37||0|3293|0|yes 0|0|0|||||I could use some advice...|mdg1||08:17:58|09/12/2013|I%27m seriously thinking of starting to write again%2C but for various reasons%2C I%27m not all that confident about my ability. %0D%0A%0D%0AShould I try anyway%2C or am I just deluding myself%3F 1|1|0|||||RE%3A I could use some advice...|BZArcher||09:00:06|09/12/2013|If you want to write%2C write. %0D%0A%0D%0ARemember%2C sucking at something is the first step to getting kinda good at something. 2|1|0|||1||RE%3A I could use some advice...|BobSchroeck||10:46:33|09/12/2013|%3EShould I try anyway%2C or am I just deluding myself%3F %0D%0A%0D%0AWhat BZArcher said. Don%27t worry about quality at this point -- as I say in my eternally-unfinished fanfic writer%27s guide%2C %22It%27s not the writing%2C but the rewriting%2C that is great.%22 Or%2C as Ernest Hemingway put it%2C %22The first draft of anything is shit.%22%0D%0A%0D%0AFirst write%2C %5Bi%5Dthen%5B%2Fi%5D write well. Trying to do it the other way %27round just frustrates and causes waste of paper.%0D%0A%0D%0A-- Bob%0D%0A-------------------%0D%0AMy race is pacifist and does not believe in war. We kill only out of personal spite. 3|2|2|||||RE%3A I could use some advice...|mdg1||12:28:04|09/12/2013|The bigger problem%2C I think%2C is I%27ve been stuck at step 1 for 18 years...%0D%0A%0D%0A%28Part of the problem is that since I left grad school%2C I don%27t really have the same sort of support network I did when I was working on OR... %29 4|3|3|||||RE%3A I could use some advice...|MuninsFire||13:43:16|09/12/2013|%5Blink%3Ahttp%3A%2F%2Fnanowrimo.org%2F%7CNational Novel Writing Month%5D is coming up soon--in November--and is specially structured for just your case.%0D%0A%0D%0AThe point is not to write something -good-%2C but to write something -at all- and to get A Novel %28of sorts%29 down on the page. Its%27 aim is 50k words in 30 days--so 1667 words%2Fday in a reasonably coherent format%2C which is very doable.%0D%0A%0D%0AThere%27s a fairly extensive support network%2C and it%27s a lot of fun to participate.%0D%0A%0D%0AI%27ve participated for three years%2C and won--your prize%3F A novel%21 That you wrote%21--two of %27em. Neither of the finished products are%2C as yet%2C suitable for publication--frankly%2C one of %27em never will be%3B the thing ended in a wretched and disjointed fashion--but damnit%2C words got written and that%27s what counts. 5|4|4|||||RE%3A I could use some advice...|mdg1||13:53:56|09/12/2013|Now%2C that%27s a thought... 13|4|4|||||RE%3A I could use some advice...|drakensis||02:26:27|09/13/2013|Further advice on NaNoWriMo%3A%0D%0A%0D%0ASee if there%27s a local group who get together to write. There%27s one in my hometown and they get together each weekend in November to write in company%2C talk about their stories and have contests of who can write most in half an hour. Lots of fun.%0D%0A%0D%0ADon%27t ask them to review your work IN November%2C but after November %28and after you%27ve applied arcane measures like spell-checks%29 you may find you have a whole new bunch of literary victims%2Fcollaberators. 30|5|13|||||RE%3A I could use some advice...|MuninsFire||17:06:38|09/16/2013|Second this--it%27s always more fun to write in a group%2C even if you all are sitting quietly grumbling at your various writing implements.%0D%0A%0D%0AI%27ve actually pseudo-volunteered %28because I%27m on the board of directors of the local friends of the library--completely accidentally%29 to run something like that at the local library this November. Given my proclivities%2C anyone who does show up is likely to finish%2C if only through exposure to my programmer-strength coffee.