That is, until I had a lot of free time recently, and began to write something. I had no plan and initially intended just to make it as stupid as possible. I found a blog and wanted to comment, but needed to register. I did, and consequently had a blank blog to fill. I ended up with three entries, all made up on the spot, without any thought for an overall plot, and hit a roadblock. It is now at the point where I need to either think of a plot, or forget it. I'd rather do the former, as I'm beginning to enjoy it and can't bring myself to leave it. It is the first thing I have ever written, and I guess it would have to be classed under sci-fi. It would be great if I could get some advice on how to proceed with it, or some really critical comments on what I have already written. So far, all I have heard is along the lines of 'yeah, it's good, keep going', when what I would really be interested in, is someone slating it (constructively, of course). I've already read a few short stories that are published on this site, and look forward to reading more. I don't favour any particular genre, though I was pretty interested in the Gothic recently. Some favourite books and authors are; The Moonstone (Wilkie Collins), Brave New World, Ian McEwan (particularly Enduring Love and The Child in Time), Do Androids dream...?, Dracula and all that as said, H.G. Wells, Heller, Salinger, Bill Bryson, and obviously, The Hitchhiker's Guide and Tolkien. I was told I should introduce myself, so, I hope I've said the right amount.
Hello saulka, Welcome to the Writing Forums. Sounds like you have been bitten by the dreaded Writing Bug. Unfortunately, there is no cure. Symptoms may include insomnia, talking to oneself, and hair loss (ripped out at the roots). 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!
saulka, welcome the dark side forums! And you know what? All some of the best writers/books out there. I'm currently taking a jab at Bill Bryson's Notes From a Big Country, as I know close to nothing about the UK, and Bryson makes me chortle. Hope to see your reviews and some of your work later on.
Thank you, although I think that anything I write needs a lot of editing before I post it up here. I'm pleased to find another Final Fantasy Battle Royale type of user
I actually have only read the first volume of Battle Royale during my freshman year of college. A guy handed it to me and took my copy of 20TH CENTURY BOYS, by Naoki Urasawa. Urasawa's a technical genius. If you ever get a chance, check him out. 20th is licensed and will be coming out after Monster (another work of his) finishes its run. http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/manga.php?id=3424 BR is a little graphic for me, but not enough that I can't stomache it, lol. Same here. I haven't posted much yet. Just doing reviews and trying to improve my writing in the meanwhile.
Ah, I was only guessing about BR really. I thought the film was better than the books, although you didn't get to find out as much about the characters. I have a friend obsessed with anything Japanese, but I haven't heard of the 20th Century Boys, I'll check it out. The most usual thing unfortunately is analysing the astrology in Sailor Moon or things like Howl's Moving Castle. I hear about other things, but haven't read that many of them. I'll certainly review anything you've written. I'm in the same boat on improvement, been told that I just write too simple and straight to the point.
Actually reviewing is good exercise in writing techniques especially when you can see were other writers have made mistakes. It also helps on focusing to see how many different styles of writing each person uses. People who review are often underrated and I find some of the best talented writers come from those that review a great deal of work. Also feel free to offer a short story for the forum anthology The Captains Table On that note Welcome to the forums. ~Raven. Senior Super Moderator.
