Hey there! Welcome to the Wonderful World of Faithwriters. This is an incredible site filled with amazing people who genuinely want to help others be the best writer possible and all that plus some wonderful Christian fellowship. This is like a family to me and has given me more than I could have dreamed of when I first joined three years ago.
To answer your questions entering devotions is great. We have some members who only write devotions and they have won with them as well. Unfortunately some people will get overwhelmed if there is too much scripture verses on the page or right at the start and will end up skipping the article. Which is sad because usually, they are the people who need to hear God's word the most. But keep reading other entries and adjust your style as you feel God calling you to do. Though it's wonderful to win, the most important thing is to answer god's calling. Stories touch people in ways we may never know or understand, but God knows and is wonderful at providing what we need at just the perfect time.
I'm glad you jumped right in and entered the challenge and threw a brick already! It can be a bit scary at first to share intimate feelings with strangers, but the more you join in I think you'll find those strangers turn into friends quite quickly.
I've made some dear, sweet friends from all over the States to Australia, Africa, England, Thailand and Latvia. These aren't just casual friendships but close friends, many of whom I talk or text each day.
The forums are a great place to get to know one another. The Water Cooler is a place to chill and talk about anything from the weather to just saying howdy. There are a couple of small groups who love and support each other. The Pacific Coast Rest Stop or the Southern Porch can be found in that section. (You don't need to be on the Pacific Coast or from The South to pop in)The prayer Forum offers an opportunity to pray with others or ask for your own prayer requests or share some joys. The Open Forum is the best place to find writing related threads.
One of the biggest draws to FW is the weekly challenge. I'm not sure if you are a silver member, but if you can afford the few dollars to upgrade to Gold or platinum it is so worth it. I've learned so much from the challenges like to write on a regular basis. Without a deadline, I tend to procrastinate. It has also stretched my imagination because with so many people writing on the same topic, it's important to finds a way to stay on topic but be different from others.
We even have a kids page and for the first time ever had a writing contest for 7 to 14 yo with cash prizes. It was great to see the talented young writers and are discussing the possibility of another contest. There are also places for them to share their writing and a forum to chat with others. So if you know any children in your life, encourage them to check it out.
Don't hesitate to ask any questions you might have or jump into any discussions. I look forward to getting to know you and read more of your work. I know it can feel a bit overwhelming at first but once you start exploring hopefully you'll feel at home.
by LadyBug1 » Tue Mar 05, 2013 3:22 pm 
