  Noticing Newbies
This week: Edited by: Cubby~Cheering House Florent!  
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1. About this Newsletter
2. A Word from our Sponsor
3. Letter from the Editor
4. Editor's Picks
5. A Word from Writing.Com
6. Ask & Answer
7. Removal instructions
 Welcome to the Noticing Newbies Newsletter! Our goal is to showcase some of our newest Writing.Com Authors and their items. From poetry and stories to creative polls and interactives, we'll bring you a wide variety of items to enjoy. We will also feature "how to" advice and items that will help to jump start the creation process on Writing.com.
 We hope all members of the site will take the time to read, rate, review and welcome our new authors. By introducing ourselves, reviewing items and reaching out, we will not only make them feel at home within our community, we just might make new friends!
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Starting Simple
Beginning anything new requires the ability to be willing to learn. At first it might seem overwhelming, but don't let all the options on this site scare you away. Start with something simple and grow at your own pace. There are no pop quizzes to fear here.  Respect the rules and you'll do just fine.
A few tips to ponder are:
 Always be polite in your correspondence with members. Once in a while you might run across one who is rude. It doesn't pay to react in the same way. Either ignore such comments or respond with control.
Reviewing can be a touchy activity if not done encouragingly. Make sure when you offer suggestions, it is done kindly. You don't have to color-coat everything, but do remember than some members are very sensitive about the items they post and we certainly don't want to tear their pieces to shreds. If an item is so bad that it would take hours to cover every single typo, you may want to just pass it up or send a short summary of encouraging suggestions and leave it at that.  Also keep in mind that while one person's opinion on a topic may differ from your own, it's best to leave that out of a review. Personal disagreements on the views of others should not be considered as part of the review.
An extremely frustrating feeling is when someone reviews your own item, tags it with a low rating, and offers you few, if any, suggestions on how to improve it. I think most of us here have had that same experience. The star ratings can elate you or deflate you. It took me awhile, but I've learned there is nothing I can do about a member who plugs me with a one or two star rating with little or no comment. My best advice to you, as a Newbie (and anyone else struggling with this), is to take a few deep breaths and jog ten miles (just kidding with the jogging  ). It is not worth losing sleep over and definitely not worth retaliation. You might consider ranting in a complaint forum, such as "Invalid Item" . Sometimes knowing that others have experienced the same thing you have, really helps.
If you ever, ever, ever feel confused about anything here at the site, ask. It's a great community filled with exceptionally kind members who are more than willing to take the time to help a Newbie out (or anyone else, for that matter). Please don't be shy!
Take some time and browse through helpful articles written especially for Newbies. I've listed a few in this newsletter, but there are several more. Do a search. Type the word Newbies and you will be amazed at all the helpful items that will come up. 
Sign up for free newsletters. There's one for almost every genre. Like to write mysteries? Horror? Perhaps you're only into poetry. There's something for everyone. Check it out and enjoy! And don't forget to send the editors feedback.
Never feel inferior about being new at WDC. Everyone I know here loves Newbies! We remember what it was like when we first entered this community. Being the new-kid-on-the-block can be a bit scary. It won't be long before you begin feeling comfortable. Most of us don't bite.
Have a great summer and...
Have a wonderful week!!!
Keep on Writing!
Yours truly,
Cubby ") |
~ Got questions? Look for answers here... ~
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And Now For Our Featured Newbies!
Excerpt: Her past experiences with men hadn't been so great which made her scared to death to completely fall for someone now. Blake had been the hardest to get over and move on with her life. Especially because he left a little something to remember him by for the rest of her life. They broke up after dating for two years and it hadn't been good. A lot had been said; things that she meant and things that she didn't. He slammed her door on his way out and she hadn't heard from him since.
Excerpt: Quickly, she pulled on her pale yellow shoes and vest and tied her yellow sash; they showed that she was still unnamed. A terrible color, she thought, wrinkling her nose at the offensive tawny cloth. She attempted to smooth her white undersuit, which she had been trying to sleep in, but the long zipper on the side was impossibly warped. She gave up and crept back to the small door, slipping out and closing it softly behind her. Reaching the large doors, she peered through one of the spy holes into the hallway.
Excerpt: Smoothing back an errant strand of hair, she took one last glimpse at herself in the hallway mirror before closing the front door behind her. The library was only three blocks away, so she walked every morning to her job there as the children’s librarian. She loved her job and the children loved her. They made her feel alive, truly alive, like she hadn’t felt in months. Their love for her was unconditional. They didn’t see her face or her clothes or her hair. They saw her for who she really was, a woman who loved books and loved children and loved bringing the two together.
