Writer's Forum Introductions

[AussieSim]

So far 16 MNers have expressed interest in participating in a Writer's Forum and I think we will get a lot more interest once we get going. In particular I want to make the exercises short and fun - and let's face it everyone is a writer on here and isn't shy about sharing their writing.

Anyway, first of all intros.

I'm 35, married, DS 14mths, in Germany. Have been journalling on and off for about 8 years. I did the first semester of a writing course in Australia but had to drop out to move here. During the course I wrote a short story (4000 words), it was set in a mining town near the coast of Western Australia during a tropical cylcone with two stranded women as the main characters. I've never been published, but I'd like to have a go at all kinds of writing - fiction, non-fiction, poetry, lyrics, screenwriting but I guess my greatest fantasy is to publish a novel. I want to make a go of this forum mainly to keep me motivated.

Your turn ...

ooh easy, I used to be a technical author too!

Right, have 10 mins to introduce myself. I'm 29, live near Bristol, am a SAHM to DS 9 months. I started a distance learning writing course 3 years ago which consisted of 20 modules and I've still only completed 3 of them. They offer your money back if you don't earn your course fees by the time you've finished the course, and I'm a perfect example of why they can - because they know most people don't even complete it.

I've written lots of poems (mostly non-intellectual stuff, e.g. childish rhymes about worms and tomatoes and some historical stuff) but nothing published. I've written a few article style 'opinions' on a website called DooYoo and earned £50 but somehow haven't managed to be consistent anymore, but it's good if you want feedback from people about your writing. I've done a few other bits online, e.g. pregnancy diary, and I'm keeping a diary for DS. I once won Star Letter from 'Real' magazine and was sent a luggage set !! I have the usual pipedreams of writing a novel but in reality know that I couldn't. I'm best at the short, bitty stuff and would hardly know how to handle the depth of plotting a novel requires. Also, I like writing factual article style things as I love research and am currently trying to write a non-fiction "self-help" style book but it's just bits here and there when I've time, so maybe in a couple of decades sort of thing...

I need to get motivated to write again cos I tend to spend my evenings after ds has gone to bed watching tv and I so dread getting to 50 and realising I've not reached my potential. I have too many hobbies and just dabble in all of them, taking none of them to any depth and I really want to find some way of earning money so I can stay at home with DS and any future babies.

I used to work in a library, my mum is a librarian and I've been to a squillion interviews for publishing jobs in the past, i.e. huge passion for books, but still NO GODDAMN success story. I really really want to find out if I really am any good at writing. Hopefully we can be honest with each other on Mumsnet and use postive comments and constructive criticism and suggestion to inspire and motivate one another to write.

The best suggestion I've ever heard is to write something, anything, every day. As long as you do that you have consistency and self-discipline and that, rather than mere luck, contributes to many people's success (I reckon!)

Anyway, nice to meet you and good luck to us all

I would really like to join in on this too. I am quite new to this - only recently discovered and feel much more positive since. I used to write alot and keep diaries then let it go and have recently started again. I have a dd aged 2 and a bit and am married. Work full time as a teacher in secondary school. Do we just join in then ? Is that how it works? Sorry for being a bit thick brain sometimes switches off....

yeah just join in where and when you want

i have a ds 8 month
dp who got me writing again
and i only write for fun

i forgot to introduce myself i'm 36,SAHM,2 children ds 6 and dd 4 next month,my passion is drawing but i really enjoyed writing the children's book

Hope its not too late but have cheekily joined the follow me on. I am 41 live in Blackburn and have three kids of 9,8 and 5. I run my own company and work full time in Manchester and spend time each month in Dublin. I am currently doing post grad study at Salford. I write articles for professional journals and do a lot of conferences where my presentations have grown increasiingly zany only pictures no words as I can speak for England. Have always wanted to write more creatively so am going to try and make some time. Hello everyone!

I'm 30, have a 10-month-old ds and live in Surrey with my mum and dad since recently separating from dh.

I'm dying to get back to writing. I had a very short-lived career as a freelance journo - was distracted by marriage and babies - but 'creative' writing (as opposed to straight journalism, I suppose) is my absolute passion. Friends and family are very encouraging. Trouble is, I'm scared, disorganised and lazy...

moominmama - have a look at some of the other threads in the creatve writing topc area and have a go!!

if there are any budding poets out there that would like to post and critique poems on our new forum, we would love to meet you. We are more family orientated than other sites out there; no fan-based flummery and no catches, it is totally free. Currently holding a Love Poem Contest with prizes
screech.myfreeforum.org/index.php