Hello from New England, USA I just made a quick flyby of the forums and it’s nice to see such a diverse community! I wasn’t sure where the best place was to post stupid questions, so I’m hedging my bets on the newbie quarantine here :redface: I’m a "hobbyist" writer in my mid-twenties. Although the idea of publication is appealing (I don’t think many would disagree), it’s not something I’ve seriously considered. Right now, I’m just trying to finish what I start as I have a bad habit of leaving my work unfinished. I don’t even know if I can write a story that doesn’t end in a cliffhanger or dangling plotline. As for what I enjoy reading: I cut my teeth on the pulpy stuff—Stephen King, Dean Koontz, Robert Jordan, China Meiville. SF and Fantasy makes up the bulk of what fills my bookshelf though I do enjoy the “literary” stuff as well. At the moment I’m reading The Crossing, by Cormac McCarthy, which is an awesome book by an awesome writer. A few questions: Is there any poll on member demographics here? Political preferences, publication status, favored genres—any of that stuff I find really interesting. Also, I understand that it is etiquette here to review another’s work before posting your own. I’m horribly ashamed of my own writing, but I enjoy reading other people’s stories and I find that dissecting and discussing them leads to improvements in my own. As a matter of personal opinion, would you rather receive critique from someone who has walked-the-walk and presented their own material or does it not matter? Thanks! I’m looking forward to knowing you all better!
Hello Stone, Welcome to the Writing Forums. Hi from a fellow New Englander! We prefer to see writers making the effort to critique, regardless of experience. Critiquing makes us all better writers, especially in that pesky proofing and editing phase. 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!
Hey Stone! New England! Sweet! I am also one who is afraid to share any of my work. I dont even let my family read my poems.....maybe one day!
Thanks for the welcome, guys ChevyGurl, Up till now the only other person who's read my writing is my wife. I'm hoping the anonymity here will give me courage. Afterward I can always just deny, deny, deny.
