Do any jellies know a good community for novice writers?
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anon (
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December 10th, 2009
Here’s a bit of back story, skip to the Anyway as it’s probably irrelevant
I’ve always enjoyed writing. I think my first ambition was to be a journalist or an author, it was probably inspired by my mother always reading to us and telling us bedtime stories.
I seemed to have forgotten that growing up and thought I wanted to do something with computers, my desire for being creative leading me to web design. I soon lost interest though and began to wonder what my possibilities for a career are, because I really don’t want to get stuck in dead-end jobs for the rest of my life.
So I began writing again and I’ve decided I’d like to do a degree in English literature and language, but will most likely have to do another course or two before they’ll accept me on at university (I’ll be speaking to someone at the local one about my options in the next week or so).
Anyway, I was hoping someone might know of a good place on the internet (a forum or something) to help me improve my writing ability, increasing my confidence before I enrol?
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19 Answers
@lunabean, looks interesting. I’ll lurk it for a while. Thanks for the suggestion. Do you use it?
@anon i use it from time to time, when i can actually find the time to write
@75movies Looks fun! Thanks.
This is why Fluther is great. I’ve been Googling for a few days and getting the same sites coming up. Most of which I wouldn’t have felt comfortable using. I ask on Fluther and get two unique responses, both of which are very intriguing. Awesomeness.
Google: 0 Fluther: 1
@lunabean Ah OK. Thank you :)
@ChazMaz Do you really want me to spam Fluther with grammar and punctuation questions? ;)
It works for research but I’d probably feel some embarrassment at asking trivial grammar questions, like my first one.
It is done all the time. Go for it.
Lots of VERY smart individuals here.
Watch what happens when your speiiling is wrong.
You will think the world has come to an end. ;-)
Maybe, maybe. :)
Can’t get feedback on my actual writing here though.
My friends just recently started a forum! It’s called Become a Coat, and although it’s mostly made up of people from my writing classes, we welcome all comers!
Does it have to be an online community? How about a writers’ club or critique group? There is a great benefit in associating with other writers in real time and space. Depending on where you are, you might look for something centered in a city or near a university, possibly even through the university you are interested in.
The main things that will improve your skills are (a) reading good writing and (b) writing (and writing and writing). Don’t rush into having your work critiqued. Get plenty of practice in first and do some self-criticism.
We love trivial grammar questions.
HAHA @Jeruba i know I do. To add to your main things list, Stephen King’s “On Writing” book (I highly recommend it) says to read bad fiction like “Flowers In the Attic” to see what not to do as well.
@anon
What do you want to do with your degree? Instead of just looking for English/Literature program, I found the Professional Writing major at Champlain college. It focuses more on the specifics of different genres and practical free-lancing as a writer than the teaching of English itself.
@Jeruba I’d feel more confident sharing my writing behind the anonymity of an online community. There doesn’t seem to be any groups in my area either but maybe in a few years I’ll start one ;)
Any examples of good writing? I read as much as I can; everything from Hardy to Pratchett. I just found Life of Pi in a charity shop yesterday too, which was a bargain at £1.50. ;D
@MrBr00ks I’ll give it a look-see. My ex used to be obsessed with Flowers in the Attic. Now it’s Twilight (no surprise there really!)
@Foolaholic Well, I do want to study literature as well as English language so I thought I’d just do the dual degree. However, I was thinking of other options as well so nothing is set in stone at the moment. One of the reasons I wanted to go to university is that I know the tutors at this particular one are superb and very understanding, having done a course there previously (non-English/writing related though so I don’t really know first-hand what the tutors would be like in the English Dept.)
I think I’ll have a better idea of what to do and where I stand after an interview, so I’ll take it from there.
@anon, I was just thinking you might want to work on your skills for a while before you are ready for an audience, just as a musician practices in private before going onstage.
@Jeruba True. :)
I was thinking that if I got feedback sooner it might help me develop my ability faster. Or do you think that it might hinder rather than help?
I don’t know what might work for you, @anon, and maybe you are further along than I am. I have been a writer of sorts for more than 50 years but hard into it for only about 9. For the past 30 years my career has been in editing, not writing. For three years straight I wrote every day without a single exception. I have written 76,000 words into each of two unfinished novels and have just drafted a third during NaNoWriMo 2009. I have had about a hundred essays and articles published in little newsletters around the country and have written quite a few complete short stories. I do not yet think I’m ready for a critique group. I don’t think the exposure would do me good yet because I still have too much work to do before I’m satisfied, and I also don’t want a lot of external influence while I’m still thinking things through. Some people might consider their rough drafts ready for prime time, but I don’t.
Thank you @Jeruba. I just felt that I needed a place to post some of my writing and have more knowledgeable people point out where I’m already going wrong, so I don’t make the same errors over and over.
I see your point about outside influence though, I should probably develop my style before anything else. I wasn’t looking for prime time just guidance.
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