Howdy! My name is Mike, but you can call me M.G. or whatever you feel comfortable with. I am a construction worker, 39 years old, with three kids. I don't have a lot of time to write, but I enjoy doing it. I came here looking for ways to become a better writer. Hope you all have a great day!
Hello Mike, Welcome to the Writing Forums. 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!
Thank you very much, Cogito. I have looked through the forums and already learned a lot. Great site you have here. I try to use the search before I ask questions. Just gonna lurk for a while. My schedule doesn't allow for much writing, but I may look into the contests. Really, I'm a pretty far way off from being published. Though I've been writing some thirty or so years I've just recently decided to start really honing my skills. Mainly because I could use the extra money, but also with the dream of being a professional writer one day. Don't get me wrong, I write because I have to write. While swimming in a money pool like Scrooge McDuck would be nice, I realize the odds of that ever happening because of my writing are slim. Still, cheaper than a lottery ticket . And if I'm going to do something anyway, I may as well be the best at it that I can. So that's what I'm hoping to gain from this community. Hopefully I can give back as much as I get. Best, Mike
Quick question Cogito: I had a link to my web site in my signature. While it's not visually pornographic(i.e. no pictures) , it does contain writings with sex, profanity, etc. So not sure if that is considered taboo? Just want to start off on the right foot here. Is it OK to link to my non-commercial, personal site? Thanks.
Hello, M.G. Nice to meet a fellow southerner! I was born and grew up in Georgia but moved to Ireland in my twenties. Glad to have you aboard.
Happy belated St. Patrick's Day! Would love to visit Ireland one day. I believe some of my ancestry hails from Cork County. Alabama here, native of Tennessee.
