Hello My name is Erica, and I've been writing since I knew how to form letters with a pen...which, at 28 years old, is a really, really long time. I used to focus more on writing short stories when I was a lot younger, but once I hit my teenage years I switched to poetry, and I haven't looked back since. I still write the occasional story, and I'm currently working on a novel idea, but I find poetry to be very therapeutic, plus I'm also a songwriter so it helps me to develop my lyrics. I can't really pinpoint a specific "style" of writing that I use...I suppose it's mostly free verse, but every once in awhile a rhyme scheme will present itself to me so readily that I simply can't ignore it. For the most part, my poetry is very dark, because I use it to work through any negative emotions that I'm feeling, but I've also been known to write a silly little thing here and there, mostly to make people laugh and raise their eyebrows. I love hearing people's opinions on my works, and even though I truly feel I fail at critiquing, I do try. I hope to get to know all of you through your writings, and I look forward to becoming a part of this community. Oh...and hi Nolla! *waves*
Hey The Dreamer! Welcome to the WF! When was a lot younger I used to write short stories. Now I've switched to scriptwriting because I am in my teenage years (I guess things were just meant to be). Nice to meet you - Jack
Hello Erica, Welcome to the Writing Forums. Critiquing is an essential component of writing. When you finish a draft of your writing, solid critiquing skills allow you to go over it and find many of the things that could be improved. It's well worth it to develop the skill, and the confidence to dive into it. 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. 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!
