# What have you been doing lately? Your current writing project?



## HLGStrider

Ok, what's everyone up to? Are we all writing a way? Anyone finished anything lately? Anyone having a hard time getting through their latest story?

Anyone? Anyone?

Currently, I'm writing a story with the work title "Dragon in the Dawn." It's about a knight who, after being rejected by a fair maiden, decides to win her hand by making himself a hero to her, hires a friendly dragon, and attempts to have the dragon pretend to kidnap her so he can rescue her and she will fall in love with him out of graditude. Of course everything goes wrong. . .a little corny, and it is going slow, but I like my dragon. He's very sweet. . .for a dragon.

You? What are you all doing lately?


----------



## Lantarion

Haha, that sounds pretty cliché, but it ought to be very good and entertaining, from what I've read by you. 

Yesterday I started outlining and writing a story that I'm basing around a picture/image created by a very talented scifi-Photoshop-artist at deviantART, called ~silvatrez. The image is called 'Armada 284-The Final Journey' --> [link], and it just overflows with so much 'futuro-mythical' atmosphere that I had to start writing something around it.

I was going to make it a *short* story, but I've already written over 1000 words and it hasn't even started properly yet..  But I'll probably edit and prune it after I have a complete rough copy.


----------



## Elentári

Both sound good.

*wants to read them when done!*

Right now I am working on finishing a trilogy that I have had in the works for some time now. 

It is placed in an alternate world from Earth but has a link between the two. The stories are all supposed to be following a prophecy that was made in that world and it involves three people from Earth. So far I am on book two and working on editing book one (not smart I know but I never really am... )

They all have a long way to go but at least I have the outline mostly writen out. 

And of course, when the mood strikes me (or I have writers block,) I like to write short stories.


----------



## Lantarion

Wow, Elentári that sounds magnificent!! *definately wants to read it when done*
It's a lot like what I'd like to write, and in fact my current project involves some 'dimension-hopping' etc.


----------



## HLGStrider

I have ideas for at least two dimension hopping books, but I just never can get a person convincingly from one dimension to another (on accident. . .I can think of ways to do it on purpose).


----------



## Halasían

*current projects...*

I have about 5 things in the fire right now. I need to clean up one story, and I need to add some pieces to another. The others are outlines.

The one I am finishing first is one that takes place in the desert and is of either the latter BC centuries, or in a mythical world. I could also easily turn it into a Tolkien fanfic based in Khand or Harad.  The setting is but a minor part of this tale of tribal war and light magic.


----------



## Lantarion

Wow sounds interesting; and sounds like a grand scale too!

Man I'm really annoyed.. I formatted my computer a while ago but I don't have Office anymore.. So my story is unfinished and I can't continue it before I get Word! 

But I've been working a lot more on my languages lately, as can be seen from the 'GoL: Languages...the Sequel!' thread.. It's a lot more coherent now and I am buliding my vocabulary using a root system of my own (which I'm inventing at the same time ).. It is pretty operational already, I can form fairly complex sentences.. And it's always fun to create new words. 
And what I've come to like about my main language (called Rómocantë) is that it is very poetic: a term, like 'snow', has several or many different terms with different meanings. Some examples might be 'sky-foam', 'cold-dust' and 'ice-rain'! It makes the language very flexible and very maneuverable to my own designs. 

Also, I've been giving some more thought to poetry lately.. And I am saddened by the lack of activity in our local 'Poetry'-thread. In the past as much as ten poems might have been submitted in one week; now only a few in over a month.


----------



## Lonna

*Tilogies & Languages*

Lantarion, your languages project sounds interesting. My 8-year-old son Jonathan (Little Frodo) made up his own language. It looks like Elvish. He calls it Larvaic. I think that's pretty amazing. I wouldn't have the patience. He writes it out by hand and also writes out whatever Elvish words he can find.

I'm tyring to get to work on the 2nd book of my Trilogy (fantasy). I feel like I've got the blahs. Just can't get motivated, so I'm posting here instead . . .

Any motivational ideas, anyone?


----------



## Lantarion

Your *8-year old* is inventing languages?! Man I'm way behind.. 
Ooh good luck with the third part.. The series is called 'Selma of the Summit', right?
Well, what motivates me is a natural setting. Go to the woods (as I understand it you live in one! ), and let the wonder of it all sink it. That's all I can think of now. 

I'd like to take this opportunity to try and bring the Poetry thread back to life:


VIVA EL THREAD DE POETRY!!!!

That is all.


----------



## Zale

One (the most major) of my projects currently stands at 7000 words, but it's not had much forethought go into it; I just write whatever comes. Nothing else really stands up right now, although I'm tempted to try my hand at a Knights Of The Round Table story...


----------



## Lonna

*Thanks, Lantarion*

Thanks for the writing advice. I did take a walk in the woods today, and it helped.


----------



## Lantarion

You're welcome. 
I'd like to take this opportunity to try and bring the Poetry thread back to life:

VIVA EL THREAD DE POETRY!!!!

That is all.


----------



## Lonna

Yes, let's all send in our poems and critiques of others' poems (a good New Year's Resolution)!


----------



## Rhiannon

This month and next month I am taking a stab at a novel. November is 'National Novel Writing Month', but November is a bad month for me, so I and a few other people decided to do it in January. And then I learned that I write really. reeeally. slooow. I have a hard time getting out 1500 words a day. So I decided to stretch it out over two months and write 900 words a day, and things are going fairly well, now that I've got passed the first cycle of hating the novel (and desiring to rip of my clothes and run around screaming 'I HATE MY NOVEL') to hating myself, to liking the novel and only mostly hating myself. The entire beginning is dull, and will probably need to be scratched, the concepts need fleshing out, but Chris (Chris is the only person that I'm letting see the work in progress. He's very reliable that way. Useful boy. Translates things into Latin for me. Anyway) says that the action sequence was good and draws the reader in enough to want to know what happens, so at least some of the material will the salvegable. And despite missing a few days, I'm only one day behind schedule. 

I'm wishing I had gone with a simpler concept, though. I wrote long outlines for a big fantasy series when I was twelve...I should have adapted them...because I have _no idea_ where the plot of this novel is going, except that I know how it ends. 

I've also learned that I need to forget all of the stuff I learned in creative writing class. It was useful stuff, but for now I need to forget it and only remember it again when I start editing.


----------



## Lantarion

That sounds like a lot of work Rhi. 

My current 'writing' project (besides the short story) is actually a Visual Arts project; the theme we have been given is simply 'Foreign Cultures', and what we are supposed to do is to research some aspecy of a foreign culture or cultures and based on those things we are to make a studio work of our own which reflects these aspects of the culture(s), but we are meant to invent a culture of our own in the process, in a way. 
I chose my own 'culture' to be that of Atlantis; I am in the process of inventing and implementing a writing system which would have supposedly been used in Atlantis (or Númenor? ). My finished work will be a single page from some ancient Atlantean tome, written in the Atlantean sript (which I am calling _ataláya_ at this point) and adorned with some designs. 
I've been using old English/Latin caligraphy styles, Sanskrit, Anglo-Saxon runes and Ta'liq (the writing system of most Muslim countries) as references, and _ataláya_ is looking pretty diverse at this point.


----------



## Rhiannon

Wow, Lantarion, that sounds awesome!

I'm now six days behind schedule with the novel, which came to a screeching halt when I caught a bad cold. Rhi can not write while sick.


----------



## Lantarion

Argh! Drink lots of hot chocolate and get well soon.


----------



## Rhiannon

Doing much better now, thanks  And I wrote 2400 words last night. Whew. Almost back on schedule.


----------



## reem

Well...I'm not really 'writing'...it's more of _'creating'_, really...you know, creating the cultural and geographical background before I actually start the actual writing...*tries to look convinced*

No really, I already created the rough plot and have been filling in the holes here and there, but no solid writing just yet. I have a good feeling about this one though... I think I might actually stick to it till it's done...might take me forever, but it'll happen in the end.
reem


----------



## Lonna

Lanty,

That sounds like quite a project! My 8-year-old son Jonathan wrote a note: "Hi, I am Jonathan. I am a actor. And a film maker." Now he is creating animation on the computer, complete with music. We really should move to Wellington and go to work for Peter Jackson. Anything is possible!

As for my own writing project, after a few walks in the woods (and the hills and desert), I am trying to start book 2 of my "Selah of the Summit" fantasy series. I just need to do it.

"Yes, it's hard to write, but it's harder not to."--Carl Van Doren


----------



## Lantarion

Glad to hear that Lonna! And what a mervelous little proverb! I think I'll adopt it straightaway! 

Well, just thought I'd mention that I continued my short story today.. ANd now that I have a sort of foothold I think it'll come along a bit quicker.


----------



## Lonna

Lanty,

I feel honored that you adopted that proverb in your signature!


----------



## Kelonus

Hey Lonna, hey everyone!!! How's is everything? Isn't writing fun? Well, I am currently writing sequals to a story I have finished writing. There not long books and I plan to make them one with three parts. I think what I am writing is good and will be even better when edited by and check by an editor if I get one. My short trilogy will make a good movie I feel. I would love to see a movie of my trilogy. 

Also, I am in the works on writing my own story with elves, dwarves, etc. It's done actually, but I have to fix it up a little. As you see Kelonus is my username and you see under my name it says Prince of Lenya Woods, well Kelonus is a character from the story and he is a prince from Lenya Woods(Made that up. Like it? lol)

I also have another idea for a story having to deal with gauntlets, each one with it's unique element, such as fire, water, lightning, wind, light and dark. Of course I have to come up for a story about how the gaunlets were made and why they were made. Different characters would be chosen to control what ever gaunlet accepted them. The current title I am titling it will be "The Legend of The Gauntlets". I love writing my own stories.


----------



## reem

I agree with you, Kelonus, writing is fun...but only when the juices are flowing

I'm trying to keep the fantasy factor a little low in mine. It's more of plain historical fiction, with alot of ancient Middle-eastern philosophy, and some Norse mythology. But it's still in it's prime and I haven't done much other than background research and jotting down the basic ideas. 

Does anyone know any good sites on those two cultures? I've tried in yahoo, and got some material, but it's not enough. A little help would be much appreciated if possible
reem


----------



## Turtle

What do you need to know on middle-eastern philosophy?


----------



## Kelonus

reem said:


> I agree with you, Kelonus, writing is fun...but only when the juices are flowing
> 
> I'm trying to keep the fantasy factor a little low in mine. It's more of plain historical fiction, with alot of ancient Middle-eastern philosophy, and some Norse mythology. But it's still in it's prime and I haven't done much other than background research and jotting down the basic ideas.
> 
> Does anyone know any good sites on those two cultures? I've tried in yahoo, and got some material, but it's not enough. A little help would be much appreciated if possible
> reem


 Fantasy is my thing, although I would like to try horror at least once.


----------



## reem

> What do you need to know on middle-eastern philosophy?



Anything pre-Islamic. There's very little on that subject that I can find. It's pretty frustrating. And not alot of books deal with it either. Those that actually do are usually biased and don't give a clear picture. wether from the Western or Islamic point of view.
Do you know anything that could help? I don't want something noticeably biased though.
reem


----------



## Lonna

*I Finished Chapter One*

Well, I finally rewrote Chapter One of "Selah's Sword," book 2 of the Selah trilogy. Now I've got to do Chapter Two! I've also got an idea for a play.


----------



## Kelonus

Selah's Sword is a titled that sounds interesting.


