Hello. Now that I'm not in school anymore I no longer have a workshop to attend, so I've decided to join this forum. I love to workshop. I thrive on constructive criticism. I also love to give constructive criticism that is honest and objective - but also subjective at times. I've never been part of a writing forum before. I have a bachelor's in english communications. I minored in creative writing. I enrolled in several workshops in college, so I'm familiar with the etiquette. I suppose I finally found my voice in the last couple of years of writing. I have very little to show for the last decade I've spent scribbling into notebooks and MS Word. Most of it I've trashed - I only have one or two stories I'm truly proud of. I'm working on a novel right now, but I've realized it's an undertaking I wasn't prepared for. It's slow-going. I would like to eventually pursue a career in publishing. Farming trees would be nice as well. Of course, my ultimate goal is to become a published author. But that goes without saying.
Hello de la Vega, Welcome to the Writing Forums. 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!
