Author In Progress

[FishStampede]

My name is Robert. I used to write all the time in high school, but only now that I've gotten out of the military I've started writing again for real. I'm currently studying creative writing at UNCA, and would like to get my works published.

I mainly write fantasy, of the extremely high fantasy variety. My work started out actually as fanfiction, but it's evolved beyond that. In the class I'm currently taking we're supposed to try to get a short story published by the end of the semester. They're not expecting us to succeed, just to try. I just finished my short story, and so now I'm trying to edit and improve on what I have. If anyone is interested in doing a serious critique of it, let me know.

[JJoelW]

I've been trying to be a writer since I was 14 and I may be getting close. Ish. (Whatever that means.)

I'm currently writing an urban fantasy novel set in an alternative 1950s setting with airships and twice the neon. Aside from that, I write too many short stories and have, until recently, posted them on Facebook as throwaways, or practice. I say "until recently," because I now have a blog to put them.

I'm also working on two side-by-side serials to submit to Juke Pop Serials in hopes of building something like an audience.

Aside from these things, I am incredibly boring. 

[Torvaldr]

I have had some poems published, and I have put out a cd of my Viking Home Companion stories. You can actually buy and download my stories like iTunes. But unless Mickey tells me it is okay I wont post the link here. Currently I am writing a book that not only has all those performance stories in it, it has information about the historical information I hide in the stories, and also includes the story behind the story. That book is mostly done, but I don't have it up anywhere that I can share. I have a fantasy novel in the works that deals with angels, and I have been working on a transposition of the Saga of Beowulf into skaldic verse. That last one is a self torture project that may never get done. But lately I have been getting more work done on the angels book. Most of my poetry is written in an ancient form of Viking poetry called drottkveat though I write it in English. Here is a link to a free sample of my very first story. http://skaldic.com/skaldic-sample.mp3

[Mote]

Hey- I'm Michael. Writer-hobbyist. No efforts made yet to get anything published, but who knows?

I don't know how long or biographical this is supposed to be, but... when I was a little kid, I was the little kid that all the other kids got annoyed at, because when we played He-Man/GI Joe/Go-Bots/Transformers, (sometimes all at the same time,) I insisted that it wasn't enough for the good guys to fight the bad guys- there had to be a reason. I would construct long, elaborate plots with ample twists and turns, and occasionally a few side-adventures. When I was 12 or so, I had a teacher that made us all write a 1 page story. I couldn't fit my little fantasy on one page, so I filled up the back, (which was still, I figured, technically one page,) with the letters getting tinier and tinier as I reached the end of the page and the conclusion. She liked it a lot, but I didn't think much of it until waaaay later, when someone recognized my name from the story and told me that same teacher was -still- using my story as an 'example,' years and years after I wrote it. Which was kind of flattering, but also a little weird. It was enough flattery, I guess, to make me write more, and in writing more, I realized that I actually enjoyed the process.

I've been writing ever since.

[angrypecos]

Hi!
I have written several short stories (which I promptly lost, or as I say "I hid them for future creative inspiration") I enjoy writing, though it takes a long time to write or type ((not that I write or type slow but I have to get the right feeling from it) which means I write once and revise twenty or fifty times). I am still learning of course they say that you never stop learning. Hopefully I will have more time to write during the summer after I finish my senior year of high school.  Then college will start...

[trboturtle]

Hi!
I have written several short stories (which I promptly lost, or as I say "I hid them for future creative inspiration") I enjoy writing, though it takes a long time to write or type ((not that I write or type slow but I have to get the right feeling from it) which means I write once and revise twenty or fifty times). I am still learning of course they say that you never stop learning. Hopefully I will have more time to write during the summer after I finish my senior year of high school.  Then college will start...

Welcome to the loony bin! 

Grab a seat in any discussion and enjoy yourself!

Craig

[Denarian]

Ni!

I like writing way more than I should. I've been at it since the age of ten, when I was churning out stories of alternate realities populated by anthropomorphic cats and dogs or the adventures of a starship captain and his dozens of animal friends. Before that I re-enacted Romeo and Juliet with stuffed animals. I was one weird kid.
Almost all of my work is fantasy/sci-fi although I have an insatiable taste for parody.
I have no idea what "thinking small" means. I'm working on a Star Wars parody, cleverly titled
STARE WARS. Episode I: The Phantom Plotline is a work in progress, but I plan to do all six films plus Star Wars: The Clone Wars and the Dark Empire comic books, plus a parody of A Christmas Carol featuring Darth Sidious instead of Ebenezer Scrooge. I'm also planning to write my own sarcastic editions of the Star Trek films, the Harry Potter books, and possibly The Avengers and its associated film catalogue.

