How Do I Start Writing?

Always had a yearning to write?

Now that you're here, not sure how to proceed?

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LOOKING FOR DIRECTION?



It can be very nervous sharing your work, but, remember, we have all been there.
Not sure what to write about. Well then, let's get inspired, shall we?

Click here ▼

OPTIONS:


1. Enter a contest.

WDC has a ton of contests which provide prompts to inspire authors.

For a list of contests browse through these.

         "Contest Central Station"  E: Looking for contests to enter? Find your destination here (a 2015 Quill Award Nominee)

         "Writing Contests @ Writing.Com"  E: Writing Contests on Writing.Com are posted here.

There are some contests just for Newbies.  

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2. Join a group

If you have a specific genre or format that interests you, joining a group of writers with similar interests is a great way to get inspired and encouraged.

Here is how to search for them.

Go to the left side margin and scroll down to Browse By Type.

Click on Groups.

In the Search bar, write a key word such as science fiction, children, fan fiction, poetry, etc. Try different keywords.

Now, repeat the same procedure for searching through Forums.

When you find one, it is important to check the date of the last posted message. If it looks like the forum or group is not active, email the founder of the group or forum, and start a conversation.


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3. Become a fan of some WDC authors

If you find an author whose work you like, follow them, read their work, contact them. Their advice and encouragement might be just what you need.


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4. Read the WDC Newsletters

These are weekly events that appear on The Hub every Tues / Wed. To find the current listing, click on "More Newsletters" at the bottom of the newsletter box. These provide great instruction and tidbits in specific genres. Each editor will also feature different items and forums. At the top of each newsletter, there is a link to their Archives where you can find more newsletters of that genre.

You can subscribe to any of them and it will be emailed to you. By subscribing to one, you get a weekly notice that the newsletters are out. Here is how:

         Click on MY ACCOUNT on the left side of your screen.
         Then click on ACCOUNT SETTINGS
         Scroll down to MANAGE NEWSLETTER SUBSCRIPTIONS
         Click and then check the ones you want emailed to you.


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MARK WHAT YOU FIND!

As you explore WDC, you will discover a ton of stuff that you like and plan on coming back to.
However, it is not so easy to find it again. That is what FAVORITES are for!

See that + sign in the top right hand corner of this item? Click on it and it will change to a hand with a string around a finger. This item is now on your FAVORITES List.

Now click on the word FAVORITES which is on the top of the right hand sidebar. You should see this item listed. Whenever you want to find it again, just click on your FAVORITES List and it will be there waiting for you.

If you really like something, then click on the + sign twice, and it will change to a megaphone. The owner of the item will receive a notification that you have Fanned his/her item.

You can also add members to your FAVORITES List and Fan them.

So as you explore WDC, mark the items, contests, forums, activities and members that you like as a FAVORITE, so you can find them again!

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TOO SHY TO SHARE?



No problem.   There is other stuff you can do on WDC until you are ready.

Click here ▼

OPTIONS:


1. Participate in some activities

Besides writing pieces, WDC allows members to make activities such as polls, quizzes, crosswords, word searches, surveys.

These are fun and will get you interacting within the website.

Go to Browse by Type.

Click on your choice of activity, and try some out.

If you enjoyed doing it, then email the creator and share.


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2. Make an activity.

This will get you writing and give you experience in creating an item on WDC.

Browse through some activities to get some ideas.

Here are links as to how to make them.

         "Create/Edit a Crossword Puzzle" 

         "Create/Edit a Madlib" 

         "Create/Edit a User Poll" 

         "Create/Edit a Word Search" 

         "Create/Edit a Quiz" 

When ready to create one, scroll down to the section called Ready to Upload


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3. Take a WDC class!

For courses offered, click on this link >> "Invalid Item" 


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4. You could always write some reviews.  


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TRY REVIEWING!



"Reviewing is a writing exercise and writing a detailed review is time well spent.
Creating detailed feedback for a fellow writer is one of the best tools available for improving your own writing."
~ the Story Mistress

Click here ▼

The Basics:

"Writing.Com 101"  E: Explanations and instructions of all things Writing.Com. >> "Guidelines To Great Reviewing" 

Six Key Characteristics For Reviews
Reviewing is extremely important on Writing.Com, not only for honing your own skills, but of course for the author receiving your review. There are six key characteristics that we recommend.

be honest.
Helping writers improve their craft is the mission of Writing.Com. Honest opinions are what help writers improve. Giving false feedback doesn't help anyone and can lead an author down a long road to bitter disappointment.

be encouraging.
Writing.Com is a site for writers of all ages and skill levels. Everyone at every level should be encouraged to continue writing! Encouraging reviews are more likely to be used by an author which means the time creating the review was well spent. Whether the author decides to use the reviewer's honest suggestions or not, the review should be motivating and encourage the author to keep writing

be respectful.
Regardless of an author's level of skill or talent, a reviewer should always respect that the author is an individual person. A reviewer flaunting that they are better than the author they're reviewing is not respectful and is counter productive.

be well-rounded.
While honesty is very important, a review that points out only flaws without any mention of an item's positive points is not nearly as helpful to an author as a well rounded review with both positive and negative remarks. Don't forget, the same goes for reviews that only point out positives! Even the greatest pieces of writing have room for suggestions and opinions.

match the rating.
If you're sending a review full of corrections, it's important to consider that with your star rating selection. 5.0's shouldn't need any corrections. On the other extreme, a 1.0 should have endless errors and you couldn't possibly list them all. Offering to return and re-rate the item after a round of updates makes it more likely your suggestions will be considered.

be visually appealing and easy to understand.
When reviewing, presentation is very important. Use WritingML to make corrections stand out or quote small portions 1 of the work. Emoticons can highlight important points in the review and can be creatively used to make the review feel more friendly. Double spaced paragraphs and other appropriate spacing makes reading a review much easier on the eyes. Remember: Too much WritingML can ruin your review; use it in moderation!


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Resources:

This item has tons of links for those who want to expand and improve their reviewing.

"Need Help with REVIEWING?"  E: Links to resources that explain how to review and how to get reviews.


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Assistance:

This forum has discussions, resources, and one-on-one coaching. Great place to ask questions and get help.

"Reviewing with River"  E: A reviewing forum for those interested in improving their reviewing skills.


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READY TO UPLOAD YOUR WORK?




The lights are on and the door is open.   Go ahead. Walk through.   We're all friends here.

Click here ▼

Time to share your work.   For directions on how to set up your portfolio and create items, click on "Invalid Entry" 


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Other Resources

Entries from "Writing.Com 101"  E: Explanations and instructions of all things Writing.Com.

         "Create/Edit a Static Item" 

         "Static Item" 

         "Overview of Your Portfolio" 

         "Create/Edit a Crossword Puzzle" 

         "Create/Edit a Madlib" 

         "Create/Edit a User Poll" 

         "Create/Edit a Word Search" 

         "Create/Edit a Quiz" 



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Need assistance?

"Newbie Help & Support Writer's Hideaway"  E: A discussion forum to help Newbies by answering questions about writing, reviewing & more

"Technical Support Forum"  13+: Members help other members with technical questions and problems using Writing.Com!


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Special thanks to South West Sophie