Author In Progress

[Wallace]

Hello. I'm a struggling writer desperate to get noticed but not so motivated as to actually try and mail out cover letters. Please read my work and give me a job with your company based solely on two paragraphs yanked from a short story I wrote six years ago but think it will earn me brownie points because it's just. That. Good.

Psyche!

I've actually been writing for most of my life, but my C-Type personality (I think that's the quiet religious one who ends up going insane) makes me perpetually unhappy with what I write and too bloody scared to show it to anyone but my cat. Okay, I don't have a cat. But if he did, he would hate my unbelievable literary slop.

My main ambition right now is becoming a chef, and perhaps owning my own business. Between work and college, that doesn't leave me a lot of creative time, but why let the talent slowly die of isolation? And they talk about The Dresden Files on this forum, too, so maybe I'll get to see two geeks duke it out over whether the sparkly vampires of Twilight could beat the sparkly vampires of the White Court.

We both know the answer, and that's why I'm here, and not on the Twilight forum. *Nods*

It's good to meet other writers though. I guess this is where you are all hiding, instead of playing World of Warcraft. I'd shame you, but it would be ironic.

[Raestlin]

I have just recently started to make forays into writing and am currently a little stymied as to how I should proceed in my book. It is written from the perspective of a person who has witnessed the tale, but I'm having troulbe in figuring otu how much the other characters should notice him....if anyone has any advice I would much appreciate. If you would just shoot me an IM instead of posting on here because I don't want to accidentally post somethign on here that the Master was planning on using in a book......


oh, by the way, the book is called The Original Five.

[Philliph]

I've actually been writing for most of my life, but my C-Type personality (I think that's the quiet religious one who ends up going insane) makes me perpetually unhappy with what I write and too bloody scared to show it to anyone but my cat. Okay, I don't have a cat. But if he did, he would hate my unbelievable literary slop.

HAH! You sounded like Marvin from The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy series. Silly robot, he takes emotion too seriously. 

I wonder what life would be like at the ocean floor...

[Miss Witch]

Hi!  My name is Murielle and I guess you could call me a writer in progress.  I write and I dream of seeing my name on the cover of a paperback.  I have had an active imagination since I can remember and started writing things down when I was thirteen.  My first story was about a unicorn.  Since then I have been writing on and off. I wanted to be a writer when I finished school but my grade nine teacher said that writing for a living wasn't easy and perhaps I should find something more stable to do as a job.  So I went to university and got so sick I landed myself in the hospital and the recepient of a double lung transplant.  While I was recovering I started writing again after years of not even touching a pen.  A little later on I decided to start taking my writing more seriously and just last month started taking a creative writing course to re-learn the structure of story.  When I move to a bigger city I plan on taking more courses and learn to write a novel and then maybe get the nerve to actually send something to get published. My biggest problem is fear. I'm scared that I'll never get anything published and therefore leads to my second biggest problem which is procrastination.  I always find something else to do that has to get done to avoid my fear of failure.  I read Jim's story and that boosted my spirits a little.  Even the most successful authors started out rough...I just have to work my ass off and use my stubborness for good instead of evil...hahaha.  Thankfully the muses have been kinder to me and I've kind of hammered out a character named Jax.  It's not much but it's a start!

[meg_evonne]

Welcome Miss Witch, I've the opposite problem.  I live in fear that someone would actually want to publish something that I've written.  I write to write, because there is no controlling that writer's mind.

Welcome to our corner of the dresden verse, where you are free to let the muse free.  We don't post manuscripts, but you can use the group consciousness to get your character out a corner if you need help.  Or concerned with how your writing is progressing etc.

And we'll hope to see you around her, giving us your thoughts as well.  Did you find Jim's writing blog?  Is that the book you meant or his actual novels?

[The Observer]

Hi, I'm Harrison.

(Hi, Harrison)

I first picked up the Dresden Files...God knows how long ago, but I've been writing for what seems like forever. (Which, in fact, isn't very long, since I'm just a high school sophomore) At the time, I hammered each of my stories out on a pad of notebook paper and each seemed like an instant Pulitzer Prize winner, though I look at them now and am brought close to tears.
Now I write the modern way, on a laptop, and my productivity has gone up...I think. I'm notorious for writers block and it doesn't help to have the whole wide internet at my fingertips whenever I'm trying to write  I write mostly urban fantasy (I have Jim to thank for this obsession, I can't seem to focus on anything else anymore) and right now am working on a few different projects, my main one being called Werelight. It's a fantasy set in modern day America about a group of shape shifters, and so far I'm quite pleased with it.

