Anyone else a member of WDC? Here's my portfolio. http://Writing.Com/authors/kris Most of my stuff is set to registered users and higher view only, but anyway, if you have an account drop me a line there. :D

I did used to have an account but it always seemed a little quiet for me. I would comment on other people's and they wouldn't comment back out of courtesy. It was like a ghost town, so I left!

ETA: I just read "Unleashed" and I thought it was really well done - I love your laid-back, flippant style and the way you made Jim so sympathetic. Very impressed, can't wait to read more! :D

Thanks for the comments! I had "Unleashed" hidden for a long time because there's plenty wrong with it. But then I read it and decided it was kind of hilarious and I liked the randomness of it.

As for WDC... yeah, it's a bit of a sad state of affairs in comparison to how it used to work. I joined WDC in 2000 (used to be stories.com) so I got to watch it develop from the beginning, starting out as a humble little site where everyone really supported eachother, and ending (although it still grows a bit) at what it is now - a sort of writing supermarket.

There used to be only two affordable membership types, upgraded and premium. Now there's Basic, Upgrade, Premium, Professional, and Enterprise... I bought an upgrade which was expensive.

I think reviews became less a part of everything, personally, when the option to add Gift Point awards to anyone who reviewed your story was installed. Suddenly you were paying others to read your stories. Those that couldn't afford to got sidelined.

For a newly registered user it would be tough. You need to be willing to spend a long time on the site and network. You tried to review people and it didn't work, but it should have. I always try to return the favour. However it seems hard to be honest there nowadays, too, without the user getting offended and taking it personally. It seems like all anyone wants is a 5 star review of praise and any less and it's like you're attacking them. And then they come and return the favour, trust me.

Now I just avoid reading things I couldn't say anything good about. Which is the bulk of the crap people post there. hehe! Sorry but it's true.

Haha no that's fair enough. Really I posted nothing on there worth commenting on, just silly bits and pieces. But it didn't feel very intimate and friendly at all, which would have been ideal for me as I'm really weird about flaunting my writing to anyone.

Yeah good way to describe it... not intimate. At least not until you find some friends to share experiences with, but that might take a while if you don't have the time or interest.
Anyway here is another story I wrote recently http://www.writing.com/main/view_item/item_id/1537551 I decided to make it available for everyone to read... might as well offer something new to curious eyes!
BTW did you happen to get an account again after this? I know someone did, because my referral points increased by one.

Thanks for the link, I'll read it when I get a spare five mins! And no I didn't... how odd!

ETA: Again, that piece was fab. Really easy to read and with a very mature tone - love your writing!

Have you written anything longer at all? I enjoy your characters but I'd love to see them develop over a longer period of time.

do you need to pay to be a member?

Considering this thread has been dead for almost two years, it's a bit unlikely Coltraz will come rushing to check for replies. Threadcromancy is bad and wakes the zombies. Alternatively, you could have checked out the website for yourself.

As it happens, there are paid membership possibilities with writing.com, but you can also sign up to be a free member.