Hello, I'm a thirty-something writer who's spent most of his life writing something or other. I started when I was fifteen, with journals, and it's always been something I've wanted to do. I've wanted to be a writer forever, it seems. My current favorite writer is Carson McCullers, of whom I read about obsessively. I constantly re-read February House, a book about a few young artists in New York, with Carson McCullers in there. I tend to love biographies. It's sort of like Van Gogh's paintings: the paintings aren't all that miraculous, but we love his life story and so we love his paintings. I love to read about the lives of artists, writers most of all. I read stuff online constantly (wikipedia is my main addiction), which is what led me here. And, I have to say, I agree with the moderators on the idea that criticizing the work of others is a useful tool for learning to write oneself. Developing a critical eye. So, I'll probably spend more time reading the various posts around here than actually posting. Hopefully make some friends. I'm writing a novel. I've been working on it for about a year. Some parts are good, others are embarrassingly bad. It's hard work. Sometimes I don't know if a particular section is any good until stepping away from it for a time, then the bad stuff might seem good, or the good stuff might seem bad. But, anyway, I'll probably be a lurker more than anything, posting short criticism and reading more. I'd like to post my own work for criticism as well, and especially post some of the plot ideas I'm working on and see if I can gather some ideas (I'm a terrible plotter, so that's what I need help with the most). See you in the forums.
Hello T Beverly (or is it T B Everly?), Welcome to the Writing Forums. Posting your own work should not be among the very first things you do here anyway. 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. 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!
