Just a little about me-- I'm a freelance writer. Sounds great to be writing for a living, but it gets annoying when I have to write articles for clients about things that I don't care about. Last week, I had to write 3 web content articles on diabetes, 6 on wheelchairs, and 3 articles about how to build a doghouse. Those are just a few examples. For fun, I write erotica, poetry, and my own pet project, ptsdcentral.com. I'm trying to find a balance between the writing I do for clients and my own writing. I'd like to write an ebook soon, and I figure NaNoWriMo will help me get a good start on that (if I can decide on a storyline). I'm also an artist. I'm in art school and I participate in local art shows. I look forward to checking out this forum and offering mutual encouragement and feedback. -Sheila
Welcome, Amadeus. I like your "name"/alias. And yes, I hope you enjoy your stay in the "asylum", as Rumpole puts it.
Hello Sheila, Welcome to the Writing Forums. Please note that we have strict rules against advertising, including contest promotion. Posting your own work 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 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!
Oh, does that mean I can't have links to my blogs in my signature? I don't run any contests. My blogs aren't advertising contests, just collections of information on contests. No big deal if you don't want those links in my signature. I just want to make it clear that I am not advertising any particular contests, only providing a reference.
