I just joined yesterday, without much lurking at all (only discovered the site about a week ago). Now that I've been encouraged to visit the SYW site and give feedback as I work my way up to 50 posts, I've visited a few subforums in SYW and I had to actually close the browser after the third one I looked at because I suddenly felt this incredibly quick build up of anxiety to the point where I almost felt like I was going to puke (but not literally, but still intense!). Anybody else feel this insane anxiety at suddenly being a part of a REAL writer's group??? I'm hoping I can find a way to see these nerves as a positive thing...like I'm really on the brink of starting, therefore the anxiety is building? building building building as in oh my there's that feeling again.... (hmmm, sidenote - me and the ellipses may be getting too close these days...indeed...)
Question for Other Newbies...
- Thread starter Smirkin
- Start date
I haven't, but then I came to AW after I'd been writing for a good long while, had a writer's group, and been to a few workshops.
My advice: take it slow. You don't have to get up to 50 through SYW; hang out in the Newbie Pub here, or in the subforums most particular to what you like to write, and get to know folks. Once everyone seems like a friend, it'll be easier to cope with the intense stuff like SYW. Especially if you've never had your own work critiqued before, it's good to get a bit of a thick skin going beforehand.
Welcome, btw (-:
-Suzanne
My advice: take it slow. You don't have to get up to 50 through SYW; hang out in the Newbie Pub here, or in the subforums most particular to what you like to write, and get to know folks. Once everyone seems like a friend, it'll be easier to cope with the intense stuff like SYW. Especially if you've never had your own work critiqued before, it's good to get a bit of a thick skin going beforehand.
Welcome, btw (-:
-Suzanne
Hi
I totally understand the anxiety, as you may have understood from reading my introductory post.
I felt the same type of thing when I saw that my wife had my story open on our nook after it had been there for weeks without being opened. I wanted to run from the room but did all I could to stay so she didn't think I was a moron.
But the point is that it would have been moronic to run, because it's something I want to do. As long as you have that, good or bad, criticism will only help you grow. And that's always a good thing.
See you around the forums
I totally understand the anxiety, as you may have understood from reading my introductory post.
I felt the same type of thing when I saw that my wife had my story open on our nook after it had been there for weeks without being opened. I wanted to run from the room but did all I could to stay so she didn't think I was a moron.
But the point is that it would have been moronic to run, because it's something I want to do. As long as you have that, good or bad, criticism will only help you grow. And that's always a good thing.
See you around the forums
Not really anxious (maybe a wee bit intimidated), but then again I'm still amped up on caffeine...so don't take me too serious.
Use all that anxiety and energy and start writing, maybe?
Use all that anxiety and energy and start writing, maybe?
There were some who would sign up and post their work for critique, but wouldn't give back to the community.
And I know what it is like Smirkin. The first time I shared a finished short story to my friends, they read it out loud. I had to leave the room.
Firstly, welcome.
Don't feel overwhelmed, honestly, it's a nice place and people are friendly. Take some time and feel your way around, got to know the folks and you'll realise that we're all here for the same reason.
In terms of the 50 posts for SYW - the 50 posts was put in place to stop fly-by posters who would post a piece for the crit but never contribute anything.
Don't feel overwhelmed, honestly, it's a nice place and people are friendly. Take some time and feel your way around, got to know the folks and you'll realise that we're all here for the same reason.
In terms of the 50 posts for SYW - the 50 posts was put in place to stop fly-by posters who would post a piece for the crit but never contribute anything.
The best way to ensure a smooth SYW experience is to spend a month critiquing people's work. You'll figure out the common mistakes we see every day and how to fix them in your own work. You'll pick up on the social etiquette of the board. And everybody will love you and want to return the favour. Go forth and crit.
There's no requirement to participate in SYW. If it makes you feel squishy inside, just avoid it. Work on learning your craft, making friends and absorbing all the information here. You only need 50 posts if you want to post a new thread in SYW, but there are many here who never post in SYW.
So just relax and enjoy the ride.
So just relax and enjoy the ride.
Para's and Soccer Mom's posts are gold. Read and memorize.
The fifty-post requirement is relatively recent. As AW's popularity soared, more and more new arrivals came to take all the expertise they could grab without sharing any of what they learned with others. It's still possible to be a real user after fifty posts rather than being a part of the community--but you will find that people who are part of the community get many more replies when and if they use SYW.
Maryn, still intimidated at times by the writers whose elbows she's rubbing
The fifty-post requirement is relatively recent. As AW's popularity soared, more and more new arrivals came to take all the expertise they could grab without sharing any of what they learned with others. It's still possible to be a real user after fifty posts rather than being a part of the community--but you will find that people who are part of the community get many more replies when and if they use SYW.
Maryn, still intimidated at times by the writers whose elbows she's rubbing
Take it easy. I first started poking around here a few years back and swiftly fell out because I was feeling like you, way too nervous and not ready. Now I'm back because I feel more secure in my ability to talk about writing intelligently and I don't feel like my writing is terrible anymore (if I may flatter myself, I think I'm almost decent! ).
