Hello all, I thought that I would take a moment to introduce myself before I post questions and such. I am 25 and I live in Vermont USA. My mother is a self published author and I have dabbled in it on and off myself as more or less a hobby. I've never really gotten any of them finished because I have the problem of being one of those people that is very easily discouraged, if I start a new book and it doesn't immediately start sounding good my brain tells me it never will. So anyway, that is me!
Hello Dark Ranger, 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 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!
I appreciate your welcome and the information. I understand the part about reviewing other peoples work before posting your own. My question is, does the same apply before I should post some questions for general advice and such? Thanks!
Hey, welcome! Some good folks here with tonnes of tips and help. Stick and stay with those stories like white on rice mate, they could be your diamonds in the rough. Everyone has doubts; just keep on going and tell that discouraging little voice to shut up! haha. See you arround. "Be yourself. Above all, let who you are, what you are, what you believe, shine through every sentence you write, every piece you finish" - J. Jakes
No, the critiquing requirement is specific to the Review Room, which is a critiquing workshop. However, it is a good idea to read threads in the Writing Issues section of the site before asking questions. Many of your questions are very likely to have been asked before, so you may be able to find what you need without asking, or at least narrow your query to specific sticking points.
it might also be a good idea to ask that this thread be moved to the 'introductions' section... welcome to the forums!
