Hi, I'm new to the site, though not to forums in general. As part of my resolution for the new year I'm working more on my writing. I figured joining a writing forum is a good place to start. I suppose I should start with the fact that I'm nearly thirty, love to write fantasy stories and generally like all things medieval. It would be great to meet some like-minded people here and to generally enjoy my stay. So yeah, welcome the noob n' such.
Welcome to the forum, Cosmos. I will restrain myself from making a Carl Sagan quote for as long as I can. Please have a look through the Forum Rules, and the FAQ as a start. Then take a leisurely stroll through the different areas of the forum to get your bearings. Once you have a good idea where everything is, come and say hello in the Lounge or have a look at the items already up for review in the Review section. Please remember that as a full participation workshop, you are required to give two (2) constructive reviews of posted items prior to posting your own work. Thereafter, two reviews for every post of your own work is the expected standard. Remember that two is only a minimum. Feel free to give as many reviews as you please. The more you give, the more you get. We are also a Flame-Free Location and we do not host Pie Fights either. Have fun!
Hello Cosmos, Welcome to the Writing Forums. Yes, the true joy of speculative fiction is to create your own world, and to populate it with characters of your own creation. The stories you weave in the dawn of your new world hold a special place in your soul. 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 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!
@Wreybies: Thank you. Sadly my name is not gotten from from him and his works, but rather a video game. But I found that funny nonetheless! Flame-free, got it...but eh, pie? I think I shall not ask. >> @Cogito: Thank you. I have read the rules and whatnot and am very familliar with forums so I'm sure everything will be alright. Your suggestions are much appreciated as well.
Welcome, Cosmos! I too, enjoy a good fantasy, and writing more is also a new year's resolution of mine, too; though I have been trying to do more before then to see that it will last
