Well, neither do I. All I know is, I've had this story that - cheesy as it sounds - needs to be written. And no-one else is going to write it. Well, they could, but that would be a disastrous misopportunity. So I've been having a go.
I've dabbled in the short story, but on the whole, I jumped straight into the novel... been writing it on and off for maybe 5 years now.
To be honest, I'm not sure I have any other good ideas. I'm also not sure what a professional story writer would say about what I've done. I've struggled all along with the fact that I'm more interested in language than 'plot'. Most novels I give up with half way through because they're boring me to tears (ie. the prose isn't interesting enough, however good the plot is). I've worked hard to remedy that, but it might be my weakness.
We'll see.
Mickey, do you think putting my current Chapter 1 on my blog is a fatal move?
Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2004 6:41 am Posts: 5867 Location: Providence, RI Gender: Male
When I did NaNoWriMo last year, it really gave me a kick in the pants. I think my novel is okay, not great, but that process (including the long, long editing period) spurred me into a period of intense creativity. Over a period of three months I wrote four short pieces (varying lengths, between 500 and 5000 words) that I think are very, very good. Most of them could still use some editing, but it's a good start. I've got probably a dozen other short ideas that are kicking around in my head and half a dozen ideas for novels (one in particular is ready to go down on paper right now).
I've always wanted to write but never did anything serious or substantial because I had some sort of youthful, romantic idea in my head that I needed to set down my goals and philosophy about writing before actually getting down to it. I had to grow up quite a bit before I realized that I could work out those issues in my writing itself. Since last November, I've been using my writing as a sandbox and a battlefield where I can mold little worlds and set pieces to see what happens. Some pieces have been more successful than others, but like I said above, I think I'm on the right track now.
I wrote a little bit of poetry in college, but most of it was just imitations of poets we read (it was all for a creative writing class, I don't think I ever wrote a poem on my own). There was one I thought was good: the assignment was to go to the supermarket and take a headline from a tabloid and write a poem based on it. Mine was called: "Man Marries Computer: Becomes Gigamist." (Actually, I just went and read a few of them quickly, and there were some others that weren't bad.) I remember that the poem I thought was best back them seems like shit now; however, I used its first line as the opening line of my first novel. I could write poetry again, I think.
The majority of the writing I'll do for the next five years, though, will be critical. It's sort of daunting to think that in three years I'll be writing a dissertation, and that in a year and a half I'll probably start getting pressured to publish in journals, and that for the rest of my life I'll be told to publish or perish. It's stressful, but it's what I've chosen for myself.
I'm not sure if my fiction is an extension of my critical writing or if it's the other way around. Themes and ideas and everything else cross over from one to the other and the "sandbox" principle applies to my critical work, as well. I'm a little afraid that the academy will eventually stifle this approach, but so far, so good.
I wish I had so much more time to write. Despite everything else that will be going on in my life at the time, I'm going to aim to finish a first draft of my next novel over my winter break. It's going to be called "Killing," and it's going to be very different from my first book (I think). Is it strange that I have a title picked out before it's completed, before I've even written page one? I actually have titles for two more books lined up and one--I shit you not--came to me in a dream. I never thought I'd say something so ridiculous about my own writing. The other titled one doesn't have a plot yet, but the title is set in stone. So is its sequel's. That sure makes a lot of sense.
_________________ "I wish that I believed in fate / I wish I didn't sleep so late"
"The real truth about it is: no one gets it right / The real truth about it is: we’re all supposed to try"
Not weird at all, ST. My next novel will be called 'Zebra Crashing', and I haven't written a word. It's just a concept right now, to build a plot around.
Joined: Wed Oct 20, 2004 5:55 pm Posts: 11320 Location: Brooklyn Gender: Male
Simple Torture wrote:
I've always wanted to write but never did anything serious or substantial because I had some sort of youthful, romantic idea in my head that I needed to set down my goals and philosophy about writing before actually getting down to it. I had to grow up quite a bit before I realized that I could work out those issues in my writing itself. Since last November, I've been using my writing as a sandbox and a battlefield where I can mold little worlds and set pieces to see what happens. Some pieces have been more successful than others, but like I said above, I think I'm on the right track now.
I've always wanted to write but never did anything serious or substantial because I had some sort of youthful, romantic idea in my head that I needed to set down my goals and philosophy about writing before actually getting down to it. I had to grow up quite a bit before I realized that I could work out those issues in my writing itself. Since last November, I've been using my writing as a sandbox and a battlefield where I can mold little worlds and set pieces to see what happens. Some pieces have been more successful than others, but like I said above, I think I'm on the right track now.
Beautiful.
Thank you for sharing this. It helps.
He's right. I think you learn everything about writing... by writing. Reading, sure, but reading won't find or develop your voice.
Joined: Wed Oct 20, 2004 5:55 pm Posts: 11320 Location: Brooklyn Gender: Male
Harmless wrote:
durdencommatyler wrote:
Simple Torture wrote:
I've always wanted to write but never did anything serious or substantial because I had some sort of youthful, romantic idea in my head that I needed to set down my goals and philosophy about writing before actually getting down to it. I had to grow up quite a bit before I realized that I could work out those issues in my writing itself. Since last November, I've been using my writing as a sandbox and a battlefield where I can mold little worlds and set pieces to see what happens. Some pieces have been more successful than others, but like I said above, I think I'm on the right track now.
Beautiful.
Thank you for sharing this. It helps.
He's right. I think you learn everything about writing... by writing. Reading, sure, but reading won't find or develop your voice.
Absolutely. Just feels good to hear other people say it. Helps to think I'm on the right track.
Joined: Wed May 09, 2007 5:58 pm Posts: 1259 Location: Western Masshole Gender: Male
I often have ideas and say that I'll write them down later, but I never do. Today I had an idea and actually wrote it down and then just kept writing until I finished it. It was probably because of this thread. Anyway, I posted it and it's probably pretty disjointed but at least I saw it all the way through. Enjoy.
_________________ Paul McCartney told me to never drop names.
Joined: Sat Oct 16, 2004 11:41 pm Posts: 23014 Location: NOT FLO-RIDIN Gender: Male
I had my thread moved to the mod forum, partly because two of those poems were published and this would have violated first rights, and partly because it was embarrassing.
_________________
given2trade wrote:
Oh, you think I'm being douchey? Well I shall have to re-examine everything then. Thanks brah.
Joined: Sat Oct 16, 2004 11:41 pm Posts: 23014 Location: NOT FLO-RIDIN Gender: Male
durdencommatyler wrote:
Mickey wrote:
withoutrings wrote:
Anyway I agree. The record of banality I'll leave behind with my comments doesn't need amplification from poems I wrote when I was 20.
Some of the poems I wrote when I was 20 are passable. 19? 19-year-old me.
Will you write me a poem, Mickey?
Why I Like To Eat Pussy
It's good. Then she broke me like a broomstick over her fat knee. I eat. Therefore, she isn't here? What is breakfast with you, O, ye lighthearted strumpet? Please take me back.
_________________
given2trade wrote:
Oh, you think I'm being douchey? Well I shall have to re-examine everything then. Thanks brah.
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