Well, I am not technically... Ah, what the hell, nobody will remember me. I am new. New, new, new. Ignore my post count. I am Chaos Octopus (or Ben, y’know, whatever.) I appeared on this site for a week or so about two years ago, never really posted anything I had written, told someone off for writing in American English and then disappeared like a semi-literate ninja. Maybe I forgot about the site, maybe I just decided I didn’t like any of you (or your ancestors, this was probably two whole years ago remember.) Back then I used to write short stories all the time, nobody even had to read them, I just enjoyed writing. Now cut to the grim, dystopian present day, in which I haven’t written anything in ages. I always have stories I want to tell, I just have not been able to put magical computer pen to magical computer paper, and then I suddenly remembered this place existed. I guess I returned here looking for an excuse to write as much as anything else, although if I could one day be an actual real published author that would be awesome, so criticism would be greatly appreciated. I hope you fellows can find it in your collective computer hearts (it’s still the future) to help me rekindle my past love of writing. If that seems like it might take a lot of effort that’s probably just because I made it sound quite dramatic. Also, be patient. I could never spel.
Welcome, Ben. Haha, I hate it when people write in American English, even if they're American. >.> Hope you stick around this time.
He was American. The problem was simply that I was, and almost certainly remain, a total, total idiot. Thanks for the welcome though people!
Welcome Ben -warning- I write American English *ducks* Just kidding Hope you like it better this time!
I didn’t just attack someone for using American spellings intentionally. I was just commenting on something like “you have spelled literally everything wrong” not knowing it was different. I just remember it because I was pretty embarrassed. Ahwell. I didn’t really attack him either. I’m just being dramatic again.
Octopus is food for me, as I'm a takoyaki fiend and (if my wallet will allow it) will have it on nigiri sushi. So I shall call you "Ben." Whatever American English is, I'm 100% guilty of using it, even though I may not even use that correctly sometimes. See you around.
Hello Ben, Welcome to the Creative 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. 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!
