Hello and thank you for taking the time to visit this page. I wanted to use this space to test the level of interest in a new website I have been designing. First, I want to take just a few minutes to explain my plans for the site, and then it would be very helpful if you could fill out the brief form at the bottom of the page. Your comments will be instrumental in determining many things about the design and purpose of the site.
Key goals of the new site
I have been a fan of fiction writing for years and have always enjoyed reading work from both new and established writers across a variety of genres. I have also enjoyed writing stories myself, and I am very interested in the concept of using the internet as a medium to share work with the world. In trying to make my own work available to others I have been a part of various intenet based advice and critiquing groups for writers. I feel that these groups can be of great benifit to a new writer, but one thing I have noticed is that they tend to operate on a fairly small scale. In other words, the typical group is comprised of a small number of writers who regularly share stories.
While I can see the benifits of small group size, I feel that a larger group has an even greater potential to both help the new writer and serve as entertainment for lovers of fiction. For this reason, my goal is to create a vast community comprised of both those who enjoy reading fiction and those who have a passion for writing it. I feel that the creation of such a group would have the following benifits.
larger group means greater variety of skill: In creating a more vast literary community I believe we can attract writers of all skill levels from the newbie to the established professional. This will give new writers the chance to learn more about their craft and perhaps established working relationships with more experienced individuals.
Wider audience equals more exposure and critiques: The creation of this group would mean getting your work out there to more than just a few individuals. Anyone who is interested in expanding their horizons as a writer and pehaps entering into publishing should definetly see the advantages of having a higher readership.
Comments from the reading public: Most of the groups I have seen online thus far are composed of only writers, but as most of us know, once you enter into publishing the vast majority of people who read your work will not be writers but fans of fiction. As I have said, I want fiction fans to have a bigger role in this group. They will have the opertunity to comment on pieces so that writers can get feedback that is less centered on the mechanics of writing, focusing more on how engaging their work is and how it might be improved from the viewpoint of the reading public.
The group will be offered for free: I do not plan to charge any fees for allowing writers to share their stories and recieve feedback through the site. We will rely primarily on voluntary contributions from people who support our goals.
Benifits for the non-writer
If you do not write fiction yourself but simply enjoy reading it this group will have a number of benifits fot you as well.
Check out the newest writers in you favorite genre: This site will feature the work of writers from many genres and skill levels. You will be able to enjoy pieces from new writers and follow their work as they continue to submit stories to the site.
Communicate with your favorite writers: This site will offer a unique opertunity for the reader in that you will actually be able to freely converse with any writer whose work you enjoy. You will be able to critique stories, ask questions and talk to others who share an interest in your favorite stories.
Hear about new publications: If a favorite author from the site gets published they will be able to share this information on one of our pages, meaning you will be among the first to know about any new books or stories they may have produced.
Future plans
In addition to creating a community for those who enjoy fiction I have many other plans for the site once we get things off the ground. A few possible ideas are:
Help us out!
If after reading this page you like the ideas I have proposed for the group please provide some brief feedback by clicking on the form button below and answering a few questions. Your Feedback is very important at this early stage and well help to determine how far we go with the group.