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 A blog about music from my unique perspective (also a spot for some poetry I’ve written) |
| Kiya's Wonderland Prompt: In 25 sentences, tell us about your journey into Writing.com and why you have remained until this day. (each sentence should be a bullet point - a list of sorts - do not send it in paragraph format) Petra's Prompt: 25 years of Writing.com. Let's celebrate! Guide us through your writing life at WdC. Ups, downs, hiatus? What happened with you being part of this wonderful community?  1. I joined WdC July 11th, 2023, a little over two years ago, ultimately because of AI. 2. It all started when I wanted to track down the title of a short story I'd read many years ago; the AI lied to me, but it recommended a collection of short stories by Roald Dahl, and I found it was free to read as a PDF, so I did. 3. I was amazed at his bold, zany, unabashedly weird writing style, and it inspired me to finally write down a kidnapping drama that had been stewing in my head for at least a decade. 4. Once I had it written down, I asked myself what the next step was: to get feedback on whether it could actually be considered “literature,” or was simply scribbled, pulpy ravings from a cobwebby mind. 5. I found WdC, posted the story "Virus"  , received wonderful, affirming, helpful, thoughtful feedback that validated my hopes of being a “real” writer, and within two days was gifted a year's Upgraded membership. 6. I never expected to keep writing stories, especially within the limits of a free account, but when I was anonymously upgraded, I knew I had to earn my keep and make their gift worth it, so I threw myself wholeheartedly into the community and never looked back. 7. At first, I was a fumbling Newbie, writing reviews a few stumbling sentences long, asking people to send me beautiful exclusive MBs when I barely knew what GPs were, and not entirely sure what I was supposed to be doing, but I made friends super fast and found myself embraced by a patient and loving circle of members who showed me how WdC works and encouraged me to reach for the stars. 8. The first ribbon award I received was for "Christmas in July" written for a contest hosted by Lilli ☕  9. The first story I wrote specifically to enter a contest (hosted by Gaby  ) was "Whose Side Are You On?" 10. I have entered every single Official WdC Contest since joining (except for the January 2024 Dear Me) and have placed in at least seven. 11. In February 2024, I was promoted to Preferred Author (Yellow Case) in under a year, an honor previously unheard of. 12. I've seen dozens of members come and go, and I'm determined to be loyal and stay on for as long as I possibly can, leaving a meaningful legacy for others to learn from. 13. I've met and befriended people from all over the globe, from all walks of life, from many different religions and perspectives and writing styles and abilities. 14. I'm in the process of learning how to be a better human being, navigating interpersonal communication challenges and doing my best to abide by the rules. 15. My experience hasn't always been rosy; sometimes I am to blame for pushing people away by my impulsive or even obnoxious behavior, for which I apologize and promise to do better, leaving the door open for reconciliation. 16. I constantly strive to improve myself and my writing craft, maintaining consistent goals and always ready to take on a new challenge, an untried genre or a new style, no matter how daunting it appears. 17. Unbelievably, I have not yet spent a single penny of real money on WdC, supporting myself through my hard work and the generosity of others. 18. WdC has helped me grow and mature from a solitary, inward-facing, obsessive, parasocial person to someone who values real relationships, who can look objectively at myself: my hobbies, quirks, opinions, and worldviews; and write about them in a clear and sane way so others can see me as a fully developed, thoughtful and relatable human being. 19. I've learned countless tips, tricks and best practices for writing compelling stories and heartfelt poetry; if I had to tag everyone who's taught me something about writing since I've been here, it would be a very long line! 20. In the same vein, if I had to tag everyone I consider a friend here, the list would stretch across the room! 21. Some of the delightfully frenzied content creation and reviewing activities I've participated in here include: Game of Thrones, Musicology Anthology, Tour de Ports, the 23rd Masquerade, Resurrection Jukebox, Soundtrack of Your Life, Poetry Pals, seven straight days of Writer's Cramp, Kiya's Wonderland, Rachel's Beatles Challenge, I Write, 48 Hour Media Prompt, and probably several others I've forgotten about! 22. One of my favorite standalone stories I've written so far is also one of my longest: "Tools of the Trade" 23. One of the most wonderful, exciting and challenging projects I've taken on was the 2025 Musicology Anthology, where I traced the life of a detective and his family across fourteen short, interconnected yet independent stories inspired by an album full of newly released demos from my favorite band "Reflections" 24. I own one exclusive MB, commissioned via funds donated by Sung'manitu  "Love is Best When Shared" 25. I want to finish by wishing The StoryMaster  and The StoryMistress  the very best in everything they do, blessings for their family, and a heartfelt thanks for creating such a wonderful, supportive and educational environment for writers of all stripes to grow and thrive!Words: 844. |
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