Hi, I'm new here. I've been looking for a place like this for quite some. Looks very good. I'm an editor on a newspaper and I've had nine short stories published. I've also written four novels and a novella, all of which I'm trying to sell. I like to give feedback to the work of others, and just generally revel in the creative process. I look forward to doing so here.
Welcome to the forum. Please read the forum rules, especially as they relate to posting work for critique. Trying to see 4 novels and a novella, all at the same time? That must keep you busy. Self-pubbed or traditional?
I'm trying to sell them the traditional away, through agents, publishing houses, etc., but it is tedious and time-consuming. I have submitted the novella to Kindle Singles. I and others are looking into Internet-based self-publishing. I have no mentality for business, so even considering this stuff makes my head explode. I just want to sit in a a room and write. Thanks for your welcome.
I've written four novels and tried to get two of them published. Both times got as far as a request for a full before hitting the wall (although in the case of the first one, I think they were just being nice). But I know how draining each one was by itself, so four? Yowza! Best of luck. And of you search the forum, you'll come across lots of self-pub v traditional discussions.
Thanks, I'll check that out. Self-publishing now, with the Internet, seems different from the old Vanity Press model, but it's unclear to me exactly how it works, so I still need to do research. It is a problem. The business end of publishing, whether self-publishing or engaging an agent or publisher, seems possibly even more time-consuming than writing itself, which is a problem. The first time I tried to interest an agent in my first (still unpublished) novel, I was told that they loved it. "We couldn't stop laughing" as they read it, I was told. Great, I said. So you'll agent the work for me? "Oh, no, this way too 'out there' for the conservative American reading public." So it goes.
Hello David, Welcome to the Creative Writing Forums. Please read How to Use the Writing Workshop before you try to post there. Posting your own writing for people to comment on should not be among the very first things you do here anyway. 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 Writing Prompts, 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 site 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. We also impose a two-week waiting period before you may post writing for critique, to give you time to become familiar with what is expected and how the site operates. 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!
