hi. i'm leland, i've been writing off and on since i could read and write. been getting back into it hard now, writing constantly, working on around 6 different stories simultaneously, and coming up with new concepts everyday to keep on the back burner. 3 years sober. i haven't been reading novels lately, as much as i've been reading comic books, blogs, conspiracy theory laden message boards, and my own handwriting in notebooks. i'm writing for the sake of writing, whatever the stories end up as, as long as they end up as something. first books i read and really remembered were alvin schwartz's "scary stories to tell in the dark" series. they pretty much drove my interests into horror, then as i got a little older i got into science fiction via the film "alien", then got a little older and discovered super hero comics, then got a little older (this is all while being educated in a catholic school) and watched "poltergeist" and thought it was the scariest movie of all time, which my dad debated so he rented "the exorcist" and proved me wrong... at 9 years old. so, from then on(currently 24 years old), i've been into escapist fiction. i feel like i'm experienced enough now to string together a coherent narrative. can't wait to start getting involved on this board. ps: although i was educated in a catholic school, my mind was never in the classrooms due to stubbornness and a fundamentally different ideology... so what i lack in spelling, grammar, and punctuation, i hope i'll make up for in creativity. it's not like i'm writing letters to world leaders or anything. (my lack of using capital letters is just something i've been doing lately, don't know why, but it reflects something, i just don't know what yet... probably the remnants of rebellion from my catholic school days.)
Welcome leland, 3 years sober... wonderful! Sounds like you have a lot on the ball. Looking forward to reading your stuff.
Hello Leland, 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!
Welcome to the forum leland It's good to hear you've decided to get back into writing! I look forward to seeing some of your work.
Horror fiction and conspiracy theories, sounds like we'd be good friends. haha, enjoy your stay here, this is an awesome place to write and learn.
Congrats on the Sobriety! Very impressive. Could do with a little of that in my life ! haha! Can't wait to read your stuff i just watched The Rite, don't know if you've seen it but get it watched it gave me some ideas for sure on the religious and demonology parts in my story. Plus it's pretty scary if you're into that shit!
