I have many handles. My creative writing name is Lucas Maroon. I like to write dark fantasy, sword & sorcery, magical realism, occult fiction, and horror. I have written several short stories, but they need to be edited--some more than others--before I submit them to publishers. Some day I would also like to write novels for various computer game companies such as Blizzard Entertainment and Bio Ware. I know I would have very much competition in that department. I will also first need to get published. I am pretty confident in my writing abilities, but I know that I can still use improvement. I am a firm believer that no one will ever reach perfection. I also believe that no work is ever finished. It can always be improved upon, especially as an author gains in skill. What is published is what I refer to as the most polished version. In May 2008, I graduated from the University of Maine with a BA in English, my concentration being creative writing. I think that going through college helped me because I met some really fantastic teachers that really pushed me to hone my abilities. They were also inspirations to me, and I regard some of them as heroes. I also write for a Goth Blog as Valerian Reign, the name I use in real life. The link to that can be found in my signature. I believe this website will be a great help and I hope to meet some pleasant people and interesting writers.
Hello Lucas, Welcome to the Writing Forums. Posting your own work 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. 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!
