While I appreciate this site is only in Beta, am I the only one who's frustrated that we can't create an author's profile or search properly or message each other? And there's no way to raise problems, questions or suggestions with Fictish, no 'Contact Us' and, in fact, no info about who/what Fictish really at all.

So, in the meanwhile, shall I start a thread?

I'm ShortAndSweet. I came upon Fictish by accident as it's not really promoted. I'm female, an early-retired Computer Specialist, an ex-carer and from England - which you may have noticed from my British spelling and my iffy American dialogue - specifically the North-East, Geordieland as we call it.

A decade ago I used to write a lot of fan fiction, so I've done my apprenticeship, but I'm strictly in this for fun only so I don't need any literary criticism just the occasional enthusiastic encouragement if you can manage it. Currently I find I have a lot of time on my hands so I thought I'd give the creative writing another try.

Please feel free to comment. Please also feel free to add your self-introduction to this thread. I don't know whether this sort of 'story' is allowed on this platform but, hey, I might get to hear from a monitor (if there are any).

It's nice to meet you all, it was a good idea of ShortAndSweet to suggest this thread! I guess the one upside to this site still being in Beta phase and only secretly advertised on the bottom of the WordHippo page, where I found it too, is that we seem to be a small - but I hope soon quite close-knit - writer's community!

Anyway, let me get on with introducing myself. I'm Lostmystically, a writer from the UK, South London area. I guess I'm just battling my way through GCSE year, trying to make sure I pass maths and chemistry. I'm hoping to study History, English, Classics and Politics next year (I definitely have a humanities brain), and if all goes to plan I will be trying to set up a sixth form queer society because I'm openly bi and I've discovered since I've come out that a lot of people need a safe space. I've been writing stories since I was tiny, it's always been my dream to publish a book properly one day, and my dream career is to either work in a publishing house or lecture creative writing (we'll see)

Otherwise, non-academically speaking, I'm a bit of an artist (only as a hobby, I have hated Art as a school subject) and my favourite music is the Arctic Monkeys, the Killers, Oasis (basically anything indie, and almost always older than my time)

Yeah, I think that's basically it for the time being, I hope I didn't yap too much or anything and I'm excited to get to know all of you more!