How many of you write?

[makenzie71]

Not talking about the McCaffrey fandom stuff, but original works.

I've been writing since I was in Jr High, mostly short stories. I had a teacher in high school who insisted I send some off and two got published; I've no idea what ever happened to them, though, so I doubt they did my name much good.

I'm currently eighty four thousand words into my first novel and I'm shooting for the one hundred fifty thousand range. I've also got three sequals outlined and they'll all be roughly the same length I think.

My writing was originally inspired by Dragonslayer but as I began reading Tolkein's and Lewis' work I began "borrowing" a lot of their ideas. Later I began taking ideas from McCaffrey's and Feist's books, but I found myself most inspired to develope character and world profiles from their novels. Recently I've been trying to pull away from the ideas I've been reliant on for the last several years and build more original stories. Considering the number of stories already out there, though, it's difficult to run with anything that's fully original.

The current novel I'm writing is going to be titled (I think) "The Fall of the Order" and is essentially about a small band of dragonriders betraying their nation. It's a fairly dark story that centers around a man who was unwillingly thrust into the middle of the conflict and witnesses nearly everyone he'd ever known killed. The concept is strong but, off and on, I have my doubts about being able to portray it propperly. The few people that I share my progress with, though, seem to think the story is more than adequate so I'm encouraged to continue.

So far I think the most enjoyable part of this project, aside completing my first chapter, has been developing character and world profiles. If you intend to take on a work of fiction, set on another world, it is extremely important that you know everything about it. Years ago when I began writing stories based on this world, I constantly had to go back to previous stories and edit them because dates and places and facts never lined up.

An example of what I've enjoyed working with most, and this is something that I always find humor in when I read books based on other worlds, is that the other worlds always have the same terrestrial seasons. Earth and Mars have seasons because they were subjected to a similar cosmic event which forced the planets to wobble; Mars and Earth both share a roughly 25* axial tilt at the equator. Venus, however, has an axial tilt less than 3*, and Mercury is less than 0.01*. Then there's planets like Uranus which has an axial tilt just under 100*, and pluto runs over 115*.

~I have yet read a book that has an established, alternate seasonal pattern. I've developed the entire solar system the world my stories are based in to the point that I know each planet's axial tilt and seasons, tides, the actual volume of sea water on the surface of the main planet, and so forth.

...well phone's ringing and I didn't mean to make a long post anyway...out...

[Kugai]

I have done some Original Work, some of which I'll get round to Posting at Fictionpress where I already have one story up once I get through my current FanFic Project at FanFic.Net. As for Novel length works, I do have one project I need to get back to at some stage. I've actually considered starting my own small Website at some stage to put the story up on.

[McClance]

Your current project really sounds interesting, makenzie.

Since 1999, I've been working on a science fiction Universe of my own that's a kind of a cross between Star Trek, Babylon 5, and Star Wars. Originally, I had it sort of based on Star Trek, but in the first year I spent writing the series, it quickly evolved into a Universe of its own with its own history and aliens.

I developed several different series out of that Universe. Then, two years ago, while I was writing the fifth volume of my first series, and while I was absorbing every Pern book I could get my hands on, I had a sudden desire to create my own world of dragons. So, that led to my current Draconia Project, still set in that same Universe I created in 1999. I just completed the first novel--223 pages--about Humans who are looking to establish a colony on a planet when they discover the planet to be inhabited by dragon-like natives.

The series covers the relationship between the Dragons and the Human colonists. I also have two short stories completed. I posted one of them here. And, I posted the novel (before I did some major revising) and the other short story at NKT and PF Forums. And I entered that short story in the last Writers of the Future Contest.

Now, I'm working on the second novel and another short story.

[makenzie71]

I did several stories along a similar line. I really liked the idea of the living ships that the Shadows and Vorlons used and wrote one story about a ship who rebelled against it's crew and another about rescuing an injured ship. They were fun, but weren't much worth the time I put into them.

Have a link to your novel?

[ghyle]

G'day!

I also write, with poems, prose poems and short stories published.

I did start a novel set in a subtropical place, with a wet season and a dry season, but haven't progressed far beyond the first chapter. I may take it up again after uni, and finish it, and I may not: depends how much work I have got to do until and after then.

I recently had a short story published in Nightscapes 17. That's online, if you want to try and hunt it down. I am thinking of more stories in the same setting.

[Dragongirl]

I write quite often, particularly those in the poetry, short story and more recently the prose and ' canonical missing scenes'(dangerous that one is) genres.

I've recently started plans on an actual novel that is very loosely based on several of my favourite books. Currently it's title is Dragon Dancers and its a real mythical, magical sort of sci-fi book. But then, its still in the planning stages so its subject to change. I've also got the problem of trying to find the time between farm life and school. But its there and its being planned so who knows?

I'm also quite lucky as I have my Uncle Mark(also my English teacher) who is always encouraging me to always have a go and constantly reassures my insecurities about my talents.

