# 'Suppose a hello is in order...



## InkPawPrints (Jul 6, 2014)

Hello, if it isn't obvious I'm a bit new here. My name is a bit of a well known secret-- as in ask and I have no problem telling you but I feel a tad awkward just spewing out a name when many won't be paying a lick of attention to it-- so you can call me by my screen name or make up a nickname for me if it pleases you. Personally I'll be encouraging nicknames because it's amusing to see what someone will come up with and I find it sometimes gives a person a glimpse into their own personality that they've over looked.

I'm more of a hobby writer than a novice as I do have some experience though I'm no expert by any means. I found myself drawn to this site because of many reasons: community, critiquing, learning, support etc. I've lurked around a bit on some writing sites and rp sites but the writing sites either scalded me brutally on my first few attempts at stories with little to no constructive criticism or praised me to high heaven which left me with a sour taste in my mouth because obviously people were stretching it and I wanted to know how I could improve and the rp sites sort of left me feeling a bit unfulfilled. So here I am, giving writing another go as I find that I'm not enjoying how my writing skills are going down hill from lack of use. Hope I have a bit of luck.

I'm also looking to maybe make a few friends, partake in some interesting conversations... just the normal wants of a newbie I guess.

Anyways, nice to meet all of you, hope we can get along and I cannot wait to read what you have all written!

Sorry if this was a bit long, I'm a touch wordy.


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## PiP (Jul 6, 2014)

Hi, InkPaw, welcome to WritingForums and our creative community  I'm sure you will find plenty of support here and if and when you need help please contact one of our mentors - they are dressed in purple


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## InkPawPrints (Jul 6, 2014)

Thank you for the welcome PiP, I truly appreciate it!

And yes, I'll be sure to look for the ones clothed in purple when the need for help arises. Would they happen to be wearing green ties and pinstripes as well? I hear those colors go splendidly together...


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## PiP (Jul 6, 2014)

InkPawPrints said:


> Would they happen to be wearing green ties and pinstripes as well? I hear those colors go splendidly together...


Our Board Mods, otherwise known as the forum elves, wear the green ties  I think you'll find us a friendly group so pull up a chair and make yourself comfy...


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## J Anfinson (Jul 6, 2014)

Welcome to the forums! A list of the staff can be found *here*. You'll notice that different groups have different colored names.


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## InkPawPrints (Jul 6, 2014)

PiP said:


> Our Board Mods, otherwise known as the forum elves, wear the green ties  I think you'll find us a friendly group so pull up a chair and make yourself comfy...



Ah, well I'm glad to hear that someone is wearing them ^^. And I'll take your word on that for now, though I suspect I'll come to realize it for myself rather soon.


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## InkPawPrints (Jul 6, 2014)

J Anfinson said:


> Welcome to the forums! A list of the staff can be found *here*. You'll notice that different groups have different colored names.



Many thanks for the welcome into the forums and the information, J Anfinson. I have a feeling I'll be perusing through the list soon so it's nice to not have to search through the site for it. Thank ye gods for color coding!


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## Nickleby (Jul 6, 2014)

You have found the right place. We will give you the feedback you crave, not too spicy, not too sweet. Once you've made ten posts, you can put your own work in the workshops.

Welcome to Writing Forums. Contact a staff member if you have questions or concerns.


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## J.T. Chris (Jul 6, 2014)

Welcome.


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## InkPawPrints (Jul 6, 2014)

Nickleby said:


> You have found the right place. We will give you  the feedback you crave, not too spicy, not too sweet. Once you've made  ten posts, you can put your own work in the workshops.
> 
> Welcome to Writing Forums. Contact a staff member if you have questions or concerns.



What a wonderful thing to hear! I can't wait till I've crossed the mark so I can experience the feedback for myself! 

Thank  you very much for the welcome, Nickleby. I'll be sure to contact a  staff member as you suggest if I have any questions or concerns.



J.T. Chris said:


> Welcome.



Hi J.T. Chris, thanks for stopping in to say a welcome!