Excerpt: Karrie inhaled a long breath of fresh air as she pulled the curtains from her window to gaze fondly at the lovely picture before her. The horses were so peaceful out in their paddocks, content to be a part of the scenery it seemed. She padded softly down the hall of their home to not wake anyone. It was only 6:30, and her daily wake up time. She couldn't wait to see her horses, her friends. She opened the cupboard silently and selected a box of granola, and headed out the door. She zipped her paddock boots up and mounted her bicycle riding down the driveway to her barn. She opened the breeze doors, slipped off the bicycle's seat, and whistled. Instantly three faces looked up over their stall doors. She loved them all, her personal three slept inside at night along with the many boarder horses.
Excerpt: “Oh it’s nothing serious,” Tessa answers, peeling off the wrapper around the plastic bandage. I think I can hear every individual rip of the fibers in the paper. “Just a paper cut.” Why is she doing this so SLOWLY? I have the urge to growl, but I stifle it, pressing my shirt into my lips with one hand, my other hand tapping the pen impatiently against my desk. When did I start tapping my foot? Is she done yet?
Excerpt: It took a real effort from Jack to open his eyes. His bed seemed like a battlefield; sheets and blankets lay in a heap caused by his obvious turmoil. He could feel the sweat dripping from his hand, as it searched blindly for the alarm clock that denied him of any chance to continue his sleep. Yet, even after the continuous bleeping torment stopped, it continued to resound in his head.
Excerpt: The shop on the corner had always made her feel a bit uneasy, and today it was worse than ever. She felt like it was calling to her, like it wanted her to go inside. She was scared, and usually managed to run away, but today curiosity got the better of her. She cautiously opened the old, wooden door, praying it would be locked. It wasn’t. As she walked inside she heard the quiet tinkle of a bell attached to the door. She held her breath, but no one appeared at the deserted desk in the corner. She looked around. The walls of the shop were stacked high with gruesome but unrecogniseable objects – a few looked slightly like dismembered human hands and feet, but most remained a mystery.
~ A Few More Places to Check Out... ~
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Have an opinion on what you've read here today? Then send the Editor feedback! Find an item that you think would be perfect for showcasing here? Submit it for consideration in the newsletter!
https://www.Writing.Com/go/nl_form
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FEEDBACK
Satuawany 
A very good checklist. It ought to be a part of the newbie mailing package. I know there're a few items there that I had to learn the hard way, and a few more that make me cringe when even seasoned members ignore them.
Thank you very much. Yes, even a few seasoned members either don't realize how their layout appears or they don't care.
syd_roh
These Newsletters are AWSOME. They really helped me when I was new (which I still kind of am) but I belive they really help. Thanks so much for sending these letters out!!!!
You are most welcome! I'm so glad you enjoy them so much. That's what we like to hear!
Morgul Priestess 
Nice one!
I never leave a line-break between paragraphs, as it's not what we do in my culture, plus I always avoid using first person. But this at least finally encourages me do this.
The line-break makes it easier to read on the computer screen, which is also helpful to reviewers.
Cord
What do you like best about Writing.com?
The comradery, I love knowing that all these people can connect and reply to each other with helpful, outside knowledge. That they are here rather respectfully, and are willing to challenge each other to be better, not only as writers, but as people.
It's exciting, exhilarating even.
Wow, great answer!
Sakura
This was a nice article. I liked it! Great job!
I appreciate it! Thank you.
Puppycat
Thank you for posting this. Colored ink is a pet peeve - looks great but hard on the eyes, especially under flourescent lighting. I also liked the comment on the separated paragraphs. I even do this in email when possible because it is easier on the eyes and also allows the reader to move his attention from one topic to another easier. Great job. Puppycat
Thanks, Puppycat! Glad we both agree. I do that in my emails, too.
Thank you, everyone, for the wonderful feedback!
Recommended Books
Please send me your favorites!
Quote
Be willing to be a beginner every single morning.
~ Meister Eckhart
 Cubby's Writer's Block Challenge of the Month
Write a short story about a child who has an imaginary friend.
Enjoy the summer!
I'll see you again on August 6th!
Cubby ")
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Noticing Newbies: July 09, 2008 Issue [#2472]
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