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Writers' Bloc - Creative Writing Off Topic Thread

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Comments

  • #992
    Fuzzytrooper
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 896 Mod ✭✭✭✭Fuzzytrooper


    Fuzzytrooper wrote: »
    It's like a moat but different...

    But seriously it's Variations on a Theme. We might all be given a different Christmas song title for example and then write a short piece based on that. All pieces would be posted together by the organiser so noone knows who wrote what and then we all vote on our favourite piece.


  • #993
    Das Kitty
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 17,231 Mod ✭✭✭✭Das Kitty


    Yep.

    It's an informal short story competition. I'm not sure what number we're on now. I'll dig out some of the old thread and post links.

    13. Yuletide Yarns

    11. Opening Line

    10. Zappa

    9. Twilight Zone


  • #994
    Fuzzytrooper
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 896 Mod ✭✭✭✭Fuzzytrooper


    Informal? Then what am I supposed to do with my tux?


  • #995
    Brian Lighthouse
    Registered Users Posts: 514 ✭✭✭Brian Lighthouse


    Das Kitty wrote: »
    Would anyone be interested in a VOAT?

    Yeah.


  • #996
    coffee_cake
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Politics Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 81,310 CMod ✭✭✭✭coffee_cake


    clicking through the links again and bringing back memories now :D
    you're all awesome writers

    let's do another one


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  • #997
    expatinator
    Registered Users Posts: 58 ✭✭expatinator


    I'm in :)


  • #998
    Das Kitty
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 17,231 Mod ✭✭✭✭Das Kitty


    I'll kick off a signup thread when I get a chance, so.


  • #999
    Das Kitty
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 17,231 Mod ✭✭✭✭Das Kitty


    Done!

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=95535306#post95535306


  • #1000
    coffee_cake
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Politics Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 81,310 CMod ✭✭✭✭coffee_cake


    Oo i like it


  • #1001
    Das Kitty
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 17,231 Mod ✭✭✭✭Das Kitty


    Listowel is the best best best!

    Also. Drunk.


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  • #1002
    Lyaiera
    Registered Users Posts: 5,818 ✭✭✭Lyaiera


    I've self published two romance shorts now (in a series.) They're not really selling, a few authors I know checked me out and I've sold maybe three or four copies to the general public. The reviews I'm getting are great though, 2 five star reviews enthusing about how the characters were so realistic, and one four star review complimenting everything. One reviewer said the heroine would act exactly how she would in the situation and it made my day.

    I just published my second last night, no sales yet. Everyone I talk to says this is perfectly normal for self-pubbing and that with the reviews I'm actually doing better than most. The first short was only published on Sunday.

    The second is quite a tough sell, there's no steamy scenes, which is how romance has gone, but I still think it's really romantic. And it deals with a very heavy subject for the genre; a woman with schizophrenia. I'm proud of it, but it was incredibly draining to write, and it actually quite upset me when I was writing the tougher parts.


  • #1003
    addicted to caffeine
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,517 ✭✭✭addicted to caffeine


    Hi everyone, I've been writing away on my book this year, I've reached the halfway point a few days ago. Hopefully another year or two of work and I'll be finished it :D


  • #1004
    Brian Lighthouse
    Registered Users Posts: 514 ✭✭✭Brian Lighthouse


    addicted to caffeine wrote: »
    Hi everyone, I've been writing away on my book this year, I've reached the halfway point a few days ago. Hopefully another year or two of work and I'll be finished it :D

    Good stuff.


  • #1005
    addicted to caffeine
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,517 ✭✭✭addicted to caffeine


    Brian Lighthouse wrote: »
    Good stuff.

    thanks :)


  • #1006
    Runner Mojo
    Closed Accounts Posts: 77 ✭✭Runner Mojo


    Lyaiera wrote: »
    I've self published two romance shorts now (in a series.) They're not really selling, a few authors I know checked me out and I've sold maybe three or four copies to the general public. The reviews I'm getting are great though, 2 five star reviews enthusing about how the characters were so realistic, and one four star review complimenting everything. One reviewer said the heroine would act exactly how she would in the situation and it made my day.

    I just published my second last night, no sales yet. Everyone I talk to says this is perfectly normal for self-pubbing and that with the reviews I'm actually doing better than most. The first short was only published on Sunday.

    The second is quite a tough sell, there's no steamy scenes, which is how romance has gone, but I still think it's really romantic. And it deals with a very heavy subject for the genre; a woman with schizophrenia. I'm proud of it, but it was incredibly draining to write, and it actually quite upset me when I was writing the tougher parts.

    Sounds like you just need to give it a bit of a push - have you courted the press yet?


  • #1007
    Lyaiera
    Registered Users Posts: 5,818 ✭✭✭Lyaiera


    Runner Mojo wrote: »
    Sounds like you just need to give it a bit of a push - have you courted the press yet?

    No. I don't think they'd go for it to be honest. There's tonnes of self-published novels released every day and I don't see why I'd be worth covering.

    I'm working on a full length novel now (so far I've done three shorts and two novellas.) After that I might discount my first novella, set in a small Irish town, and push the novel set in the same place via that.


  • #1008
    Runner Mojo
    Closed Accounts Posts: 77 ✭✭Runner Mojo


    Lyaiera wrote: »
    No. I don't think they'd go for it to be honest. There's tonnes of self-published novels released every day and I don't see why I'd be worth covering.

    I'm working on a full length novel now (so far I've done three shorts and two novellas.) After that I might discount my first novella, set in a small Irish town, and push the novel set in the same place via that.

    You'd be worth covering by local paper (or most places have about 3 local papers). Once you get that under your belt you could submit a letter to the editor or similar article with your byline to a bigger paper and work your way up. There's also blogs written by a ton of bloggers in different genres who review books as a source of revenue (Amazon affiliates) and if you created your own media list from the most influential bloggers in your genre and approached them with review copies it might help drive exposure too.