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## Plasticweld (Jul 6, 2014)

Welcome to the forum, interesting concept that you are willing to take on a nickname based on what someone is going to choose to call you.   We do this already but seldom does one consciously go along with it.  This means you  must be very careful of what your first story is going to be about and the method in which you offer your critiques.  I will be watching you and reading your posts so that I maybe able to participate in the ritual of your nickname  

Mine gets shorten to PW, more often than not I sign my posts with my real name ...Bob


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## InkPawPrints (Jul 6, 2014)

Thank you for the welcome Plasticweld/ PW/Bob. I honestly felt a chill scamper down my spine when reading your post. Subconsciously, I believe I recognized the dangers of such a proclamation but to have the implications of my action so baldly stated gave me a bit of an uneasy feeling. Almost as if a bad omen has been directed my way.... Hmm, well the challenge has been 'issued' I suppose. No going back now.

I thank you for the warnings and you can be assured that I will be treading even more carefully on this site than I already was as a newbie.

Let the ritual begin... whenever said ritual is supposed to. :smile:


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## Plasticweld (Jul 6, 2014)

Sounds like you have found the topic of your next short story.


_I honestly felt a chill scamper down my spine when reading your post. Subconsciously, I believe I recognized the dangers 

_Great hook if you ask me


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## Pluralized (Jul 6, 2014)

Welcome, IPP. Hope you enjoy it here. There are many different forums to immerse yourself in, so take your time and breathe deep. It can get overwhelming. Make sure you check out the Prose Workshop, as that's where many fine pieces of work get shared with other members, but that space is off-limits to the rest of the interwebs. Nobody's really sure if that matters or not, but it makes some of us feel good knowing first rights are protected.


Oh, and I'm actually the lady in my avatar.
 

Onward!


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## InkPawPrints (Jul 6, 2014)

Plasticweld said:


> Sounds like you have found the topic of your next short story.
> 
> 
> _I honestly felt a chill scamper down my spine when reading your post. Subconsciously, I believe I recognized the dangers
> ...



Huh, I suppose you are right. I've never attempted to write a short  story before but new site new things to try ^^. Thank you for pointing  that out to me, I'll see if I can spin a passable tapestry out of it...  or rather a passable napkin out of it. One with embroidery and a nice  pattern.


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## InstituteMan (Jul 6, 2014)

Hi, IPP, and welcome. My normal default for the nameless is "sniffledork," but I your case I think I will stick with IPP.

While there are any number of grand names and titles you can call me, "IM" or "Institute" or "Man" are what most use.

I am glad you joined us!


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## InkPawPrints (Jul 6, 2014)

Pluralized said:


> Welcome, IPP. Hope you enjoy it here. There are many different forums to immerse yourself in, so take your time and breathe deep. It can get overwhelming. Make sure you check out the Prose Workshop, as that's where many fine pieces of work get shared with other members, but that space is off-limits to the rest of the interwebs. Nobody's really sure if that matters or not, but it makes some of us feel good knowing first rights are protected.
> 
> 
> Oh, and I'm actually the lady in my avatar.
> ...



Well I'll readily admit that it is a bit much. I think I'll take your advice to heart because, though I have been tentatively tiptoeing my way through the shallows so far, my curiosity is bound to get the better of me at some point and send me careening into the never ending depths of the waves. Deep breaths you say? I suppose they'll do me no good if I'm already drowning so I guess I'll stick to testing the waters from the rocks for now. 

I'll be sure to check out the Prose Workshop, especially with the added benefit of it being a bit more closed than other parts of the site. 

My thanks for the welcome Pluralized!

----And towards your second to last sentence. What eye color do you have, if I may ask?


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## InkPawPrints (Jul 6, 2014)

InstituteMan said:


> Hi, IPP, and welcome. My normal default for the nameless is "sniffledork," but I your case I think I will stick with IPP.
> 
> While there are any number of grand names and titles you can call me, "IM" or "Institute" or "Man" are what most use.
> 
> I am glad you joined us!



