I look at it this way: if you need to look at a list of 'stuff to avoid' and can't see it for yourself, go do something else.
You could have a point, Selbin. I think a lot people love the idea of being a writer more than the actual writing itself.
I had some pretty heated debates with that guy. He's the perfect example of damaging "writing instructors." It took me months after that course before I could put pen to paper, fingers to keys. Then the opposite, the next semester I took a poetry course. Different instructor and I had rarely been more inspired. Shortly after that class ended, I had enough salt in my Cheerios to actually write a novel. Probably, it's complete shit. And I'm not saying it's either instructor's fault that I wrote or didn't. But I thought it was an interesting tidbit.
Absolutely. Not to sound harsh but there have been many new people on this site asking how to come up with ideas or how to motivate themselves to become the writer they dream of being, who to be fair quickly vanish. I think it's partly adoration. They may love to read and adore particular writers and want that same adoration for themselves.
I've observed that trend, Selbin. Another thing that gets me is when people make posts for irrelevant research inquiries. You know, the What legal system do Mongolian tribesmen use to settle disputes? sort of thing. I mean, haven't you heard of research? Fuck sake, there's a big wide world out there - go do some exploring. And if you can't be bothered to explore, at least have the nous to use the Mongolian sociology channel on Stack Exchange.
Personally, I write 'lit fic'. I used to write fantasy, despite hating it (don't ask, but it was more GOT than LOTR), and also used to write both sci-fi action and comedy-horror screenplays. Now I write character dramas and literary fiction. Not for any sense of pretentiousness, but it just grabbed my interest as I got older. I mention this because there is still a small group of snobs that look down on anything not classed as 'high art' for no other reason than a sense of intellectual superiority. Fuck them. They do damage potential writers by looking down at them. A long time ago, my first ever feature length script was going through the process of getting government funding to the tune of 3.5 million smackeroonies. We didn't get it due to fuck heads in my team, but no more about that. The point is I got invited to a whole bunch of government film assisted functions and talks. This is slightly before the resurgence of Australian film as entertainment. Whenever people asked me why I was there, I told them. But then when they asked about the script, telling them it was a horror-comedy torpedoed the conversation like the Bismark, leaving me adrift in an awkward lack of interest. 'So you're not really a writer' was the look on their face. It was humiliating. NOW people get praised for writing those films, and they're popping up all over the place. And the same fucking snobs who saw horror as not a 'real film' are now all scrambling to write one. Ironically, I've lost all interest.
90% of 'research' questions that I bother to answer on this forum I find in a 2 minute google search. It's insane. For example, everything you need to know about the Mongolian legal system: http://www.nyulawglobal.org/globalex/Mongolia.html
Anyway, I did the test and scored 91%. I answered one the wrong way by accident. For the two I properly got 'wrong': I use pronouns in my opening sentence, and many readers think it's one of the strongest opening sentences they've ever read. The other one is that I have a single word title. I kind of agree with that, but still like it. I got in the habit of making single word titles for my work, but I scan see why a longer one has more impact.
My newest MC does stuff like that pretty much every chapter "brighter out than a tanning salon in Arizona" "just like a bake-oven in the Pass lane" "more holes in [the buildings] than a block of Swiss cheese on a worm farm" I get the picture: You had enough [mixed metaphor] to get the job done
Nope, writing is just like every other job out there. You need at least 15 years of experience to be qualified for a starting position.
Well, yeah. I guess. There's nothing wrong with launching into something new and asking those experienced already to share the mistakes and things to watch out for. It's actually a smart thing to do. So don't mind me.
I consider those a different group of people. There are new writers that are interested in learning the craft. It's not that you are gifted or you are not. It's whether you are willing to put the work in to learn, or you just fantasize yourself a writer.
Taking this test was helpful because it has made me aware of at least a few things not to do or overdo in my novel. I got 27 out of 32 correct but I agree that some of the answers did not make sense. If there is a fight scene between two opposing forces, there could easily be at least fifty combatants on each side not four at the most.
Only took me three years to begin as a nurse and the first year was waiting to get into the program. Made a pretty damn good career of it.
A little harsh, I think. I know I was one of the ones to criticise this test, but this comment alienates anyone writing for the first time. We're all entitled to the odd pointer or two, and I don't think being told that, for instance, a trivial dialogue about the weather is something to avoid, means this person should be doing something else.
@Selbbin Many apologies. I do this as much as anyone, but it's just habit for me - maybe even bone-idleness. I need to bounce off like-minded folk when I write and doing my asking here gives me that. To be fair, if everyone did their own research, this forum would have probably died a long time ago.
All jokes aside, I'm sure a creative person could craft a loving story about an elf who's parent is evil, so they adventure to meet them, only to reveal the evil parent still loved their child. The child just never told us, instead fielding their mixed feelings of loss of their parent and resentment of the evil as simple rightous anger. And why wouldn't elves have different words for wine? Maybe they just call it mer, because it makes them merry. I've had countless mentors throughout my life, raising me and directing me. Are all protags doomed to be crafty orphans, just blazing through life with a trench coat and crappy Ipod playlist? I was insufferable as a teen. Is THAT who we want as a hero? No history, no mom or dad, looking forward to an insufferable, snide future? Keh'mo isn't hard to pronounce. Food is awesome. I was once jumped by five people on my way to Arby's. Firefights last for days at a time. All I want in a woman is that she's balsy enough to talk about what she really likes. Green eyes. I look in the mirror every day and watch the age come, shaving my face because it's required for my job. 5 minutes of alone time before the sun is even awake. Me, cheap razor, old shirt, slowly cutting away the mask designed to make removing another mask easier. Men are hairy. Why are we not allow do be hairy? It hurts to shave. Why is the first thing anyone does in the morning is hurt themselves?
I got a 94/100. I answered the thesaurus question wrong though. I selected "i dont use a thesaurus" which isnt really true. I didnt read the other option and selected to quickly. It would have been the "correct" answer. The only other one i got "wrong" was the Food Centeric question. I disagree with the results though. I use dinner time with family, or a coffee with a friend as a way to create an environment for discussion. A lot of growing a character discovery happens here. I think only used food centeric twice int he whole book though.
