I just found this site today (thanks Google!). I write mostly short stories and fanfic. This seems like a great place to provide me with the help/motivation to spur me on to actually finish writing something, for once.
It's nice to have you as a member, Caz. I hope we can help you learn to finish your stories. Be sure to read the rules, especially those about the review requirement before posting your own work.
Hello Caz, Welcome to the Writing Forums. 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!
Welcome to the forums Caz. I did the same thing before I became a member last year. Lots of false starts, but never finishing anything. I reviewed a lot of stories and the more of them I did, the easier it was to start finishing them. The advice--and rules-- of reviewing before posting your work has been the single most useful training I've received since I began trying to write. Hope to see you reviewing some stories soon!
