Hi guys. I'm a teacher and writer working in Ho Chi Minh City. I'd like to do less of the former and more of the latter, so I'd love to interact with people around here as to how to hone my writing, get gigs, etc etc. Also to pimp my blog, of course.
Welcome Sam! You'll love it here. It's a really great place to bounce off other writers and develop your skills as a writer/editor. I have learnt so much and everyone is really friendly and helpful. If you take the time to give people solid reviews, they will do the same for you. Reviewing has actually really helped me with my own writing because I can see mistakes that I make also. It's comforting to know that other writers deal with the same frustrations, hang-ups and sleepless nights! Hope to see you round soon.
This. And, I think all writers are tormented in some way, shape, or form. Hey Sam(uel?). Haha, I'm Hedge, or Greg -- take your pick. Enjoy your path to literary enlightenment and do not touch my Nilla wafers and we'll get along just fine. =D See you around.
Hello, Sam! I'm Vietnamese, just to throw that out randomly. You'd better use Saigon among us Vietnamese here, or else we'd be having suspicions about you. Just kidding. Well, not really - the other Vietnamese would be pretty angry, I personally don't mind as much.
Hey Sam! Welcome to WritingForums! If you really want to improve, start critiquing other people's pieces. This gives more insight into how (or how not) to write. Also, if you have the same problem in your own writing but didn't realize it, seeing it in someone else can help you recognize your own problem. Nate
Hello Sam, 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). 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!
This is a constant source of anguish for me. Some Vietnamese insist on calling it HCMC, some insist on Saigon. The only consistency is that whichever one I say, it's invariably the wrong onee.