----------



## Lonna

*Selah's Sword*

 
Kelonius,

Thanks for the compliment. I finsihed Chapter Two last night & am on Chapter Three. I'll be posting the first 4 or 5 chapters on my website soon.

The first book of the "Selah" trilogy (gosh, I can't believe I'm doing what everyone else is doing and writing more than one book in a series) is called "Selah of the Summit" and is set in my beloved mountains (about Selah the slave girl who escapes The Craft in the hot desert and journeys to freedom in the mountains). You can read the first few chapters (with photos) on my website. The book is actually published, in a nice paperback format, and available through 

http://www.amazon.com or http://www.booksurge.com

I'm trying to get a bigger publisher that will actually distribute the books in bookstores, so I can actually make some money (the Internet is great but doesn't sell much unless you're famous).


----------



## Lonna

*I Finally Wrote a Real Book*

 

Hey, all,

I got the first copy of my nonfiction book "I Saw You in the Moon" today. It is nonfiction that borders on fantasy--my true cancer survival story conintued (the first book is "Crossing the Chemo Room," available on my website & other Internet sites but not in many bookstores  ). 

This is a real book--almost 400 pages long. I never thought I'd write a book that wasn't pure sci fi or fantasy or longer than 200 pages. I held the beautifully bound paperback in my hands, with a color photo on the front and all the well-formatted chapters (it took 2 years to write and 3 months to format)--and I wondered who would I share this moment with?

And I thought of my kids & husband and then all my friends at TTF (which I mention in the book, as well as a good portion about "The Lord of the Rings" and our adventures in New Zealand).

I just hope this book ends up in some bookstores!


----------



## Lonna

*Help! I need an Avatar*

Hey, everyone, I feel like a total idiot because I can't get an image the exact size to be accepted by this forum as an avatar. Anybody have one I could use? I'm thinking a woman with a sword, but anything will do. If you have an extra avatar-sized image siting around, please email it to me. I would be so grateful!


----------



## Lantarion

That's a lot of posts in a row there Lonna..! 
But I'm glad your writing is getting along; and I thuoght you were already a published author? Anyway it's interesting to have one in our midst. 
As for the avatar, see the thread "Avatar Requests" in S&B. 

I've started work on the third chapter of my story again, after a huge an unwarranted break.. ^^; I have some good ideas down, and writing should go smoothly for a while.


----------



## Lonna

Thanks, Lantarion, for the avatar info. I'm glad you're writing again.


----------



## Zale

Wow, a 'real' writer! Do you write for a profession, or do you do something else as well? If I got anything published it would be a miracle, because I don't devote nearly half as much time to writing as I should.


----------



## Lonna

Zale,

Yes, I write for a profession, but I don't make much money. My husband does that! Good thing, or we wouldn't eat! These days, you have to be famous like Steven King to make any real money at writing. I have a small publisher that mostly distributes my books Online, so they don't show up in many (sigh) bookstores. I have a literary agent from Texas (not New York--they're hard to get) helping me get a bigger publisher. We'll see . . .

Write because you like to. A writer is a writer, whether or not he/she gets published. Many writers we love today never saw their words in print during their lifetimes, yet we don't hold that against them. And many writers have lots of books in print today and famous names, yet they're not very good at their craft!

The publishing world is a cut-throat business. 

The publishing world is a tower
guarded by the Dark Lord.
If you can't get in the big black gate,
Like Frodo, find another way.

All the best with your own writing! Don't give up! Even a little writing is better than none.


----------



## Rhiannon

Yay Lonna! Congratulations!

I've gone a week without working on my novel project. Very behind on my word quota. Eeek.


----------



## Kelonus

I hope I can publish my trilogy.(Though not long stories) One thing I hate is when your working on a story, another one pops up into mind that you want to work on, yet the one that is being worked on isn't finished.


----------



## Lonna

Thanks, Rhiannon. Good luck, Kelonius. You could write 2 stories in the same basic time period (alternating between the 2).


----------



## Kelonus

Actually I am writing back to back with my trilogy story. My other one I finshed but have to type it. I have to fix it up I believe. Oh and it's not Kelonius, it's Kelonus,lol. It's all good though. Yes, Rhiannon good luck and with your book Lonna. I wan't to write as a profession, but mainly I write, because I love it!


----------



## Lonna

Sorry about the spelling, Kelonus. I should know better! Yes, one should write because one loves to (it sure isn't for the money!).


----------



## Kelonus

Yes, it should not be for the money, though it may help get you money. Writing is something more than getting paid. It's about the beauty of ones imagination in the mind. It may be an unrealistic world in the mind, but really it's more like genious, I say.


----------



## Jesse

I am going to start writing my first book "How To Live Live Like You Enjoy It". It's about learning how to enjoy everyday life.


----------



## Lonna

Kelonus, 

Yeah, I agree. The imagination is often quite better than this world's reality!

Jesse,

That sounds like a great book. Do you have any sample chapters or an outline yet? We could all use more enjoyment in everyday life!


----------



## Eledhwen

I'm in the middle of a long writing project (a book), which keeps being interrupted by other activities such as our arts centre project. I wrote a 4k short story a couple of weeks ago to get it out of my head, but something will be along to replace it soon. At the weekend I posted Grima's POV of his last hours of life here, after it suddenly occured to me why he went for Saruman's throat.

March 4th is World Book Day, so I've been busy sewing instead of writing, as my daughters' school have invited the children to turn up dressed as a character from a book. Last year they were inundated with Harry Potters, but I'm told that this year most of the boys want to be Aragorn.


----------



## Lonna

I'm so glad Aragorn replaced Harry Potter! Finally, a hero with real values and self-sacrifice!

I'm still plodding along with "Selah's Sword," 2nd of the "Selah" trilogy. I'm on Chapter Four. We may be going to New Zealand for the whole summer--perhaps I'll finish it there (the landscape would be good inspiration).


----------



## Rhiannon

Well, I made the 50,000 word quota for my novel on time, but the story isn't finished! I ran out of words. I am at the climax, though, and hopefully I'll finish tonight--I've already written 5500 words today, when for most of these two months I've been struggling to get 1000.


----------



## Lantarion

Wow Rhi that sounds like some extremely hardcore writing! 
I have been sooo layed off on my short story, gah.. I should get to it again. 
I've been thinking a lot about the writing project Nóm wants people to help her with, the poetic retelling of the Kinslaying at Alqualondë.. And I think I might write something of my own, about a different event in the Silmarillion. 

I've been very busy commenting peoples' poetry over at deviantART though, so I guess it's a sort of writing projet!


----------



## Rhiannon

> Wow Rhi that sounds like some extremely hardcore writing!



I should be finishing the thing instead of messing around here, but I'm not happy with how my ending is coming about. I have a feeling I'll be cutting most of it


----------



## Lantarion

Oh dear.. I hear that's what writing is most often about, the cruel, painful editing and cutting process. 
An old English teacher of mine told us he once tried to get a short story published, and he was told no less than *five* times to shorten the text and edit it!  I think he did get it published in the end, but with rather radical changes.


----------



## Lonna

Yes, editing is the biggest pain! I always rewrite the first three chapters of my books more than any other part. I love the climax & the endings, but it's that ever-so-important beginning that gets me, and that's what "hooks" the reader in . . .


----------



## Rhiannon

I've never really done a serious edit before. I've never written--and finished--anything _long_ before (well, I still haven't finished this one. I decided I needed to write something else today, so I'm working on a letter writing game I play with a friend of mine, where you develop personas and a storyline through a correspondence in character). My plan right now is to send the rough draft to a couple of friends and get feedback and ideas from them as a place to start from when I go back to it in a month or so. 

But, the point of this was primarily to be a writing exercise. And it has, joy of joys, gotten me writing again, and confirmed the fact that no, there isn't anything I'd rather spend my life doing.


----------



## pipin

*stuk*

im stuck on book I want to be awriter but every time I start book Icant finsh it because i start another at the moment iam working on a story called the frog on gem island it is about this kid who is lost on a island who soon finds that he can turn into afrog dude with a sowerd and some bird dude is after him but i cant think of an ending


----------



## Lantarion

That sounds very exciting Pip(p)in! Good luck with it..
But would you mind tidying up your grammar and punctuation please?


----------



## pipin

ya maby thats why i ant to good inscool


----------



## HLGStrider

Editting for me is at the same time a non-existant and huge problem. . .because I'm so dang stubborn. Ask anyone who edits my work. They point out something and I tell them I meant it to be that way and I like it to be that way and I am keeping it that way. . .sometimes even if I didn't mean it to be that way in the first place. I argued with poor Eriol for about a week when he suggested I change my villians a bit. 

So when I edit my own work it is mostly just spelling, gramar, and puncuation with a few snips and additions to change things that changed as the story went along. . .like a minor character's name or the number of children in a family. Often when I get to the middle of the story the number of siblings a character has becomes cumbersome and I have to go through and edit out all references to the siblings who don't really take on life in the story.


----------



## Eledhwen

pipin said:


> I'm stuck on a book. I want to be a writer but every time I start a book I can't finish it because I start another. At the moment I am working on a story called the frog on gem island. It is about this kid who is lost on an island who soon finds that he can turn into a frog dude with a sword; and some bird dude is after him but I can't think of an ending.


I suggest you draw a map of the island. Why is it called gem island? What might one find there? What does the bird dude want from the frog dude, or what is the bird dude trying to keep the frog dude away from? Is the bird dude good or evil, or just plain scared? Who's the bad guy? How do they find food and water? What about the sea? As your story's about an island, then help or horror can come from the water. Are there any other lands/islands about? Also, does the frog dude ever escape from the island? How? Is there a romantic bit? If there is, how will it happen? Do you need more characters? And finally, how much effort have you put into describing the island so that, when I read about it, I can imagine the same island that you have in your mind?

Do you write your stories in "Word" word processor? It will underline bad spellings in red, and if you right-click, it gives suggestions to correct it (though they may not be right - you must choose). The grammar suggestions (underlined in green) are not always so helpful, but worth looking at anyway. Also, I suggest you read some good books, so you get used to looking at correct spellings and grammar (whilst enjoying a good story at the same time )


----------



## Rhiannon

Still haven't gone and written the end for my novel. I cut ten pages so I could go back and start over and keep things simpler so it wouldn't be so insanely difficult to pull all the bits together into one place, but now I'm demoralized--and I'm supposed to be writing a speech for a competition instead. There's scholarship money involved, and I'm already in trouble for missing the deadline for a scholarship application *whistles innocently* (and no, it's not the novel's fault I missed it, I got a part time job the same week).


----------



## Eledhwen

Rhiannon said:


> I'm supposed to be writing a speech for a competition instead. There's scholarship money involved, and I'm already in trouble for missing the deadline for a scholarship application *whistles innocently*.


This reminds me of when I sent a note to my Open University tutor saying "Owing to Wimbledon Fortnight, my assignment will be two weeks late this month." It's a case of being too dissipated - needing to get focused - never been any good at it. 

Spring is in the air this week (O to be in England, now that ... er... March is there - that's global warming for you.) and there's a scent in the warming air that is irresistible. Forsythias and apple blossoms are out, and the willow has brought forth its silken buds. I need to breathe it in before I can write it.


----------



## Rhiannon

Eledhwen said:


> This reminds me of when I sent a note to my Open University tutor saying "Owing to Wimbledon Fortnight, my assignment will be two weeks late this month." It's a case of being too dissipated - needing to get focused - never been any good at it.



