Hi, I'm Paul, a photojournalist from England. I've published a couple of very short stories in the creative writing section of my freelance writing site, and one story has attracted some interest, probably because it has a modern, pretty controversial theme. It also has a twist, or surprise ending, which probably helps. Apart from this I mostly write articles for a newspaper, and am just becoming interested in freelance writing here on the Web, which is why I created my website. I'd like to write more fiction, especially novels. Anyway, hopefully I can contribute something to the forum as well as get something out of it.
Hello Paul, Welcome to the Writing Forums. 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. Enjoy your stay here, and have fun!
Thanks for the welcome folks, btw Cogito I don't plan to post my own work here, that didn't occur to me. I'll be glad to take a shot at reviewing other writer's work, although I haven't done it for quite a while (I used to tutor creative writing). Anyway, I'll take a good look around the forums first, as you suggest.
Hey, Welcome. Don't mind Cogito (well, do listen to what he says). That is just a message he posts to everyone who introduces himself. Don't think that he posted this to you for a particular reason. Anyway, WELCOME!!