Pleasure to meet you Institute Man, lord of the Sniffledorks. All joking aside, the funny part is I most likely would've answered to sniffledork. I thank you for sticking to IPP, though, it gives me a sense of uniqueness in a way.

Many thanks for the warm welcome!


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## Pluralized (Jul 6, 2014)

> ----And towards your second to last sentence. What eye color do you have, if I may ask?



You most certainly may not ask. However, since it's been awhile since my avatar consumed someone's soul, I'm feeling benevolent. My eyes are the color of sand, fallen from the empty half of an hourglass.

Enjoy the site!


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## aj47 (Jul 6, 2014)

I think of you as Inky until you put up an avatar. Inky is one of the ghosts in PacMan.  If you put up an avatar of Inky, I'll .... I dunno what, I haven't thought that far ahead.

You have 9 posts as I type this; one more post will level you up to where you *can* post an avatar and update your profile and access the super-secret members-only workshops.

But I'm here to specifically invite you to our games and challenges.  Literary Maneuvers is a challenge (there's fiction and non-fiction).  There is also a poetry challenge.  Plus word games near the bottom and poetry games in the middle.  

And what Bob said is right -- most people hate their nicknames.  I hated my given name.  So when someone gave me a nickname, I embraced it and even legally changed my name.

Anyway, I'm a purple person so you can ask me, and if I don't know, I'll find out.


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## InkPawPrints (Jul 6, 2014)

astroannie said:


> I think of you as Inky until you put up an avatar. Inky is one of the ghosts in PacMan.  If you put up an avatar of Inky, I'll .... I dunno what, I haven't thought that far ahead.
> 
> You have 9 posts as I type this; one more post will level you up to where you *can* post an avatar and update your profile and access the super-secret members-only workshops.
> 
> ...



Because I'm so obliging (and more curious than can be possibly be good for my health) I decided to do my good deed for the week. 

Thank you for stopping in to say hi and acknowledge this ones existence. I'm intrigued by your invitation into the games and challenges so expect me to be lurking around the area for a while before I reappear somewhere in a post. Glad to see a nickname lover around here! I'll be sure to direct any questions I have your way, or at least the ones that I don't figure out the answer to for myself.

Thanks again astroannie


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## T.S.Bowman (Jul 7, 2014)

Hullo IPP. Welcome to the forums.

Another one of the challenges to be found here is the Colors of Fiction Challenge. We just started it last month and we are now taking theme suggestions for this month's edition. Chedck it out if you feel the mood strike you. It's a lot of fun and doggone interesting to boot.


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## thepancreas11 (Jul 7, 2014)

InkPrints, I must say, I love your creative name. I myself have a flare for the inexplicably relevant title, so I do find that quite amusing and very endearing.

On the subject of writing: always see it as a hobby. When it becomes more of a labor, you've gone too far; it loses its luster. Keep in mind, as you should with all professions, really, that you came to this place by way of enjoyment. Should that love fade away, so too follows the creativity and the determination, generally. I'm glad you understand the first basic necessity of being an excellent writer: enjoy thyself.

Of course, the next two basic necessities are just as easy: Read and Write. Literacy really does wonders for a writing career. The more you read, the more you critique on this website, the more you'll understand exactly what writing should look like to you. The people in purple will help you along the way, so ask questions if you have them. Get some writing samples in the competitions especially. We've had great participation in the Fiction competition recently, but the non-fiction could use some assistance. What do you say?

Toodles!
thepancreas


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## Apple Ice (Jul 7, 2014)

Welcome Ink,

You seem articulate and intelligent, I hope we keep you. We lose a lot of new members because Plasticweld tries telling them about the wonders of plastic too much. Other than that, just know I'm the greatest member on here and that about covers it.


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## Pandora (Jul 7, 2014)

Hey Inky, you don't seem bashful to me :friendly_wink: I'm a pac man freak from the 80's, scores in the 200,000's not great but not bad for a girl. Now I'm left with a wrist injury to prove it, ah, those were the days. Welcome to WF I look forward to getting to know you and your work.


