What has AW done for you?

I waste entirely too much time here, but it does keep me motivated to push on with my writing. And I have been.

KTC said:

This place has made me a better writer. A better poet. A better person.

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Beautifully said. I'll have to add my eloquent, DITTO!

This place has become addictive for me, but moreso it has never let me forget what I want to accomplish, which for that I will be ever grateful. Also I really dig almost all the community who I love to argue, laugh, and generally just read the silly stuff that happens to everyone....

AW has put me in contact with other talented writers--who are generous with their input--and give me positive motivation. I also enjoy the casual banter on the less serious threads--that helps me with my writing(ideas or dialogue)--to learn you must be willing --AW has nothing but wonderful folk--and Stew21 totally rocks for hooking me up with AW--I am very happy here!

AW has given me a wealth of information on a variety of subjects--but most particularly in the business world of publishing--which I find invaluable.

And more importantly, I've also made a wide-ranging and impressive group of friend who share my love for writing and are at various stages of theur careers. They motivate me, they inspire me, they make me submit, they torture me ceaselessly...

...and I love them for it.

Found me a great friend who has helped me so much.

Gave me advice on what to do when I couldn't take my friends advice.

Made my writing better.

Made me stronger in the sense of taking rejection.

Showed me that not all people out there are jerks and bad people as we teens now are all lead to believe about the internet.

And so much more. I love this place

Before I came to AW, I had never sold a short story.

Since coming to AW I've sold 6, including a very recent one that was improved in large part due to great critiques in Share Your Work.

Coincidence? You be the judge...

AW has given me the ego-popping I deserved. Many apologies to those of you who knew me back when I was God's gift to the writing world and that my work was somewhere between Faulkner and Hemingway in greatness. I was a douche.

I have gained some great insight on my completed novel, not least of which is that it's YA and needed to be shorter than my original stopping point of 112k.

I also have the drive to write every day on my current WIP's. Reading the forums keeps my brain focused on writing, rather than on going postal. ETA Unless I step over to P&CE...somebody STOP ME!!!

Everything that you said and more.

I've had so much help as I learned about writing.

I've found a place to go when I'm hiding from my writing. A place that allows me to take a break, yet reminds me why I am doing this.

I've found so many fantastic people who are willing to give you their 2 cents.

My friends (in person) accept me for what I am - but there are things that I won't do or say in front of them them. I won't share my writing because they will all say that it is awesome. I'm so good. -- when I know that I'm not.

On AW, I'm not bound by the same restrictions as in person. If I F&%k up, I know that you can simply ignore me.

I can ask for help without fear. I can give opinions and know that there will be 15 other opinions so that the asking person can choose the one that works for them.

AW is the best!

I met my agent in person for the first time last night. We were talking about how I got from someone who started writing a novel just over a year ago to someone who has just been signed by RH for a couple of books. It all came back to AW.

I'm living the dream because of this site and I know those who just landed an agent/publisher around here feel the same way.

JJ

Given me the resource links and/or threads to be the writer I am. A few friends that keep in touch through emails. Oh, and almost 500 reppies!

I have been involved on multiple leves I think. I've paricipated in threads from flash to poetry, Office Party to Politics. I've lead a poetry workshop and either offered or donated money prayers and support for members in need. I've enjoyed both the Comic and Music forum though I can't say I've made any real connections there, but I have heard some great jams too. I have made a couple of award banners for contests, but that didn't seem to work out as nobody uses them.

AW, though not from a story developed here, has given me the source and encouragment to submit my one and only published work - a short story.

Given me so far, the most enjoyable window of contact I have found on the web. The email I share with some are a constant reminder that no matter how bad AW gets, (and let's admit, there are some things that everybody doesn't like about AW, thought they may be different for each person), THIS is where it all began, and if it can happen once, it CAN happen again. So I remain hopeful and thankful.

Since I joined AW, I've written 2 complete novels. (Finished #2 yesterday.) If that doesn't speak for itself, I don't know what does.

AW has also taught me the value of critiquing - both taking advice from others and looking at my own work critically. Before I came here, I was "okay" with critiquing, but it was really hard for me. The first time I posted something in SYW and got responses... I cried. A lot. The second time, I cried a little. And then I stopped. I rewrote. I made my stuff KICK ASS. Now when I come to SYW, I'm BEGGING people to rip my story apart. Somewhere along the way I realized writing isn't about being perfect; it's the process of communicating with others.

Both getting critiqued and critiquing others (and just reading critiques) has shown me what I need to look for in my own writing, so I now feel confident ripping my own work to shreds and putting it back together again. I have become the master of my words, not their slave. And it feels good.

Thanks everyone!

I found my kick-ass critique partner here. There were some other good things, but they pale in comparison to connecting with a like-minded writer.

Great Question KTC...

I am kinda new here... join Oct. 07 just prior to Nano.. I have met a lot of wonderful people here. Whether it is getting my work critqued, or reading posts I realized a couple days ago I am a better writer. I credit AW with that. I find sometimes I spend too much time here when I should be working on my WIP - Bruised Fruit. However that is a weakness in me, not in AW.

It is one of the most wonderful places on the internet.

What has this place done for me? Well, thanks to AW, I've finished a novella, a few short stories, several flash fiction pieces, and I've started a couple of novels. I've tried (and failed, lol!) NaNoWriMo for the first time ever.

I've learned about the business. About query letters (which I'd never heard of before I came here), etc. I've also started my very first blog since I joined. I've started reading a lot of agent and writer blogs as well, and learned a ton. I've met some sincerely awesome people who've helped me grow in a lot of ways.

I've begun to learn how to do an effective critique, and I've learned how much doing that for someone else can even help me with my own writing. I've read books I've never heard of before I came here.

Mostly, I learned that while writing is solitary work, we're not alone as long as we've got AW to come to...

AW helped make me a writer. And introduced me to the weird notion that maybe I'm a poet. And introduced me to most of my current awesome friends.

I love this place

Taught me a hell of a lot about the publishing world--invaluable advice. Besides that, I met my crit partner, who has also become a close friend.


Plus, reps.

it's given me the opportunity to become aquainted with some really cool, intelligent, and talented people. Thanks AW

Yep, well said, Kevin. I LOVE AW and the friends I've made here. Everyone has been extremely friendly, supportive and kind. I really feel like y'all are my family. Thank you for being wonderful!

AW has made me see that other writer's boards pale in comparison.

It's kept me from writer's block, 'cause all I have to do is come here and I get great ideas, just from reading the posts. And I get some good laughs, besides.

And, oh yeah, AW has taught me a lot about writing.

It's given me a lot of support - both professionally and personally. AW's opened my eyes to the world beyond my front yard, celebrated successes and offered chocolate and wine when things didn't quite go as I'd hoped.

I've learned more about writing and publishing in the time I've been here than I knew before I stumbled across AW. I found a lot of friends here as well - and that's always a keeper.

And of course, what everyone else has said.

*sends request to Mac for a leather forum to keep Tater around*

Sucked away all the time I used to have for writing...










That being said, the time spent hasn't completely been wasted. I've learned a tremendous amount about writing and the publishing industry in general from folks around here.

Unfortunately, it hasn't helped me land any contracts like most of the others around here...