Hi there, My name's Mike and I am a student from England. Next year I'm going to university to study English Literature and Creative Writing, which means I've just finished my A-levels. It's strange really, introducing yourself in this kind of format, so I don't really know what to say. Maybe some of my occupations? I play guitar, write songs, poetry and, from time-to-time, stories. I've been reading quite a bit of philosophy recently, and am particularly fond of J. Krisnamurti's work. I was about to give you all of my wordly views, but I'm cautious of over-egging the pudding - no doubt they will shine through in the work I'll post. Thank you for reading.
Hello Mike, 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!
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. That, actually is not true. Check out The Writer's Handbook 2011 for a more detailed explanation of how traditional magazine and 'paper' publishers view the medium of web publishing. It's not as cut and dried as Cogito implies.
Hi there, thank you for your message! What is the forum trying to acheive by only allowing one to post after they critique two pieces of work? For me, it was a shock to find that I had joined a forum with the intention of sharing work but wasn't allowed to do so unless I first commented on others' work. If the idea is to force participation then I think it's redundant, as half-arsed commentaries must be rife, no?
"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." I can't be part of a community that is forced to do something. For me, it would be against my ethos to abide by such rules. The saying, 'You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink' has never been more true. Goodbye.
You aren't forced to do anything. Participation in the Review Room workshop is voluntary, and not even really recommended for new members. If you just want to display your writing, use your member blog. Critiquing is not a service provided by the site, after all, and neither is the site a refrigerator door to hang your writing on for display.
I studied Eng Lit and Creative Writing for two years at Cambridge, so you are me some years back! And if you are, stay away from Swordfish - you'll soon find out it doesn't agree with you. Welcome to the forums, - Andy