%0D%0A%0D%0AOne of the things which I do--you may find it helpful%3B you may not--is to %27handicap%27 myself with the story. I do this through setting a condition before I start writing that limits my scope to some extent--which in my case actually helps a lot%2C given my usual problem is having too many ideas in my head%2C which interrupts my flow.%0D%0A%0D%0AFor example%2C one year I set out to write a zombie novel%2C with the condition that the zombies be biologically plausible %28cleared that with a microbiologist I know%29 and that there be dramatic tension -without- inadequate lighting. Did pretty well with that.%0D%0A%0D%0AAnother%2C that I%27d be doing a noir detective story with lovecraftian elements%2C but without using any lovecraftian words--so no squamous%2C no rugose%2C no cyclopean%2C no shoggoths nor Nyarlathotep--that one turned out very well.%0D%0A%0D%0AConversely%2C the attempt to write a western with no proper nouns failed miserably. Little bit too limiting there.%0D%0A%0D%0AThis year%2C I%27m thinking that I%27m going to write an Anglo-Saxon epic--think %27Beowulf%27--but I haven%27t yet decided on the plot nor the limiting factors. 31|6|30|||||RE%3A I could use some advice...|mdg1||19:55:36|09/16/2013|I%27ll have to keep that advice in mind when%2Fif I get started.%0D%0A%0D%0AMy bigger problem%2C though%2C isn%27t so much inspiration as motivation... 32|7|31|||1||RE%3A I could use some advice...|BobSchroeck||08:42:58|09/17/2013|%3EI%27ll have to keep that advice in mind when%2Fif I get started. %0D%0A%3EMy bigger problem%2C though%2C isn%27t so much inspiration as motivation... %0D%0A%0D%0AThis is one I fight with myself. All I can say is that you have to discipline yourself to get into the %5Bi%5Dhabit%5B%2Fi%5D of writing. As I say in my %5Blink%3Awww.accessdenied-rms.net%2Fguide%2Ffwg.txt%7Cfic writers%27 guide%5D%3A%0D%0A%0D%0AMake it a point to write every day. Set yourself a goal %28however small%29 and make that goal every time. A case in point%3A science fiction author David Gerrold has%2C since he started writing professionally in the 1960s%2C required of himself that he complete one %22motivational unit%22 -- a scene%2C in other words -- in the morning and one in the afternoon%2C every day. You needn%27t be quite so demanding of yourself -- Gerrold was%2C and is%2C writing to put food on his table%2C after all -- but you should be making the same %5Bi%5Dkind%5B%2Fi%5D of effort.%0D%0A%0D%0AYes%2C it%27s hard at first. And it can be heartbreaking to sit there for hours and look at a blank sheet of paper or an empty document file%2C and have %5Bi%5Dnothing%5B%2Fi%5D happen. %28Believe me%2C I %5Bi%5Dknow%5B%2Fi%5D. Ask me about The Book From Hell some time.%29 But once writing becomes a %5Bi%5Dhabit%5B%2Fi%5D%2C it can be an amazing relief to know that you can just sit down and %5Bi%5Dcreate%5B%2Fi%5D when you need to. Yes%2C it is oh-so-good to have the muse inspire you%2C but sometimes the fickle bitch heads to Patagonia for a month or three%3B you have to learn to write without her. And once you do%2C you will never be held hostage by a lack of %22inspiration%22 %5Bi%5Dever again%5B%2Fi%5D.%0D%0A%0D%0A-- Bob%0D%0A-------------------%0D%0AMy race is pacifist and does not believe in war. We kill only out of personal spite. 33|8|32|||||RE%3A I could use some advice...|mdg1||09:29:35|09/17/2013|I understand what you are saying %28and that%27s probably a good idea%29. But it doesn%27t really help with that little voice that whispers in the back of your mind that says %22why bother%3F nobody will ever want to read this...