Rough Draft to Final Draft

Calling all writers! Songwriters, poets, novelists, creative nonfiction wannabes. Grab your iPads, laptops, or wireless keyboards and check out a website called Writing.com, formerly known as Stories.com. It's a magic place where your Muse slides into the driver's seat of a silver Volvo, or faded 1960-something Red Chevy, puts the key in the ignition, rolls down the windows, grabs the road map from your non-suspecting hands and has the nerve to give you a smirk. With vampire-like quickness, she's snatched your cell phone, with all your Road Trip Playlists, from the middle console and replaced it with her own.

Relax. Let her take over. Relinquish control and allow your creativity room to sprout. Writing.com provides most, if not all the tools she'll need to learn, grow, establish and strengthen you as a writer.

Yes, you. A writer, a poet, a novelist, a creator of non-fiction. A published writer. I'm living proof.

How? You ask? How can Writing.com do this for me?

Well, for starters, the creators of the website never sat on their laurels. Back in "the day", when the site was called "Stories.com", it was strong. Blogging was the rage and a huge part of what attracted me to the site. Both creators could have said, "hey" we aren't getting paid, why bother with improvements? But like true successful individuals, they both rolled up their sleeves and dug in. Every year they add to the site's richness. Having authentic, dedicated creators allows me put my Muse out there. And let's face, it never gets easy. We always have to battle with self-doubt and self-inflicted negativism.

Here, at Writing.com, you can flesh out ideas, scratch out a rough draft, edit, trash, slash and construct your foundation. Take a break from writing to dive into poems or short stories from member authors. Head back over to your work-in-progress to add to your foundation. When you think you're almost done, take another break but this time review the works of other writers. Reviewing, done with honest, conscious effort will serve to strengthen your own writing.

Once you think you nailed your item, post it for others to review. Yes, let other writers read your delicate "baby", let them say negative comments. Give your reviewers an honest ear. Listen to their suggestions, comments, constructive criticisms. Be there for your Muse as she pouts, folds her arms and tries to put up a wall around your "baby". Remember, honest, thorough reviews give your muse permission to make big and small changes to the story, to stretch the boundaries of your ability. In essence, to become a stronger writer.

As if reviewing/being reviewed weren't enough, Writing.com invites you to dabble in an array of different genres like action/adventure, drama and fanfiction. Further still, you aren't limited to one type of format but are offered a dozen of types. Linking together genres with types means you're not just in a schoolyard playground, but a world-class amusement park. If you've wondered about poetry but fear halted your attempts, your muse, armed with permission to explore these unchartered waters, can now squash those fears with confidence.

For me, Writing.com provided a platform my Muse felt comfortable in. I learned when I was at my most creative. I learned how to hone in on my Muse, produce the process on an editor's deadline. I learned soft-edit my own work, to trash and slash parts for the greater good of the Final Draft. I learned to let my Muse take control without relinquishing my Inner Editor. Speaking of which, I trained my Inner Editor to take a back seat, hide in the trunk or even stay home while my Muse fleshed out a foundation.

More importantly, relaxed and embraced the editing process. Now, I don't become too attached to any one word, on phrase. To ease the process, I created a private notebook to house these rejected sentences, stories, descriptions. They didn't make the cut in my current article or story, but they often popped up works I'd create down the road.

As Writing.com celebrates its 18th birthday, I'd like to say "thank you" to all those who've helped me attain my }writing goals. Recently, I've set a new set of goals. I'm jumping in feet first. Surrounding myself with fellow writers and wannabe writers, I'll gladly relinquish the keys to my Muse. I've got a backpack full of granola bars and kombucha tea. I'm ready and excited for this next journey.