I signed up for the forum about 30 minutes ago with the intent to jump right in, but after browsing multiple topics, thinking about posting, and then changing my mind, i decided i should probably ask all the noobish stupid questions so i can embarrass myself once instead of multiple times. first off, i guess i should talk a bit about myself. I have no professional writing experience, I hated reading for most of my childhood, and I wasn't that fond of writing either. My love for stories came from playing video games, mainly RPGs. It wasn't until I found the Redwall series and the Harry Potter series that I read anything for more than a school assignment. I've always been a pretty shy guy, and because of that, I discovered that it was exponentially easier to write my thoughts to someone than to actually try to speak them. I learned to love writing in my junior year of high school once i had an english teacher that gave me some freedom. I'm currently trying to write a fantasy series, and i am 80kish words into the first novel. I expect the first draft to be about 100k. now for a few questions: did i come to the right place? Not liking reading or writing, and then jumping into the huge task of writing a series seems crazy, i know. I guess i just want to know if i should be here considering i have no real writing experience. are there any threads i should read before i start posting besides the obvious Terms of Service stuff? anything, be it advisory, inspirational, or just minor tidbits of wisdom that i should see. how should i begin? should i go looking for other people's works? should i post my own? should i just look through the various pieces of advice first, then post my work when i'm more comfortable? thanks, I'm looking forward to being a part of the forums!
Hello Seije, 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 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). 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!
When I joined in January, I was in about the same place as you. I had almost no writing or reading experience, but that didn't matter too much. People here are of every skill level and I've learned a ton in my time here. If you're looking to improve your writing, some of the sticky links in General Writing are pretty helpful, and obviously the Review Room is a great place to go to get a good idea of how to critique your own work as well as that of others. I'm also working on a fantasy novel, so if you ever want to compare notes so to speak, feel free to PM me.
thanks, unsavory, i'll definitely check out the stickies and i'd love to 'compare notes' at some point, though i'm not sure what i'd have to offer just yet Also, hi vespere, and welcome!
