1. SmashedPumpkin

    SmashedPumpkin New Member

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    Greetings!

    Discussion in 'New Member Introductions' started by SmashedPumpkin, Oct 18, 2016.

    Hello!

    My name's Mike and I thought I'd join this community in hopes of rekindling my writing spark. I haven't done a lot of writing as far as novel material goes, but I do enjoy story telling and narrative creativity. I work as a visual effects artist on feature film but would really love to have a completed novel one day.

    My reading habits are a little narrow at the moment so I'm certainly open to broadening suggestions. Left to my own devices I read mostly fantasy and a little science fiction now and then. I'm currently finishing off the Gentlemen Bastards series by Scott Lynch and I've got Jim Butcher's Codex Alera waiting in the wings on recommendation from my brother.

    Other activities I occupy myself with include mobile game design and development, gaming and furniture building! I'm also a keen animator; improving my writing skills go hand in hand with my desire to tell stories through the medium of animation.

    I hope to get to know some of you here,

    Cheers!
     
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  2. ThistleMae

    ThistleMae Member

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    Hello and welcome. When I'm not writing, I'm browsing in here. Sometimes...I'm browsing too much instead of tackling the last scene I wrote. You sound very interesting. I'm constantly looking for something to read that will blow my mind. I just read The Girl on the Train, and actually really liked it. But the good stuff is far and few between, I think. But everyone looks for different things. I tend to read the first ten pages, and if it doesn't grab me, I stop reading. That actually happened with The Girl on the Train, but I went back to it, since all the hype about the movie. And...I found I enjoyed it. It's cool that you dig animation, you must be very talented. I write my books, like I'm seeing scenes in a movie. Well, back to work. Nice to meet you.
     
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  3. SmashedPumpkin

    SmashedPumpkin New Member

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    Thanks for the kind words ThistleMae, I'm also partial to a good forum browse when I should really be working.

    I few weeks ago I was catching a train out if London and was handed a copy of The Girl on the Train, so I spent the journey reading through the first few chapters. It's not the kind of thing I would pick off a shelf but I did find myself getting into it. I couldn't let it derail (excuse the pun) my progress with the Gentlemen Bastards so I have since set it aside.

    That's cool that you visualise your scenes like a movie. Something that draws me to writing is that it can achieve everything a movie can and more with a good writer and a strong imagination. This might sound funny and obvious but a few years ago I discovered the joy of listening to instrumental sound tracks while reading and it's really taken my enjoyment to a new level. The music of Final Fantasy 7 accompanied me through the Dune trilogy and blew my mind along the way.

    Nice to meet you too!
     
  4. ThistleMae

    ThistleMae Member

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    Huh. I like Disney Ride soundtracks. LOL. But I have to have complete silence when I write. I'm braving up to posting the Query I've been working on. Girl on the Train was a good read, once I pushed my way into it. It also isn't something I usually read. Have you seen the thread on critiquing "We Have Always Lived in the Castle" by Shirley Jackson. They are doing chapter by chapter comments. I loved this book. Check it out.
     
  5. SmashedPumpkin

    SmashedPumpkin New Member

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    I haven't had a look at that thread, could you link it? I had a little search for it but wasn't sure where on the forums to look.

    You should post your query for sure. I'm a complete newbie as far as writing goes but if writing critique is anything like animation critique you've got to take it all as a learning experience and not let it hammer your confidence. I'd be happy to give you some critique so you can at least get a "layman's" opinion.
     
  6. ThistleMae

    ThistleMae Member

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    I'll try and post it; never did that before. And yes, critique is good. I write and rewrite and after awhile I can't see the words anymore! LOL!
     
  7. ThistleMae

    ThistleMae Member

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    https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/2578171/Jackson/Jackson-Castle.pdf This brings you to the book. Type in Shirley Jackson, maybe, to find the actual thread. I just haphazardly discovered it. Hope this helps.
     
  8. Oscar Leigh

    Oscar Leigh Contributor Contributor

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    Hello! Welcome to the madhouse! :p
    Animation is cool. I too imagine my writing like a scene in my head, and then I figure out how I want to describe that to capture the feelings and ideas.
    Gentlemen Bastards series looks cool, I almost read the first one once.
    Here's your lovely member's uniform on the house;
    Straightjacket for WritingForums.jpg
    Have a lovely day! :blowkiss::blowkiss:
     
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  9. SmashedPumpkin

    SmashedPumpkin New Member

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    Thanks Oscar and Carly, feeling welcome already!

    Cheers ThistleMae, I found the thread and have started reading through it. I hadn't heard of the book but it seems interesting. Really interesting to see various critiques on the same material too.
     
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