Microsteps (I'm new here)

Joiflgrl · Feb 28, 2013

Greetings....ALL.

Truth: I have been reading and browsing AW for sometime now and the self-doubt got the best of me...so many witty, honest, talented writers out there. Although the perks of procrastination are undeniable (like a clean and de-cluttered living room and an alphabetized spice shelf in my kitchen), I am going to stop staring at this empty box and go for it:

[gulp]

I am a newbie. New to this site. New to putting myself out there for honest feedback (not the cushy, friends and family-type feedback). I am a stay-at-home parent with two amazing little people and I make time to write because when I don't, I feel lost. I fell in love with writing in sixth grade. I recently saw my sixth grade teacher her first question after hugging me was, "So, did you write that novel yet?" Her second question was, "Why not?"

I look forward to participating in this community and to the process of learning together with all of you. I apologize for being long-winded, and thank you for reading this.

Joiflgrl

L. Y. · Feb 28, 2013

Welcome to the Water Cooler!

Joel Stottlemire · Feb 28, 2013

Welcome Joi! What is your novel going to be about?

Joel, editor
www.thedrydenexperiment.com

Writelock · Feb 28, 2013

Hi and welcome to the asylum!

AlisonD · Feb 28, 2013

Not long winded at all. And I see a lot of myself in your description. Although my little people are now teenagers and I spent about 10 years making glass beads. We all have our paths and your (and mine) took us here.

Tepelus · Feb 28, 2013

Hello, and welcome!

Rockweaver · Feb 28, 2013

Hi Joiflgrl and welcome aboard glad you are here

Kylabelle · Feb 28, 2013

Hi Joi, welcome! Good for that sixth grade teacher.

Robust Rebel · Feb 28, 2013

I agree, not long-winded at all. Sincerity is a quality, and I'm glad you decided to stop dipping your toes in the water and took the plunge.

The fright and doubt likely stems from writing as a deeply personal act. Your greatest strength is who you are, because there will be no other like you. I look forward to hearing you roar---let the world know you're in it.

regdog · Feb 28, 2013

Take some time and read the Newbie Guide and the Stickies found
at the top of Forum pages. They are your best guide to learning about
Absolute Write.

Please read the FAQ about posting photos.

In fact we have lots of brilliant FAQs check them out.

Members who want to start a thread in Share Your Work to have work critiqued need
50 posts. Don’t make a mad dash to reach your 50 posts. Take some time to greet fellow newbies,
critique other members’ works, or join a discussion.

Announcements, Events and Self Promotion is for active members only. All obvious spam will be deleted on sight!

alldis · Feb 28, 2013

Welcome Joiflgrl.
Look forward to seeing your work eventually.

A.

DanielS · Feb 28, 2013

I can relate to a lot of what you said (I just joined and faced self doubt and procrastination). Hope to see you among the forum!

rwm4768 · Feb 28, 2013

Welcome. Sit down and write that novel. AW is a great place, but it can be a tool for procrastination.

KellyAssauer · Mar 1, 2013

Hi Joi!

Welcome (back) to AW!

Don't forget to read about AW basics in the Newbie Guide!

Questions about the forum software can be found in the
FAQ's menu in the handy blue bar at the 'top' of this page.

This common acronym list helps identify our mystifying abbreviations.

Before you ask that Newbie question!!

See if Katiemac has the answer here.
and check out: Sara's 10 Basic Writing Tips!

If you're looking for critiques please read the 50 Post rule.

Posting your writing to the Share Your Work (SYW) area is explained here. This link covers the most common problems posts. found in SYW *Worth reading no matter how long you have been here!*

AW is a community built on the foundations of respecting your fellow writer and helping each other, it's the basic building blocks of how and why AW works.

Welcome to our community! =)

-kelly-

Fun AW social links:
The Office Party
Kelly's Soft Asylum

Filigree · Mar 1, 2013

Joi, step away from the spice shelf and enjoy a brand-new exhilarating time-sink: AW. Seriously, I love it here and I've learned so much. You will fit right in.

thehairymob · Mar 1, 2013

Joiflgrl · Mar 1, 2013

Wow, thank you all for taking the time to welcome me. I feel encouraged and excited. Stepping AWAY from the spice cabinet and towards my project.

(Actually, I am sitting on the bathroom floor next to the tub where my sick 3-year-old is enjoying her 2nd bubble bath today...gotta love the stomach bug)

Joiflgrl · Mar 1, 2013

SYW question:

I really don't want to be the Newbie who asks a question that can be found in all of the places listed above, but I have looked through FAQ's and Newbie info and while it is entirely possible that while staring right at it, I didn't "see" the answer to this question, I am not sure:

How can I read and comment on others' work? Is this something that only members with 50+posts may participate in or am I just too sleep deprived to figure this out (even tried doing a few searches)?

CourtneyC · Mar 1, 2013

Welcome, Joiflgrl. I like the cut of your jib.

I'm an old lurker that finally decided to start posting. It is a lot of fun, and a grand community to be a part of.

John Olexa · Mar 1, 2013

Joiflgrl said:
How can I read and comment on others' work? Is this something that only members with 50+posts may participate in or am I just too sleep deprived to figure this out (even tried doing a few searches)?

Welcome from MD. This was a reply in my new members thread post.

"Members who want to start a thread in Share Your Work to have work critiqued need 50 posts. Don’t make a mad dash to reach your 50 posts. Take some time to greet fellow newbies,critique other members’ works, or join a discussion."

schrang41 · Mar 1, 2013

welcome to the forum

CourtneyC · Mar 1, 2013

Be careful, that stomach bug is CONTAGIOUS!

Joiflgrl said:
How can I read and comment on others' work? Is this something that only members with 50+posts may participate in or am I just too sleep deprived to figure this out (even tried doing a few searches)?

You must be logged in to find the SYW (Share Your Work) thread about 3/4-ths of the way down the main page. Once you can see it, click it, and you will be asked for a password. that password is on the main page under the SYW title and is bolded. You don't have to have 50 posts to comment on other people's work...only to post in SYW yourself. You are encouraged to critique other's work. They need the feedback and you need the practice (it helps you see problems in your own work).

So, jump in!

pensmith · Mar 2, 2013

Hi Joiflgrl!

Hello,

I'm also new.

Nice to meet you!

pensmith

poeticcaresses · Mar 4, 2013

Welcome!

Those are great questions - have you answered them?

Microsteps (I'm new here)

Joiflgrl

L. Y.

Thread surfer and virtual bartender

Joel Stottlemire

Writelock

Tribal Wanderer

AlisonD

Tepelus

And so...

Rockweaver

Kylabelle

unaccounted for

Robust Rebel

regdog

The Scavengers

alldis

Temet Nosce

DanielS

Skrbz

rwm4768

practical experience, FTW

KellyAssauer

The Anti-Magdalene

Filigree

Mildly Disturbing

thehairymob

If I had a brain I'd still be dumb

Joiflgrl

Joiflgrl

CourtneyC

Lagrange Point

John Olexa

schrang41

CourtneyC

Lagrange Point

pensmith

poeticcaresses

Normality is overrated :)