I am regef, the title of this intro is from a book i read called "Candor". I love to write short stories and things like that This is something I wrote today, but I'm not sure where it belongs, so please tell me <removed>
Hello regef, Welcome to the Writing Forums. Please read How to Use the Review Room before you post there. Posting your own writing for people to comment on should not be among the very first things you do here. 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 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!
I guess i will not get to post anything I write, since I can't review to save my life, I guess i don't belong here, so as i turn away, I bid you a good-bye. So very many thing I could have shared, and all of these were so prepared, And if anyone could have read, and heard all I could have said, Then if you would allow this one, just to show what now is gone, Then I forever will be grateful.
Hey, reviewing isn't as difficult as it seems. All you need to do is choose a story/poem, and look at it piece by piece. If something is grammatically wrong, or even spelt wrong, point it out. If there is something particular you like, mention it. If something doesn't make sense, mention that as well. Pretty soon you'll find that you don't really need to post any of your own work, because you'll be able to edit it yourself. However, other people's opinions are always nice to have too.
The real problem is that I can take criticism, but I cant give it, its impossible for me to try to find errors in something that I like.
It's not all about finding errors, you can give suggestions and helpful feedback without being hurtful or terribly critical. And being able to find ways to improve other people's writing will help you improve yours.
I am believing more and more this place isn't right for me, and the reason is that i just write for fun, and I'm looking for a website were I can just post a good story, let people rate it. But here it involves way to much work.(yes I'm talking about the rating, due to me not being able to notice little details, and not able to be subtle when I find one)
Yes, I agree with novelist! You can´t give criticism now, perhaps. Check the links Cogito sent, look for the one that talks about "constructive critiques". I was a bit unsure myself, I had never made a review before and I thought I coudn´t but, !With practice comes perfection! Anyways, if you decide to stay here- welcome to WF
You're right, this place does involve a lot more work, but the majority of reviews you get here are from people who know what they are doing, and who will give an honest opinion. Try to get a valid opinion on many of the other sites, and you'll either get a bunch of suck-ups, or a troll, who disses all the work he/she sees. Of course, if that is what you are looking for, then feel free, but for the most part, you won't be getting anyone's 'real' opinion.
You could start out by explaining why you like a piece - when I like something I to am not bothered about errors. It is not fair for you to want a review if you are not prepared to try and give them, it is worth doing nothing will improve your writing even if it was just for fun. Forget the grammar explain how something makes you feel or why it doesn't make you feel good. I have some first drafts knocking around feel free to have a go at them lol My first drafts are rubbish it isn't hard to find problems with them. -Charlotte
Hello and welcome regef I have looked at a number of similar sites and so far this is the one that best suits me. I like the fact it is a community of people so diverse yet mostly having a keen interest in the use of the written word. I too am uneasy about reviewing others work and fear upsetting them or worse still, giving wrong advice but it is a requirement in here that we all do our bit help, support and share skills and knowledge. Your opinion will be valued and they don't have to agree with you. Look at some of the reviews and treat it like an online debate where you give positive feedback on what you read. Virginia Woolf as with any decent writer was self critical and sought to find the 'diamonds of the dustheap' (Woolf, 1953, p7) regarding her own work. For those of us not experienced enough to do that for ourselves, we rely on the advice and observations of others. If this place is not for you then very best wishes. Bodiam
