Are you a new or aspiring writer with a story to share, but you’re not quite sure which forum your writing is best suited? Do you have an interest in local, national or global news? Is a newspaper the right medium? Do you have an interest or expertise in a specific topic? Would a magazine or other periodical such as a niche or trade publication provide the best home for your work? Perhaps you’re more of a novelist or short story author.
Whatever your medium, you can connect with authors interested in all forms of writing via the Internet.
In many ways, the Internet is the go-to spot for writers to share their ideas and their latest material. Many writers use the Internet to create a virtual meeting spot, a sort of writers’ workshop where they discuss what’s new in the literary world as well as the latest techniques, works in progress and published materials.
Among its many functions, the Internet is also a place where people can share their thoughts and ideas freely, so don’t be intimidated by the process of sharing pieces of your work online. Make sure that when you are sharing your work with an online feedback provider that you trust this individual to review your work and not to attack it or claim it as their own.
Know that when you are sharing materials with people online that professional etiquette must be exercised in the same way that you would expect when conducting a feedback session face-to-face.
Once you have established a professional and trustworthy rapport, have fun and enjoy the benefits of having an independent party examine your work.
You may find that you get more out of the constructive criticism of a stranger who is reading your work for the first time online, versus the feedback of a friend or a loved one who has read your work each step of the way.
