How do you do? I've been writing all my life, but now I'm writing creative fiction. My goal is to become author of a published novel. I figure it's easier to break into short stories, so I am focusing my attention there. Five of my stories have been chosen by webzines (two non-paying, one token payment, and two semi-pro). My reasoning is that I am building a resume' that a professional market will pay attention to, but I'm guessing. I'm open to suggestions. I'm visiting writing forums because I want advice about what happens as my writing improves enough to get accepted by better and better markets. I write mostly science fiction (or pieces that take place in a science fiction world), some mainstream, a few horror stories, and one that is modern fantasy.
Hello Terry, 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!
Thank you everyone for the welcomes to the site. I appreciate it. I don't believe I posted anything, did I? Anyway, I don't anticipate posting anything that I hope to sell in any public place. Sure, I want to be critiqued (just like any other beginning writer) but I would send the piece by email (once I knew them) and not post it. I've had some minor success so far, but it isn't even the beginning of success. That won't happen until I have published in a professional market. I've researched a lot, written a lot, and I've decided to focus on publishing short stories as an avenue to success. I don't know if that is the most effective way, because I'm guessing at what works best. I never thought of joining a writing forum until I realized that was probably easier than forming local critique groups.
