Good morning everyone, Kind of an unnatural hour to be making introductions, but my schedule is completely backwards due to my graveyard work shift. Currently at work right now where very little is going on, so I have a good bit of down time (I work casino security and tuesday mornings are pretty slow for gambling). My name is Jordan. I signed up here a few days ago but didn't really have a chance to introduce myself until now. 24 year old college grad still trying to make something of myself in the world at large. I'm an avid reader and it is my belief that this love of reading has translated into a profound passion for writing as well. Ever since I was little, I enjoyed writing "hero stories" that starred all of my friends at the time. I'm happy to say that my writing has matured considerably since those days and I am currently working on trying to publish my first full length novel -- something I'm having a tremendous amount of difficulty breaking into. So, here I am. I'm looking forward to being a part of this site and learning more about myself as a writer through the giving and receiving of constructive critiques. Furthermore, I'm hoping to get some good advice on the publishing process, as I've tried to do some independent research and action with literary agents and publishers to no avail. Ah well, another story for another day.
Hi and welcome Good luck with the novel You know what they say about knocking on doors - Keep knocking, sooner or later someone will open a door. Well that's one theory. Have you tried the smaller independant publishers. I'd look for one that has been established over five years -look at their authors etc. 'I am not talking about self-publishing.'
Thanks Pleasure to make both of your acquaintances I actually hadn't thought of looking for the smaller, independent publishers. I think my mindset was looking for a bigger name publisher in the hopes of conveying to potential consumers that if my work could have their name on it, it could be worth a purchase. Unsurprisingly, Tor turned me down and so I began hunting for a literary agent to represent me. Been trying to look through various resources between talking to my former college professors and rooting through that agent query website that has surfaced on the board. I queried a few promising agents but several more have yet to respond after a few weeks, so I'm not sure if something got lost in cyberspace or what. As per the rules and regulations of the review room, I'm willing to be a contributing member before I post anything of mine for critique, so after I get around to providing useful feedback for other people, I'll post something small of mine to see what people think.
Hello Jordan, 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!
Hello Jordan! Looks like we have a lot in common, I also have been a book worm for most of my life and it has quickly transferred into wanting to be a writer right out of college! It is a difficult life but amazing when you have the passion.
Hi Jordan, Welcome to the forum. Good luck witht he novel as well and just keep plugging away. You'll get fed up with people telling you that but it really is the golden rule. Enjoy your stay with the forum!
