For the past ten years I have written an average of a million words a year, and none of them have truly been my own. Websites, project proposals, white papers, business correspondence, instruction manuals, newsletters, software help files, FAQs, Master’s theses, tender specifications, medical journal articles, commercial brochures, contracts, text and labels for everything from museums to spas to campgrounds and even public toilets, grant requests, press releases, even speeches by CEOs of major international corporations and leaders of nations… “Not your own?” you ask. Indeed, I’m a translator. I have had the itch to write something creative for, well, forever. Every time I start, though, I realize there are so many aspects of creative writing I know so little about. That has led me to writingforums, where I have been lurking for the past week. Reading the reviews and instructional pieces has, in a way, made it even harder to get started, in part because I am daunted by the talent on display in some of the writing and in part because the mountain in my mind seems to be rising as I am continuously confronted with new aspects (of writing fiction) I had not given much consideration to. So, here I am, standing at the water’s edge, thinking about how cold it probably is, if the bottom will be slimy and whether there are any creepy crawlies under the surface waiting to pull me down. You might have guessed that I am not really big on being pushed; a few words of encouragement might be helpful though.
Välkommen, the Cat of the Woods! Good to have you here. Here's the New Member Guide to get you started if you haven't taken a look at it yet. This forum offers plenty of advice on getting started, staying inspired, and keeping up your personal development. I suggest you get into offering critique on other people's works since that's a great way to learn about effective writing. See you around! -Kat
@Skogskatt hi there! how's the water? well, over here in the shallow end, it's pretty tepid. I hear it gets colder the deeper you get--but some people claim it gets warmer and calmer instead. the good news is, very few people ever drown! the bad news is, there's a lot of people standing on the stairs trying to decide if they want to go any further--and a lot more standing next to the stairs--so it's kinda crowded there. come on in and splash around a bit! you can always get out if you decide you'd rather not swim. and don't let the sunbathers who haven't so much as been splashed put you off. they may sound like they're having a great time, being snide and judgmental about the people in the pool, about their tacky bathing suits and tan lines and terrible swimming style... the truth is, we're having fun down here, and that's what's really important. nonmetaphorical, more practical advice--try writing a little for yourself. you don't have to show or share it with anyone. you can even write it and then delete it. tell yourself a little story on paper (or screen or whatever). don't worry if it seems clumsy or stiff--writing is exactly like any other skill; the more you do it, the easier it will be, and you can decide when or how much to challenge yourself. there are no judges, it's not a race or a contest. but I promise you, it really is a lot more fun in the water than there on the stairs.
A million words a year? Wow, that blew me away. I think if you want to do something creative, just give it a go. They key to becoming a good writer is to just write. That's what I've learned over the last year. I've only written 50,000 words or so over the year, but my writing has improved so much. It just takes practice. Welcome to the forum
