I've been bouncing from site to site looking for a good writers forum. Most aren't. Critters is decent, but it's so Web 1.0. I was here a few months ago with some technical questions, and then I forgot about it until I got a happy birthday email. Happy birthday to me, sure. Looking at the story reviews I haven't seen any trolls, which is nice. I also haven't seen much tough criticism either. That's maybe not so good. Tough critiques have done wonders for my writing. I'll look at more of the reviews, perhaps it's just the stories I looked at had been given light treatment.
I really like it here. I haven't posted any of my work to be critiqued yet, but it seems to be a good place for learning. Some of the reviewers do seem to be tough enough though. I've seen a couple were the reviewer posts your work and in different colored font picks it apart. Plus, I'm sure if you ask for people to be tougher they will. The many different categories is very helpful so whether you want plot development, grammar help, or a nice book discussion you will find it. In my short time here I have enjoyed it and have had a couple things I've said proven wrong, but maybe I'm just stupid. XP. Anyways, hope you stick around and have fun!!
It's largely what you make of it. There are a lot of people with good knowledge, and more than a few who are published authors. The only problem with posting stories for review is the site rules don't allow you to delete them, so you've effectively handed over control of your writing. I don't think that's a good idea, so I don't post in the review forums. But there is a good group of people here and the site is a fun place to hang out and chat, in addition to serious discussion about writing.
Hello Fox, Welcome to the Creative Writing Forums. Please read How to Use the Writing Workshop before you try to post there. Posting your own writing for people to comment on 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. 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 Writing Workshop, 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 Writing Workshop, 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. We also impose a two-week waiting period before you may post writing for critique, to give you time to become familiar with what is expected and how the site operates. The Writing Workshop 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 Writing Workshop 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 the RPG forum for improvisational fiction. Also try 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!
