seven

It seems like the perfect job for me. Except, of course, for the fact that I've never written anything.

So, I thought I'd see if we have any authors here in DVDTalk.

7

Startide

I'm very sure they are here (I know of several), but they avoid contention or certain awkward discussions by not posting. If you do wish to discuss things with them, it can usually be done via their private mailing lists. By doing so, they preserve their copyrights and ability to resist lawsuits. One problem that authors have had in the past is that someone might infer that the idea in the author's book was "stolen" from them in a public forum discussion. Because of this, few authors will ever discuss things in an open forum.

The private forums are another matter of course. You can pick up quite a few tales of the industry from some of those.

Occasionally, an author will send a "thank you" for a favourable review. I've picked up a few of these for reviews in various "permanent" online places for example. A review in a message thread usually doesn't count because threads expire and thus are not "permanent".

BoatDrinks

C-Mart

I have written a couple of short stories. I even attempted a Star Wars novel. (I got about a chapter and a half.) I don't have anything published, though I am seriously considering an apocolypse story for Realms of Fantasy. I just have to revise it about 20 more times.

seven: The only thing I can say is this: If you think that you would make a good writer, then write. All the teachers will give you the same advice. Write, write, write, write, etc... It doesn't matter what you write, journal, story, novel, just brainstorm, whatever. To be a writer you have to get anything and everything down on paper.

I unfortunately don't write very often. The only time that I do write with any regularity is when I have to for a class. That's why it has taken me 4 years to even start thinking about getting my story published.

Just my $.02.

I have thought of putting up a writers section on my web-site. I had one a few years ago that had a couple of my stories and review form for the people to fill out. I put in there that they could send me their stories and I would post them just like I had mine up there. No one came to my site unfortunately, so I let it lapse. Now I have been thinking about it again, but in a world forum there is no telling where my stories could start popping up. Oh well, I guess I'll skip it.

-CM-

[Edited by C-Mart on 05-07-01 at 01:06 AM]

p1forest

There was this guy Guyot, used to hang around a lot in the Other Forum. He claimed he was a writer for TV shows, I think. We all knew that this guy was lying. We all just humored the guy, though, going along with him because he was so sad. Haven't seen him around for a while though.

Personally, I'd love to be a writer. I've got plot threads, characters, ideas, etc. going over a decade back, scribbled down here and there if an idea comes to me. I figure some of my ideas are pretty good ones; I've seen a few best-selling books come out with almost identical ones (and they're uncommon ideas). I've heard what C-Mart said: "write, write, write!" However, my problem is that my English SUCKS (to put it in fine literary terms ). I tried as hard as I could, but never got better than a 'C' in college English.

AgtFox

It has always been a dream of mine to write a book or write screenplays for movies or something. I do have the ability to do so. I did many short stories in college and many of my professors told me I should think about being a writer. Now I just never have time to sit down to begin and/or continue something I have started. I would probably have to quit my job to devote enough time to what I want to write. I also don't know if I am ready to take that leap of faith and possibility of not being published for a while.

milkdog

I've written 2 published books and one produced screenplay (and a dozen unproduced ones) and a ton of magazine stuff.

seven

The only thing I've gotten paid to write was DVD reviews, so I guess that doesn't count.

I was really bad at writing essays in school, and as a result tried to write as little as possible. I've come up with good ideas for stories, but have never really tried to develop them.

Any tips on how to write? Should you plan out the whole plot before hand, or just jump right in and make it up as you go along?

7

Scarecrow

Here are a couple of my favorite quotes from JMS On Writing.

"Don't be affraid to put the characters through pain. That's where all the interesting stuff happens. And growth only comes through pain and struggle."

"Start with an initial spine or arc and stick to it. Include a begining and an end and parts to hit throughout. These are fixed, everything else should stay fluid."

http://www.jeffkirvin.com/jms/





[Edited by Scarecrow on 05-07-01 at 11:41 PM]

BoatDrinks

Yeah, I remember that guyot guy, too. Real horse's patoot.
P1, I know of no less than 3 best selling authors (okay 2 best sellers and one fair seller) whose grammar is suck. That's what editors are for!

p1forest

I was hoping you'd see that eventually

Anyway, I guess you're correct, "That's was editors are for!" Perhaps I'll dig up those old documents some day...