There was a time in my life where I lived to write. I very rarely did anything else. I like to think that if I had not been writing at that time things would have been a lot...harder...for me to deal with. Very little of my writing from that time has survived, and other than wishing I could look back on it I am okay with that. None of my writing from that time was ever meant to be published, although the thought had crossed my mind at the time...but it was a very naive thought. A few years ago I stopped writing. I've felt like somehow there was a hole left in me from that time though. I don't know why I stopped writing, but I do know that it wasn't because I wanted to. And now I've come to a time when I feel like I need to write again. It's not that I don't have things to write about. I guess I may just have a fear of putting them down. Of making them as real to me now as the things I wrote before were to me then. That's why I'm here. I don't intend to post much of any of my writing that may one day be of publishing quality. I'm just looking for...support? Maybe a guiding mind to push me a little harder? I don't know what I'm looking for, but I'm here.
Hello Orchid, Welcome to the Writing Forums. Posting your own work 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 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!
Hey Orchid, welcome to the forum. I am sure you'll get what you need from this community, and maybe even more. But at the end it's you who needs to give the final push. Looking forward to read your work! (i mean after you have reviewed enough).
^That's very reassuring isn't it? You're going to get all kinds of support from all kinds of people to get you out of your chronic dilemma, I guarantee you.
