Hi, I've just joined and wanted to introduce myself. For as long as I can remember, I've wanted to be an author and from time to time I have sat in my room typing away on my laptop but never really taken it anywhere. I have recently sat down and planned a novel properly (rather than simply writing random passages and lines that pop in to my head as usual!) and I am determined to follow it through to the end and, eventually, send it off to publishers...I don't anticipate that it's going to be an instant best-seller but I figure that I'm not going to become an author by not writing! Anyway, I want to say hello to everybody and introduce myself. I am currently working as an office manager and I am unpublished but I hope to change all that! I have always wanted to be an author and, although I have tended to write down bits and bobs that have popped in to my head from time to time, I have never really stuck to it and written a complete novel. I sat down last night and I wrote myself a plan for a novel and have started writing my first draft (only 500 words so far but it's a start!) and I really am determined to stick it out and complete it. I know that it's unlikely to be a number one best-seller as it's my first novel but it's my first step towards my dream! Nice to meet you all!
Congrats - just keep writing don't worry about quality to start with get your story out You can edit, change, tweak, add and delete later Welcome to the forum.
Hello back!!! It's good to have support, and more, accountability! Kudos for getting started!!! That does seem to be the most difficult part. ~Sassy
you may want to ask a mod to move this up to the introduction section, where it belongs... meanwhile, welcome!
Hello, and good luck. I strongly suggest you join a writers group. I wouldn't have published a book now, if it weren't for mine. Peer review is invaluable!
Hello Fay, Welcome to the Writing Forums. Please read How to Use the Writing Workshop 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 Writing Workshop, 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 Writing Workshop, 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 Writing Workshop 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 Writing Workshop 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!