Yup. My personality is much too distracted for me to accomplish much of anything useful (sparring in karate is always fun. It tends to run along the lines of 'La la la--ow! Oh, we started? Oops') 

I need to give myself some kind of goal to work towards with the end of my novel. I _really_ need to sketch out how it happens, because I want it to be effective. But I've been marathon-watching my brother's tapes of Inuyasha instead.


----------



## e.Blackstar

Well, right now I'm working on a novel, no real title. (I've got some other ideas and am collaborating with my sister, plus some short stories, but not really anything hugely serious) My novel has 20-some-odd chapters, and about 97 typed pages. Its about the Princess of a country called Tequor.(There's an accent in there somewhere there, but I can't type it with this font.) The heroine's name is Allehlay Stormwind There is this magical 'thing' called the Moonstone made by the Gods long ago to preserve good and life. However, Elas and Karelia and the other bad Gods have made an equivalent of their own, called the Sabixy. (Seshan:_sabix(en/y)-evil_) Allehlay's mother the Queen, Deja Farsight has fallen in battle with our main antagonist, Forshen Swiftblade, and she charges Allehlay to go and get the Moonstone from Aurora and Eninn (God and Goddess of Life, Love, and Renewal) to defeat Forshen's magical weapon. Well, once he's on the throne, 'King' Forshen decides that he can't have that, and sends Tyra Fleetfire the Assassin to dispose of the Princess, now Queen. (The actual King was assassinated by Tyra six years ago, when Allehlay was ten.)
Add to this that there are several friends helping Allehlay in her quest, and back home, the rebels are attempting to supplant Forshen (without undue success, BTW), and Elas and Karelia are trying to stop Allehlay from the other direction, and we've got an eclectic (to say the least) mix.

Oh yes. Why didn't Aurora just zip the Sabixy back home, or better yet, destory the evil thing? There is a rule set down by the One before the dawn of Our Time. "What one god has done, another cannot undo." Hence, they must manipulate humans, elves, etc.


Like it?


----------



## Eledhwen

I hope you get it into print. The rule you mention at the end could be the base of a series of novels.


----------



## Lantarion

That sounds really awesome, I really agree that this 'rule' could be a very strong basis for a set of stories! 
I dno't like the names of some of the characters thuogh; and the word _Sabixy_ just looks too English, what is that 'y' doing there?! 
But the story and the ideas behind it sound wonderful, I hope this works out well!


----------



## HLGStrider

I'm currently a little bit stalled on the Dragon bit, and now am considering delving into an old work and adding a subplot. . .well, old is an odd term for it. Maybe completed is better. I finished the first draft of _The Three Isles_ about february last year. I then finished typing it (I always do originals on paper with pencil) about June, editting a bit as I go, and I have now gotten it to the point where I am still combing through and finding a typo now and then, but that's about it. I've made most of the major plot alterations I want to.


However, reading through it has exposed a few holes, things that weren't necessary to explain but would be interesting to explain.

For instance, the story involves a political crisis set off by the assassination of the leader of one island. Both of the other islands had a motive but neither claimed responsibility, each blaming the other. The situation quickly left where it was really about the leader being assassinated, so I left it at that and never really said who killed the poor fellow. It wasn't necessary for the plot. I, myself, know who did it and why they did it and how they did it, but I didn't know how to work it into the plot and as I said it wasn't necessary. . .so I just left it out.

But if I ever do get this baby published, that is going to be something a reader may want to know. 

A few others are just details about how a certain political group worked. I mention things like people being demoralized within it and later use one group to keep another group from uprising through means never really mentioned because I didn't have a character in who's eyes it could all really be seen.

I've been thinking of adding such a character. As he would never come in contact with the main characters, he would just be there to explain a few holes away through inserted scenes. I would probably not have to change what I've already written. 

However, I'm loathe to tamper with something I see as a complete work. I'm more satisfied with it than I've ever been satisfied with anything. I've actually sent a synopsis and three sample chapters out already to Tor Publishers (I'm due to get a response soon. . .Probably a rejection letter, but you have to start somewhere).


----------



## Lantarion

Wow sounds great Elgee!


HLGStrider said:


> However, I'm loathe to tamper with something I see as a complete work.


Oh I know what you mean! If I'm really happy with a poem, it doesn't seem right to start 'fixing' it afterwards, no no. But on the other hand editing can be an invaluable process of writing.. *shrug*

yesterday I was milling through the Poetry thread here, and I saved some of my more successful poems from there (or rather ones I don't think are crap), and I'll be 'publishing' them shortly at deviantART. One of them, which I named 'Imperception' but which originally didn't even have a working title, is already up; and a lot of poeple like it there, which is nice.


----------



## Lonna

*Publish or Perish?*

Wow, you all sound busy with great projects!

I finally updated my website and posted the first 4 chapters of book 2 of my "Selah" trilogy (book 2 is called "Selah's Sword"). I'd appreciate any feedback . . . (you can see the first part of book 1 on the website or order the whole thing from http://www.amazon.com).

Getting something published is a pain, and I've finally decided that being published is not all that important--what's important is that you are true to yourself and your writing, keep it fun, keep it an art, make it the best you can, as real a world as you can pull people into. Some published writers are not only bad writers, as we all know, but too full of themselves and too rich to boot!

But after saying that, I think it's great to send out stuff to publishers and see your words in print! Keep up the good work, all.


----------



## HLGStrider

Well, there are only two things I want to do in life: writing and housewifery. . .and one needs a way to support oneself until a certain Marine realizes that he really wants to marry one, doesn't one? So, besides my espresso work, I'd like a little money from something I love to do before I can get the dream job involving kids and a house and writing in what spare time a homeschool mother has. . .which aint much.


----------



## Lonna

HLGStrider,

May God help you realize both of those goals (which, ironically, is the life I'm living right now--and well worth the effort, I must say!)


----------



## HLGStrider

Your fellow isn't perchance a non-commital Marine recruit, is he? Maybe that's why he's non-commital! He leads a secret double life and is already married to Lonna!


Off topic. . .off topic. . .I know. . .I know. . .

Elgee repents.


----------



## Rhiannon

Good news, I've been doing some Arthurian reading, seeking inspiration, and I think I'm getting a handle on how to end my novel. Hurrah! And my brother read the first twenty pages and told me it was a very good first draft (and he isn't one to hand out any kind of praise lightly). Of course, he added that it would be a _terrible_ second draft, but yeah, naturally. And I finally got my competition speech written and partially memorized. Yay!


----------



## Eledhwen

Lonna said:


> HLGStrider,
> 
> May God help you realize both of those goals (which, ironically, is the life I'm living right now--and well worth the effort, I must say!)


My kids go to a church school, but most of the mums end up spending a lot of time there helping with reading and clubs, etc. One will go to the local comprehensive school in September when she turns 12, and doesn't want to be home schooled (being gregarious by nature).

I got a funny idea the other night, and wrote 4000 words on Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Only this story was about Goldilocks Gamgee. It has very marginal public appeal, I think, so I posted it in the Guild of Tolkienology, Glittering Caves, Hall of Creative Endeavours (where no-one goes at the moment).


----------



## The-Elf-Herself

*stumbles in* Er, am I a member? I can't seem to remember. *scratches head fuzzily* Anyway, I"m been busy working on a research paper proving that the lifestyle of the 18th century pirate was infinitely superior to the lifestyle of the lifestyle of the 18th century naval guy. It's really very interesting, too bad I never have much time for it. I'm also chugging along with the creation of my own science fiction/fantasy hybrid novel, business is slow, but steady. Oh yeah, and I've knocked out a few promising poems and songs, but I've still got to go back and do my usual 'search and destroy' edit.

*goes over to read Eledhwen's story*


----------



## Eledhwen

HLGStrider said:


> But if I ever do get this baby published, that is going to be something a reader may want to know.


If they really want to know, they can read it in the sequel.


----------



## Lonna

HLGStrider,

LOL! My guy is an English professor at a community college and my worst critic! Maybe your guy is married to the Marines . . .
There's an old military saying that if the military wanted their soldeirs to be married, they'd issue wives along with uniforms (maybe you should ask him about that).

Eledhwen,

Goldilocks Gamgee sounds interesting!

Rhia,

Talk about drafts & critics . . . my professor husband once read a 219-page (typed) manuscript and marked it all up with his red pen. There was one page he liked just the way it was. That manuscript became my first novel, the sci-fi adventure called "Like a Tree Planted." But after that, I didn't show my husband my books until they were published!


----------



## HLGStrider

Ah. . .Mr. Marine and I know where we stand, on currently seperate grounds, he not being ready for commitment, me in love with him. . .we're on a wait and see how things turn out basis.


I'm actually writing a prequel, but I don't think a sequel is impending because the last chapter in the book was a flash forward to enough time later that we know how everyone ends up happily ever after. . .everyone worth mentioning. . .THEY ALL HAD KIDS! That's the important thing.


----------



## Eledhwen

Lonna said:


> Eledhwen,
> 
> Goldilocks Gamgee sounds interesting!


For those who don't read the family trees in the LotR Appendix, she is Sam's third daughter and sixth child, and married Faramir Took. Her story is here. I would put the age range for reading it at 8 years and up *** non PC remark warning *** and probably girls.


----------



## Lonna

Well, HLGStrider, I hope things work out for the best with you & the marine. Nauture writer & Pulitzer Prize-winner Annie Dillard ("Pilgrim at Tinker Creek") once admitted that having children was her most important accomplishment.


----------



## Rhiannon

I finally finished my novel! Hurrah! After spending a whole month procrastinating about writing the end--after on March 1, when I was supposed to finish, things spiraled out of control and I had to start the climax over again, and then was sulky and slow about it because I was mad at myself, and my friends starting trying to _bribe_ me to finish, and I kept not doing it--I wrote it. It's terrible. I didn't know I was capable of writing something quite this bad. But it's 60,000 words and I wrote it. And I have drafted several friends to help me edit with objective comments and ideas.


----------



## Lantarion

Hey, great job Rhi!  Phase 1 is now done, on to phases 2 through 55.


----------



## Kelonus

Hey everyone! As for me, I'm almost done with typing my trilogy. Not the biggest, but certainly a good trilogy I feel. I' have to get it proof read of course than get a copy right and so on and so forth. Well besides my other story The Companions of the Stones that I put on hold(have to fix up), I'm trying to write a screen play. Just started on the fourth chapter. Well that the latest news from me.


----------



## Rhiannon

Lantarion said:


> Hey, great job Rhi!  Phase 1 is now done, on to phases 2 through 55.


Thanks, Lantarion! Onwards and upwards--farther in, and farther up! 

Right. I get a break for a while until my friends get it read. Whew.

Good work, Kelonus!


----------



## Kelonus

Thanks Rhiannon! Just to fix up what I said, I mean 4th scene not chapter. Screen plays and books are different. I have to remember that,lol.


----------



## Kelonus

I finished my trilogy! Took four years to finish. My trilogy is my first story. Now to my Tolkien inspired work!


----------



## Lantarion

Hey! Congratulations Kelonus!! Sounds like you're truly on the way to being a published author! All the luck with that. 
Gah, I'm sorry to say I've been doing very little indeed of creative wwriting at all for the past few months.. The short story I mentioned before has been sitting idle for a very long time, and though I've had lots of ideas and even scribbled some notes down about possible themes/rhymes/elements in poems-to-be I haven't gotten around to actuallt writing them.. I've been doing some work on my lamguage, but even that is still painfully incomplete.
I've been devoting a lot of my time to commenting, analysing and critiquing peoples' artwork at a places called deviantART, where anybody can submit their visual, hand-made or written artwork for others to observe and comment on. The state of the comments there is currently (and probably has always been) the level of "woah that's good" or "good job"; I try to be extremely thorough and I try to express my felings when I see a work instead of just dropping complements.. It's also great practice for me, because my high school IB diploma course (sounds high and mighty, it's really not that special) is very centered on linguistics and especially literary analysis (both in English and Finnish), and my Visual Arts course also is image analysis to a large degree.

