![]() ![]() |
Noticing Newbies Archives | More From This Day | Print This Issue |
![]() This week: I'm Curious Edited by: Jace ![]() ![]() More Newsletters By This Editor ![]() ![]() ![]() 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 ![]() ![]() Hi, I'm Jace ![]() Welcome to this issue of the Noticing Newbies newsletter. Join me as I take you into some nooks and crannies of Writing.Com that you may not have found time to check out yet. This newsletter is about and for you. And for you seasoned members, I hope you'll find something you can take from my ramblings. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() I'm curious. So curious in fact that I've created a Survey in which I hope you'll respond about your experiences with Writing.Com (WDC). But first a short history lesson about WDC. Oh, and while this is a newsletter for Newbies, I welcome Survey responses from any WDC member. I'll separate the responses for my next newletter. WDC was created as Stories.Com in September 2000 by a husband-wife team who call themselves The StoryMaster ![]() ![]() What started as a reading platform soon evolved into a fledgling writing site renamed Writing.Com. In the words of the StoryMaster, Writing.Com considers itself to be a peer-to-peer writing environment where authors collaborate to improve their writings and their writing skills. We do not consider Writing.Com to be any type of publishing venue. Twenty years later, WDC is arguably the premier writing site on the Internet today. So I'd like to know what brings you to Writing.Com. And what makes you stay. Please take about 15 or 20 minutes to answer the questions posed in the following survey. While I'm asking folks to include their Username, I won't share it unless you give permission for me to do so. I will share the information received from your answers in my next newsletter on/about 24 Mar.
I look forward to reading your responses. Thank you. ![]() ![]() Check out this forum designed to assist Newbies.
Then drop in on these Newbies. Take a moment to review this offering ... or something else in their Port. Welcome them to WDC through a scribble in their Notebook.
Submit an item for consideration in this newsletter! https://Writing.Com/main/newsletters/action/nli_form ![]() ![]() 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://Writing.Com/main/newsletters/action/nli_form Don't forget to support our sponsor! ![]() ![]() Thanks for spending time with me today. At the bottom of every newsletter is a section entitled ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() From the Newsfeed: From elephantsealer ![]() Agreed. Except if the writer believes publication to be THE measure of success, then the publisher holds the cards. From Dr. Alex Dolittle ![]() I suspect a writer needs to develop a thick skin when it comes to his or her writings. From jolanh ![]() I too like to re-read my older material. But what I really need to do is take the time to edit and update that material. From MichaelLomas ![]() I always hope folks treat my work with respect. Then I try to remember it's just their opinion. From Steven, Rejected By All ![]() Then I started to compare myself to other writers. I ignored what others told me and looked at writers I admired and tried to mimic them. This resulted in a very terse rejection letter telling me the world did not need a fifth rate Stephen King when it had the real deal, and another rejection letter accusing me of writing Stephen King pastiches. So, in my later 20s, I started to simply write the stories I wanted to read in the style I wanted to have them presented. I wrote for me and me alone. After a few years of developing my own style, I had my first publication in my early 30s. Now, over 120 acceptances later (I don’t do self-publishing), I think I have my own style going okay. Sure, I don’t win any awards, I rarely get recognition from others, but I like what I write (most of the time) and that is all that matters. Then there is the case for being accepted in magazines, online writing sites and by publishers. Is that a way of measuring myself? No, not really. It does mean I have appealed to some-one else (the editor/slush reader/whoever) but I am persistent and have a huge backlog of stories I can draw from, so, to me, that is just a way of measuring the hard work I put into my writing. I make sure I can spell well, my grammar/punctuation is as close to perfect as I can make it, I show and not tell, I don’t allow for too many info dumps, I make characters as interesting as I can, I work at what I do. It is not a measurement of my ability, per se. So, how do I measure my writing ability? If I like it, then the writing works. I don’t compare, I don’t worry about winning things, I just write. Measuring your ability can lead to arrogance or depression. I just accept that I am writing and that I will keep on improving if I keep on working at it. We can all improve. One day I reckon I’ll even be a good writer. Maybe. We’ll see. Best of luck to you in all your writing endeavors. From DevilsBargin ![]() From TJ likes Cadbury eggs & Peeps ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() To stop receiving this newsletter, click here for your newsletter subscription list. Simply uncheck the box next to any newsletter(s) you wish to cancel and then click to "Submit Changes". You can edit your subscriptions at any time. |
Noticing Newbies Archives | More From This Day | Print This Issue |