This is my introduction... I love to write and have done it off and on all my life though unfortunately I have relied on other ways to earn a living. Back in the 1990s there was an evening class in Leeds (in Yorkshire in the glorious North of England) on how to be a stand-up-comic. I did it for several years running and learning to write jokes taught me a lot about writing - how to be succinct, how to end on a point, how to ensure words have the right impact. The course folded but I kept the skills! Years ago now I wrote one book on... statistics. Tried to put some jokes in it but the editor soon got rid of them. Anyway, I thought perhaps this writing forum might be helpful. Virginia Slim
Welcome, Virgina! I hope you find this forum interesting. I for sure did, though I'm really not that active. And I'm really glad you have gotten into writing, though I never thought of writing jokes. It's great, because you now don't have to worry about incorporating them into your writing. Anyways, hope you enjoy here
Hello Virginia, Welcome to the Writing Forums. 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!