Other than that, nothing.  And I need to start revising for the Mock-exam week, so I'll do even less. 
Hope you're all doing well, writing-wise.


----------



## Lonna

Congrats, Kelonus!

Keep writing, Lanty!

I'm stalled on Chapter Six of "Selah's Sword."


----------



## Rhiannon

Congratulations, Kelonus! 

Lantarion, being able to give a thorough, well thought-out critique is a very valuable skill! I've gotten back my first real commentary on the first draft of my novel, and it's going to be my Bible when I start working on the second draft. I'm sure the people who receive your comments really appreciate them.

Speaking of the bloody novel, my brain has already skipped to the second draft; I have been advised to fill-out the plot, so now I have a new back-story for my main male character dancing around in my head. I need to write an outline of the novel as it stands now, and then write in the additions I want to make. And then do character sheets. All the stuff I should have done before I even started....


----------



## Kelonus

Congratulations to you all as well! I love this forum, because I get to speak with others who create their own work. I really do wan't the best for you fellow writers, because I know how it feels to want to put your work out there. I'm seventeen, going on eighteen, graduating soon and pray I can succeed in my writing and acting. My trilogy is my baby, lol. I think of things I want to make better, but say to myself, "It's the way it was supposed to be if I fininhed it like that". I believe this is true, though of course when I work on getting it proof read and edited, it's going to be developed better, because it has grown, like a baby does. All you fellow writers, take your work serious. It's your own unique gift. Now we all may write, but it's the story that is unique. Don't give up on it. My inspiration to you all.


----------



## faila

This is a semi-related project to writing. Im working on making a free online science fiction/fantasy short story magazine. If any of you know about the ones from the past like "Amazing Science fiction"...or 
"Galaxy", you will know what im talking about...I havent gotten very far...im totally in the ideas phaze still but it might be awesome.


----------



## Lantarion

Aside from my never-ending commenting (an example of which you can see here, refering to this photograph), I've been thinking a lot about writing poetry, and I wrote one yesterday about Spring. My faovurite mode, I think, it stream of consciousness, because I love to play with the sounds of words and the way they reflect each other in lines and stanzas. I posted the poem in the Poetry thread, if you're interested.


----------



## Halasían

*latest projects...*

I have pretty much taken over writing of Annúminas here, changing the focus some. My co-writer is of course welcome to post anytime if she still wants to. other things have been a Black Company RP/story I'm writing since reading through the book series. Another friend has started reading them so maybe something will be co-written. I am also filling out the family line saga of Halvaris, Guardsman to King Arvedui and his line. Lots of fun.


----------



## e.Blackstar

Well, the previously mentioned novel is pretty much dead. pity.

Anyway, short stories are the thing now. Main ones being Freeing Terrace and one without much of a title. Whoohoo.


----------



## HLGStrider

I have had a burst of energy brought about, I think, by a new "writing tool." I got my lap top about three weeks ago, and I have been using it daily on break at work, after classes, while watching TV, etc. It combines mobility with my ability to type 63 wpm (a heck of a lot faster than I can use a pencil), and I have taken off on a rocket with a sort of "modern fairy tale." 

The idea is that Sir Percy is a knight who has been ignored by fairies in a fairy kingdom, not being able to disenchant princesses or fight dragons because he is simply too normal. Then I throw some fun at him, and he has to run for it with the princess who is being chased by fairies and since he is a magical negative, he is the only she can trust. It's a fun while not exactly deep story which I think is going incredibly well.


----------



## Elorendil

Unfortunately, a personal crisis has temporarily crippled my writing abilities. I've been attempting to write the next post for my story, _Heir of the Oath _(posted in the Glittering Caves), but it isn't working. The new post from today is one that I wrote weeks ago (the story was originally posted at MERGP). It's depressing, because every time I try to write I just sit and stare at a blank screen 

Oh, I did manage to write a song, the other day. I guess that qualifies as poetry, since it has lyrics. It's based on Psalm 91 and my current situation. Hmm, I should post the lyrics and see what you guys think.


----------



## ASLAN THE GREAT

i just fishish a paper on the grat c.s.lewis and started tomorrow i will have to right i paper on tolkien for my shcool


----------



## Hammersmith

Zale said:


> I'm tempted to try my hand at a Knights Of The Round Table story...


If you or anyone else ever tries this, make it a priority to read Bernard Cornwell's Arthurian trilogy. It is so unbelievably inspirational, and the most mature Arthurian saga I've read.

I'm personally around 2/3 or 3/4 through my second book. At 112,000 words it's shaping up quite nicely. It's a prequel to the first I did, which is complete and going through a (painful) editing process that will probably bump it up a bit from the current 125,000-ish length. Those are my major projects, though I'm preparing for a third book, a historical fantasy-fiction novel based in the Middle East and Europe. Thus far it's only a paragraph and a several sheaves of notes.


----------



## e.Blackstar

Geez, you people make me feel so...young. grar


----------



## Corvis

My most recent piece is a _novela_ you could say. It's a short book called _the Imaginist_, it's about a young boy who lives in a boring world which was once full of magic and wonders and he uses his imagination to go back in time to the time of magic and he encounters strange races called Crodens and Dwelms. I handed it in a county wide writing contest called _The Showcase of the Arts_ a few eeks ago. I found out a little while ago I made it into the second round.


----------



## Kelonus

Imaginist sounds like it would be good to read. Congrats about the writing contest. Well right now I am trying to right my third part story I started last year. I really am happy with the last two stories I wrote, but this one I am having a bit of a trouble on how to go about it. I do have ideas, but how and if I should put them into the story is the question. Out of my other trilogy and another story that I am thinking of writing a sequel to, this trilogy that I am rapping up is my favorite.


----------



## Corvis

Thanks Kelonus for the compliment and the congrats. I love writing trilogies as well. There is just something about writing a series which seems much more fun than one book. A trilogy or a series allows you to see how far you can take a story. Good luck with your writing project.


----------



## e.Blackstar

I started a story thing last night and stayed up until 2 in the morning working feverishly for almost three hours straight. Then I worked on it today too...the story itself isn't very long yet but the background world-y stuff is almost done...I am using a map on my wall (one that I drew) and so I got the idea from that and developed it. The plot is pretty much this: There's a guy named Cite (fun name, huh?) and a girl named Merlan. They grew up together in Port Erras and were lovers when they got older. They eventually had a huge fight (because Cite wanted to get married and have kids and settle down somewhere in the Port, but Merlan wanted to go North and study at Twelve Stone Keep to become a witch, and then when she was done take Cite with her and live together in Clipped Wing City). Anyway, it ended with Merlan storming off to the Keep and saying that she would never come back, and Cite basically saying "Well fine". Fast forward three years, here's where our story actually begins. Cite is walking through the city one day and he notices a woman following him who looks something like Merlan. He thinks that its a ridiculous notion, though, and keeps going about his business. However, it actually _is_ Merlan, and she confronts him later and begs for his help. Apparently she has huge gambling debt to one of the Keep's Masters, and the only way he'll consider it paid off is if she does him a favor; she has to kill a man named Nome. He does not tell her where he is, and gives her the barest description of him, but she accepts because she does not know what else to do. He gives her and whoever she chooses to bring with her one year to kill Nome. So Merlan begs Cite and after a lot of pleading, Cite finally says Yes, even though neither one has really gotten over their fight and subsequent parting of the ways. So the pair sets out for the Starwalker Inn (the foremost information gathering and underworld-ly type place) to get Nome's trail. While they are tracking him, they find out (among other things) that Nome is a sorceror (also known as the Eye of the North Kingdom) trying to bring about the return of the Northern Empire and that an escaped slave named Zacheriah is pursuing Cite to avenge the deaths of his pregnant wife and his three-year old son, who Cite didn't, in fact, kill. etc etc...