[meg_evonne]

Hi Harrison! 

followed by echos of (Hi, Harrison's)   :-)  Welcome

[Miss Witch]

But why would you  be afraid of getting something published if it's good Meg?  I write to write too but what I write is usually...ummmm...less than readable.  I have a hard time with continuity and most of my stories come in pockets if that makes sense.  Scenes that don't go anywhere.  Or sometimes I think, heeeey this is going pretty good, maybe some one would read it and give me a review and then I look what other people write and think...Dear God I suck!!  Hahaha.  I will definitly take up the offer of the help once I've developed something.  I did mean Jim's blog in my last post but there's this section about Jim where he's talking about how he kept writing and writing and when he thought he had something he had the determination to try and try again to get Harry published.  I think that is so cool to have that kind of determination and that kind of faith in your work not to give up.
Right now I'm building up a character.  I kind of think she's neat.  Her name is Jax (her full name is Lispeth Ryan.  She just sort of gave herself the nickname Jax when I was telling me about herself) and she, of course, is a witch.  So far all I know about her is what she looks like and her personality (which can come off as kind of...um...well rough).  I have no idea what she does for a living (this is where I could use the help) and her magick is still undetermined because well, I'm still learning how to write about and describe magick.  She may have witch flame and if she gets mad or scared the energy she uses can throw some through a wall (again, if anyone has suggestions on what she could be capable of magickally feel free to share!).  She has protective symbols tattooed on certain parts of her anatomy, as well as a cat tattoo that moves of its own accord.  Her familiar is a kitten named Oliver.  Aaaaaaand I should probably shutup now. 
Cheers

[Miss Witch]

P.S.  That one entery where I was telling me about herself?  Should be when she was telling me about herself and like a lot of people I am writing Urban Fantasy (attempting to write).  When I started reading it I thought it was the best thing since sliced bread!!  I wanted to write it too so now it's more than just enjoyment reading but a mini lesson every time I read.  Yep, it's official.  I'm a dork.

[meg_evonne]

She sounds a little like Mercy by briggs, which I love.  As a lerning piece maybe you and her need to grow her powers together.  Drop her into a high charged situation and see how she moves under pressure. If she starts with no powers you can go from there.

Picking an occupation might take some time.  You need something where she's free to move around and still make money.

One suggestion, there is a checklist about mary sue or mary ann--check out the too common and to used up plots.  Don't worry about the negative connotation--all charcters have a bit of the author in them, just notice that the same character and plots are too common to use.

Also remember that you have to love your villains as much as your MC.  Devope their story as deeply as you do the MC.  Best wishes!  Meg 

[meg_evonne]

Darn blackberry.  Ignor spelling etc.

[Miss Witch]

Villian?  What is this villan you speak of?  Hehehe.  Well to be honest with you I don't even have a plot yet.  All I have is Jax and a possible b/f...maybe.  He's not being too forth coming at the moment and he's in the shadows but I know he's there somewhere.  So for the Mary anne...or sue...or whatever...can I look that up on google?  I read once some where that when you build a character that she/he has to be the opposite of you.  Which is pretty much what Jax is.  Well, I mean there are some similarities, like you mentioned but her personality is only something I only wish I could be.  *Sigh* Oh well, I guess I shall keep working on it.  She's not done yet so there must be plenty of surprises left. 
Cheers 

[meg_evonne]

Search JB. Extreme opposite for MC seems over the top aversion to me.  Use MS for avoiding common plot set ups.

[Miss Witch]

What does MS mean?  Well, I'm pretty sure some author traits will come through.  It's not total aversion;).  But thanks for the advice.

[mightyutuvan]

Greetings,
  I will claim the title of "author in Progress."  Unlike many of the people in this thread I did't start out writing stories at the tender age of 5 or even 15.  I am 35.  I have been in the military for 16 years.  I am married and have 3 children.  I still attend college online at night.  I have never been particularily artistic.  A six month bout with guitar fever left me with a great appreciation of the art and sharp knowledge of my limitations.  I read comic books and fantasy novels voraciously from my pre-teen years until this very day.  I used to get the 'Annual itch' to write.  I would scribble story ideas and short character bios until the affliction passed for that year. 

     There.  That paragraph loaded with passive verbs gives you a starting point on Mightyutuvan.  Now you know me.  Well, a little at least.  Then this year happened.

     My grandfather died.  It was slow and entirely too fast all at the same time.  Heart failure.  He was the kind of man, you wanted to be like but knew you never could.  When I did something I knew was wrong (or stupid) I knew that if Granddaddy knew I would be ashamed.  There is a lot to the story (everyone has one) but it is enough to say this.  I loved him.  I held his hand as he died.  He seemed to talk to angels.  He kind of bossed them around actually, telling them "come on' and "let's go!" over and over again until his final aggravated breath and then...he was still.  My family's collective heart broke.  I still get sudden bout of sadness at the grocery store or drinking Dr Pepper.

     Something else changed that week.  I looked at my life and realized that I spent a lot of time doing what I had to do or killing time until I had to do something else (drinking, video games, watching TV).  I suddenly, keenly felt the need to write and complete a novel.  It was something I wanted to do.  For some reason I need to do it.  It doesn't matter if is any good or not.

     So here i am.  I am inspired by Jim (I printed his blog and put it into a notebook) and Harry.  I've plotted the whole book and written two chapters.  I won't post anything about the story because (1) forum rules ask us not to and (2) I find my writing has a sort of energy.  If I talk about it instead of writing it seems to steal that energy.  I apologize for the huge intro but I have now exercised those nasty autobiographical gremlins.

P.S.  Check out "Writing Excuses" Podcast for weekly tips and inspiration by published authors.  I enjoy it.