I know that "New here" is a lazy way to go, but I don't care that much right now. I'm new here. I was looking around for good sites for people who want to write for recreation, and this was the best one I found. I have a few questions: From the rules section, it seems you're supposed to post writing in the "Creative Workshop" section. Do people just post here for advice only, or is there an area in the site for posting completed stories? (If there is, I'd like to check some out, see if there's anything I like). Are there any "Communities" or something of that nature? For example, another site would have a "community" made up of a specific genre (like sci-fi, horror, etc), and that community would have a name and in it would be several stories written by that community's members. On the condition that people do post completed stories on this site, can anyone recommend any good sci-fi stories? That's one of the things I'm interested in writing, and I'd like to see what other people have wrote already, and how well they've written it. (Don't worry, I won't steal anything, I already know what I want to write.) That's about it. Any help would be appreciated, but in any case I'm just glad to be able to introduce myself.
Welcome. In the Writing Workshop you can post full stories/extracts of novels for critique, but make sure you read the rules because you won't be able to post your own work for critique straightaway. The Short Stories section in The Writing Workshop has different genres so you can read writing from members that have posted in each particular genre e.g. sci-fi, horror, romance, children's etc.
Hello Penguin, Welcome to the Creative Writing Forums. Please read How to Use the Writing Workshop before you try to post there. Posting your own writing for people to comment on should not be among the very first things you do here anyway. 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 Writing Workshop, 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 Writing Workshop, 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. We also impose a two-week waiting period before you may post writing for critique, to give you time to become familiar with what is expected and how the site operates. The Writing Workshop 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 Writing Workshop 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!
