Hello Effie and Welcome,
I joined the forums about 6 months ago, so maybe that qualifies me as a newbie??
My approach to the forums was to stick to the story discussions to start, and just lurk until I got the hang of things. Then, when I felt a bit more comfortable, I started to range into the other threads. I am still a bit shy, though, because some of the frequent posters have obviously been here a long time and seem to know each other very well.
The good news is that I have found this forum to be a very accepting and civil one (in comparison to others I have read). I have never seen blatant flames (possibly because the moderators remove them quickly). The language is generally respectful. And usually, at least one person will respond to or comment on things that you post. So, it's a nice place to hang out.
Have fun!