I never actually use the phrase but it sounds better than 'Hi'. My name is my own little secret, but I go by El on forums. I've been writing for quite a few years now, and thanks to Law and Order SVU (hence El... Eliot Stabler ) I'm now a die hard fan and want to stretch my writing fingers to the world of crime. Unfortunately for me, I understand that T.V is very vaguely based on fact and if I go on what T.V portrays, I've failed before I've even begun. So, I come to you with a million questions. Hope to see you all around, El
Thanks! I used to change it regularly but this one just kinda stuck. So how do you like the place so far?
Hello El, Welcome to the Writing Forums. That's a lot of questions. But the more questions, the better! Posting your own work should not be the very first thing you do here. It is really worthwhile 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!
It's turning out to be pretty nice, Rumpole. And Cogito, as Super Moderator it's probably common to throw the rules at new members, but a "Hello, how are you?" would've been a bit more personal Not that I don't appreciate all the linkage. I actually tend to sway more towards the Help Boards rather than Post&Review. I barely have time for writing these days and as sad as it is, less for reading (you could guess how much time I have to critique =/). Either way, things look good so far. Yay. El
Well, a lot of what I said wasn't rules, But I did welcome you, and I did comment on the million questions. I do read every intro post, and respond as I am able depending on what is in the intro. Naturally, I do what I can to immediately address the most common false start - people posting in the most intensive area of the site before they have any idea what it is about or why the rules are in place. Unfortunately, too often there is no "soon enough" opportunity to make the point. So please don't feel snubbed. Even if most of the post is a template, the greetings are warm and sincere.
Lol, I'm sorry Cogito, I didn't mean it as an accusation, just an observation and unreadable sarcasm. I'm not too good at jokes when I get to put emphasis on the parts that are supposed to be funny, so typing them out usually goes worse. Any how... Hi Garmar El