    Granted, it's a job in itself aside from writing!


  • #1009
    Lyaiera
    Registered Users Posts: 5,818 ✭✭✭Lyaiera


    Runner Mojo wrote: »
    You'd be worth covering by local paper (or most places have about 3 local papers). Once you get that under your belt you could submit a letter to the editor or similar article with your byline to a bigger paper and work your way up. There's also blogs written by a ton of bloggers in different genres who review books as a source of revenue (Amazon affiliates) and if you created your own media list from the most influential bloggers in your genre and approached them with review copies it might help drive exposure too.

    Granted, it's a job in itself aside from writing!

    I tried approaching bloggers, but there's so many people publishing romance that bloggers are inundated with stuff. It's actually really hard to gain a foothold with them. I had one or two responses and some good reviews from them, but they only read it because it was a short they could fit into a few hours. They have the next of my books on a to-be-read list but it could be ages before they get to them.


  • #1010
    addicted to caffeine
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,517 ✭✭✭addicted to caffeine


    Hi everyone,

    any tips for overcoming self-doubt when writing? :o


  • #1011
    Fuzzytrooper
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 896 Mod ✭✭✭✭Fuzzytrooper


    Ignore it. Switch off your internal editor and concentrate on getting words down on paper. It's quite liberating when you realize that whatever you put down will probably be rubbish and will always require a rework. I love the following quote by Michael Crichton:

    “Books aren't written - they're rewritten. Including your own. It is one of the hardest things to accept, especially after the seventh rewrite hasn't quite done it.”


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  • #1012
    Das Kitty
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 17,231 Mod ✭✭✭✭Das Kitty


    How is everyone doing?

    Anyone entering competitions at the moment? I have a couple out in the ether and I'm waiting to hear back. I'm mostly concentrating on the structural edit of the novel. It's a slog, but a satisfying one. I've read the book a lot now and I'm still not sick of it. I wonder if this is a good or bad sign!


  • #1013
    addicted to caffeine
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,517 ✭✭✭addicted to caffeine


    not so bad over here, trying to ignore the doubts when writing and just get it written first before I worry about publishing etc:) Haven't entered any competitions, main focus is the novel right now


  • #1014
    redser7
    Registered Users Posts: 2,729 ✭✭✭redser7


    Just scratching around really, trying to get something down each day. Kids are back to school so hopefully I'll get more focussed as the nights draw in.


  • #1015
    Lyaiera
    Registered Users Posts: 5,818 ✭✭✭Lyaiera


    My book has reached the top 20 Free Paranormal and Urban Fantasy books in the Free Kindle Store (US) and top 300 of the overall Free Kindle store.

    It's hit the top 20 in the Free Kiindle Store (UK) for Contemporary Fantasy.

    Now I just hope this converts to sales once the free period ends.

    And of course I'm living off how this novel does at the moment, when I really should be writing the follow up. I need to find myself a quiet pub and sit down with a pencil, notepad and pint.


  • #1016
    addicted to caffeine
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,517 ✭✭✭addicted to caffeine


    actually kinda curious about something, when you're talking to someone and they ask how the writing is going etc, you respond, do you find yourself getting annoyed or misunderstood with people's perception of how hard the book writing process is?

    I was in that situation last night, talking to a friend who thought it was nearly finished. Tried to explain I have more to write and probably a few re-drafts before it's suitable for publishing, and that can take time. Went straight over their head though!


  • #1017
    Lyaiera
    Registered Users Posts: 5,818 ✭✭✭Lyaiera


    More the opposite in fact. Most people I know couldn't comprehend writing a book, it seems really difficult for them and a magical activity of some sort. My close friends just accept what I say. A few people in the pub ask me what I'm up to at the moment and accept what I say. And other writers generally seem impressed that I've managed to finish a novel, and a few have asked for advice.

    I've had one or two people dismissively say, "Oh, I'll do that someday," but no one I'm really close to, or even consider a friend.


  • #1018
    Das Kitty
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 17,231 Mod ✭✭✭✭Das Kitty


    addicted to caffeine wrote: »
    actually kinda curious about something, when you're talking to someone and they ask how the writing is going etc, you respond, do you find yourself getting annoyed or misunderstood with people's perception of how hard the book writing process is?

    I was in that situation last night, talking to a friend who thought it was nearly finished. Tried to explain I have more to write and probably a few re-drafts before it's suitable for publishing, and that can take time. Went straight over their head though!

    My mam does that. One of my buddies has been submitting to agencies in the past week and Mam was asking why I wasn't doing the same as I finished it last November. I told her she was confusing getting to the end of the story with finishing the book. :)

    It doesn't annoy me though. I love telling people about having to rewrite pretty much every sentence, the trials of deleting a cat from the narrative, and reading aloud to myself in the kitchen at night.

    It's way more hard work than my paying job, but, the things you do for love!


  • #1019
    addicted to caffeine
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,517 ✭✭✭addicted to caffeine


    interesting view point guys :) Most people will say 'oh fair play, what's it about?' and a few others don't get it which annoys me but I try not to get it to me. A few others have said 'I'd love to do that' to me as well:)

    Exactly das, I'm not working but in college, lot harder than the work there!


  • #1020
    redser7
    Registered Users Posts: 2,729 ✭✭✭redser7


    I'm in awe of you people who can talk about 'my novel' :)


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  • #1021
    Dave!
    Closed Accounts Posts: 27,857 ✭✭✭✭Dave!


    I've been mostly resting on my laurels since I had those two poems published like 6 months ago :D Have written feck all since then :( Need to get back into it. Might do an evening class or something.


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