What think you all?

~~~~~~~~~~~

Anyway...ya know what sucks? I'll get an idea- a character, a place, an event and I'll start to write, but there's actually no plot so the story goes around aimlessly. Which sucks...does that happen to anyone else?


----------



## ASLAN THE GREAT

will i just got done with a paper on c.s.lewis for my shcool and i have to witte a paper on tolkien for my LIT class soon thats about it for now


----------



## Hammersmith

Wow, e.Blackstar, that looks fascinating. Rather Grimm in some aspects actually, which is never a bad thing! Are you planning at all to devote a thread to it so we can learn more?

And as for your question; yes, most definitely. My first full length novel started out just that way. I ignored the problems, finished it, then returned and mudwrestled the rest of the story into a working order (a process that involved rewriting most of the first half)
My advice is to _never_ give up a good thing, no matter how pathetic it seems to be.

As for my project, 124,000 words and counting. Oh, but how I do hate writer's block


----------



## HLGStrider

e.Blackstar said:


> I started a story thing last night and stayed up until 2 in the morning working feverishly for almost three hours straight. Then I worked on it today too...the story itself isn't very long yet but the background world-y stuff is almost done...I am using a map on my wall (one that I drew) and so I got the idea from that and developed it. The plot is pretty much this: There's a guy named Cite (fun name, huh?) and a girl named Merlan. They grew up together in Port Erras and were lovers when they got older. They eventually had a huge fight (because Cite wanted to get married and have kids and settle down somewhere in the Port, but Merlan wanted to go North and study at Twelve Stone Keep to become a witch, and then when she was done take Cite with her and live together in Clipped Wing City). Anyway, it ended with Merlan storming off to the Keep and saying that she would never come back, and Cite basically saying "Well fine".


 
One thing always bugs me about stories like this. The guy is always foiled in his plans for comitment by the girl's fear of being tied down. . .
Boy, that happens all the time. In fact, I am so surrounded by men who want settle down and make babies that I have to keep them off me with a pitch fork. Yeah, if it weren't for my thirst for adventure I'd have seven kids by now, what with how Paternally and Marriage Minded men are. 
Dripping with very single, baby-wanting sarcasm here.
I mean, I know girls like this exist, but I have never identified with them and their fear of babies, and it always bugged me how the majority of books ends up written about them. . .when I really think they are the minority. 
And I KNOW men who want babies are the minority. . .grumbles a bit.


HOWEVER! While reading this book, I got an idea, because I thought I saw where you were heading with it, and was proud of myself that I had guessed the surprise ending, but it turned out you weren't going to use it at all. . .

WHAT IF! Nome and Cite are somehow the same man. You say she gets a vague description. Cite doesn't even need to know he is Nome. What if, instead of being the one trying to reunite the kingdom, Merlan is sent in search of the lost heir to the kingdom. That way it could be Cite without knowing it is Cite. They can be tracing a man via tracing the man who hid the baby and come up with dead ends and then you can have a time when one of them realizes the truth. If Merlan does, she will be faced with killing Cite to save herself. If Cite realizes first he can be face with whether he trusts Merlan enough to tell her or not.

Just a thought. It might make the plot pick up.


----------



## Zale

Hammersmith said:


> And as for your question; yes, most definitely. My first full length novel started out just that way. I ignored the problems, finished it, then returned and mudwrestled the rest of the story into a working order (a process that involved rewriting most of the first half)
> My advice is to _never_ give up a good thing, no matter how pathetic it seems to be.
> 
> As for my project, 124,000 words and counting. Oh, but how I do hate writer's block



That's incredibly depressing. I stand at somewhere over 4,000! When I have spare time it seems to be taken up with listening to music or wasting it on the 'Net. I need a Muse with a cattle-prod.

Now to get those 10,000 words of drivel out...

@e.Blackstar: I reckon characterisation will make or break this story (more than usual even!). I love fleshing out characters.


----------



## Hammersmith

Zale said:


> That's incredibly depressing. I stand at somewhere over 4,000! When I have spare time it seems to be taken up with listening to music or wasting it on the 'Net. I need a Muse with a cattle-prod.
> 
> Now to get those 10,000 words of drivel out...


 
Sorry! I feel your pain. If it's any help, I write full time...



HLGStrider said:


> One thing always bugs me about stories like this. The guy is always foiled in his plans for comitment by the girl's fear of being tied down. . .
> Boy, that happens all the time. In fact, I am so surrounded by men who want settle down and make babies that I have to keep them off me with a pitch fork. Yeah, if it weren't for my thirst for adventure I'd have seven kids by now, what with how Paternally and Marriage Minded men are.
> Dripping with very single, baby-wanting sarcasm here.
> I mean, I know girls like this exist, but I have never identified with them and their fear of babies, and it always bugged me how the majority of books ends up written about them. . .when I really think they are the minority.
> And I KNOW men who want babies are the minority. . .grumbles a bit.


 Very droll. Not all men are commitment-fearing babyphobes, but point taken. Still, stories are written about exceptions, not the mundane. If e.Blackstar takes good care to illustrate either a different cultural mindset or the exceptional character of her heroine, it should work.


----------



## e.Blackstar

HLGStrider said:


> One thing always bugs me about stories like this. The guy is always foiled in his plans for comitment by the girl's fear of being tied down. . .
> Boy, that happens all the time. In fact, I am so surrounded by men who want settle down and make babies that I have to keep them off me with a pitch fork. Yeah, if it weren't for my thirst for adventure I'd have seven kids by now, what with how Paternally and Marriage Minded men are.
> Dripping with very single, baby-wanting sarcasm here.
> I mean, I know girls like this exist, but I have never identified with them and their fear of babies, and it always bugged me how the majority of books ends up written about them. . .when I really think they are the minority.
> And I KNOW men who want babies are the minority. . .grumbles a bit.



Yeah, I know what you mean, but it's not so much that Cite wants the kids (well, maybe eventually) but that...well, he's a homebody...the farthest he's ever been in Villa Shortstaff (which is like a day trip) and he grew up not sixty paces away from Port Erras. He gets all the 'international flavor' that he wants by working at the docks...you know the kind of person that I mean? Plus, the reason that Merlan wants to leave is so that she can become a witch, but Cite isn't big on magic; he's got nothing against it but the people of the South (Port Erras etc) aren't that magically inclined anyway...plus, well, Merlan wants kids, eventually, but she wants to become a witch first and then when they do have kids, she wants to live in Clipped Wing City instead of Port Erras or some small village.



HLGStrider said:


> WHAT IF! Nome and Cite are somehow the same man. You say she gets a vague description. Cite doesn't even need to know he is Nome. What if, instead of being the one trying to reunite the kingdom, Merlan is sent in search of the lost heir to the kingdom. That way it could be Cite without knowing it is Cite. They can be tracing a man via tracing the man who hid the baby and come up with dead ends and then you can have a time when one of them realizes the truth. If Merlan does, she will be faced with killing Cite to save herself. If Cite realizes first he can be face with whether he trusts Merlan enough to tell her or not.



It sounds like a cool idea, but....um. Merlan isn't trying to 'reunite the kingdom'. Nome is trying to get the King of the North Empire to return, which is NOT a good thing- the King of the North was a cruel, horrible tyrant who wantonly killed people, kept hundreds of slaves, and had bad breath.

So yeah...I may have totally missed what you meant, but just so you know...



Hammersmith said:


> Rather Grimm in some aspects actually, which is never a bad thing!



 How so?


----------



## Hammersmith

e.Blackstar said:


> How so?


 
I don't know...the relationship described between Merlin and Cite seemed very Grimm-Fairy-Tale ish, especially the part where they meet up and exchange various tasks and quests


----------



## ASLAN THE GREAT

i'm witteing a paper on cs.lewis right now for my shcool and then i hace to read bio on him and then witte paper on the bio


----------



## Zale

Hammersmith said:


> Sorry! I feel your pain. If it's any help, I write full time...



Don't apologise! You inspire. It IS possible to be young & write properly...

If I wrote full-time, I probably wouldn't get any more done than I do now, I procrastinate far too much.


----------



## Ghorim

Hmm... I'm aware that I'm sort of jumping into the fray here, but I'm currently at work trying to participate more in actual conversation on these message boards, rather than just working on my own material like some sort of diseased recluse. 

So... on that note... I've been working on 'The Mighty Few' a lot lately... it's on the Glittering Caves board... (insert more blatant plugging here). Seriously, I have little to no idea how it's going. I'm just forging ahead and promising myself that I'll survey the tale from a safe altitude once it's further along. Right now my focus is to flesh out the characters, though perhaps I'm doing it overly much...

Besides that I have a few other half-started/half-hearted things developing, including a tale of a young loner who tours various parts of American society in search of new, exciting experiences. It's kind of a half reverential, half satirical look at my home country, though I wonder if it's a bit too derivative ('On The Road') and ambitious for its own good.

Ah well... I suppose those are all the sordid details of my writing projects. Enjoy.


----------



## Lonna

*Ghorum's Writing Projects*

Hey Ghorum,

Your first project sounds more interesting than the second one (but I'm biased because I love fantasy).

In any case, if you believe in your writing, keep at it (even on those days you think you can't write one meaningful word and want to throw your laptop--or whatever--out the window).

I've been spending a huge amount of time working on my photos lately, updating them on my website (http:www.lonnawilliams.com. I put a lot more landscape photos of New Zealand (where we spent the last 2 summers--my kids ski and we have several friends there). This time I added the people: adults, families, teens, children. Also animals, sheep, deer, sheepdogs, farm shots, waterfalls, amazing things . . . Makes me so want to go back! 

Miracles can happen . . .

I'm also working on "Selah's Sword," the 2nd book of a fantasy trilogy.

All the best with your writing & "Never give up; never surrender." (Can you name where that quote came from?)


----------



## Hammersmith

*Re: Ghorum's Writing Projects*



Lonna said:


> "Never give up; never surrender." (Can you name where that quote came from?)


Metallica, _Where The Wild Things Are_


----------



## HLGStrider

I have heard that quote in so many dang things, I would have no idea where the original would be from!


----------



## e.Blackstar

*Re: Ghorum's Writing Projects*



Lonna said:


> All the best with your writing & "Never give up; never surrender." (Can you name where that quote came from?)


 Among other places (apparently) _Galaxy Quest_ with Tim Allen. At least that's what it is among weirdo American nerds like me.


----------



## Lonna

*"Never give up; never surrender."*

eBlackstar, "Galazy Quest" was exactly what I was thinking of--the captain used that quote so often, and so did his sidekicks.


----------



## e.Blackstar

Well, getting back on topic...

I am still doing the story with Cite and Merlan. But I did take Elgee's advice (Thankee) and changed the reason for their fight. Anyway, I've been working pretty well on it...the whole world/culture system what-have-you is ironed out and I have several pages written...I've been trying to get at least two pages done every day.


----------



## HLGStrider

I am nearly nearly done on my great story-novel. It will only end up about 40,000 words, so I am not sure how publishable it is. My target audience is twelve to seventeen-year-olds, especially female, but I think I have enough action for young men as well. It's less of a love story than most of my work. Normally my characters start out the book by falling in love or already are in love when the book begins. 

In this case the two mains are just friends until crunch time, and I liked writing their friendship with "hints" that it could be more a lot.

Anyway, now I just have to get them home from their trip and see them through a marriage.


----------



## Hammersmith

Well, I've hit 147,000 words with my latest book. I'm so close to the end that I can taste it. I've just stumbled on a plot hole that will make the end slightly less tidy than I'd originally planned, but otherwise I'm very excited about how it's turning out. All I need is to complete the final sprint to the conclusion and epilogue, and find a name for it.


----------



## HLGStrider

I HATE naming books. My titles are lame. Even my working titles make me shudder from their absolute blah. . .

Don't you wish plot holes could be taken care of with wire mesh and plaster? 

I finished Percy (Horray!) and am trying to mesh out my next project which will either be going back to finish something unfinished or something new . . . I haven't settled sucessfully on anything yet. I have a great idea for something in a similar vein to my Percy story, but I can't get it off the ground. I am going to blame it on my 'female lead' curse. I only write well with a male lead, and as much as I like Lady Melea, she just doesn't have what it takes the way Sir Percy did. The plot is great! The characters and situations need fleshed out, however. . .ugh. 

I hate the way I flail around between projects. It is ten times worse than getting writers block in the middle of a project. At least when you are working on something, you have a world you can turn back to and think about when stumped. Starting from scratch, you have to "invent" all that or go without it which makes the picture unclear.

