  Noticing Newbies
This week: Where do I start? Edited by: Elle - on hiatus  
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After seven years on Writing.com, I know my way around pretty well. There are still a few areas I haven't explored though. One of my favourite things about Writing.com is that there is something for everyone. It doesn't matter how niche your preferences are, there is someone else on this site that has the same interests and preferences. Sure, if your preference is 'dark free verse poetry', you're more likely to stumble across a fellow enthusiast than if your preference is 'Legends of Zelda fan fiction', but they're both on here.
But where do you start? How do you find the people that you want to connect with, or the writing you want to read and review? How you do find the people who will understand the specifics and subtleties of your writing? Let's take a look around together. |
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A friend of mine, whom I've known since primary school, recently joined Writing.com. I'll admit, I do sometimes take this site and my knowledge of it for granted. Although I know there are areas I haven't explored, I know how to find what I'm looking for, and know who to ask if I need help. But I looked at my friend's grey case and realised how overwhelming this site can be for newbies. So I thought I'd give a little guidance.
Where to start?
 Set up your portfolio and bio. This is the starting point for everyone who meets you. It gives them a little intro to who you are. There's a really helpful video that shows you how to do this - "Video: Set Up Your Portfolio Tabs" . There are also written instructions at "Overview of Your Portfolio" .
Introduce yourself. I recommend posting a new message at "Noticing Newbies" . This is a really supportive forum, and you can also ask questions here. I also recommend posting in your notebook. This is a good way to reach out to the community and start a conversation. You can read more about notebooks and how they fit into the community newsfeed at "Newsfeed"
Share something. Some people join Writing.com only to read and review, which is totally fine, but most are writers and want to share their writing. There are a variety of types of items you can share, both static and interactive. "How To Create an Item" gives you a good starting point, and there is a link at the bottom of that post to all the different item types. Once you've added your writing to your portfolio, you can share it in your notebook too!
Who to ask for help?
Right at the top of every screen, you'll find a link to "Writing.Com 101" which is a huge help. It's laid all clear and simple,
so you should be able to find what you're looking for.
If you're confused or lost though, "Noticing Newbies" is a great place to ask for some direction.
If it's something technical that's not working like it should, you can click on the link at the top of every page that says 'Need help?' and that will take you to the "Technical Support Forum" .
You can ask a moderator (they're the ones with the blue cases). Most members will help you out, but moderators have the blue cases to make it easier for you to find people who are likely to know their way around the site and if they don't know the answer they should be able to help you find it.
How to find items that interest me?
At the top left of every page, there is a 'search' function. You can search your own portfolio (very helpful when you end up with lots of items over the years!), another member's portfolio if you're already in their portfolio, or the whole site. If you click to search 'All of Writing.com', you can then select the genre that interests you, and even the type of item that interests you. The search defaults to 'reading' so it will bring up static items like short stories, poems, articles, novels, etc. You can change it to find groups or forums, or any type of item that appeals. You can search just by genre, or you can search just for key words, or both.
If you scroll down the left hand column on any page, you'll see a link called 'Community'. If you click on that, it opens up a panel that has more links, includes contests, activities and blogs. Check them out and see if any interest you. 
Ask. You can always ask in your notebook or in the "Noticing Newbies" forum, and someone may be able to point you in the right direction.
Where can I get some guidance on reviewing?
"Reviewing On Writing.Com" is a good place to start, and from there you'll also get links to "Guidelines To Great Reviewing" and information on the five star rating system.
"Invalid Item" is a forum specifically for reviewers to talk, ask questions, and learn.
"Invalid Item" has lots of helpful advice and links.
"Checklist for Critiquing" has some good ideas on what to say in a review.
You can figure out your own rating system over time, but this is a good starting place if you're not sure - "Star ratings." .
Join a group (more on that in the next section). Many of the groups specifically help newbies learn how to review.
Take a class. Yes, Writing.com has classes! They're run by members, and you can take classes on all sorts of topics from novel or poetry writing to grammar and reviewing. Check out the course catalog at "Invalid Item" .
No one knows I'm here. How do I make friends?
Post in your notebook. That gets you on to the community newsfeed.
Browse the community newsfeed (there's a link in the left hand column that simply says 'Newsfeed'. You can change it from your personal newsfeed (which shows you only notebook posts from your favourite members) to the community newsfeed using the link at the top of the page).
Post in a forum. "Noticing Newbies" is a good one. You can not only start a new post of your own, but you can reply to other people's posts and start a conversation. You can also post in "Writing.Com General Discussion" or reply to posts there.
Review. Reviewing is a brilliant way to get noticed. You'll be surprised how many people pay attention to the review pages, and generally speaking, the more you review, the more your own work gets reviewed.
Enter a contest. There are contests specifically for newbies, like the "Newbies ONLY Short Story & Poem Contest" and "Invalid Item" . Each month there is an official site contest too, and for August it is "Short Shots: Official WDC Contest" . You can find more at "Writing Contests @ Writing.Com" . Some have prompts, some don't. Some allow older items, some require you to write something new. Some are for short stories, some are for poems, some are for blog posts, some are for chapters... Some are daily and require something to be written within 24 hours, and some run for a month. Some are even longer and require you to participate over a longer period. Check them out and find one that appeals to you.
Join a group. There are some great groups that are specifically designed to assist newbies, such as "The Newbies Academy Group" and "Newbie Help And Support Group" . There are groups for reviewing, for blogging, for those who write romance or those who write dark poetry, for people who enjoy photography or people who want to work on their novels together. There are support groups for teenagers, those with disabilities or mental illnesses, members dealing with grief or domestic violence, and a group for those who support the LGBT community. There are more than 700 group items on Writing.com. There truly is something for everyone.
Don't be afraid. Remember, everyone on this site started off as a newbie once. We have all been where you are now. Soon, you too will be guiding others around this amazing site, and you'll love it just as much as we do.  |
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Noticing Newbies: August 23, 2017 Issue [#8455]
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