Hello there! My name is Bryan, and I'm excited to be introducing myself. I'm not entirely sure where to begin, so I'll just start out with what I'm presently the most excited about. One of my best friends and I collaborated on a YA supernatural fiction novel, and we're entering the last stage of having our friends read it before progressing to the next one of trying to find a publisher, which is probably the one I'm most nervous about. I suppose the primary reason for wanting to join this forum is to look for advice about that process; I'm sure there's a gold mine of useful information already sitting in those publication sub-forums. I'm looking forward to delving into that a bit more. I also joined on because I'd love to meet and connect with other writers. I find a lot of motivation in just listening to people talk about their craft and creative processes, and motivation is precisely what I do need sometimes when I'm feeling insecure about my abilities or procrastinating. At the moment, I would say that I'm YA-focused, but in addition to the supernatural genre, I'm also very interested in high fantasy and historical fiction (19th-century American). When I was an undergraduate student, I almost exclusive wrote historical fiction for the courses I took. As for a little bit more background: I'm originally from New York, but I live in Canada. Also, as a queer writer, I am very passionate about LGBTQ+ representation in literature. Some other interests include genealogy, travel, and, perhaps unsurprisingly, reading. I completed my MA in English literature back in October, and while I've been contemplating a PhD in Renaissance literature and working on my application, I've been spending a lot of time focusing on creative writing. Always feel free to reach out to me if you think that we might connect on any interest level.
Hey, welcome to the forum, Brylan. You sound like an impressive individual, who has already acquired an MA and is working towards a PhD. Fantastic. So you're serious about your life and serious about writing. Personally, my own preferred genre is 19th century American/Canadian historical, so we've got that in common. I just finished my first novel, and am in the process of getting it shaped for self-publication. I enjoy reading a huge variety of books (lots of nonfiction as well as fiction.) Just to ensure you have an easy passage into the forum, I would suggest you read the two links below, before you get started. Our Rules section covers our overall forum rules and practices pertaining to all members. Our New Member Start Guide is to help new members find their way in and become acquainted. I'm sure you will find many kindred spirits here, as well as many who share your LGBTQ+ orientation and desire for representation in literature. Very much looking forward to seeing you on the threads, and maybe seeing some of your work in the Workshop, once you have fulfilled the requirements for posting there. (See the New Member Start Guide.) If you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact me or one of the other forum's Moderators. Be aware that we will share these contacts with the entire Mod team (if they pertain to forum issues rather than personal ones, such as our writing preferences, etc.) That's just so we're all on the same page. But don't hesitate to make any concerns known to us. Cheers, and see you around! Forum Rules New Member Quick Start
