# Newbie experiencing with the English language



## Quentin (May 10, 2014)

Hi all,

My name is Quentin.
I was born and raised in Brussels, Belgium (Europe), lived in Toronto, Canada (North-America) for one year and am currently living in Hong Kong (Asia).

I started writing when I was about 17 years old (I am 29 now). I wrote my first novel in French. The second one I wrote in Dutch, and the third one again in French (didn't send any of those to a publisher, though). However, I never really liked writing or reading in French. I don't like literary French. In my opinion the French grammar is too heavy to read/write an enjoyable novel (but that's just a personal opinion). Don't get me wrong, I love French. But only spoken French.

The first novel I ever read in English was _1984_ by George Orwell. I love that novel and read it in three languages (seven times in total in fifteen years). Ever since I got hooked on English literature, especially dystopian literature, even though I like reading other genres from time to time as well. My favourite novel is _Brave New World_, by Aldous Huxley.
Right now I'm finishing the fifth instalment of George R. R. Martin's _A Song of Ice and Fire. _I'm not fond of fantasy but I enjoy(ed) _A Song of Ice and Fire_ (novel and series) and The Lord of the Rings (novel and movie).

Anyway, as you probably have noticed English is not my mother tongue. I just happen to like the flow of the English language and decided to write down my next novel in English. I already wrote more or less 45,000 words but am still (very) far from done. It's never going to be as good as a novel written by a native speaker but I don't really mind. I write for the fun of it.

I hope to share opinions and ideas about writing (or other stuff) with you guys!

Look forward to reading from you soon.


Quentin


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## Pluralized (May 10, 2014)

Welcome, Quentin. Your mastery of English is pretty impressive; can't wait to read some of your work. 

While you're spending time getting acquainted with the various subforums and using your obligatory ten posts (required before you can start threads and use other forum features), consider checking out some of the other members' works in the creative subforums like the Prose Workshop and the Fiction boards. 

Welcome and see you around. Hope you like it here.


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## Bard_Daniel (May 10, 2014)

Very very impressive.

Je parle Francaise aussi, mais c'est le type Quebecois-- tres differente de France. Mais je lis en Francais et essaie d'etudier, moi-meme, Allemand et Espanol.

Cheers!


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## Pandora (May 10, 2014)

Hi Quentin very glad you decided to join WF. I look forward to sharing and reading with you too, welcome!


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## Quentin (May 10, 2014)

Thanks for the compliments, Pluralized. I think my conversational English is pretty good. However, my written English is too poor to write down a "publishable" creative piece. I sent a screenplay to a producer in Hollywood earlier on this year and he immediately noticed English wasn't my mother tongue... I guess I'll have the same problem (probably even worse) with my novel.

danielstj, très impressionnant que tu parles le français. Le québécois est très différent du français de France, C'est vrai. Lorsque j'étais à Toronto et que je parlais avec des Québécois je préférais parler anglais car je ne comprenais pas leur français! :icon_cheesygrin: Bonne continuation avec l'allemand et l'espagnol!

Pandora, I look forward to reading your work too. I already spent some time in the fiction section. I'm impressed by the mastery of some of the members of this forum. Impressive and inspiring. I love discovering the different ways people tell stories!


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## Winston (May 11, 2014)

Orwell and Huxley?  You sir, have good taste.  We should get together and have some kinda dystopian party.  I'm not sure how that would look, though.

Your writing is far superior to most native English speakers.  To write a more "plausible" piece, I would suggest learning as much pop-culture as you can stomach.  The producer that read your work probably felt your tone was too rigid or formal.  I'd offer to help, but I'm a curmudgeon that enjoys proper English.  Yet, that is not the world we live in anymore, is it?

Welcome.  Hope you enjoy your stay here.


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## Bard_Daniel (May 11, 2014)

I detect a little Joseph Conrad going on here...

Has someone come back from the dead, Quentin?


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## J Anfinson (May 11, 2014)

Hi. I think you're pretty good at English. Just keep at it, you'll get there eventually. Welcome to the forums.


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## Bishop (May 13, 2014)

Quentin said:


> I'm not fond of fantasy...



Where do you stand on Sci-fi? This is very important to know. 

Welcome to the writing forums!
Writing Forums: Dystopia is our thaaaang.


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## Quentin (May 14, 2014)

> I detect a little Joseph Conrad going on here...
> 
> Has someone come back from the dead, Quentin? :razz:


I'm ashamed to say I've never read Joseph Conrad. I know I should but there are so many novels I want/have to read...




> Where do you stand on Sci-fi? This is very important to know. :grin:


Sci-Fi is my favourite genre. But I'm quite picky when it comes to sci-fi. I like sci-fi novels that depict a possible future like, for instance, _Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep_, _1984_, _Brave New World_ or _Neuromancer _(so hard to understand, though) or an alternate (but still realistic) reality (_Swastika Night_).
Novels that depict superheroes or Earth-invading mass-murdering aliens on the other hand... not so much.

Well, I guess most of the sci-fi novels that appeal to me are imbedded within the dystopian genre :icon_cheesygrin:


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## J Anfinson (May 14, 2014)

There is now a group for ESL's if you're interested, quentin.

http://www.writingforums.com/group.php?groupid=82


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## Quentin (May 14, 2014)

Awesome! Thanks for the info, J Anfinson!


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## Elvenswordsman (May 25, 2014)

If your reading selection is any indication, I'm looking forward to seeing your work.

Welcome to WF!


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## Gumby (May 25, 2014)

Well I'm impressed, Quentin, three languages is amazing to me. Welcome to the site.


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