Hi All I'm DAFT Ideas. I'm an unpublished writer who's hit a bit of a slump in inspiration and motivation so figured I'd join a community that might help kick start me back onto the tracks. My writing I have a script written for a comedy series, recently turned down by the BBC (what do those guys know about good TV!) but looking likely to go into production with a local start-up indie production company. The problem is they are a start-up with no industry links so, we'll see how that goes... I have written a few short stories, mostly for my own amusement, but I recently submitted one to a book of shorts that's being published later in the year... Looking forward to more rejection there. My biggest project is a novel that I'm writing, and have been for sometime, it's currently at about 25,000 words and it has been for sometime... I don't think I've touched it since Feb. So that's me, I'm in need of a kick up the behind, writing is a very lonely pursuit so I thought I'd join you people and hopefully some shared experiences might just give me that wee kick.
Welcome to the forum. I'm not published myself yet, but I find it is best, when working on a novel, to get all the planning done and then just write it. Make sure you finish it, and then go back and edit it when you see how terrible it is. The worst thing you can do is leave it at 25,000 words and not touch it for a while. At least finish it and then see how you feel. I hope this helps, and keep writing.
Hello Daft Ideas, Welcome to the Creative Writing Forums. Please read How to Use the Writing Workshop before you try to post there. Posting your own writing for people to comment on should not be among the very first things you do here anyway. It is worth taking the time to see what other people have done to improve their writing, and see if some of it applies to your writing as well. That is part of why we require members to review other members' work before posting their own for review. On the other hand, there are no restrictions, other than content and copyright rules, on showcasing your work in your member blog. Also, be aware that posting a piece of writing on any public site, including this one, will greatly diminish your chances of selling it for publication. Removing the writing later does not alter that fact - once posted, it is irreversibly considered published. So do not post anything more than a small excerpt of any piece you are planning to submit for publication. If you haven't explored the site yet, you should probably do so soon. Newcomers often gravitate to the Lounge, the Word Games, or the Writing Workshop, but there is much more to be discovered if you poke in the corners. Remember to check out our FAQ as well, and be sure to read through the forum rules, too, to avoid any misunderstandings or hurt feelings. Respect for one another is our principal mandate. As for the Writing Workshop, new joiners often wonder why we do things a bit differently on this site than on other writing sites. We emphasize constructive critique as a vital writing skill. Training your eye by reviewing other people's work helps you improve your own writing even before you present it for others to see. Therefore, we ask members to review other people's writing before posting work of their own. We also impose a two-week waiting period before you may post writing for critique, to give you time to become familiar with what is expected and how the site operates. The Writing Workshop forums on this site, therefore, are true workshops, not just a bulletin board for displaying your work (and on that note, please only post each item for review in one Writing Workshop forum). Also, please use the same thread for all revisions and additional excerpts from the same piece of writing. See this post, Why Write Reviews Before Posting My Work? for more information. And while you're looking around, don't forget to check out the RPG forum for improvisational fiction. Also try our Weekly Short Story Contest and Weekly Poetry Contest. They actually run more than one week apiece, but any member may enter, and all members are urged to vote for their favorites. Enjoy your stay here, and have fun!
Hi Steve - Thankfully I have the plan, although it's in my head, I know exactly where the story goes... I think that's part of my problem... I know it really well so I'm having trouble sitting down and writing it - I feel a bit like I've already done it, so when I start writing I feel like I'm going over old ground. That said I did sit down on Saturday for a couple of hours and I've now broken through 26000 words, I've promised myself a lunch break each day now so that I can spend some time writing each day
