Hi all, I just joined this site. My name is Anna, and I have been writing sporadically pretty much all my life. I write whatever comes to mind...poetry, haiku's, drabbles, you name it really lol. It has been my dream since I was a little kid to write and complete a novel. Getting published at this point doesn't really come into it, I just want to write for my own personal satisfaction, and it will do wonders for my self esteem should I complete this proposed novel (which hopefully I will). I have had some problems and tough times in my life, and writing always felt like an escape, but over the past few years it has been hard for me to focus on writing, life always seems to get in the way. I have other projects I need to attend to in my life (the usual, losing weight, getting fitter, decorating, de-cluttering etc etc) but I feel like I am surpressing my inner passion and I need to let it out. However I need a little help with the technicalities of writing - character development, plot mapping and things like that. So hopefully I will make some friends and gain some knowledge from this site
Hello Anna, 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!
