Hi my name is Paul and I have just joined this website and am hoping to make some friends and to develop myself as a writer. You know ( and I don't know how common this feeling is, maybe I am just weird) I have always wanted to be a writer. Ever since I was about 5 or 6 I just had the craving in my heart. When I was a kid I used to write short little stories and I used to get bits of encouragement off family etc. However ( and here is the crappy bit), when I was 14 everyone turned around and said " You really should get a proper job." Or words along those lines. And I guess for a little while I fought against this and rebelled but after a while I listened. I have spend the last 16 years or so working as an R.G.N and I have still had this " calling " in my heart to write. And it won't go away no matter what I try. So now I find myself at a crossroads in my life. My nursing doesn't bring in a lot of money and part of me wants to spend all my spare time writing and another part says that I need to concentrate on doing something new to bring in some more money. Should I take the plunge and go full throttle on my writing and just carry on trying to make ends meet with my job or a new career ? Is anyone else in this position ? If I didn't have a wife and two sons, there wouldn't be as much of a conflict. You know if would have been easier if I had been born with a desire to be a plummer or a car salesman, but I wasn't. I was born to write, for some reason. I just know it in my heart but I'm also conscious I that want to be able to afford Christmas and holidays etc.
Firsts, welcome. I'm new too, but I'm sure we will find our way around here after a bit. Second, I fully understand what you are saying concerning your "calling." I personally believe we all have a "calling" in life, but it is not always the money path. I too, work a full time jop, and wish I could devote myself to fulltime writing, but I write when I can, as I can. The first traditional contract offer, I want you to know, is thrilling -- even though I rejected it. Keep plugging and network, it never hurts to make friends.
Welcome. I'd consider how much you really need the extra money that another job would give you. And surely there is always time to write? Good luck with deciding, and enjoy writing as much as you can.
Hi and welcome. I can see your predicament, and I hope you do give writing a try, since you feel so strongly about it.
Hello Paul, 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!