[makenzie71]

Dragongirl, finding time can be difficult but with dedication it really requires little be done per day. I've found that unless I have a particularly interesting idea to run with, I can write for no longer than an hour at a time before I become ridiculous. Also, the most important part of completing a novel is adequate planning. Carry a notebook around with you and as ideas present themselves, write them down. Also set goals...chiefly the length you wish to write (I usually shoot for between 125,000 and 150,000 words). And start an outline. With an outline you can get a rough idea of what all you want to happen in each chapter and write it out as you find time. If I have every even outlined I can sit down and write 10,000 words in less than two hours.

[AnnMarie]

I've been "committing the sin of scribbling" (to quote Robbie Burns) since I was about 8. Over-active imaginations need creative outlets, and I was blessed with some wonderful supportive teachers. I have written fanfiction (Several stories on http://rosfic.tripod.com/ and one on FanFic.Net ) but most of mine are original fiction (in as much as there is anything totally original) So far, I have a lot of rejection slips to my collection.
Kugai, where is your story at FanFic?

[edith]

My primary school got me into writing- we used to do alot of the stuff.
I write sf shorts for fun and two 70,000 word novel length things also just for fun!
I don't normally write fanfiction- I have to get everything RIGHT and that's hard- I'm actually writing a piece of sort of fan fiction for a competition and I've discovered it is really hard to get somebody else's people just right!
I cheat with the whole describing a world thing by writing about a situation- often in first person so if I'm careful I can get out of naming people, which I find hard- the main disadvantage of being 21 isn't EXPERIENCE but names as there's only a finite amount of names I'm used to- for example I'm completely in the dark over Asian names which is a pity. I also, as people may've noticed in the stuff I've posted here, not had much experience with grammar, I was taught the very basics in primary school and nothing at all really in secondary school- despite the fact I had an A in GCSE English Language! So I do grammar by trial and error!

[edith]

Originally Posted by makenzie71

An example of what I've enjoyed working with most, and this is something that I always find humor in when I read books based on other worlds, is that the other worlds always have the same terrestrial seasons. Earth and Mars have seasons because they were subjected to a similar cosmic event which forced the planets to wobble; Mars and Earth both share a roughly 25* axial tilt at the equator. Venus, however, has an axial tilt less than 3*, and Mercury is less than 0.01*. Then there's planets like Uranus which has an axial tilt just under 100*, and pluto runs over 115*.

~I have yet read a book that has an established, alternate seasonal pattern. I've developed the entire solar system the world my stories are based in to the point that I know each planet's axial tilt and seasons, tides, the actual volume of sea water on the surface of the main planet, and so forth.

sorry to double post- but have you ever read any of Asimov's works Mackenzie?
I'm sure I've read stuff with odd seasons- and since I've read quite a few books by Asimov- only the tip of the iceburg overall though!- its most likely by him!

[McClance]

Originally Posted by makenzie71

I did several stories along a similar line. I really liked the idea of the living ships that the Shadows and Vorlons used and wrote one story about a ship who rebelled against it's crew and another about rescuing an injured ship. They were fun, but weren't much worth the time I put into them.

Have a link to your novel?

I posted the novel in three parts.


Part I

Part II

Part III

But, as I said, I made A LOT of changes since I posted--mainly around the climax. If you want to read the final version, PM me your e-mail address and I will e-mail it to you.


I, too, love the idea of living ships--which is why I'm a fan of FarScape. I have a story on that subject, too.

[Greenrider Tresa]

I do some non-McCaffrey writing, a bit of poetry and a few short stories, plus some original SF novels. But I haven't really lately, as other things take up my time.

[makenzie71]

Originally Posted by edith

My primary school got me into writing- we used to do alot of the stuff.
I write sf shorts for fun and two 70,000 word novel length things also just for fun!
I don't normally write fanfiction- I have to get everything RIGHT and that's hard- I'm actually writing a piece of sort of fan fiction for a competition and I've discovered it is really hard to get somebody else's people just right!
I cheat with the whole describing a world thing by writing about a situation- often in first person so if I'm careful I can get out of naming people, which I find hard- the main disadvantage of being 21 isn't EXPERIENCE but names as there's only a finite amount of names I'm used to- for example I'm completely in the dark over Asian names which is a pity. I also, as people may've noticed in the stuff I've posted here, not had much experience with grammar, I was taught the very basics in primary school and nothing at all really in secondary school- despite the fact I had an A in GCSE English Language! So I do grammar by trial and error!

I've made naming characters easy on myself by looking at the credits of many films. Like you needing oriental names: hit the credits for Princess Monoke and Akira. I'm constantly scowering credits from very diverse films in search of a large variety of names.

I haven't read anything by Asimov but I have a few novels on hand. They're on my "to do" list.

[AnnMarie]

Hey Edi....easy way to find names:

http://www.behindthename.com/

[Brenda]

I write some poetry, but my fiction so far has been limited to Pern. Mostly because I keep coming up with "what-ifs" which either reveal parts of the original stories that were never told, or change them completely!

[edith]

Originally Posted by AnnMarie

Hey Edi....easy way to find names:

http://www.behindthename.com/

I'll have to take a look when I'm back in Aber!

