Noticing Newbies

Welcome to Writing.Com, William Stafford !

I think you'll find there are all types of writers here, from curious to veteran, and with all different styles as well! There are certainly folks who write primarily non-fiction, so I encourage you to post something you're comfortable with, like one of your speeches.

I can relate to your struggles with writer's block. Something that has worked for me in the past is free writing or association writing with a timer. I set the timer for 10 minutes and write whatever comes to mind in those minutes. For me, this is mostly garbled sentences with a few stray ideas mashed together, but I know it will not be seen by anyone but me, so it is a good way to brainstorm. I think I also have trouble if I get in the mindset that the first sentence has to be perfect before I can move on to the next one. This is paralyzing - maybe you're feeling the same way? An analogy I heard once is that writing is like painting - you have to get something down on the canvas before you can know if it works. And in writing, like painting, if something doesn't work, you can always cover it up.

The best way to get started is to send a few reviews. You'll learn about the different types of writers here, and maybe make a connection with someone. I'd also really encourage you to post something in your portfolio. Maybe even as simple as a meditation/essay about your nervousness/eagerness to jump into this site? Your first item certainly doesn't need to be a fully-fledged short story. Maybe an outline will be enough for now?

Good luck! And let me know if you need any help!

Take care,
Emily