Hey there, I am very, very, very..did I mention very new to this. I have never don any creative writing. Computer Code, yes, creative..no. But, for a number of years I have this 'story' floating around in my head. A few times I have sat down and starting outlining this and then got stuck, stopped, started, stopped. Now I am stuck again and I am hoping that by coming here I can at least finish this thing. I have no illusion that I am some great author I just have this thing that will not leave me alone until I finish it. I am going to look around here and see if I find an answer to my current issue. If I can, I hope this is the place to come for help. I have to get this thing done, or my brain will explode!!
Hello DFerg, 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!
Thanks for all the good info. I certainly will. Just to note, the thing I hope to accomplish with this is to finish it and put up a webpage for it. Then just let people read it, enjoy it or not. I am not a writer and while I am having fun with my idea. I know it is bits and pieces of things I have seen, read over the last 4 decades. I am just running into spots where I can think of what to do and hope to be able to get past those spots. Right now it is still in "outline" type of format. I have not even begun to try to kill my brain with dialog. One thing at a time.
Hey there. This place seems brimming with useful advice and discussion, so I think you'll find the help you need.