Atm I'm afraid I use the names list at the back of The New Quantum Universe for inspiration for more exotic (at least to me) names- it makes a change to the phone book! Or I get a little inspiration from Mum- she came up with a beauty the other day!

careful with films Mackenzie- there's a little thing called copyright which if you want to get published might mean you'd want to change a few names in a hurry- not a critisism, esp if you're writing just for yourself,- just advice.

[Lunis]

I have a few series in mind but just can't seem to put them down. I have a severly overactive imagination and dream up all kinds of crazy things. I use to write music and poetry in high school but the last thing I wrote was a song for my big brother in Basic.

[Sandi]

I'm another who has enjoyed playing with words since childhood. Some years ago I fancied myself a writer and I wrote a novella and two novels centered in one universe and another (way too long!) standalone. I tried sending two of the first ones to publishers and couldn't understand why they seemed not to have even read them before sending them back. I thought they were quite original and framed around an interesting premise. A primary theme in them was that there was such a thing as a categorized and standardized organization made up of people with various forms of unusual mental abilities. Years later I discovered that the person who wrote the dragon books I liked had already written numerous stories and books on with a primary theme in them was that there was such a thing as a categorized and standardized organization made up of people with various forms of unusual mental abilities. Of course, my characters and situation did not resemble hers but there it was, all the same. The thing has been done already.

I salute anyone who comes up with something that really is original.

[Priscilla]

I had a short story sort of written that I've shown around to a few people. The basic premise was that it's a world where "if" a woman conceives she always has twins, and because of a magical decree centuries before, if both twins are allowed to stay in that world one will be terribly evil and powerful, and the other will be good and also powerful. So, at birth, one twin is always taken to another dimension/place. However, in my story, there is one woman who gives birth after her husband dies in an accident and because of the sadness and trauma to her she isn't thinking rationally and decides to hide herself and give birth to and keep both twins. It could be a story with a lot of interesting characters, good scenery and I've got an ending for it, but I just haven't the enthusiasm to write masses about it. So, it sits.

I've also done a bit of poetry, some funny and some sad. Most of that was back when I was in college and doing the whole "college angst" thing.

[makenzie71]

Originally Posted by Priscilla

I had a short story sort of written that I've shown around to a few people. The basic premise was that it's a world where "if" a woman conceives she always has twins, and because of a magical decree centuries before, if both twins are allowed to stay in that world one will be terribly evil and powerful, and the other will be good and also powerful. So, at birth, one twin is always taken to another dimension/place. However, in my story, there is one woman who gives birth after her husband dies in an accident and because of the sadness and trauma to her she isn't thinking rationally and decides to hide herself and give birth to and keep both twins. It could be a story with a lot of interesting characters, good scenery and I've got an ending for it, but I just haven't the enthusiasm to write masses about it. So, it sits.

I've also done a bit of poetry, some funny and some sad. Most of that was back when I was in college and doing the whole "college angst" thing.

Actually the idea is pretty solid. You should be enthusiastic about jotting it down.

[Priscilla]

Well, it is written, just not very good. I think my lack of enthusiasm runs to not having time to add a bunch of descriptions, that would make it more interesting.

[edith]

don't purple prose!
A few good words can fill in what a paragraph of prose can't in the right situation. Go over it again and change as you read- if you keep doing that it begins to fill out or even shrink and becomes more readable!

[Brenda]

If it's already written, why don't you post it here? You will receive nothing if not constructive criticism.

[makenzie71]

Posting a work online for public viewing publishes it in your name...makes it difficult to protect and you'll never be able to sell it. If it's something you're writing just for kicks, then I would say post it and we'll all be able to help you. If you plan to ever get cash for it, hand select a few people to help give them thanks and credit when the book does get published.

[Anareth]

I started writing when I was six or so and scribbled down a dream I'd had. (It was also fan fic, about Marguerite Henry's Misty books, no less, which in another way makes it RPF, too.) I've since done fan fic, mostly Star Wars, Harry Potter, and some RPG-related Pern, and I've sold a short story and had my poetry go over well in college. (I had a chance to perform some poetry in concert with David Amram, composer and friend of the Beat poets when I was an undergrad.) Currently, I have a manuscript out to Baen and am working on three others--one a sequel to that book, and two others that are unrelated. The one that's out and its sequel are urban fantasy (for lack of a better term--no elves or fairies or other Magick-with-a-c junk, though), one of the others is fantsy/mystery, and the third is a cozy mystery.

[Spaceman Spiff]

There seem to be some missing posts in here... I know that Ryuu and I had posted before, but they've disappeared now

[makenzie71]

yup we're eight short...wtf?

[Brightwing]

Isn't it ironic that many of the missing posts here were about losing writing and the importance of backing it up?

My post went something along the lines of:

I write as well but in spurts and phases. I went through a really prolific period recently, but then my laptop was stolen and I lost about 30,000 words.

I have a story I've been working on since High School that just gets more and more complicated with sub-plots.