When it comes to original work, I don't really have anything linkable unless you feel like scrolling through two-year-old posts on a webcomic forum. I've been slaving over a four-book sci-fi/fantasy/adventure series called the Three Suns on and off for six years; more recently I've begun work on The Order of the Spade, a pentalogy (titled after the five stages of grief) set in the 24th Century. You can read the outline here. I'm also writing a novelization of a Dungeons and Dragons campaign I recently ran, in which the villains are the protagonists; a series of humorous fantasy novels set in a world of functional magic and cutthroat politics, and a complete rewrite of a crappy fantasy novella I wrote in high school, filled with gladiatorial combat and furries. My coworker and I are collaborating on scripts for an absurd animated series set at a convenience store where the manager is a literal bear, and that is just the beginning of the strangeness.

Have I ever completed one of these overambitious projects? Well, does Harry Dresden pose a hazard to manmade structures?

[dresdenrocks]

Hi, I'm Vivian. 

Did everyone say hello?  If you did, then this feels like I'm in an AA meeting (Author Anonymous?).

Like everyone else, I've written stories for a long time.  And, yes, I've a few books completed over the years.  Most of them will make anyone howl (with laughter) or cringe (in pity or dismay).  But going back to them is useful because it reminds me that, yes, I've gotten better and that there's always an opportunity to improve.

I've just put up two books with Smashwords under the name V. Griffen.  It's only been a couple of days, but I'm giddy that I've already made a few sales.  Yes, I did the happy dance.  While I'm keeping my expectations realistic (low), it's also a heady feeling knowing my work is Out There.  It also makes me a little nauseous with anxiety, but I'm not going to talk to you about that.   

My books are in the Urban Fantasy genre.  There's magic, ghouls, pucks and chupacabra (that's singular and plural).  Spoiler:  no vampires.  Sorry.

Still, I enjoyed writing them and I'm enjoying writing the third in the series.  Got two other books in the planning stages, so I plan to be busy for a long time to come.  That is, if I can be forgiven for inflicting them on everyone.

Here are the links to the books, so any of you be so inclined.
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/282162
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/283445

[spywolf]

I have written so short stories and novelers trying to write a full length noval at the moment.

[The Deposed King]

Hi, I'm Vivian. 

Did everyone say hello?  If you did, then this feels like I'm in an AA meeting (Author Anonymous?).

Like everyone else, I've written stories for a long time.  And, yes, I've a few books completed over the years.  Most of them will make anyone howl (with laughter) or cringe (in pity or dismay).  But going back to them is useful because it reminds me that, yes, I've gotten better and that there's always an opportunity to improve.

I've just put up two books with Smashwords under the name V. Griffen.  It's only been a couple of days, but I'm giddy that I've already made a few sales.  Yes, I did the happy dance.  While I'm keeping my expectations realistic (low), it's also a heady feeling knowing my work is Out There.  It also makes me a little nauseous with anxiety, but I'm not going to talk to you about that.   

My books are in the Urban Fantasy genre.  There's magic, ghouls, pucks and chupacabra (that's singular and plural).  Spoiler:  no vampires.  Sorry.

Still, I enjoyed writing them and I'm enjoying writing the third in the series.  Got two other books in the planning stages, so I plan to be busy for a long time to come.  That is, if I can be forgiven for inflicting them on everyone.

Here are the links to the books, so any of you be so inclined.
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/282162
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/283445

Read the first 20% for free on Smashswords.  If I wasn't busy trying to finish my 3rd book this month, I'd have bought it.  Seemed like a fun read.



The Deposed King

[slrogers]

I'm so new to all of this that it all blows my mind. I actually finished a book (first in a series) that I decided to publish myself.
(My amazon profile: http://www.amazon.com/S-L-Rogers/e/B00BZSWRMU/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1 )

I decided to publish myself because I realized that I would learn so much more about everything involved with writing by doing so. I didn't start out with a love of literature like many of you have, but rather perhaps more of a fear of it. In trying to overcome that fear and learn more I decided to write, and in writing fell so completely in love with all of this that I feel so completely overwhelmed.
(My blog on that subject: http://wordmindjourney.blogspot.com/2013/04/falling-in-love-with-literature.html )

In finding this great love not only for writing, but also for reading, I realized that there were people out there who already understand this passion. I want to know them, because I know that it will ultimately help me to become better at what I love doing. And in meeting and making friends with people who share this passion will make my life more rich and enjoyable.

So thank you for this opportunity. I look forward to getting to know you all better.

[Demos Mirak]

It seems that I need to tell something about myself here, well, here we go.

