We’re taking a new path in the Forest

Many of our Dads Round Table contributors are also bloggers, and we, just as any other writer, we get a little blocked on topics or want to write stories outside the topics of our personal blogs. The Forest was designed as a place for our writers to let off some creative steam and give other fiction and memoir writers a way to join our ranks. After all, aggregate, multi-author sites like ours are a great place to build platform and get “eyes on” your work.

We welcome all writers and authors the opportunity to publish short stories here on the Forest, but we also understand that it can be difficult to let your “babies” go to someone else’s house. Many people also struggle with creative rights and copyright protection. While we do not hold your stories captive, we know that some writers feel better knowing their work stays on their site(s).

What we decided to do to help conquer these issues is transform the Forest from “just another section in an online magazine” to a full-fledged community of writers. That means if you enjoy writing challenges, want to start writing, but don’t have the confidence or know where to begin, we are going to help.

Every week, we are going to offer a set of writing prompts—one fiction, one memoir, and one free-for-all in which you can use fiction, memoir, or if you have a personal story to tell, non-fiction. You write your story and publish it to your own site, then come back here and add the story’s web address into our link tool. Other writers (or readers) will visit the linked up stories—on your site—and are asked to offer some sort of helpful/positive comment, share the post, or both.

To participate, we are asking the following of you:

1. Always be helpful or friendly, never hateful, hurtful, or negative.
2. To add a link, you are expected to participate—visit at least three other post links, minimum, comment and/or share.
3. DO NOT critique work that does not specifically ask for it in the post.
4. If you do critique work that accepts it, follow this rule – say something positive (specific), something that can be adjusted (in your opinion), and end with something positive about the work in it’s entirety. Be sure to follow that order. Never leave on a negative note. (For your adjustment, offer a way to fix it, if possible.)
5. Have fun and meet the other writers! You never know who can offer great advice or beta read for you later on.

Remember, the act of writing is solitary, being a writer does not have to be. “Learn from everyone—teach just as many!” ~Brandon P. Duncan, co-founder Dads Round Table

We will release the first set of prompts this Sunday night (27 Oct) and every Sunday night thereafter. A full set of instructions will be in the post. There will also be a badge to add to your posts, if desired. Please share the prompt post and add the badge. The more people we have participating, the more potential readers you get for your post. This system works very well when you actively participate.