For example, if in the middle of writing the Lord of the Rings Tolkien was stumped as to what happens next he could say, "Well, they are in Mirkwood and we know that Mirkwood has Spiders, so I could have spiders attack. . ." and he could go from there. Whereas, I am thinking when I begin my book, well, Melea is sitting there and she is lamenting her father's madness perhaps there could also be a dragon on the boarder she is worried about . . . wait, are there dragons in this time and place? Hmm. . .


----------



## Hammersmith

Well, I've got a new upcoming project that I'm slavering over, so when I'm finished what is now called "TWOYC 1" (Stupid working titles  ) I'll hopefully be able to get into it. I've been working on this book and my last book for about five years now, with short pieces in between, and as they're both in a series this will be my first serious fresh work in a long time. 

I must say though, Elgee, despite the story being from Percy's viewpoint I thought that Matty was easily as strong a character as he was, maybe even more so. Perhaps your weakness is that you can't write a convincing female lead when you *know* she's a lead?  

I'll try and shoot you some more feedback on that one, but it's rather hard to find the faults in it. Rather solid story. Also I'm trying to finish the sprint and actually finish my book over/by the weekend.


----------



## HLGStrider

Thanks . . .I want to call you Ham, but that doesn't sound right unless followed by Gamgee . . . hmm. . . 

Maybe I'll get ahold of your book someday. Hint, hint, evil chuckle, wink.


----------



## Hammersmith

*Ace Rimmer voice, sweeps back golden mullet with a shake of the head* Call me Smithy


----------



## reem

*Sigh* still working on that stupid thingy I started a year back. Creeping pace. Hell of a lot of background research, and so little material to draw from. I’m at the end of my wits, but I’m not dropping it yet, the Light preserve me *long-suffering look* .


----------



## Kelonus

I just Self-Published my book, "The Chronicles of the Fated Trilogy". It for now can be seen at the site Lulu.com. Until I buy an ISBN then I will be able to have it sold in bookstores. If your interested in reading a new book, fantasy/adventure genre then please check out my book. You could browse for it at Lulu.com Science Fiction/Fantasy category sub-Fantasy or in the search bar typed in The Chronicles of the Fated Trilogy exactly. In order to buy through the site you must register, which is free, then the rest is an easy process. If you want only a book copy delete the download version from the Add to Cart Section. Please support me buy buying at least one book. If you do I hope you enjoy the book and from the site please leave a review. I'd appreciate it. Writing is something I enjoy and being able to Self-Publish is something I am happy about. Maybe publishers would want me, lol, but yes please check it out. there are other books Self-Published from others that you might be interested in and enjoy as well. Thank you!


----------



## Hammersmith

Well, I've completed my second book! I'm exhausted and incredibly happy. Kelonus, that's great! Any chance of posting a blurb here, or letting us know when you have your ISBN? I think I shall stick that one on my wishlist - congratulations, man! Is that one your first? Tell us more!


----------



## Kelonus

Thanks! Well it's my third story I have made, but my first book I self-published. I plan on self-publishing my others. I'm mean yea there may be some things that would have to be edited that I didn't catch, because I don't have an editor, but other than that the story is unique and something I think many who like Fantasy/Adventure will enjoy. Books are not about how they look or written or how well known the author is, but the story is where its at. At the Lulu site and when you search The Chronicles of the Fated Trilogy, you'll see a preview, a chapter I posted. Congrats on completing your second book. To be able to rest from typing or writing and even thinking is a good thing indeed, lol. Yeah, I won't be getting my ISBN any time soon right now, but when I get the money as soon as I get a job then. Just finished my temp. job two months ago and since then I have been looking, but thank you, I would really appreciate you buying one. Happy writing!


----------



## reem

Congrats, *Kelonus* and *Hammer* 
Kelonus, have you ever come across author-me.com? Check it out; might prove useful 
Need any proof-readers, Hammer?


----------



## Kelonus

Thanks Reem. I'll check out author-me.com. Well I might be getting my ISBN sooner than I thought. Nice! I'll let you know when I do Hammer.


----------



## ingolmo

Well, as being an aspring writer, I am trying to write a book. I've only made the storyline yet, but I am going to start after I log out. I won't tell you anything about it until it is published, but I'll just say that it's sci-fic.

Geez, what a waste of a post if I didn't tell you anything about it.


----------



## HLGStrider

I admire your confidence, not even started and already convinced you'll hit the "big finish." Good luck!


----------



## ingolmo

Why thank you, my never-dying confidence shall never die.  
I've written five or six pages though, right now.


----------



## Lantarion

jesus I look at some of my early poetry on here and just shiver..

I've progressed a great deal in 2-odd years, refining a style that is now largely minimalistic. I've been writing a lot of poetry, focusing on inventive wording, imagery and sounds above all else. W.C. Williams and Ted Hughes are big influences.
I need to outline and write up an essay on _haiku_ (another of my projects in recent months, studying _haiku_) for an online literature magazine I'm a staff member of. I've also compiled a booklist for myself to get into now it's summer and I have the chance - more a reading than a writing project.


----------



## e.Blackstar

Oh my gosh. Being in Costa Rica for so long has made coming back very interesting...my computer has been sitting abandoned mostly since I returned, which makes me sad because I need to work on Erras (that is a bad title...actually its not really a title even, but Port Erras is where the story starts.) Also, thanks to *Hammersmith* (truly you are a wonderful soul) I've started working again on Freeing Terrace, an old short story of mine. But my only problem is that it starts as a relatively light short thing, but one of the motives for a character requires a little more depth..so I'm torn with which way to make it. Aaah.

Also...if anyone could help me a bit with this dilemma? In Erras, Merlan has come back to ask Cite to help her, and he says no. But for the purposes of the story (otherwise Melan will just go off and die in a bucket---yes, Hammer, a BUCKET), Cite has to change his mind and go help her. But...WHY? Why would he do that? Aaaaaaaaah...help!


----------



## HLGStrider

She could offer him chocolate? Money? A chance to appear on American Idol? 

She could make him feel really really really guilty.

She could threaten to cut off his ears.

She could lie to him and tell him something that makes him think it would be to his advantage.


----------



## Hammersmith

First of all, I'm delighted that my input has helped a talented writer to...er...write. My reward will be seeing your books published one day, and failing that, my reward will be in heaven  .

As to the dilemma...a bucket?!? Perhaps he could be forced into aiding her through a third party, or in a vision. Maybe she could persuade another character (more dear to Cite's heart) to accompany her, forcing his action. Maybe something happens (probably destruction-wise) that makes staying put an impossibility...which could then create some interesting bitterness to be exploited. But I must say I like the cutting-off-ears better


----------



## e.Blackstar

HLGStrider said:


> She could threaten to cut off his ears.



*thinks about that for a second* Hahahahahahaha!!! *scurries off to write*


----------



## Jesse

Lately I am preparing for the biggest essay I have ever written. It'll take lots of work and dedication. Thats what I've been up to and what my current writing project is


----------



## e.Blackstar

Working on Freeing Terrace. Its kind of expanded from cutesy short story to political intrigue-ish fantasy novel. Oh well.


----------



## Gúthwinë

I mostly do Fan Fiction, but I am working on a story called " StingWhip" Its about 3 people, a guy, a girl and a slave. The guys name is Tael and he is trying to recover a stolen Treasure from his family from this evil guy who's name is SnakeCliff, he killed Tael's parents when he was born and he was raised by the king. The girl's name is Misty, a hot-headed girl who is in love with Tael. She saved him from Theives when he was alone walking down a dusty road("The Curse" my prologue book) AnyWay they fell in love. The slave's name is Blake, who also has a thing with Misty. He was bought by Tael and I will leave you at that.


----------



## HLGStrider

My latest character is Jonas, the blacksmith's apprentice. I've been flailing about trying to latch on to a story for the last month or so, and all I had managed to determine was that when I started my story the male lead would be named Jonas. 

I had read the _Phantom of the Opera_ recently, so I decided to make him scarred (not quite phantom material, but pretty well burned) and sort of a grumpy recluse. He hides in the smithy but one day rescues the prince of his country's betrothed from drowning and she insists on befriending him and rewarding him for this even though he just wants to be left alone. Together they end up discovering a plot of evil powers behind the land and freeing the country from the curse King Reynard put on it when he traded with the evil powers for his political gain.


----------



## Zale

I've been doing flash fiction 'recently' (i.e. far too long since I last looked at it). Flash fiction is anywhere between 600 and 1000 words. I'm doing sci-fi with a female lead, as something slightly different from the current main project.

Must finish it!


----------



## e.Blackstar

Warrior93 said:


> Its about 3 people, a guy, a girl and a slave.



Is the slave genderless or something?


----------



## Jesse

I'm working on my novel, Srresturl's Bane. I would post exceprts, but the chapters contain too many words. I can't post them here on TTF.


----------



## HLGStrider

You can make multiple posts if you are doing it to post something larger than usual. I have several times. Though I would post it in its own thread, not here. We'd be glad to see it!


----------



## Hammersmith

I've put my historical fiction on the shelf for now. It wasn't working and it didn't feel right. I've started making notes about a possible third part for my already written saga, so who knows? Maybe I can make a good start on that?


----------



## HLGStrider

I tried to write one piece of historical fiction once inspired by a great Civil War story, just a quick mention in the Burns documentary about how a southern general went upon a northern ship they had just captured and found his son, a northern officer, dying of his wounds. I just thought that was so poignent and expressed the whole tragedy of the war, and I thought, "Gosh, I'll write that story."

I started on it but gave up. I don't think I'll ever write anything that demands sources again.


----------



## e.Blackstar

How is 


> Srresturl


pronounced?


----------



## HLGStrider

My friend Jonas has led me into a darker country than I expected and things have grown much more complex, but Jonas has actually grown more loveable (less grumpy than I thought he would be.). 


Anyway, I am probably about a third of the way done with the story.


----------



## Hammersmith

20,000 words and maybe 1/5 or 1/6 of the way through the third (and final?) part of my series, I've also been giving serious thought to a few other ideas of books and I'm giving my completed novels some much overdue editing, the most painful of which was a "then" massacre, in which over 230 "thens" were heartlessly eliminated. Thanks Elgee.


----------



## Wraithguard

I have begun writing my new trilogy, "Akorn Warz". I'll give you some general detail.

- It puts all my insane and out of place ideas into a purposeful means of entertainment.

- Chipmonks are the protagonists

- Squirrels are the antagonists

- It takes place in the Great Smokey Mountain National Park (just an hour drive from my hometown)

- Combines many elements of different genres all into one very unusual story


----------



## e.Blackstar

Sounds excellente.


'm still working on Freeing Terrace (  @ Hammersmith), and Erras has been put on hold until I can get a decent computer and/or floppy drive. Ideas for another have been coming to life as well...involving, among other things: a mapmaker, a lord's bastard, a religious war ala the Crusades, serfs, a Henotheistic monarchy, and my name.


----------



## Wraithguard

*gasp* the 'M' word! Where are your Standards and Practices!?


----------



## e.Blackstar

M word? Which M word? Mapmaker, my, or monarchy?


----------



## HLGStrider

Hammersmith said:


> 20,000 words and maybe 1/5 or 1/6 of the way through the third (and final?) part of my series, I've also been giving serious thought to a few other ideas of books and I'm giving my completed novels some much overdue editing, the most painful of which was a "then" massacre, in which over 230 "thens" were heartlessly eliminated. Thanks Elgee.


 
You are welcome. Thens are not sentient beings. Nouns and verbs are, but not thens.


----------



## Hammersmith

What about commas? 
28,000 and counting...


----------



## HLGStrider

Puncuation marks are the equivelent of either clothing or fences depending on how you want to use the metaphor. They can be used or unused with our taste in mind.


----------



## Hammersmith

Oh, okay, good.


...


I didn't understand a word of that


----------



## HLGStrider

Hammersmith said:


> I didn't understand a word of that


 
Good! Let's keep it that way!


----------



## yhwh1st

I'm just getting started on a new book. I started one years ago but it flopped, lets see if this one does any better.  But then again, I didn't really have a goal in mind then, whereas I do now. Maybe this one will do better. I have several more ideas floating around, it's just a matter of grabbing them and messing around with the plot 'til it's more intriguing.


----------



## Hammersmith

I've fallen back into my historical fiction with a vengeance; it had been badly lagging. My illustrator also sent me the final version for another picture and two more sketches, so I'm over the moon right now


----------



## wizard2c

Just started a new journal yesterday......following Gandalf.

