Hello everybody, I hope you're staying safe and sane.
I'm Matt. I joined a few months ago with the intention of rededicating myself to the goal of becoming a full-time writer in 2020... and well, we'll see how that goes! So far not so good.
Perhaps the most important thing to say about myself is that I am a planner, not a pantser. Discovering that distinction recently was a revelation for me, even if I still have a problem with finishing most of my writing projects. I also discovered the Snowflake Method, which I have to admit I find pretty cool.
I'd like to apologize for the pun in the previous sentence. That was honestly unintended. I don't mind admitting that I'm a dork who likes the Snowflake Method, but I don't want anyone to take me for a punster. I'm strongly anti-pun, and I don't associate myself with punsters. I have not spoken to my uncle in several years.
What else. I like to read. I'm not sure I have a favorite genre. I tend to enjoy stories that mix genres creatively. At the same time, most of my outlines morph into mysteries, even when I try something like straight-forward science fiction. So maybe I belong in the Mystery section. I used to read a lot of Ray Bradbury, and the first real grownup book I remember trying to read was the complete stories of Sherlock Holmes. I remember the vocabulary being impossible for me to wade through.
What I've been working on recently: I'm trying my hand at blogging, which I should have started doing long ago. Perhaps it's the pantser nature of it, or the fact that blogs did not exist during my formative teen years, which explains why I have had difficulty with the format. If you're interested, you're welcome to check out my first post, in which I collect my favorite quotes about writing (as motivation for myself in the new year). Initially I thought the post might come across as too depressing... but now it seems quite apt!
My other project at the moment is building a website for ESL students. My day job is as an English teacher, and I was hoping to transition to online teaching even before my school got shut down due to the pandemic. On a related note, I'm curious to know if anyone here writes in English as their non-native language. I would like to share some recommendations for writing books with future students. Are there specific books that have helped you improve your English writing skills?
My apologies if there's a more appropriate thread to pose that question, and if there are any other points I should have addressed in my self introduction. I'm happy to answer any questions!
(PS. Can somebody explain to me how to change my avatar? I couldn't for the life of me figure out how to do it.)
I'm Matt. I joined a few months ago with the intention of rededicating myself to the goal of becoming a full-time writer in 2020... and well, we'll see how that goes! So far not so good.
Perhaps the most important thing to say about myself is that I am a planner, not a pantser. Discovering that distinction recently was a revelation for me, even if I still have a problem with finishing most of my writing projects. I also discovered the Snowflake Method, which I have to admit I find pretty cool.
I'd like to apologize for the pun in the previous sentence. That was honestly unintended. I don't mind admitting that I'm a dork who likes the Snowflake Method, but I don't want anyone to take me for a punster. I'm strongly anti-pun, and I don't associate myself with punsters. I have not spoken to my uncle in several years.
What else. I like to read. I'm not sure I have a favorite genre. I tend to enjoy stories that mix genres creatively. At the same time, most of my outlines morph into mysteries, even when I try something like straight-forward science fiction. So maybe I belong in the Mystery section. I used to read a lot of Ray Bradbury, and the first real grownup book I remember trying to read was the complete stories of Sherlock Holmes. I remember the vocabulary being impossible for me to wade through.
What I've been working on recently: I'm trying my hand at blogging, which I should have started doing long ago. Perhaps it's the pantser nature of it, or the fact that blogs did not exist during my formative teen years, which explains why I have had difficulty with the format. If you're interested, you're welcome to check out my first post, in which I collect my favorite quotes about writing (as motivation for myself in the new year). Initially I thought the post might come across as too depressing... but now it seems quite apt!
My other project at the moment is building a website for ESL students. My day job is as an English teacher, and I was hoping to transition to online teaching even before my school got shut down due to the pandemic. On a related note, I'm curious to know if anyone here writes in English as their non-native language. I would like to share some recommendations for writing books with future students. Are there specific books that have helped you improve your English writing skills?
My apologies if there's a more appropriate thread to pose that question, and if there are any other points I should have addressed in my self introduction. I'm happy to answer any questions!
(PS. Can somebody explain to me how to change my avatar? I couldn't for the life of me figure out how to do it.)
