Writing websites vs. writing

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Writing websites vs. writing
Topic Started: Apr 20 2009, 06:32 PM (198 Views)
Allyson	Apr 20 2009, 06:32 PM Post #1
Observer of all Posts: 2,337 Group: Root Administrator Member #1 Joined: Jan 29, 2008	I, personally, am on writing websites a lot more than I'm actually writing (and I'm guess most of you are too). I'm not going to ask why do think that is, because it would be stupid, since we all know that writer's block is harder to overcome than replying to hard topics (most of the time). So I think the question that I have for us to discuss is, do you think writing websites and forums help you to become a better writer? I don't mean just joining and posting, but discussing plots and characters, and asking questions and getting input from other writers...do you think it help us become better writers?
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Tempest	Apr 20 2009, 08:09 PM Post #2
Gasp! Posts: 63 Group: Writers Member #19 Joined: Apr 23, 2008	I know I'm on here for the procrastination. I do think that writing websites have helped me as a writer improve, and I think they'll help other people. This is because it allows people to talk to other writers, writers that know more than they do or have different takes on things, share methods that might work for more than one person, or look at the way other people put a work together and the way it was torn down by critics. When I joined writing websites, I noticed a definite improvement in my writing. Writing websites, funnily enough, introduced me to people that actually improved the way I thought. I don't mean opinion-wise, I mean that I actually learned how to think more effectively.



Lykaios	Apr 21 2009, 05:29 PM Post #3
Crayon Posts: 1,216 Group: Global Moderators Member #10 Joined: Mar 23, 2008	Looking back on my writing that I did before I joined writing forums (about 18 months ago) I'd say I've improved tremendously. Back then I didn't know what a semi colon was, grammar was dangling out of the window and I could barely string a plot without going off on a tangent with cliches and mary-sues. Writing forums, especially TW have taught me a lot without me really realising. Reading through some of the classes on there, and the new training ground posts more recently, have taught me a lot about the craft and shown me that it's more than just stringing words together. Writing is more than jst a hobby for me, and recently I have been spending more time writing than on forums if you can believe that, it's more of somehting that's part of me, like an expression. In real life I'm not good with words. I find speech awkward and I hate speaking in front of people or reading aloud, it just seems so pastic and I much prefer letting other people and just listening. I always hate hearing myself speak because I sound so boringly irritating. But writing allows me a voice that I don't have when I open my mouth and I love it. :) Improvemnet happens naturally. You just pick things up without really meaning to and I think that being around other writers really helps. If I hadn't joined forums then I would still be where I was ebfore, stuck with a crappy story and awful characters with no imagination. So thank you, forums! :D /endstupidlylongreply,sorry
	>Spattered Ink - a forum for young writers<


RedHead97	Apr 21 2009, 06:13 PM Post #4
Writes 50 Words Per Chapter Posts: 276 Group: Writers Member #81 Joined: Feb 21, 2009	I agree, Lykaios. Joining writing forums helped me realize what writing is. I learned to critique, I learned how to write believable characters, I learned how to come up with good plots, and much more. I didn't even know what passive voice was! If someone never had a person critique a piece of their writing, they would go through life thinking they're a great writer but not even knowing their flaws. You wouldn't get the perspective of another writer, which EVERY writer needs.