%22%0D%0A%0D%0AI hate that little voice. But he just won%27t GO AWAY. 34|9|33|||1||RE%3A I could use some advice...|Offsides||11:50:43|09/17/2013|Take a page from the late Richard P. Feynman%2C who titled his second autobiography %28from an expression his wife used to tell him all the time%29%2C %22What Do You Care What Other People Think%3F%22 The answer to that nagging voice%27s comment is%2C %22So what%3F %5Bi%5DI%5B%2Fi%5D want to read it%2C and that%27s what matters%21%22 Eventually%2C yes%2C you may make changes to your writing style to make others want to read it %5Bi%5Dmore%5B%2Fi%5D%2C but that%27s less important than you think.%0D%0A%0D%0AI just recently started writing for the first time in 15%2B years%2C and have now published my first 2 pieces of fanfic on FF.net. The first one barely got noticed%2C and nobody commented on it. The second has gotten some positive response%2C including some nice encouragement. But in both cases%2C I wrote them for me%2C not the readers. Yes%2C I did try to polish them so that I%27d be on the correct side of Sturgeon%27s Law%2C but that was more because I wanted it to be well written and less because of how I wanted others to view it.%0D%0A%0D%0AThe bottom line is%2C if you want to write%2C write%2C even if it%27s just to get it out of your head. Once it%27s on paper%2Fdisk%2Fwhatever%2C then you can decide what to do with it and who to show it to.%0D%0A%0D%0AOffsides%0D%0A%0D%0A%26%2391%3B...%26%2393%3B in order to be a realist you must believe in miracles.%0D%0A -- David Ben Gurion%0D%0AEPU RCW %23%26pi%3B%0D%0A%23include %3Cstdsig.h%3E%0D%0A%0D%0A 35|10|34|||||RE%3A I could use some advice...|mdg1||12:17:30|09/17/2013|I know that%27s what I should be doing... the problem is%2C the way my brain works%2C I often have a good draft of the story in my head before I ever put fingers to keyboard... which means I don%27t NEED to write it down%2C because I can %22read%22 it any time I want.%0D%0A%0D%0ASo I don%27t.%0D%0A%0D%0ABut%2C for some reason%2C that doesn%27t seem enough. Something in me wants to tell these stories%2C but it%27s not strong enough to take control. 6|1|0|||1||RE%3A I could use some advice...|Mercutio||19:39:17|09/12/2013|Allow me to add my chorus to the voices saying %22just write. Worry about quality later.%22%0D%0A%0D%0ABut to add on that... write as much as you can%2C get it down%2C and then invite%2C no%2C demand that people rip it apart. Find people whose opinion you trust%2C friends%2C forum-dwellers%2C whoever%2C people who you KNOW can recognize good or bad writing when they see it%2C and ask them if they%27ll read your stuff and tell you what%27s awful about it. Tell them to be brutal%2C to pick nits. Your best friend as a writer are people who think you suck and suck hard.%0D%0A%0D%0ASteal shamelessly. Find methods of story construction of clever literary tricks in other works you like and lift them out wholesale. Someone did something clever with scene construction or timelines%3F You lift that sucker out and file out the serial numbers if you need it for your own work. Don%27t plagiarism%2C but aside from that anything goes. Don%27t be afraid of not being %22original.%22 Nobody is original. SHAKESPEARE ripped off all his best stuff from the classics.%0D%0A%0D%0A-Merc%0D%0AKeep Rat 9|2|6|||||RE%3A I could use some advice...