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## aj47 (Jul 7, 2014)

Whoa ... 

I guess the laugh's on me.


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## InkPawPrints (Jul 7, 2014)

Lot's of posts to reply to, guess I'll just write up one giant one for the sake of efficiency.




T.S.Bowman said:


> Hullo IPP. Welcome to the forums.
> 
> 
> 
> Another one of the challenges to be found here is the Colors of Fiction Challenge. We just started it last month and we are now taking theme suggestions for this month's edition. Chedck it out if you feel the mood strike you. It's a lot of fun and doggone interesting to boot.



Well if it's interesting there is no possible way for me to stay away! I believe I glanced through the Colors of Fiction Challenge section a bit yesterday but I'll be sure to take a another gander-- I'm always in a writing mood so no need to wait. 

Thank you for the welcome T.S. Bowman. Oh and I glanced through your interview in the CatfishSoup forum a bit. Nicely done!






thepancreas11 said:


> InkPrints, I must say, I love your creative name. I myself have a flare for the inexplicably relevant title, so I do find that quite amusing and very endearing.
> 
> 
> On the subject of writing: always see it as a hobby. When it becomes more of a labor, you've gone too far; it loses its luster. Keep in mind, as you should with all professions, really, that you came to this place by way of enjoyment. Should that love fade away, so too follows the creativity and the determination, generally. I'm glad you understand the first basic necessity of being an excellent writer: enjoy thyself.
> ...



I'm glad you like my name, I found it to be entertaining myself so I'm glad that someone else could get some enjoyment out of it as well ^^.

I completely agree with what you have said, to be rather candid. There must always be a sense of enjoyment when it comes to anything in the professional world. Being miserable in such a large portion of ones life not only hinders yourself but those who you work for or with and you'll never discover your true potential. When speaking of writing I don't believe I could ever view it as a chore, though I suppose I cannot forget to account for the margin of human error so I'll confess that it is a possibility.

As for the other basics you mentioned, I don't believe they will be much of a problem. My first love was reading which lead to my first affair with writing and now I believe I have managed to settle them on equal ground. I'm looking forward to reading over the works and critiques of others on here for very purpose you have mentioned actually. One can never learn too much and there is always something new to learn somewhere.

I've heard much about the people in purple so it's only a matter of time before I discover how helpful they are for myself. As for the writing contests I think I might sniff around a bit before I throw a piece in, if only to minimize mistakes and mishaps on my part. I will be looking into the non-fiction, now that you mention it. I haven't directed my focus that way much but it seems like it would be good practice and a chance to learn even more.

Thank you for stopping in thepancreas11.





Apple Ice said:


> Welcome Ink,
> 
> 
> You seem articulate and intelligent, I hope we keep you. We lose a lot of new members because Plasticweld tries telling them about the wonders of plastic too much. Other than that, just know I'm the greatest member on here and that about covers it.




Well, who am I to deny such flattering praise? I have little doubt that I will be sticking around a bit longer come Hell or plastic information. I do tend to find interest in the most peculiar of subjects so perhaps I'll find some there; there are so many types of plastic and uses for it after all. 

Thank you ever so much for the welcome oh Greatest Member!



Pandora said:


> Hey Inky, you don't seem bashful to me I'm a pac man freak from the 80's, scores in the 200,000's not great but not bad for a girl. Now I'm left with a wrist injury to prove it, ah, those were the days. Welcome to WF I look forward to getting to know you and your work.




Ahem, please ignore the cackling in the background. It seems that my writing voice has fooled you, which is excellent. I'm actually quite bashful, shy, and a bit socially anxious but that last one usually only shows up if I think I've offended someone or feel that I've made an unforgivable faux pas. I'm sorry to hear about your injury, though it seems as if it's a badge of honor more than anything. I hope it doesn't bother you when writing because that would be incredibly unfortunate.

