Hello everyone! My name is Jessica, I am 25 years old and have a degree in Technical Writing. While I've taken a couple creative writing courses (as electives), and have been writing creatively my whole life (since I was 6-years old, to be exact. My very first "novel" was a "ghost story", complete with pictures, entitled "The Ghost at Gurnee Mills". LOL) I've always gravitated toward fantasy, thriller, or horror genres (RL Stine growing up, then as I got older, Stephen King, Dean Koontz, also a fan of Michael Crichton, The Hunger Games and The Mortal Instruments, as well as Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter). Though I've been writing creatively my whole life, as well as reading a plethora of books every year, I've never actually completed an entire, full length novel nor have I ever sought publication. However, I feel that now the time is right. I am nearly finished with my "supernatural thriller" (about 90% done, I feel), and in a matter of another few weeks, I plan to send out initial query letters. I'm not sure if I should send directly to publishers or try to obtain an agent first. I am VERY nervous about this whole thing. Anyone who has been through the process, can you perhaps tell me a little of what to expect, or what can better my chances? I've looked online into what to put in query letters, and I think I've got a good story on my hands. Any advice is much appreciated.
Hello Jessica, Welcome to the Creative Writing Forums. Please read How to Use the Writing Workshop 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 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!
Hello Jessica, Welcome to the writing forums. They're are people on here who have experienced the Publishing thing, Although I am not one, You will be able to get a feel of what it's like in the publishing section. I'd suggest you check it out, It could be of great help.
Thanks for the welcomes, everyone! Another quick question - I've been browsing the site and posted some reviews.... will I be able to post some excerpts of my own work for review, too? Thanks
Yeah, the rule here is you have to post two reviews with constructive critique, have 20 posts, and have been a member for 14 days. Here's some more info. Then you just post your story in one of the Writing Workshop forums [if it's your novel, it'd go in the Novel subforum] and someone will give you a review. Welcome to the forums! =] Hope you enjoy your stay.