|mdg1||23:53:05|09/12/2013|%0D%0A%3EBut to add on that... write as much as you can%2C get it down%2C and then %0D%0A%3Einvite%2C no%2C demand that people rip it apart. Find people whose opinion %0D%0A%3Eyou trust%2C friends%2C forum-dwellers%2C whoever%2C people who you KNOW can %0D%0A%3Erecognize good or bad writing when they see it%2C and ask them if %0D%0A%3Ethey%27ll read your stuff and tell you what%27s awful about it. Tell them %0D%0A%3Eto be brutal%2C to pick nits. Your best friend as a writer are people %0D%0A%3Ewho think you suck and suck hard. %0D%0A%0D%0AThat would be the %22support network%22 I don%27t have anymore. The last beta reader I had that actually responded with constructive criticism was a fellow named Phil Moyer.%0D%0A%0D%0A%28Which gives you an idea just how long it%27s been...%29%0D%0A%0D%0A%3ESteal shamelessly. Find methods of story construction of clever %0D%0A%3Eliterary tricks in other works you like and lift them out wholesale. %0D%0A%3ESomeone did something clever with scene construction or timelines%3F You %0D%0A%3Elift that sucker out and file out the serial numbers if you need it %0D%0A%3Efor your own work. Don%27t plagiarism%2C but aside from that anything %0D%0A%3Egoes. Don%27t be afraid of not being %22original.%22 Nobody is original. %0D%0A%3ESHAKESPEARE ripped off all his best stuff from the classics. %0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0AThat%27s EXACTLY how %5Bi%5DOtaku Rising%5B%2Fi%5D got started%2C although technically Cor did the initial steal. %3A%29 16|3|9|||1||RE%3A I could use some advice...|Mercutio||04:19:08|09/13/2013|%0D%0A%3EThat would be the %22support network%22 I don%27t have anymore. The last %0D%0A%3Ebeta reader I had that actually responded with constructive criticism %0D%0A%3Ewas a fellow named Phil Moyer. %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3E%28Which gives you an idea just how long it%27s been...%29 %0D%0A%0D%0AYou might have to go out there and brave the slings and arrows of public forums%2C then. I... don%27t actually know where to go on the internet for help with original writing. %5E.%5E%3B If this were fanfiction I%27d just tell you to go to spacebattles.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3EThat%27s EXACTLY how %5Bi%5DOtaku Rising%5B%2Fi%5D got started%2C although %0D%0A%3Etechnically Cor did the initial steal. %3A%29 %0D%0A%0D%0AOtaku Rising is pretty goddamn bad %28no offense%29 but I%27ll say this for it%3B it%27s structurally sound. You understand things like how to format for readability%2C when it%27s appropriate to do a scene transition%2C etc. So you%27ve got that going for you.%0D%0A%0D%0AYou know how to BUILD the house. You just need to work on%2C y%27know%2C furnishing it.%0D%0A%0D%0A-Merc%0D%0AKeep Rat%0D%0A%0D%0A%5Bsmall%5D%22Whoever is telepathically assaulting the tourists%3A please stop.%22%5B%2Fsmall%5D 18|4|16|||||RE%3A I could use some advice...|mdg1||06:19:03|09/13/2013|%0D%0A%3EOtaku Rising is pretty goddamn bad %28no offense%29 but I%27ll say this for %0D%0A%3Eit%3B it%27s structurally sound. You understand things like how to format %0D%0A%3Efor readability%2C when it%27s appropriate to do a scene transition%2C etc. %0D%0A%3ESo you%27ve got that going for you. %0D%0A%0D%0ANone taken. There%27s really only one bit I%27m truly proud of%2C and even that one isn%27t particularly good. 7|1|0|||1||RE%3A I could use some advice...|Peter Eng||23:33:01|09/12/2013|%3EI%27m seriously thinking of starting to write again%2C but for various %0D%0A%3Ereasons%2C I%27m not all that confident about my ability. %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3EShould I try anyway%2C or am I just deluding myself%3F %0D%0A%0D%0ATry.