"It is not the strength of the body that matters, but the strength of the spirit."


----------



## e.Blackstar

That sounds cool wizard!


----------



## Wraithguard

Wraithguard shall never again feel that creating back-up files is a waste of time. Because of this ignorant theory of his, everything he accomplished on the Akorn Warz trilogy has gone down the drain, or rather, in his back yard with his computer. He will now begin work on a new story, one of pirates and adventure maybe. He is not sure, however he will not try to salvage anything of the Akorn Warz.

~Wraithguard's Practical Personality


----------



## e.Blackstar

Oooh, poor Wraithguard.


----------



## Hammersmith

Wraithguard said:


> Wraithguard shall never again feel that creating back-up files is a waste of time. Because of this ignorant theory of his, everything he accomplished on the Akorn Warz trilogy has gone down the drain, or rather, in his back yard with his computer. He will now begin work on a new story, one of pirates and adventure maybe. He is not sure, however he will not try to salvage anything of the Akorn Warz.
> 
> ~Wraithguard's Practical Personality


I feel your pain


----------



## Lilan

*To all LotR people: *

Anyone who is interested in reading or writing LotR fanfiction: there's a volume of Denethor-centric stories (also featuring a number of other characters), varying from drabbles to really long fics, available for download at http://www.menofgondor.com/Noble_Chron3.pdf 

I am one of the contributors there  

If anyone is interested in the previous two volumes, I can provide links to those too!


----------



## HLGStrider

http://www.thetolkienforum.com/forumdisplay.php?f=92

If you happen to be a fan of fanfic, here is our own little treasure trove. You'll find quite a few jewels there whether you like it heavy or light.
Welcome to the forum, milady!
Elgee


----------



## Wraithguard

I am at a loss as to what I want to do on my next project. I'm looking to start a novel but am discouraged by the thoughts of the previous incidents involving my loss of the Akorn Warz and the only copy of my other novel, 
White Chrism. Perhaps an epic would be more of an interesting project.


----------



## HLGStrider

Jonas and I have been struggling together because we reached a part of the story where he doesn't want to do what he has to do . . . and I don't blame him!

Several chapters ago, Jonas, who had been juggling a fine line in the capital city of trying to be a good guy while serving a king who wasn't a good guy in order to protect his friend/hopeful love interest who was the king's son's betrothed (confusing enough?) got in a conflict that forced him and the girl to run away to a safer place and lay low for awhile. While lying low he found out some startling revelations which have shaken his loyalty to the kingdom (he knew the king was a bad guy but he had hope of saving the royal line through the prince who is a good guy and shaking off the forces of darkness with which the king is in league) and has been having more fun with the girl than he was having while in the capital city, and he wants to stay there despite that his mentor tells him that A. the evil will eventually discover his hiding place and come in after him B. if he doesn't do something soon the whole kingdom of Endell will be doomed past saving. Jonas thinks he can out smart the evil and stay safe and quiet, and so I have to convince him either that he can't stay safe or that the cause of saving Endell is worth endangering his new found love interest by stepping out of their safe haven again.

I had a small attack by the dark ones, but it didn't seem to convince him, so now I have to do something serious. Problem is, in the haven area he doesn't have anyone of low enough importance to kill off as an example (Well, there is one guy but I am going to kill him later in a grander way to influence another bit of the plot. . .), so it will just have to be a believable threat of violence to either Brynn the love interest, the annoying but doomed later best friend, or the mentor who I just don't have the heart to kill . . . hmmm . . .

That or I could offer him chocolate.


----------



## Wraithguard

Sick your cats on him!

In a situation such as your's, there are options that none of us will ever see. There are cliches that can be pulled off (i.e. betrothed convinces him to save the kindom) and perhaps even gotten away with but there is always room for origionality. Perhaps something catastrophic could 'accidentally' happen to the haven, forcing them to flee. That's redundant though! UGH!


----------



## Kelonus

Whoa, we're have I been? Lol. Hey everybody. Well, I agree with Wraithguard, but then again it's a different world, different characters and so on. Just do whatever sounds good for the story that you would like and know that others would appreciate. 

Well I'm currently working on a story dealing with one of my main characters from my book, "The Chronicles of the Fated Trilogy". 3 stories in 1 of course. However, the story I'm doing now takes place after and follows the chronicles route of being more than 1-3 books. I dont know if I should make it another 3 books, being called, "The Chronicles of the Fated Trilogy 2". I just might make it one story though, since unlike the "The Chronicles of the Fated Trilogy", book 1 focused on one character, book two focused on the other(but from a year before book 1) and book 3 follows a few months after book 1, dealing with both characters. I do want to have my other main character in the book, but right now it doesn't focus on him. I'm glad to be writing another story though. It's been awhile. 

"The Chronicles of the Fated Trilogy", which if you are interested in reading, order it at Amazon.com or Barnes&Noble.com


----------



## Hammersmith

HLGStrider said:


> Jonas and I have been struggling together because we reached a part of the story where he doesn't want to do what he has to do . . . and I don't blame him!


Gosh, I can't wait! Sounds fun. I shall try and catch you sometime to find out more.


----------



## Mike

As for me, I've been working on a novel since the summer, but progress is currently stalled at the moment--I'm at chapter IV, page 103. This one is going much better than my last attempt at the tender age of twelve, once I get into the "groove" the characters tend to write the stories themselves without my intervention.

The plot is somewhat mundane, compared to the epic fantasies I've read other people are formulating at the moment. A somewhat inept young man is sent by his father to become a "Free knight"--something he really shouldn't be. He inherits a sword which apparently doesn't like him, and on his way to the capital city he encounters a young girl who, it is slowly revealed, sees the future in her dreams. She tags along, as no one else is willing to deal with her. Eventually they make it to the capital and our hero becomes squire to a Viking-come-Free Knight who runs him through the ropes to prepare him for the mysterious "final test" which will make him a true member of the order.

Things are complicated somewhat by the fact that the Free Knight's code includes destroying all those who can practice magic. And the girl falls under that definition.

What comes ahead is, I hope, a tale of personal conflict and discovery for the main character, who will find that all he once held dear is really corrupt, or even evil, and that he has another path chosen for him to follow, unforseen by all others.

There isn't much action-only one breif fight scene so far (where the Free Knights ambush a band of brigands who take the main character's sword earlier in the story), and has a somewhat lugubriuos build-up as I try to explore the characters more fully. By now, I can't really control it, so it seems the novel is going to be much longer than the 200-pager I intended.

A few weeks ago I completed the final draft to my short story 'White Raven" and sent it as a submission to the Author's Conference here. I learned a few days ago I was accepted! In any case, "White Raven" is a wierd blend of philisophical and mystical elements told from the point of view of a girl running through the forest away from a man. I wouldn't quite call it "fantasy", as it could take place in our day. There is a spiritual revelation at the end which I hope surprises the audience...though it may just confuse them!

That's about all I'm working on at present or in tthe past few weeks. Till next time...

PS: Fortunately, I do all my work by hand before commiting them to the computer, so I have a back-up file on my bookshelf at all times anyway!


----------



## e.Blackstar

*sigh* I haven't been writing nearly enough lately...I've got something going, though, and I just need to make myself sit down and churn it out.

Favourite quote from the story so far: *"I do believe you've sold your soul to the devil."
"It's possible, but I'm not worrying. After all, you beggared your wits years ago and seem none the worse for wear."*


----------



## Persephone

I am currently writing a story and it was archived in fictionpress.com. Sadly, my editors have advised me not to show my work until it is finished and published and since I am paying them a lot of money to do their job I have to heed their advice. 

I did some fanfic before to cure me of my writer's block, but got tired of it and went back to my original work.

I think I still have one more story archived in fictionpress.com. It's entitled Scaccarium, and is quite dark. I haven't posted the rest of the story yet, just the prologue and chapter one, my editor for that is quite lazy (lol!) and hasn't given me the rest of the story yet. I don't think I would want it published though, it's just "exercise". But if you want to read it, just pm me, and I'll give you a link. Warning though, it has been rated as mature content -- not sexual -- but because there are some disturbing parts which is not good for kids , and quite violent. It's Dark-Fantasy.

(*shameless self-plugging*)


----------



## HLGStrider

Well, Jonas and I had a fight so I am leaving him alone for a little while. Then just the other day I was sitting there thinking and just scratched out "Once upon a time there was a Princess named Elaina who had the misfortune to have been born invisible." I stared at that for awhile and since then have been writing something other than love letters for the first time in several weeks. I have a plot in mind. I enjoy writing it. I'm happy. 

Fairy tales are really my favorite thing, to read or write. They don't get bogged down the way my longer works do and I feel freer with my sense of humor.


----------



## Persephone

And that beginning sounds very original too. Will you be archiving it here once it's finished? If not, can you please give me a link to where you archive your stories so I can read them.


----------



## Mike

Well, I've let my novel rest for a while...

Currently, I've had a sudden inspiration and am writing short stories which I hope to submit to magazines later on. So far, their fantasy, of the wierd type, injected with some humour and generally ending darkly. So far, so good.

Just an update: the story ("White Raven") which made it into the Young Author's Conference earlier this year won the award for best student fiction out of 140 submissions, so I was quite pleased.


----------



## Persephone

Well then you have to share it with us. Do you have it archived here, Mike?


----------



## Mike

Archived? Well, it's in a folder in my room...

Perhaps some instruction on archiving, given to me, would be timely. Your help would be greatly appreciated.


----------



## Persephone

Folder? Like a physical folder or an electronic folder in your computer?

If it's a physical folder, you need to have the story encoded into either a word file or txt file. If it's already a computer file, archiving it would be to upload the file or story into an archiving site.

If your story is original you can go to http://www.fictionpress.com. Sign up is free and the stories are copyrighted to you.


----------



## Mike

Hey, thanks!

Actually, I have both types of "folders"--though in the previous post I was specifically referencing my writing portfolio.

A geberal problem that I have with the archiving you describe is that it prevents a work from being published until it is withdrawn. I don't plan on publishing the story which won the award, so I might do it anyway. (I didn't send my best story to the conference, just the one I thought needed the most work. Go figure.) The fiction I'm currently working on, though, is being prepared exclusively for magazine publishing.


----------



## HLGStrider

I finished the invisible princess and I like how it turned out. I need to type her up now. That's the only problem with writing the old fashioned way.


----------



## Varokhâr

I just made some vital corrections and improvements to my LOTR fanfic, Devil's Plaything, which is linked in my sig.


----------



## HLGStrider

After finishing up "The Invisible Princess" I have been slowly working on an ever changing "treasure hunt" story, about a secretary in a Victorian England style kingdom (I named it Illyria because I am an awful plagurist and I didn't want to bother with historical accuracy when the whole thing is just for fun.) who inherits a lot of debt from her great-uncle, a "financier" who had convinced dozens of people to invest heavily in his search for "the Hoard of Artanis," a mythical treasure of the ancient kingdom of Mercia. She, of course, gets the idea that if she could find it she could pay off all those her uncle ripped off and meets up with her childhood friend who is now a professional revolutionary (He goes about helping Illyrian colonies become independent states for a reasonable price.). Mercia may be the next colony to bail, and I am sure the revolutionaries there want the treasure too, as does a greedy antiques dealer and Uncle Cuttler's former partner, Jorge De Campos, the one eyed Castellan (Another colony of Illyria.). So right now I'm just having fun with it. This is probably the LEAST publishable thing I've ever worked on.


----------



## Noldor_returned

My last writing was a script for a short-film festival at my school. I am due to start a second one sometime this week.

Lately though, I have felt like story-writing, but the problem is whenever I do, I can't, or when I can I can't get a good idea. It isn't writer's block, just the circumstances.


----------



## Rhiannon

I'm in my second semester of a creative writing workshop (so much better than taking Linguistics or Grammar...), which means I'm writing a lot of poetry. Poetry! Rhi never used to write poetry, but apparently she's not as incapable of it as she thought. Not everything goes over famously, but a couple of my pieces have gotten really positive responses from the rest of the class, which is exciting to me because I thought of poetry as one of those things that I just didn't do because I wasn't good at it.


