Hello My name is Catherine and I enjoy the craft of expression very much. Wether from the tip of a pen, the stroke of a brush or the touch of a key I enjoy the art. Kids today are getting away from the arts and are no consumed with complex technical components that take them far away for the craft of writing. I seen to get serenity from writing; be it any genure. People who have read my short stories have told me to enter contests, which I have by the way and can only hope for the best. I look forward others enjoying it as well. Thanks Catherine
Hello, I agree with you on the point of young people these days straying away from the arts. My signature delves into this as well, but I digress. Welcome to the forum! I think you'll find this is one of the better writing communities on the web and hope you find your stay here rewarding. Caleb
Hello Catherine, Welcome to the Writing Forums. 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!
Hi Catherine, Welcome to the forum, and welcome to a world of writing. You sound as if you have great enthusiasm. That's terrific. One of my favorite aspects of writing is that there are really no rules to limit your creativity. There are, however, a few things that may help you to remember. It seems as if many of us on this forum, myself included, are not published writers. So when you get feedback from someone and it sounds harsh or maybe doesn't make sense to you, realize that we are just trying to help. Take it all in and process what you can. Some suggestions and comments may help, and some may not. But you are getting important exposure and practice that will certainly help you in the long run. I met a guy once who had published thirty-five novels over the years and he said that asking someone who can't get you published for advice on your writing is like the blind leading the blind. In a way I could appreciate his comment. We all want to have our own professional editor after we have signed our first contract. But I believe that getting input from non-professional people can give you insight into how your words are being interpreted by the very people who will hopefully be purchasing your writing someday. So I guess what I am trying to say is trust your heart when it comes to your writing and listen with your mind to the things people say about your work. If you really are new to exposing yourself to peoples' opinions then you are going to need to start growing a thick skin. Just don't get down when something strikes you as uncomfortable. With that being said, you may want to consider becoming your own editor first. Mispelling words is really not the best way to present yourself or your ideas. Sure, mispelled words should not detract from the spirit of good writing, but it is an unnecessary distraction. Anyway, good luck to you and all of your endeavors.
Welcome, I too am new; I found a lot of answers to my questions in responses here. I really want to share my writings but they're not "officially" copyrighted as I can never seem to come up with the $ and have them printed out etc to do that; I rarely have access to a printer. Trying to find ways to make this happen; but as mentioned on here as with any public board (and I do have them on some boards; and though marked copyright; still easy for anyone to see etc). Any other thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated; I'm proud of my work and would love to share.
Hi Katherine I'm new too and I can totally relate to you. There's a serenity in writing also it helps express things that under normal circumstances you wouldn't be able to express with your mouth. So welcome and I hope to read from you soon.
