Or, perhaps more accurately, I've found yours. My name's Chris, and I'm an aspiring physicist. I'll let that sink in for a second and give people a chance to rub their eyes and squint for a second before continuing. Done? No? Ok, just a few seconds more. * Kichae waits until he's overplayed things just enough to be socially awkward. Right, so, uh, where was I? Oh yes! I'm an astrophysics student, and not a young aspiring author as most of the other people who've posted salutations still found on page 1 here have identified as. I'm unpublished (unless you count my own website, which I, personally, don't), will likely stay that way (well, ok, hopefully that's not true, but published carries a slightly different connotation for a scientist). So, why am I here? I'm so happy I've assumed you've asked! Of course, my interest in the written word lies in recreation rather than profession, at least for the time being. Specifically, I like to make people laugh, and, sadly, the majority of resources out there today for people who want to better hone their funny bone focus on writing jokes for stand up or TV personalities, or writing scripts for sitcoms. Not exactly my cup of tea. I was actually very excited when I stumbled across these fora and found them populated and active. It looks like an excellent resource with some very friendly, knowledgeable, (* Kichae waves his Oxford Comma flag!) and generous people. I can't wait to get to know everyone a little better!
Hello Chris, 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!
Hello and welcome! Being silly is great - can't wait to read your stuff. I too am a very silly writer, though actually pretty much everything I've posted here is serious for some reason, so don't go poking through my old posts and think, "Hey, she's not funny at all! Crazy stuck-up sheep-girl who thinks she's so funny"
Wow, that was some seriously short turnaround time on responses. Even if one of them was a generic reply I'm a little in awe at the moment (don't feel too proud - I'm easily amused). I have to admit, one of my primary reasons for seeking a writing community is because I take criticism rather personally at times, and putting miles of copper wires and fibre optics between me and my critics makes it much easier to handle. I've bounced things off of friends and loved ones before, only to be told "this could be better" or "I don't get the joke" and my responses haven't been as calm as I'd care to admit to. Plus, when I don't make the edits they've signaled ("Of course you don't get the joke. It's a Star Trek joke, and you refuse to watch Star Trek" never seems to satisfy as much as I expect it to), they become hesitant to read anything else, since I "don't appreciate [their] insight". I'll try to be good
Nice to meet you. I did astronomy for first couple of years of a degree. It contains wonderful stories all of it's own
Hi, Chris! Glad you found us, and it's good to see you here. We probably don't have enough scientists (I'm an electrical engineer).
I too am a scientist by training and choice. I am a software engineer, but I started out as a research electrochemist. I majored in mathematics before I switched my major to chemistry, an I have always held a fascination for the physical sciences. I have an Associates degree in electrical engineering technology, and my Bachelor's degree is in information technology. Not surprisingly, I favor hard science fiction.
