Getting the most out of this forum

There's a wealth of information here and you seem to already know where to look.

But to get the most of this forums -- as in anything like classes, work place, etc. -- is to engage others. To participate in discussions, to get to know other writers, and make contacts and network. Post as well as crit SYW stuff would be a good start, too. It's a community, and the more you participate, the more you get out of it -- but without expectations. E.g. Don't think just because you crit someone's work, that the person is obligated to crit yours. Basically, treat this as a real community and have fun. And you'll learn and get to know some great people along the way.

welcome Willfs.
There is a wealth of information on this site. Uncle Jim is the best place to learn the craft.(start with the original thread and read the whole thing.) The members are the other (best way to learn). The basic writing, novel and grammar forums are exceptional learning tools. Also go to the SYW thread and read and study. Do all these things and you can't help but learn the craft. Hope these suggestions helped.
Jane

Use the search tool. I've learned more here about query letters, grammar/syntax issues, and basic writing strategies by simply doing a quick search on the issues I needed resolved. And if you can't find an answer, then post a new question and people usually answer you within minutes. It's great!

If you're not ready to have your own work critted, then as well as reading the crits, attempt some yourself. Even if you don't feel qualified to do line by line edits, then even letting a poster know your overall impressions can be helpful - it's always nice to let someone know you enjoyed what you read and would read more, or why something didn't work for you.

Otherwise, keep doing as you're doing!

Here's the link to Uncle Jim's thread. It's been an eye opener for me.

http://absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6710

If you're a self-teacher, you can learn as much as taking a course from anywhere. About anything. Well -- most things. Writing is definitely one of those things. On AW, as everywhere else, here are some things you can do to expand your knowledge:

1) Ask questions. About everything. All the time. Anything you're unclear on. You'll want to search for a similar thread first, of course, but if you can't find one, or if it really doesn't answer your question, ask away.

2) Find a mentor. Here, you'll want to find a beta reader who can offer you quality critiques that will show you where you can improve, and where you are already on the right track.

3) Once you've found an answer to your question, come up with another question. If you're always in the habit of looking for more stuff you can master, you'll rapidly expand your knowledge.

4) Do. Most people learn a skill best by practicing it. So be sure you set aside time every day to write.

5) Identify areas where you can improve. This goes along with finding a mentor, but in addition to that, offer other folks critique so you can better identify the weak points in your own work. Critiquing others really does help you learn!

6) Recognize that you never know enough. There's always more to learn. But you already knew that, right?

Welcome, and good luck!