Don't post for feedback until you're ready. If you feel too nervous, the first couple critiques are going to hurt bad, even if they're meant to help.
). Don't post for feedback until you're ready. If you feel too nervous, the first couple critiques are going to hurt bad, even if they're meant to help.
I've never participated in SYN. I'm glad it's there for some to benefit from it, but public display isn't my style. However, I do exchange critiques with others at AW.
As for intimidation, I'm a retired high school and college English teacher with lots of writing in print, but I'm very often awed at the knowledge here. It's a goldmine for any writer.
As for intimidation, I'm a retired high school and college English teacher with lots of writing in print, but I'm very often awed at the knowledge here. It's a goldmine for any writer.
I still get a little "look at all these people who've written REAL books and stuff; I don't belong here" sometimes. It will pass. Try hanging out in some of the games forums to get to know people and get comfortable with the site. I learned more in the first six months of participating here than I did in the previous 10 years to writing on my own.
Hi Smirkin,
I don't think I'm as anxious as you are but I do feel like I need to pinch myself. It's hard for me also...to believe that I am actually on this site and getting ready to send my first query letter. Here's wishing us both good luck. FYI, this is my first post...yikes!!
I don't think I'm as anxious as you are but I do feel like I need to pinch myself. It's hard for me also...to believe that I am actually on this site and getting ready to send my first query letter. Here's wishing us both good luck. FYI, this is my first post...yikes!!
What, there's a welcome basket? Damn it, where's mine? I bet it had samples of all kinds of cool stuff, plus free books.
Maryn, storming off to complain to the authorities
P.S. Nice to meet you, Basket
Maryn, storming off to complain to the authorities
P.S. Nice to meet you, Basket
mirandashell
Banned
Can I have a welcome basket? With some books in it? And some toast? And a wooly scarf? And some cognac? And......
To the OP:
Everyone here wants you to succeed. Why be nervous? We're not cruel folks. You'll find critique, not critism. Help, not hinderance. Friendships that can last as long as you want. Encouragement...the list goes on and on.
Take your shoes off, prop your feet up and help us welcome newbies with a smile.
You're growing on us and we love it.
I'm going to do you a bigger favor than you will realize for a while. I'm going to bust a very large and false bubble which tends to trip a lot of people up. Here goes;
Society places undeserved importance on writers, actors, presidents, kings, teen heart throbs and tricked-out escalades.
We're a bizarre race. We hold the skewed belief that 'real' celebs somehow outrank 'real' welders. That is insane. Is there any reason, other than perception, that going to McDonald's in a new Escalade is somehow superior to taking a rust-flanked '87 Silverado? Same effect is achieved.
Hamlet got it right. I'm paraphrasing: A bum eats a fish caught with a worm that gnawed a dead king, takes a shit and flushes.
Ain't nobody better than you or I or anyone else. Now, go get 'em.
Everyone here wants you to succeed. Why be nervous? We're not cruel folks. You'll find critique, not critism. Help, not hinderance. Friendships that can last as long as you want. Encouragement...the list goes on and on.
Take your shoes off, prop your feet up and help us welcome newbies with a smile.
You're growing on us and we love it.
I'm going to do you a bigger favor than you will realize for a while. I'm going to bust a very large and false bubble which tends to trip a lot of people up. Here goes;
Society places undeserved importance on writers, actors, presidents, kings, teen heart throbs and tricked-out escalades.
We're a bizarre race. We hold the skewed belief that 'real' celebs somehow outrank 'real' welders. That is insane. Is there any reason, other than perception, that going to McDonald's in a new Escalade is somehow superior to taking a rust-flanked '87 Silverado? Same effect is achieved.
Hamlet got it right. I'm paraphrasing: A bum eats a fish caught with a worm that gnawed a dead king, takes a shit and flushes.
Ain't nobody better than you or I or anyone else. Now, go get 'em.
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Smirkin, you have my sympathies. I've left people in tears after one of my critiques in query letter hell (QLH).
At some point, you need to make a decision. Either you are going to be a writer interested in publishing and being read by the public, or you are not. Either choice is fine, but one involves exposing yourself to the public and the other does not. I've had magazine articles published in magazines with 250k+ circulation. Think about how embarrassing it is to have a mistake like not knowing the difference between its and it's. Going public with your writing is hard. And every single thing you have published will have something in it that embarrasses you.
SYW definitely involves stripping yourself down and seeing how you look naked. It hurts when someone tells you that what you thought was a pleasing shape is described as a lump of clay. And an ugly lump of clay at that. But that's what happens whenever you show yourself in public.
But SYW also involves some control. Ignoring QLH, you can say what level of critique you want (personally the more complaints I get in a critique, the happier I am). You also can practice critiquing before you post your own work. And there's a lot more supportive people than people like me (but I limit my damage to QLH, where you shouldn't be if you don't have iron-clad cajones capable of handling lots of rejection).