Icey	Apr 22 2009, 07:52 AM Post #5
Let's play a love game, play a love game... Posts: 888 Group: Administrators Member #38 Joined: Aug 4, 2008	Lykaios Apr 21 2009, 05:29 PM Looking back on my writing that I did before I joined writing forums (about 18 months ago) I'd say I've improved tremendously. Back then I didn't know what a semi colon was, grammar was dangling out of the window and I could barely string a plot without going off on a tangent with cliches and mary-sues. Ahaha, my thoughts exactly. Let's see. I got involved with fanfiction.net when I was 13 cringes at the memory I was a horribly bad romantic fanfiction writer with no romantic experience (other than what I had read in books) and a talent for creating OC Mary Sues. cringes again fanfiction.net led me to forums and well...here I am six years later, a total forum addict who spends more time running forums than writing. Recently though, mostly through the encouragement of my fiance, I have picked up writing again, and I'm rehashing older stories on his website (cringe-tastic as they might be). To me, forums are a godsend for writers. It's a place to connect to other people. And if you're lucky enough to find people who can give you an honest critique, run with it! Writing websites, like fanfiction.net, on the other hand, I'm not sure of. One thing I hated about fanfiction.net is that the reviews were all the same (omg, I love this, update soon!). But I did meet some friends that I still talk to there XD With forums though, I think especially with smaller forums like this, there's a better chance to get an honest critique, or meet someone who could give it to you off of the boards (one of my friends read one of my stories and gave me a chapter by chapter critique over IM once, lol). bjullie Apr 21 2009, 06:13 PM If someone never had a person critique a piece of their writing, they would go through life thinking they're a great writer but not even knowing their flaws. You wouldn't get the perspective of another writer, which EVERY writer needs. And I agree with this. If I hadn't gotten into fanfiction.net, and later, other forums, I would still be that little wannabe romantic fanfiction writer who had no clue about what she was writing about. Outside perspectives are always a good thing. And, giving critiques also helps, too. By pointing out the flaws in other stories, it helps you find the flaws in your own. I sat in my room one night with the second draft of The Resort and was about to set it on fire, I thought it sucked that bad. But I wouldn't have thought it sucked so bad if I hadn't learned how to critique, through critiquing other people's works.
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Allyson	Apr 22 2009, 03:54 PM Post #6
Observer of all Posts: 2,337 Group: Root Administrator Member #1 Joined: Jan 29, 2008	Writing forums have definitely helped me a bunch. When I was 12 1/2 I was DIEING to find a writing website (I didn't know what forums were back then) where I could talk to other writers my age and post my work and all that. I would spend a lot of time everyday typing in all of the keywords on Google that I could think of (writing, writing websites, websites for writing, etc.), and then one day I just typed int he URL for KWC and vwalla! I was introduced to writing forums, and was happy. The End. Just kidding. :P Sorry for the little flashback. bjullie Joining writing forums helped me realize what writing is. I learned to critique, I learned how to write believable characters, I learned how to come up with good plots, and much more. I didn't even know what passive voice was! Same here! I wasn't the least bit of a critic when I first started being on writing forums, but I've learned a lot since then. Thank goodness too...:) IceDragon And, giving critiques also helps, too. By pointing out the flaws in other stories, it helps you find the flaws in your own. That's another area I've come a long way...no longer (well, pretty much no longer) do I have Mary Sue characters! :D
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RedHead97	Apr 22 2009, 05:00 PM Post #7
Writes 50 Words Per Chapter Posts: 276 Group: Writers Member #81 Joined: Feb 21, 2009	I agree about Icey's comment. When you fix someone else's flaw, you're fixing your own. I didn't know what forums were, either, Allyson. I found KWC by typing in 'kids writing club' on Yahoo's search engine. I learned what NaNo WriMo is, then I found WW through Ashe's profile, then I found WDG, then I found SI, then I found HERE through your advertisement at SI. Yay, forums! :)



Lykaios	Apr 22 2009, 05:35 PM Post #8
Crayon Posts: 1,216 Group: Global Moderators Member #10 Joined: Mar 23, 2008	bjullie I found KWC by typing in 'kids writing club' on Yahoo's search engine. I learned what NaNo WriMo is, then I found WW through Ashe's profile, then I found WDG, then I found SI, then I found HERE through your advertisement at SI. I love the way our forums are all connected up. ^_^ I Googled 'teenage writers' and found TW, then I clicked on a link in Allyson's sig when she was there and found the KWC, from there I found WR and AHO (what old WW site) then that changed to WW and later I made SI. I don't know how I found YWO though, and TWing was mentioned in a spam thread on TW. :D All
	>Spattered Ink - a forum for young writers<


Allyson	Apr 22 2009, 05:56 PM Post #9
Observer of all Posts: 2,337 Group: Root Administrator Member #1 Joined: Jan 29, 2008	I think it's amazing. lykaios Writing is more than jst a hobby for me, and recently I have been spending more time writing than on forums if you can believe that, it's more of somehting that's part of me, like an expression. I envy you so much. At the moment I'm struggling with the critic inside me, and I'm having to force myself to just write. :(
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GothX	Apr 23 2009, 12:55 AM Post #10
Random Words Posts: 62 Group: Writers Member #67 Joined: Dec 25, 2008	I join to help other writers... I post mine just to let others read, not really for the help improving. My writing comes out of my head, and I don't look for it to get published... I don't want to be known as a poetry writer, I want to be known for who I really am. I prefer to help others, and just let them read my own. Reading other's works, though, helps me figure out just how to write my thought patterns.
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