I'm new here and just wanted to post a thread introducing myself. I've never really shared any of my writings with people outside my family, so I figured it's time to expand that circle. I'm looking forward to any feedback that will give me the skills to further develop as a writer. Again, just wanted to say "hi" and I hope to become a frequent visitor of this page. P.S. I understand the rule that I have to post at least two constructive criticisms before I can actually post any of my work, but how will I know if my reviews are actually considered "constructive criticism"? Will I be notified when I can post my own work?
Hello Patterson, Welcome to the Writing Forums. You will only be notified if your critiques are NOT sufficiently constructive, and you try to post your own work. Read the links, and put in a good effort, and there should be no problem. It isnt really that hard to meet the criteria, but you really should take the time to read about constructive critiques and the Review Room guideleines before trying to tackle the Review Room critiquing workshop. Please read How to Use the Review Room before you post there. Posting your own writing for people to comment on 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!
Hey pttrsn, Gotta be honest I struggled with the same thing! Looks like Cog has cleared it up for the both of us now though. Enjoy the Forum!