%0D%0A%0D%0AAssume%2C for a moment%2C that you%27re right about your ability. You aren%27t going to get better by not trying. You get better by practicing the skill%2C be it writing%2C weaving%2C or wargaming.%0D%0A%0D%0AAnd if you%27re selling yourself short%2C you have even more reason to try%2C because not trying will stop you from proving yourself wrong.%0D%0A%0D%0APeter Eng%0D%0A--%0D%0AI hope you%27ll make mistakes. If you%27re making mistakes%2C it means you%27re out there doing something. And the mistakes in themselves can be useful. I once misspelled Caroline%2C in a letter%2C transposing the A and the O%2C and I thought%2C %93Coraline looks like a real name...%94 - Neil Gaiman 11|2|7|||||RE%3A I could use some advice...|mdg1||23:55:59|09/12/2013|%0D%0A%3ETry. %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3EAssume%2C for a moment%2C that you%27re right about your ability. You %0D%0A%3Earen%27t going to get better by not trying. You get better by %0D%0A%3Epracticing the skill%2C be it writing%2C weaving%2C or wargaming. %0D%0A%0D%0ATrue%2C very true%0D%0A%0D%0A%3EAnd if you%27re selling yourself short%2C you have even more reason to %0D%0A%3Etry%2C because not trying will stop you from proving yourself wrong. %0D%0A%0D%0AThe bigger problem is the fear I may prove myself right... 12|3|11|||1||RE%3A I could use some advice...|Gryphon||23:59:45|09/12/2013|%3EThe bigger problem is the fear I may prove myself right... %0D%0A%0D%0AThe only thing to do about that%2C I find%2C is be Venkmanian about it. %22If I%27m wrong%2C nothing happens%21 We go to jail%21 Peacefully%2C quietly. We%27ll enjoy it. But if I%27m %5Bi%5Dright%5B%2Fi%5D. Lenny. %5Bi%5DYou%5B%2Fi%5D will have saved the lives. Of %5Bi%5Dmillions%5B%2Fi%5D of registered voters.%22%0D%0A%0D%0A--G.%0D%0A-%3E%3C-%0D%0ABenjamin D. Hutchins%2C Co-Founder%2C Editor-in-Chief%2C %26 Forum Mod%0D%0AEyrie Productions%2C Unlimited http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2F%0D%0Azgryphon at that email service Google has%0D%0A%5Bi%5DCeterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.%5B%2Fi%5D 19|4|12|||||RE%3A I could use some advice...|mdg1||06:19:49|09/13/2013|%0D%0A%3EThe only thing to do about that%2C I find%2C is be Venkmanian about it. %0D%0A%3E%22If I%27m wrong%2C nothing happens%21 We go to jail%21 Peacefully%2C quietly. %0D%0A%3EWe%27ll enjoy it. But if I%27m %5Bi%5Dright%5B%2Fi%5D. Lenny. %5Bi%5DYou%5B%2Fi%5D will %0D%0A%3Ehave saved the lives. Of %5Bi%5Dmillions%5B%2Fi%5D of registered voters.%22 %0D%0A%0D%0ANow there%27s a response I wasn%27t expecting. %3A%29 14|3|11|||1||RE%3A I could use some advice...|Peter Eng||03:16:01|09/13/2013|%3E%0D%0A%3E%3ETry. %0D%0A%3E%3E%0D%0A%3E%3EAssume%2C for a moment%2C that you%27re right about your ability. You %0D%0A%3E%3Earen%27t going to get better by not trying. You get better by %0D%0A%3E%3Epracticing the skill%2C be it writing%2C weaving%2C or wargaming. %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3ETrue%2C very true %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3E%3EAnd if you%27re selling yourself short%2C you have even more reason to %0D%0A%3E%3Etry%2C because not trying will stop you from proving yourself wrong. %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3EThe bigger problem is the fear I may prove myself right... %0D%0A%0D%0AI don%27t understand. What happens if you do%3F%0D%0A%0D%0APeter Eng%0D%0A--%0D%0A%28By proving that his current writing ability was as poor as he believed it to be%2C Mario unleashed Cthulhu on an unsuspecting world...%29 20|4|14|||||RE%3A I could use some advice...