Thank you for the welcome Pandora!--- And just a side note, my inner feminist is insisting that I point out that 200,000 isn't a bad score for anyone.




astroannie said:


> Whoa ...
> 
> I guess the laugh's on me.



What can I say? I just couldn't resist the temptation you presented.


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## aj47 (Jul 7, 2014)

InkPawPrints said:


> And just a side note, my inner feminist is insisting that I point out that 200,000 isn't a bad score for anyone.



I don't remember my high score but it was never very.  I "won" Gorf once.  "You have been promoted to Space Avenger" -- but it was a years-long quest carried out in three cities.


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## Pandora (Jul 8, 2014)

InkPawPrints said:


> Ahem, please ignore the cackling in the background. It seems that my writing voice has fooled you, which is excellent. I'm actually quite bashful, shy, and a bit socially anxious but that last one usually only shows up if I think I've offended someone or feel that I've made an unforgivable faux pas. I'm sorry to hear about your injury, though it seems as if it's a badge of honor more than anything. I hope it doesn't bother you when writing because that would be incredibly unfortunate.
> 
> Thank you for the welcome Pandora!--- And just a side note, my inner feminist is insisting that I point out that 200,000 isn't a bad score for anyone.
> 
> ...


Feminist I am not just equal rights . . . and guilt . . . ha! I played only against guys, me and the guys get along. I was almost always beat but it's the journey, not the end game, for me. I rarely if ever use a pen, only to sign my name which has shorten dramatically over the years to a scribble. Hmmm what does that say about my personality? I type with one finger but I am quick on the draw. 

Yes you fooled me, I too am shy but most wouldn't categorize me as that either. Words are wonderful when you've the time to choose the right ones, a welcome place to hide in the wide open, words.


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## InkPawPrints (Jul 8, 2014)

astroannie said:


> I don't remember my high score but it was   never very.  I "won" Gorf once.  "You have been promoted to Space   Avenger" -- but it was a years-long quest carried out in three   cities.



Haha, that's the beauty of achieving something:  more work. You reach  the top of the totem pole only to figure out there  is another totem  pole and now you're at the bottom of that one and have  to work your way  up.



Pandora said:


> Feminist I am not just equal rights . . . and guilt . . . ha! I played only against guys, me and the guys get along. I was almost always beat but it's the journey, not the end game, for me. I rarely if ever use a pen, only to sign my name which has shorten dramatically over the years to a scribble. Hmmm what does that say about my personality? I type with one finger but I am quick on the draw.
> 
> Yes you fooled me, I too am shy but most wouldn't categorize me as that either. Words are wonderful when you've the time to choose the right ones, a welcome place to hide in the wide open, words.



I have to agree that playing against guys seems to always be more entertaining unless you find one of those rare girls. Somehow the competitive air just sky rockets and that's always fun. With the newer games I find I tend to care less about legitimate scores as well. Who cares if I lost just under a hundred times? I beat that one guy that none of the others could touch at least eight times. Good enough for me.

That's fortunate that you don't use a pen much. I'd be in absolute agony if I had your injury and it certainly has nothing to do with the thousands of notebooks that are creating a fire hazard in my room...  I'm not sure what your tendency for scribbling vs poke typing could say about you. Maybe that you're impatient? Hmm..

And yes, words are wonderful and the fun of them is find the one that fits perfectly.


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## Pandora (Jul 8, 2014)

InkPawPrints said:


> Haha, that's the beauty of achieving something:  more work. You reach  the top of the totem pole only to figure out there  is another totem  pole and now you're at the bottom of that one and have  to work your way  up.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


You have a good perspective on game play Inky. You also nailed it if I was back in my early 20's, not a very patient young woman. Decades later, children, business and life has brought me to a very patient place. Good things always comes to those who wait patiently. My sig changed as I did, I sign like a VIP . . . ha! It's very hard to forge also, something many business owners keep in the back of their minds.


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## Elvenswordsman (Jul 23, 2014)

Lots of conversations to be joined here. Welcome to WF!


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