SYW can be one of the best ways you'll find to advance your writing to where someone will actually give you some real money for it. It's not the only way. For some people it works really well. Others not so much. For others it helps them to find out why Publish America is so popular.
You'll get a variety of opinions on your writing, representing a bunch of serious readers and writers, and if you're lucky, with some real publishing experience. Getting paid for your writing is hard work and if it's money you're after, go work for McDonalds. The pay is better.
But if you're serious about being published, at some point you should try it. Because if you're like me, you'll try anything to make your work better.
Best of luck,
Jim Clark-Dawe
At some point, you need to make a decision. Either you are going to be a writer interested in publishing and being read by the public, or you are not. Either choice is fine, but one involves exposing yourself to the public and the other does not. I've had magazine articles published in magazines with 250k+ circulation. Think about how embarrassing it is to have a mistake like not knowing the difference between its and it's. Going public with your writing is hard. And every single thing you have published will have something in it that embarrasses you.
SYW definitely involves stripping yourself down and seeing how you look naked. It hurts when someone tells you that what you thought was a pleasing shape is described as a lump of clay. And an ugly lump of clay at that. But that's what happens whenever you show yourself in public.
But SYW also involves some control. Ignoring QLH, you can say what level of critique you want (personally the more complaints I get in a critique, the happier I am). You also can practice critiquing before you post your own work. And there's a lot more supportive people than people like me (but I limit my damage to QLH, where you shouldn't be if you don't have iron-clad cajones capable of handling lots of rejection).
SYW can be one of the best ways you'll find to advance your writing to where someone will actually give you some real money for it. It's not the only way. For some people it works really well. Others not so much. For others it helps them to find out why Publish America is so popular.
You'll get a variety of opinions on your writing, representing a bunch of serious readers and writers, and if you're lucky, with some real publishing experience. Getting paid for your writing is hard work and if it's money you're after, go work for McDonalds. The pay is better.
But if you're serious about being published, at some point you should try it. Because if you're like me, you'll try anything to make your work better.
Best of luck,
Jim Clark-Dawe
Well, the good news is that the puke feeling has faded. Now I'm just blinded by all your brilliance and kindness, sitting here shaking my head - can it be real? am I really here? But I am here, and I'm absorbing that n i c e and s l o w l y as I was advised
I'm also sitting here shaking my head at the fact that as a high school English teacher I've been demanding that my students do this from day one, and I've been dishing it out on them mercilessly, and expecting nothing less than their thanks and yes ma'ams. Their poor little nervous naked selves shivering and I've been blowing the cold air and not even checking if they ever got warm again. I'm also absorbing that at this moment.
I'm also sitting here shaking my head at the fact that as a high school English teacher I've been demanding that my students do this from day one, and I've been dishing it out on them mercilessly, and expecting nothing less than their thanks and yes ma'ams. Their poor little nervous naked selves shivering and I've been blowing the cold air and not even checking if they ever got warm again. I'm also absorbing that at this moment.
Miss Moo
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Yes, I have felt (and do feel) all of the above and more! I'm a background person in my daily life so to 'put myself out there' so to speak is hard for me. I have already learned so much just reading here and, hopefully, someday I will have learned enough to speak up and help someone else.
By the way......I didn't get a welcome basket either but, you can keep the jelly beans......I saw that movie!
By the way......I didn't get a welcome basket either but, you can keep the jelly beans......I saw that movie!
Well, the good news is that the puke feeling has faded. Now I'm just blinded by all your brilliance and kindness, sitting here shaking my head - can it be real? am I really here? But I am here, and I'm absorbing that n i c e and s l o w l y as I was advised
I'm also sitting here shaking my head at the fact that as a high school English teacher I've been demanding that my students do this from day one, and I've been dishing it out on them mercilessly, and expecting nothing less than their thanks and yes ma'ams. Their poor little nervous naked selves shivering and I've been blowing the cold air and not even checking if they ever got warm again. I'm also absorbing that at this moment.
Gentleness is not weakness. Show compassion to those children. It may be the only kindness many of them receive.
Bless your heart, sis.
mirandashell
Banned
One really important thing I learnt:
Don't change your WIP to suit the opinion of everybody. Because there will be different opinions. And trying to suit everyone will drive you mad. This I know from experience.
It's your story. You know it. Take the advice that helps and ignore the rest.
Having said that, if 3 or more people say the same thing is wrong, it's wrong.
Don't change your WIP to suit the opinion of everybody. Because there will be different opinions. And trying to suit everyone will drive you mad. This I know from experience.
It's your story. You know it. Take the advice that helps and ignore the rest.
Having said that, if 3 or more people say the same thing is wrong, it's wrong.
Well, I'm new here too, although I'm rather further along the writing path than you, as my first published book is coming out this week. But even so, I'd say to you: there's nothing to be afraid of. This is just a site for people who are into writing, to discuss writing.
If you write, you belong.
If you write, you belong.