|mdg1||06:21:05|09/13/2013|%0D%0A%3EI don%27t understand. What happens if you do%3F %0D%0A%0D%0AKnowing me%3F Massive depression and self-imposed isolation.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3E%28By proving that his current writing ability was as poor as he %0D%0A%3Ebelieved it to be%2C Mario unleashed Cthulhu on an unsuspecting %0D%0A%3Eworld...%29 %0D%0A%0D%0ANo%2C that%27s what happens when I try to sing... 15|3|11|||1||RE%3A I could use some advice...|Peter Eng||03:26:38|09/13/2013|%3E%0D%0A%3EThe bigger problem is the fear I may prove myself right... %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%0D%0A%5Blink%3Aseanan-mcguire.livejournal.com%2F17119.html%7CHere%27s another viewpoint on beginning writing.%5D Seanan McGuire is somebody who%27s walked the path from horrible fanfic to published writer. Her opinions may not be useful for you%2C but it never hurts to get another view of writing.%0D%0A%0D%0APeter Eng%0D%0A--%0D%0AInsert humorous comment here. 21|4|15|||||RE%3A I could use some advice...|mdg1||06:22:20|09/13/2013|[updated:LAST EDITED ON Sep-13-13 AT 06:23 AM (EDT)]%3E%3E%0D%0A%3E%3EThe bigger problem is the fear I may prove myself right... %0D%0A%3E%3E%0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3E%5Blink%3Aseanan-mcguire.livejournal.com%2F17119.html%7CHere%27s another viewpoint on beginning writing.%5D Seanan McGuire is somebody who%27s %0D%0A%3Ewalked the path from horrible fanfic to published writer. Her %0D%0A%3Eopinions may not be useful for you%2C but it never hurts to get another %0D%0A%3Eview of writing. %0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0AActually%2C we%27ve met %28I still do Arisia every year%2C and she guested once%29. I%27ll have to read that later. Cheers. 8|1|0|||1||RE%3A I could use some advice...|Gryphon||23:38:37|09/12/2013|%3EShould I try anyway%2C or am I just deluding myself%3F %0D%0A%0D%0A1%29 Of course you should%2C if you think you%27ll enjoy it. Whether you%27re any good at it is very subjective and may even be immaterial.%0D%0A%0D%0A2%29 These two items are not mutually exclusive%2C so %22or%22 is not the right conjunction. %3A%29%0D%0A%0D%0AI%27m not going to sit over here and be all boostery about the rewards and the improvement curve and internal satisfaction and all that%2C because on some level it%27d be hypocritical - gods know I have many days%2C and moreso as I get older%2C where I sit looking at TextPad and thinking%2C %5Bi%5DWhat the fuck am I even doing%3F Seriously%3F%5B%2Fi%5D - but I keep coming back because it%27s something I like to do. That%27s really the bottom line for me.%0D%0A%0D%0A--G.%0D%0A-%3E%3C-%0D%0ABenjamin D. Hutchins%2C Co-Founder%2C Editor-in-Chief%2C %26 Forum Mod%0D%0AEyrie Productions%2C Unlimited http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2F%0D%0Azgryphon at that email service Google has%0D%0A%5Bi%5DCeterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.%5B%2Fi%5D 10|2|8|||||RE%3A I could use some advice...|mdg1||23:54:52|09/12/2013|Thanks%2C Ben. I guess I still worry too much about what other people think. 24|3|10|||||RE%3A I could use some advice...|BeardedFerret||06:31:50|09/13/2013|%3EThanks%2C Ben. I guess I still worry too much about what other people %0D%0A%3Ethink. %0D%0A%0D%0AMan%2C if everyone did that%2C Fanfiction.net would have no submissions. %0D%0A%0D%0AJust start writing what you%27re thinking. If you%27re happy with it%2C share it. Even if you%27re not%2C share it. Some of the best stuff I%27ve written has risen from the ashes of being violently subedited%2C so be prepared to roll with advice. And have fun%21 25|4|24|||||RE%3A I could use some advice...