This is my first post, but I have been lurking around the forum for a few days trying to get a feel for the members as well as the rules. I'm currently at work on my first novel. It is in the YA genre, which I have come to realize might actually be a hindrance. Even though I am 32, I still read YA, and it has always been my favorite genre. However, after doing some research since I began writing a couple of months ago, I have learned that YA submissions/publications are booming right now. I suppose many people would consider this good news, but I guess I'm not an optimist. I feel that it simply makes me look like I've "jumped on the bandwagon". My husband laughed at me because I had never realized there was a huge increase in YA novels. Our little section at Wal-Mart sure hasn't grown any (we live in a small town with no actual bookstores). He pointed out the popularity of Percy Jackson, Twilight, etc. However, these are not the type of YA I read, so I guess that's why it never occurred to me. The styles that I read (and write) are more in line with books by Sarah Dessen, Elizabeth Scott, Meg Cabot, Jenny Han, etc. I look forward to trying my hand at reviewing. I'm not sure when I will get up the courage to post part of my own book, though. In the meantime, I hope to get more proficient at being able to review the work of other members, and in turn grow as a writer myself. Sandra
Welcome to the forum. Please have a look through the Forum Rules, and the FAQ as a start. Then take a leisurely stroll through the different areas of the forum to get your bearings. Once you have a good idea where everything is, come and say hello in the Lounge or have a look at the items already up for review in the Review section. Please remember that as a full participation workshop. You are required to give two (2) constructive reviews of posted items prior to posting your own work. Thereafter, two reviews for every post of your own work is the expected standard. Remember that two is only a minimum. Now, why do we have this requirement? Because we have a very different philosophy here than you will find in most other forums. We are not a refrigerator door to pin up work with a colorful magnet for all the world to see. Our forum is not about getting reviewed. It’s about giving reviews and in the process of actually giving the review, improving your own writing. Unfortunately, we do not host Flame Wars nor Pie Fights. We at writingforums.org feel that there are enough places on the net already catering to those needs. Have fun! BTW. If you live where books are difficult to get your hands on (very much like where I live) an ebook reader may be the thing for you. I swore I would never make the switch to ebooks, but since doing so, I have been so happy to get my "fix" any time I want it with a pop onto the internet.
Hello Sandra! I'm a newbie here, and just what to be neighborly. I think your going to really like it here at WF.
Thanks guys! Wreybies, you don't want to get me start on the evils of ebooks! My family has already tried that, including my husband. I can't stand the things. I fear they will turn bookstores into a thing of the past (kind of like what the MP3 player did to music stores, though I do have an IPOD, so go figure). Even though, we don't have a bookstore, we sometimes get to the drive the 2.5 hours to Books A Million, which is my favorite, and I want it to continue to be there for a long time.
Hi! You're lucky that you have a style you can fit into write well for. Guess you gotta stick to a certain style if you wanna be a pro-writer and it makes things easier. I always try to just write stories without any regard to a genre. This gives me a lot of freedom because 'stuff just happens' and I don't have to care if it suits any genre or not. Still, welcome to the forums Though I'm quite a newbie myself >.>;
Hello Sandra, Welcome to the Writing Forums. 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 the RPG forum for improvisational fiction. Also try 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!
