My name is Kelley and I'm very much looking forward to honing my writing skills here. I hope I can find some good techniques and get some good advice from some experienced writers. A little about myself: I'm a 19 year old college student. I've been writing all my life. I used to really enjoy writing fantasy but lately I've been going in a more realistic, classic genre that I really feel expands my writing so much more. I love writing short stories but am currently in the middle of a huge novel project. I'd love to just see something I've written be published honestly. I don't really plan on making a career out of it but I feel like I have enough potential to at least get my stuff out there eventually. Hopefully some of you have experience in the business and can kind of steer me in the right direction when the novel is finished. I really just want to finish a manuscript!!!!! I love to read as well. I love love love John Steinbeck, George Orwell, Stephen King, S.L Viehl, etc. I recently looked up the top 100 books ever written and am going to read all of them. Even if they don't seem interesting I want to try and pick out good techniques to help my skills. They must be on the list for a reason. I'm excited to be here, excited to see what I can offer and what I can gain. Thanks!!!!! Kelley
G'day Kelley here! You sound keen, lol. Welcome to the group. I've not been a member here long, only a week or so, but I'm already really enjoying it. The more you put into this site the more you'll get out of it, so go for it Cheers, Donna
Hello Kelley, 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!