----------



## HLGStrider

Quick question: I only took one creative writing class (the only one offered) and mine stunk, but they did a lot of peer review. Does your class do peer review? Do you like it?


----------



## Rhiannon

The peer review is the best part, because the professor tends to ramble on for_ev_er, and despises 'genre fiction'. I do like it, especially now that I'm in the advanced workshop (which is just a continuation of the first) and most of the really tedious people have been weeded out.


----------



## HLGStrider

Well, I've started writing again. I had a long period in between finishing the Invisible Princess and starting this one where I just couldn't stick to a story. I'd start, write a few pages, not like what was there, and stop. Went through a dozen or so plot ideas before I hit upon this one.

Funny how it worked. I was sitting complaining about writer's block to Matt and he asked why I had abandoned my last project and I said, "Because I didn't have a plot for it and was just writing in circles." 
"You told me it was about a treasure hunt. Isn't that a plot?" 
"No, because I didn't know about any of the details . . . I keep getting ideas but not plots. Like I think, I would like to write a story about a thief but that isn't a plot, it's an idea what you need is a theif who does something or has to do something and . . ."

And then I sat down and wrote out a event by even plot synopisis just to show him what a plot looked like. And that's what I am basically sticking to. It came out of no where, just me sitting there and asking myself what happens to the thief next until I had a complete story arch. So far it is working pretty well.


----------



## Eledhwen

My mum died last week, and we discovered a hidden cache of manuscripts she had penned. My projects are now on hold until I've typed up Mum's work and passed it round the family.

Go for it Elgee! Can I jump the queue at the book signing?


----------



## HLGStrider

Sorry to hear about your loss, Eld. It must be an interesting look into your mother's mind though, especially if she never showed them to anyone.


----------



## HLGStrider

Anyone up to anything new? I'm diving back into high fantasy by attempting to write an epic/quest/save the world piece. 

I'm taking inspiration from an RPG I did several years ago called "Light in the Darkness" that was never finished in that I've stolen my blind herione with a mysterious past and strange visions of future occurances and a quest to discover a certain amount of stones though in the RPG the stones were evil and now they are the key to destroying an evil invasion. It seems to be going well.

By the way, I'm watching Star Trek: Voyager while I type this and John Rhys-Davies has a reoccuring role as Leonardo Di Vinci (Or as a hologram of Leonardo). Hmmm. . . The guy who played Wormtongue (Brad Dourif?) had one earlier as a physcotic member of the crew, Mr. Sudir. Hmm . . . Before that I had only seen Mr. Dourif playing Saevedro, the villian in Myst III: Exile, the computer game.


----------



## yhwh1st

I've got a historical fiction in the works, set in the Civil War. I want it to be very accurate so it'll be one of those things that require a _lot_ of research. Which will still be a lot of fun as I really enjoy reading nearly anything about the war. I don't think that the idea I have has really ever been done before so that's all I'll say on a public forum...

Edit: I like your idea Elgee. very intriguing!


----------



## Noldor_returned

Most of the stuff I've written lately has been songs. I'm keen to go back into stories though. It's been a while for me.


----------



## HLGStrider

It's really hard to write when you are contented. . .


----------



## Mike

Working on a short story set in a village during the 1920s that feels frozen in the Romantic Period...and then the readers find out why.


----------



## Eledhwen

HLGStrider said:


> It's really hard to write when you are contented. . .


It's also hard to write when you're the kids' taxi service, wardrobe mistress, cook, laundry maid, as well as going out to work. At the moment, the laptop I use to write is shrouded under a painting and decorating sheet. There is a work in progress, though!



Mike said:


> .. and then the readers find out why


 !!


----------



## e.Blackstar

Not much prose, but an awful lot of poetry.


----------



## HLGStrider

Link won't work for me, e. could you give it another go?


----------



## Eledhwen

HLGStrider said:


> Link won't work for me, e. could you give it another go?


I couldn't get it to work either; I too thought the site might be temporarily down and will try later; but it's the second day now...


----------



## Firawyn

I'm currently working on a seven book project, I'm calling in the Kindom Chronicles. One of those Middle Ages setting, with a twist of fantasy. Focusing alot on character development. 

I'm having writers block, however.


----------



## Noldor_returned

Mainly song writing atm. But sometime soon I will begin a story I have started planning. Or re-writing one I started but dislike now.


----------



## HLGStrider

Writing another typical fairy tale but can't get the details straight. It involves a girl living with nasty relatives when an old woman shows up and tells her that her father is alive but held captive by fairies so she and her best friend take off to find him and when they find him. Right now I can't figure out a good way to write the enchantment on her father or how to remove the enchantment in a way that is realistic without being anticlimactic. 

I decided her father was trapped in a magic suit of armor and is being used as a guard by the fairies, sort of a black knight except the suit does all the thinking. The original idea was that he needed to be defeated to be freed, but I didn't include any characters of a fighting nature other than the father in my book, so I'm not sure who would do battle with them, so the choices are currently to either use the old woman's magic which just seems too easy or to come up with something more creative. Nothing is coming to mind, however.

That said, my character has found that she also has one magic power and Rhie (the old lady) wants to teach her more (she's part fairy . . . the reason her parents fell ill of the fairies' favor in the first place was her parents unapproved marriage.). So far I like my characters. Except maybe Bea, the lead, who at this point is a little bit of a shrinking violet from living under the thumb of her very beautiful but very vindictive cousin, Emrilla who Rhie turned into a plumed peahen at an earlier stage of the story. I was trying to have Bea gain confidence as she sets out on her own and does things by her own means, but I'm afraid it is happening too slowly for her to keep people's interest as a character so I may have to go back and add some hints of courage into her character in the first few chapters, just to keep people looking at her. 

Rhie (or Madam Rhie or Miss Rhie) is my favorite character, being the old woman in all fairy tales who waits for someone to carry her across a stream so she can give them a magic flute or does something awful to you if you refuse to share your lunch, basically she goes around using her magic to reward or punish and while meddlesome means quite well. 

Tutor (whose real name is Micah but he doesn't reveal this until part way through) is a much abused employee of Bea's relatives (who just call him by his job title) who stands up for Bea to his own detriment and then is dragged on the quest despite the fact that he really doesn't like/trust this magic stuff. He's sort of the cynical guy who points out things that the reader is probably thinking anyway with a sense of humor. 

I haven't gotten the father (or mother who comes in as a surprise twist at the end sort of) into the story yet, but I want to because he should be my favorite character.

Then the evil fairy queen who caused all the mess. . . 

Got work to be doing.


----------



## YayGollum

Well, what is the main character's one power? Something that could quite unexpectedly be used in some achingly ingenious type of way towards freeing the parent? How well did she know this parent? Is the suit of armour actually sentient? If so, do any of the characters know much about its personality? If no, are there any planned weaknesses to it? Was it invented by the evil fairy queen? If so, are there any weaknesses that could be part of the thing due to her influence? If no, do they know who did invent the thing? Is the nature of magic in this story very well defined, or is it just the basic, "It's magic. Shut up. Turn your brain off and accept the craziness."


----------



## HLGStrider

_* Well, what is the main character's one power?*_
I'm afraid it is the somewhat overused invisibility, the idea being that she was so frightened at one point by her evil cousin that she disappeared. My newest theory is that she learns how to turn herself and others into animals next, and I'm thinking this could come in handy. 

_*How well did she know this parent? *_
Not at all. He disappeared when she was an infant.

_*Is the suit of armour actually sentient?*_
Not really. It's on auto kill and just attacks anything that approaches. The fairies have him "corralled" so that he has to stay in a particular area, however. 

_* If no, are there any planned weaknesses to it?*_
I would say it has a lack of creative thought which would be a weakness. Also, since the knight is inside aware of what is happening, he would have the ability to attempt to warn those around him so it doesn't have the element of surprise.

_*Was it invented by the evil fairy queen?*_
Yes and no. It was a normal suit of armor, the knight's old trusty suit and when he attempted to face the queen she just enchanted it out of malice with him still in it. 

_*Is the nature of magic in this story very well defined, or is it just the basic, "It's magic. Shut up. Turn your brain off and accept the craziness."
*_Fairy tale magic, so mostly the later. There are a few "rules." Only certain races have access to magic as part of their nature (Humans don't). All enchantments have to have a disenchantment built in (the one I had worked upon for the armor was that he would be disenchanted when defeated). Magical power is determined mainly by the will and experience of the one wielding it (ie people get better by time and use).
Also, the current fairy queen has forbidden the use of magic by any besides the royalty of her people.


----------



## YayGollum

Okay. The only way to save the day is to have the suit defeated. The suit doesn't have much of a brain. It's on auto-kill. The only way to unenchant the thing would be to defeat it in battle. It wouldn't accept a challenge to a game of speed chess, then? No essay contents considered? It is an entirely self-contained enchantment? If they gutted the fairy queen or the parent inside the suit, it'd still kill? If they made the guy inside invisible with a mind to trick the suit into thinking that he'd been teleported out, it would care not? If, on the other paw, the suit was turned invisible (or the guy was just convinced that the somebody had enough power to break the enchantment), and the guy was tricked into thinking that he'd been freed, his sickeningly gullible yet strong belief that magic disenchanted him wouldn't be the magic required? You couldn't write that, since he'd been stuck in the suit for so long, he'd absorbed a bit of magic for himself, and the thing was easier to break from within?


----------



## Noldor_returned

That sounds well developed, but for one small thing...

There's a already a character in a book which matches the suit of armour thing. It's only a children's book, not even a work of wonder. But in the 'Deltora Quest' series, in the first book, the three "heroes" must overcome a suit of armour with nobody inside. The body was consumed by the armour and his own greed for a gem.

For some reason your idea, although not the same, reminded me of it. Thought I should let you know...


----------



## Persephone

Noldor_returned said:


> Mainly song writing atm. But sometime soon I will begin a story I have started planning. Or re-writing one I started but dislike now.




WOW! A fellow songwriter! What genre? (if you don't mind me asking).

I'm in the middle of 3 projects--1 about the Call Center industry here, another about a music band, and one that I have barely started which I am planning to co-author with Yay.

Can't disclose ANY details (sorry), but none are fantasy though the last one is slightly fiction.


----------



## Noldor_returned

Slightly fiction?

And mainly rock, although they drift towards the hard rock side than the pop side. Most of them are just lyrics though...but I do have ideas for what they should sound like at least. And yourself?


----------



## Persephone

Noldor_returned said:


> Slightly fiction?
> 
> And mainly rock, although they drift towards the hard rock side than the pop side. Most of them are just lyrics though...but I do have ideas for what they should sound like at least. And yourself?



For my last album, I wrote slow rock, pop rock, and one very cheesy song I don't want to discuss. (blech!) The label wanted it so I had to put it in.

Anyway, at the moment, I have in my hand five songs ready for recording, mostly pop, pop-rock, r&b, the current sound, and I am working on something bluesy with my brother. But it needs a LOT of polishing up.

Oh, and as for the _Slightly fiction_ writing project with YAY, you'll see. Once I have the excerpt of it, with Yay's permission, I will post it here and you will see what I meant by it.


----------



## HLGStrider

> There's a already a character in a book which matches the suit of armour thing. It's only a children's book, not even a work of wonder. But in the 'Deltora Quest' series, in the first book, the three "heroes" must overcome a suit of armour with nobody inside. The body was consumed by the armour and his own greed for a gem.



EVERYTHING has been done before. 

Maybe I should have him tied up or something. Girl invisible runs up and tosses a rope over him, rope from the other side, pulls him to the ground and holds him desperately until the curse breaks. Not too easy. The other members of the party can by holding her around the waist dragging her back. . .etc.


----------



## Majimaune

I write WAY too much poetry. I mean way too much. I gotta start a novel soonish though. Got ideas that I'm not sure I like...

Poetry located here


----------



## HLGStrider

http://www.thetolkienforum.com/showthread.php?p=487992&posted=1#post487992

Here is my first chapter. I have been handwriting this so this little bit is the only part on the computer so far. The rest is in a note pad in pencil and occasionally purple pen.


----------

