Hi everyone - first of all, am I doing this right? By starting a new thread? Or should I have written this in as a reply to another one? haha sorry so confused, the technology or forums is relatively new to me. Anyway, my name is Courteney and I'm new here too. Hmm about me...I love anything to do with the arts, I'm in my third year of art school now, and I'm drumming in a band with my man, we're working on an album at the moment. I've been writing since I was 11 or so, and have three poems published in anthologies. I've visited poetry forums before in the past, and have been interested in sharing my work and reading that of others for years now, this seems like a good place to do so! And I read that its important to explore the site before posting, and review the poems of others, I've gotten to do so a little today since I've joined, and it looks like there's a lot of talent here - hope I can keep up!! I haven't posted in any of the different forums yet because I want to read some more existing poems - except, on a whim I did enter the weekly contest though...maybe I shouldn't have done that - is that okay? Anyways, I look forward to frequenting this site and learning/gaining new ways to improve my writing for the future! Peace! -Courteney P.
Hello Courteney, Welcome to the Writing Forums. Posting an intro thread of your own is the perfect way to start, and entering the weekly contest is also a great way to get your feet wet. Posting your own work (apart from the contests) should not be among the very first things you do here, though. It really 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 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!
Hey Courteney! Welcome to the WF! Indeed, participating in the contests are loads of fun and a great way to compete against other members! Nice to meet you - Jack