|mdg1||08:03:06|09/13/2013|%0D%0A%3EJust start writing what you%27re thinking. If you%27re happy with it%2C %0D%0A%3Eshare it. Even if you%27re not%2C share it. Some of the best stuff I%27ve %0D%0A%3Ewritten has risen from the ashes of being violently subedited%2C so be %0D%0A%3Eprepared to roll with advice. And have fun%21 %0D%0A%0D%0ASharing it may take a while... %28and don%27t worry%2C I won%27t inflict it on anyone here. %3A%29 %29 I%27ll need to build up my confidence first. 17|1|0|||1||RE%3A I could use some advice...|Terminus Est||06:10:57|09/13/2013|Coming from someone in the same position%3F Man%2C do I ever know how this feels.%0D%0A%0D%0AWhat everyone else has already said pretty much sums up every bit of advice I%27ve ever seen%2C so I only have one thing to add. Look into online roleplay%2C particularly on Dreamwidth. I know%2C I know%2C it%27s a cringeworthy idea. But you%27d be surprised at some of the writers you%27ll find there%2C and a %5Bi%5Dfuckton%5B%2Fi%5D of them come with pre-assembled support groups for beginning writers%2C just add quirky but generally amiable personality %28namely your own%29. It doesn%27t matter if it%27s a completely original setting%2C or something ripped straight out of a book%2C movie%2C etc%3B just make sure it%27s something you feel comfortable with. Lotta these guys will surprise you with how supportive they can be%2C and if you manage to get into a couple you%27ll find you soon have a cadre of people willing to rip your work apart for fun and profit.%0D%0A%0D%0AThere are%2C of course%2C horror stories about this too%3B as with anything%2C my opinion and five bucks will get you a small coffee at your java joint of choice. 22|2|17|||||RE%3A I could use some advice...|mdg1||06:24:53|09/13/2013|%3EComing from someone in the same position%3F Man%2C do I ever know how %0D%0A%3Ethis feels. %0D%0A%0D%0AThanks.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3EWhat everyone else has already said pretty much sums up every bit of %0D%0A%3Eadvice I%27ve ever seen%2C so I only have one thing to add. Look into %0D%0A%3Eonline roleplay%2C particularly on Dreamwidth. I know%2C I know%2C it%27s a %0D%0A%3Ecringeworthy idea. But you%27d be surprised at some of the writers %0D%0A%3Eyou%27ll find there%2C and a %5Bi%5Dfuckton%5B%2Fi%5D of them come with %0D%0A%3Epre-assembled support groups for beginning writers%2C just add quirky %0D%0A%3Ebut generally amiable personality %28namely your own%29. It doesn%27t %0D%0A%3Ematter if it%27s a completely original setting%2C or something ripped %0D%0A%3Estraight out of a book%2C movie%2C etc%3B just make sure it%27s something you %0D%0A%3Efeel comfortable with. Lotta these guys will surprise you with how %0D%0A%3Esupportive they can be%2C and if you manage to get into a couple you%27ll %0D%0A%3Efind you soon have a cadre of people willing to rip your work apart %0D%0A%3Efor fun and profit. %0D%0A%0D%0AI%27ve had some REALLY bad experiences with online RP%2C but I guess I can poke around. 23|3|22|||||RE%3A I could use some advice...|BeardedFerret||06:27:53|09/13/2013|%3EI%27ve had some REALLY bad experiences with online RP%2C but I guess I can %0D%0A%3Epoke around. %0D%0A%0D%0ASame here%2C but you occasionally run into something good. 28|4|23|||1||RE%3A I could use some advice...|Terminus Est||22:16:36|09/13/2013|I%27ve been pretty lucky%2C mostly because I always write with people I already know who vouch for the game before I join up. %28Plus I%27ve only been in like... a dozen%2C total.