I've been searching for a community that facilitates collaboration, especially for writing. People have said that the creation of small cafes and coffee shops, where creators could sit and talk and share ideas, was a cause for the Enlightenment. So that's a pretty fine argument for collaboration and community. Enough to make me want to join one, anyway. My name is one of those very common and very forgetful ones, that doesn't serve it's purpose as a name. See, names are a way for other people to identify you, and when ten percent of the people in one's peer group has the same one, it defeats the purpose entirely and is really a failed choice of a name. Anyway, it's John. I live in the really forested and really coastal state called North Carolina, not a bad place at all, but not very good if you like the romance of giant skyscrapers and nights that are brighter than the day because of all the lights and clubs and buildings. Still though, the forests are nice, and not a lot of things in this life compare to a rainstorm-made mist covering just enough of the trees to make the whole scene look like a surreal dream. I don't know which I prefer. I'm really kind of bad about romanticizing everything, and being a terribly naive idealist. Once, when I was sixteen, I got into my car and drove West (getting as far as Kansas, which isn't too shabby I'd say) without any thought for anything other than my exaggerated opinion of California and the West Coast sunrise. I only got to Kansas because I ran out of money, because I didn't realize quite how much going cross country costed. And then I got in more trouble than I care to admit. Still, though, it was a wonderful trip made all the better with two great friends and I wouldn't trade the experience for the world. I'm kind of hoping joining this forum will be like that (but I know I'm setting my expectations a little high, no offense). Also, if you haven't noticed, I'm kind of a dramatic person. I don't know if that's a good or bad thing yet. I'm also extraordinarily pretentious, unfortunately. Well, pretentious in the "Symbolism is absolutely brilliant and I will point it out whenever" kind of way. That's my introduction. I know it isn't much, I do hope I get what I want out of this though, and that it's another wonderful trip that will involve me making friends and improving my skills. Oh, I've read the rules and everything, no need to give me that speech.
Welcome to Writing Forums, UndergroundPlatypus! I hope you find what you're looking for here, whatever your interests in writing. This forum aims to provide the best workshopping resources on the internet, and to that end we have a few rules which you should familiarise yourself with before you get stuck in. The main section of the site is the Writing Workshop, where members can post their writing in order to receive critique of their work. However, before we allow members to post their work, they must have met some basic requirements. Firstly, you must have been a member for fourteen days, and have made twenty posts on the forum overall (please note, posts in Word Games do not count towards this). This is so that members, when they post their work, have familiarised themselves with the forums and contributed to them (as well as hopefully learned something for themselves). Secondly, members must provide two constructive reviews of other people's work for each piece of their own that they wish to post. This is because we believe that the focus of workshopping should be equally upon giving reviews as receiving them, as they allow a writer to practice and improve their editing skills, which they can then apply to their own writing. Beyond the Writing Workshop, you will find that we have extensive forums for discussion of aspects of writing, as well as a community area for general discussion. We also run periodic short story and poetry contests, which are good for challenging yourself and expanding your skills. If you have any questions or problems, then the moderators (myself, Lemex and Dante Dases) should be your first port of call. Any technical problems with the site itself should be directed to Daniel, the site administrator and owner. I would recommend you have a look over the rules so that you know what to expect, and what is expected. But aside from that, I hope you enjoy your time here. Banzai
hey, I'm sixteen and three quarters now and I wouldn't dream of driving cross anywhere. I'd get murdered by my parents if I didn't kill myself first. Dunno how to drive Seems like you had fun though... I'm new too and I'm open to making new friends, I hope you enjoy your time here and oh, this is fine for an intro, to me tho
Yo-yo (no string attached). Wasup? I’m glad you brought up the “small cafés…, where creators could sit and talk and share ideas…” and “the Enlightenment”. I was thinking about that very historical benchmark the other day, especially when I read that, prior to that, gin was so cheap in London that people were drinking themselves to death (taxes were introduced to lower consumption, thereby saving many lives… I never thought I’d ever say anything good about taxes…). Anyway, I bet a lot of artists and writers were among the fatalities. And then along came coffee and, rather than get sh*t-faced, the caffeine-boosted literate started producing. By the way, I like your login name, although I don’t think platypus (platypi?) actually live underground (is there a biologist in the room?), just underwater; they are at least fully immersed in it most of the time (Btw, the first one ever studied by a Royal Society scientist (it having been sent to England from Australia) was deemed a hoax… said scientist thought it was some kind of beaver with bits and pieces glued to it!). RE being a “naïve idealist” and “dramatic” by nature, don’t be ashamed; I would venture that most writers are just that, or should be. And if they weren’t “pretentious”, how would they ever get up the gumption to submit their manuscript? So, methinks you are in good company. Let’s travel back to Kansas together and then tell the story!
