Hi. I haven't introduced myself yet, although I have been active on the forums. I joined writing forums because I feel that my own ideas need direction and critique, so I urge you all to comment on my future pieces. All criticism is accepted and taken with tough-skin - I am always looking to better my skills. I, myself, am slightly interested in a career as a critic, so please take all any suggests made with good nature, as they are intended. I don't have much experience in writing aside from it being just a hobby, but I thoroughly enjoy it, along with reading. I have been writing almost diligently (even if it is only a short story, or several lines of poetry) for the past three years. I am self-taught as my education so far wasn't too oriented towards the arts or linguistics (I am currently entering my third year of high school). My own pieces fit into many categories, although I find it easiest to write short stories because I am a shameless perfectionist (I've attempted to write novels on many occasions, but it just takes too damn long)! I am partial to just about any genre. I'm personally a little self-conscious about my writing - especially after reading many of the pieces you fellow writers have written! - so my posts won't be too frequent. I'd be humbled to receive any feedback or messages. Thanks so much for your time.
Welcome to the Forum likekryptonite, It's great to have you with us and I'm sure you find the site will help you grow as a writer. Looking forward to seeing you around and reading some of your work.
Hello Like Kryptonite, Welcome to the Writing Forums. To receive usefule critique, practice delivering it. First, training your eye to find problems will help you avoid them when you write. Second, standing forward to make the effort makes people take notice, and they are more likely to invest the effort in your work. Finally, practicing the critiquing process will help you make better use of the suggestions you do receive in critiques, because you will have a better idea of the thinking behind the suggestions. So posting your own work should not be the very first thing you do here. It is really worthwhile 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!
