Hi, I'm Tom, and I'm a writer. Okay, not really. I haven't really don't enough writing to feel like I can actually call myself that. It's been more like a guy in a jalopy with poor tire alignment and no power-steering trying to call himself a race car driver. I've written some in the past, but never anything good. (Just ask anyone who's read it.) I have a few short story ideas bouncing around and a novel I started. I'm only about a 1,500 words into it, but I did get it started. I also have ideas for science fiction, western, and even a multi-trilogy fantasy epic. The last one is the one that I really want to write before I die. I am serious about writing, but I've hit a few road blocks and landed flat on my face when I did. That really did not help the alignment on the jalopy. To tell the truth, I'm a little reticent about joining this forum. I've had a few bad experiences with writing forums. Either they were too small and died, or they were populated by people who thought they were God's gift to the literary field. I'm just looking for a place to get some help, maybe post some flash fiction, and just be able to connect with people.
Hi Tom, Welcome to the Writing Forums. It's not important how many times you fall flat on your face. All that matters is that the number of times you get up again is one more than that. Posting your own work should not be the very first thing you do here. It is really worthwhile 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 reviewing as a critical 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!
Welcome to the large and active forums that will not die off soon... But I don't think that means we have many "God's gift to the literary field" writers here either, because we've got a different trauma for your list: critics! (Just kidding about the trauma part, at least I hope it won't be one, since otherwise critique/workshopping sounds like just what you're looking for )
Welcome Tom! Glad to have you here. That's really cool about having an idea for a multi-triology! Hope you enjoy your time here
Welcome. Don't worry, this forum is really big and more people join almost every day; so it won't die anytime in the forseeable future. And the people here do really seem to try to help each other and don't act arrogant. Hope you have fun here.
hey tom i just joined yesterday and i'm also on the nervous side. Nice to know I'm not the only one I'm excited too though. Kudos to us for taking chances! Julieanne
