Hello all I'm not very good with introductions so I apologize if it sounds too formal. I'm a very boring 26 year old who currently resides in Los Angeles I'm more of a reader than a writer although I used to write when I was younger and really enjoyed it so I decided I might try my hand at it again. I don't have any literary aspirations but I hope that my terrible writing improves with practice and critiques. I have read some short stories on here and am definitely outclassed and extremely scared and excited to get started.
Hey tulip83! Welcome to the WF! Thats ok... I was also never 'good' with intro's. But yours was very good! As time moves on, you will eventually improve. It just takes time and practice. (and your writing isn't terrible) Nice to meet you! - Jack
Hello Tulip, Welcome to the Writing Forums. Don't start out discouraged. Everyone has his or her own style, but it develops from lots of writing, and lots of revising. But posting your own work 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. 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 reviewing as a critical 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). 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!
Jack's right - your intro was fine. And while I might be the oldest on this site (54) - I'm not intimidated by the young pros - and at 26 - you are still very, very young. Enjoy. Look forward to seeing some writing - and you might want to start at the Word Games (easy and quick) - but quickly move to reviewing some work. The feedback on the site is very constructive - and each person has their own style of "how" to feedback - so no worries about feedback technique and such. Although if you would like some structure help to get started the moderators have excellent advice on suggestions for feedback. Have fun, Tulip83.
Thank you Thank you for the advice and encouragement! I will definitely be doing some reading and reviewing here before trying to post anything. I was a little unsure of where to start on here so your suggestions on where to begin are greatly appreciated. I hope you all have a lovely day. Tulip
