Hi, I'm Nikki, I'm 22 years old. This is the first Creative Writing forum I've ever joined, mainly due to the fact I get really worried about negative feedback so please be gentle with my newbie self!
Welcome. I hope you have fun here, and learn a lot. Getting used to the critques will help you prepare yourself for if you ever decide to submit your work for publication. I have heard that some editors can be really harsh. Always remember that people are just trying to help you get better. They aren't trying to hurt your feelings. I wish you well, in life, and in writing.
Hey! I have yet to see anyone post anything truly cruel on here, so I wouldn't worry! They're always quite professional, and I haven't seen any name-calling.
Hi and welcome! It's not compulsory to put up your work for review - plenty don't - so leave it until you feel ready. Or not.
Hello Nikki, Welcome to the Writing Forums. In fact, we have a rule, strictly enforced, that members must always be respectful toward one another in all forum communications. But 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). 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!
Welcome to the site Nikki! Just say you want a 'gentle' critique with anything you post and everyone should respect that. The only time I've seen harsh critiques have been when the poster requested one. Hope to see you around ~Lynn
