting an agent and possibly getting published. If it doesnt work after like 1000 tries, I might contemplate self publishing, just for myself and some friends.
Hello Samamntha, Welcome to the Writing Forums. Every writer should develop good backup habits. Too much work goes into writing to risk losing it to a virus or a heardware failure. 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 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!
Why thank you for the reply! When I lost that work, you must bear in mind I was only 15 and not as computer literate as I am now. I suppose though, it was a hard learning curve, but it taught its lesson well. I will definetly take your advice and have a good poke and nosy around given half a chance.
Hello Samantha. Welcome! I was in the same boat many years ago. Back then, we didn't have computers so I used a word processor. Finished my first book. Then lost it! The experience of writing, though, was well worth it.
Hey Samantha! Welcome to the forum! You're the first ever person I've ever welcomed! Woop Woop! I'm relatively new to the forums too. Even though I joined back in 2008 I've have only just started getting involved. So I still class myself as a newbie! Have a good evening!