I have always liked stories, whether I told them to myself when I got bored, or if I read the books containing them. Although I started out as a slow reader, and people even thought that I might had to be transferred to a special school, I quickly picked up the pace during the Christmas vacation during third grade (the Dutch version of third grade anyway, which takes place at the age of 7-8, during which we learn to read, write and do basic sums). By the time I celebrated my 11th year of life, I had read almost all the books that interested me of the Childs section of the library, and I snuck into the adults section. The cause of that tour into the lower floors was mainly caused by the fact that the series of books I was reading at the moment started in the Childs section, but ended in the adults section (it was the Belgariad, if anyone wanted to know). Apparently they thought I was getting books for my parents, and kept thinking that for about a year, after which they told me and my parents that I wasn't allowed back there anymore. This caused me to go back to the Childs section and broaden my taste, previously confined to Sci-Fi and fantasy, with Detective, Thriller and Ghost stories. Four years later, when I turned 16, I was allowed back into the adults section, which was about the same time as when I switched from reading the translated versions of the books, to the native English versions of it, which I found more enjoyable, mainly because for unknown reasons, translators switch between different translations of the same group between books, which annoys me.

About the making of stories myself, the stories I started with, which were either Sci-Fi or Fantasy, always had the major flaw of the main characters becoming practically invincible and therefore, boring. This is because I always like the idea of absorbing power of your fallen enemies, surroundings, artifacts, etc., this by means of incorporating tech or modules in Sci-Fi stories, or just absorbing powers and energy through rituals or parasitic powers for Fantasy. I am now trying to limit that kind of power. I have tried writing stories, mainly your typical sword and magic fantasy, on and off for a couple of years now. I always got stuck on certain points, being able to envision events and conversations in the future, but not being able to figure out how to get there. This caused me to go do some other things for a time, and after a while I would come back and find the story to be too childish or just plain bad, and I started again with a different idea. And again. Again. And again again. Now I decided to write the background and the world first, before I try to power to the block that stops me.

As it is now, for my personal situation, I am waiting for the results of both my final exams for the high school (VWO+ (Technasium), for the Dutch readers of this forum) and the results of the admission test for Medical school at the Radboud University in Nijmegen. With a little bit of luck, I will get allowed and then I will move to Nijmegen, trying to make a living on my own.

[Tami Seven]

Hi, I hope you don't mind but I thought I'd share my story (my personal story) with everyone. When I was a kid I never even considered attempting to write fiction, god only knows why. I was always an avid reader, but just never had any ideas of my own.

My first year in college everyone, regardless of major, was required to take a course in creative writing. Considering how large the college was, you can imagine the English Department scrambled for people to teach these courses. My instructor was a low-level junior instructor fresh out of school himself.

He gave us our assignments and told us to write, so I did and he hated it. I barely passed the course, but not because I was a bad writer, but because I wrote the way I wanted to write, not the way he wanted me to write. It wasn't until many years later that I figured that out. For years I thought I couldn't write fiction, or anything for that matter. Until I took other classes that required writing reports and so on, and was told by those instructors that I was actually a very good writer.

I still didn't get serious about even considering writing until about ten years ago when I started doing text-based Story driven RPGs online. I met a would-be writer there and we started encouraging each other. Over the years I
have dabbled and toyed with ideas, written summaries and chapters but never finished, but he has already self-published several short stories and books.

I finally have a Fan-Fiction idea that I am comfortable enough with to follow through on. Even managed to write an outline that has a beginning and an end, as well as started writing it out.

If I manage to pull this off, I may try my hand at completely one of my original story ideas. Very late bloomer, but better late than never.

[The Deposed King]

The only way to become a writer is to write.  Fanfiction your own unique creation, either or both.  Just get out there and produce!

Best of luck with your endeavours and remember to not let anyone, even yourself, get you down.




The Deposed King

Hi, I hope you don't mind but I thought I'd share my story (my personal story) with everyone. When I was a kid I never even considered attempting to write fiction, god only knows why. I was always an avid reader, but just never had any ideas of my own.

My first year in college everyone, regardless of major, was required to take a course in creative writing. Considering how large the college was, you can imagine the English Department scrambled for people to teach these courses. My instructor was a low-level junior instructor fresh out of school himself.

He gave us our assignments and told us to write, so I did and he hated it. I barely passed the course, but not because I was a bad writer, but because I wrote the way I wanted to write, not the way he wanted me to write. It wasn't until many years later that I figured that out. For years I thought I couldn't write fiction, or anything for that matter. Until I took other classes that required writing reports and so on, and was told by those instructors that I was actually a very good writer.

I still didn't get serious about even considering writing until about ten years ago when I started doing text-based Story driven RPGs online. I met a would-be writer there and we started encouraging each other. Over the years I
have dabbled and toyed with ideas, written summaries and chapters but never finished, but he has already self-published several short stories and books.

I finally have a Fan-Fiction idea that I am comfortable enough with to follow through on. Even managed to write an outline that has a beginning and an end, as well as started writing it out.

If I manage to pull this off, I may try my hand at completely one of my original story ideas. Very late bloomer, but better late than never.

[Snowleopard]

I forget which writer said it but it's blunt and precisely on point.
"Get black on white!"