I'm Lynn from CA, have been writing for a few years now, have been to several writing conferences trying to learn as much as possible about the craft of writing fiction. I had a couple of short stories published in anthologies, had a novel with an online publisher that went nowhere, am now convinced that the only way to truly get exposure is to sign with a major publisher whose priorities are getting their authors into bookstores. Now that I know the plan - write a fantastic book, get an agent, then sign with a top publisher - I would've thought carrying it out wouldn't be so darn difficult. But writing a fantastic book seems to be subjective: for some piddily reason, my definition of a fantastic book hasn't yet meshed with an agent's, altho I do have two partials out. Haven't received that magical phone call of acceptance yet, so back to the drawing board for the next novel. Won't say my age, altho I found some gray hairs, so it's obvious to my friends and fellow writers that I pursued my dream later in life. But remember, "Just because there's snow on the roof doesn't mean there isn't fire in the furnace." Hope to offer what knowledge I've absorbed and learn as well.
Hello Lynn, 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!
