Hello there, I feel I should introduce myself before I carry on quietly lurking these forums. I love to read, mainly fantasy and sci-fi. Not those two genres exclusively, of course. I like to write, though I suffer severely from writer's block a majority of the time. Sometimes it's bought on by myself out of fear of my writing being cliched. I joined because there is a wealth of information here and an obviously very welcoming and friendly community. I'm unlikely to post much, I don't often feel I have a lot to say, but if I have something relevant then I shall. And certainly don't take my lack of activity as a lack of interest! I'm most likely online, with 5+ tabs open, browsing threads. Have a good day all!
Hello M. T., 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!