%29 If you can figure out what genre you want to try I might be able to toss a link or two your way%2C by way of some of the aforementioned friends. Or%2C failing that%2C I can probably talk some of them into %5Bi%5Dcreating%5B%2Fi%5D something for the same purpose%3B a lot of the people I know are mods. 29|5|28|||||RE%3A I could use some advice...|mdg1||06:47:10|09/14/2013|%3EI%27ve been pretty lucky%2C mostly because I always write with people I %0D%0A%3Ealready know who vouch for the game before I join up. %28Plus I%27ve only %0D%0A%3Ebeen in like... a dozen%2C total.%29 If you can figure out what genre you %0D%0A%3Ewant to try I might be able to toss a link or two your way%2C by way of %0D%0A%3Esome of the aforementioned friends. Or%2C failing that%2C I can probably %0D%0A%3Etalk some of them into %5Bi%5Dcreating%5B%2Fi%5D something for the same purpose%3B %0D%0A%3Ea lot of the people I know are mods. %0D%0A%0D%0AThanks for the offer%2C but I think the first people I expose to my attempts will have to be people I know and trust. Anyway%2C back in the Dark Ages%2C the reason I started writing the first time is because I had %28slightly%29 better luck having the plot go the way I wanted%2C compared to RPGs. %3AD 26|1|0|||1||RE%3A I could use some advice...|Nova Floresca||15:38:44|09/13/2013|I think you should try again. I just got into the %22showing other people my writing%22 thing a year ago%2C and I learned 2 lessons right away%3A 1%29 Writing and getting read is a really good thing%2C and 2%29 if I had tried to reason out what I was doing rather than just doing it%2C I%27d still would be dithering with whether or not to post anything.%0D%0A%0D%0AAlso%2C if you do happen to set up shop on fanfiction.net%2C I%27d be happy to beta-read for you. Either way%2C good luck%21%0D%0A%0D%0A%22There is no transitive property %0D%0Aof flavor.%22 27|2|26|||||RE%3A I could use some advice...|mdg1||16:46:50|09/13/2013|%0D%0A%3EAlso%2C if you do happen to set up shop on fanfiction.net%2C I%27d be happy %0D%0A%3Eto beta-read for you. Either way%2C good luck%21 %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3E%22There is no transitive property %0D%0A%3Eof flavor.%22 %0D%0A%0D%0AThanks... I%27m not sure what venue I%27ll be using %28if any%29%2C just yet. 36|1|0|||||RE%3A I could use some advice...|trboturtle2||13:24:23|09/17/2013|Simple -- You write until you finish the story. Leave it alone for a while%2C write another story. Go back to the first story and read it again. Rewrite what needs to be rewritten. Leave it alone again and write another story or read the second story. Come back to the first story and read it again. Rewrite if needed. %0D%0A%0D%0AIf it%27s finished%2C send it to people who want to read it%2C get their feedback. If they give you C%26C%2C look to see what they%27re talking about makes sense. If more than one person mentions something%2C look at that and see if you missed something. Make corrections if you think they%27re needed.%0D%0A%0D%0AThe put it out there -- fanfiction on websites like Mediaminer%2C fanfiction.net%2C ect. If original%2C either try to get it published or publish it yourself.%0D%0A%0D%0AThe key is to write%2C write%2C write -- it%27s the only way to improve....%0D%0A%0D%0ACraig%0D%0A 37|2|36|||||RE%3A I could use some advice...|mdg1||14:04:34|09/17/2013|%0D%0A%3EIf it%27s finished%2C send it to people who want to read it%2C get their %0D%0A%3Efeedback. %0D%0A%0D%0AThat%27s where things have fallen apart for me in the past%2C and why I lack confidence now. I seem to have a knack for attracting apathetic beta readers. %3AP