I guess it might be a good idea to post here to introduce myself! I've been a lurker on this site for a while, reading threads that piqued my interest, collecting advice secretly. I decided I don't want to lurk anymore, I want to join in! So here I am, with my sparkly new account. Hooray! So, hi everyone. I'm Lyrical, I'm 26, and I'm a copywriter. Copywriting is definitely not my passion - creative writing is. I've been writing since I was 12, but inventing stories much, much longer than that. I was overly imaginative as a kid, which sometimes made me into a crazy liar. As an adult, that overactive imagination just means that I have more story ideas than I know what to do with sometimes, and as a result it makes it hard for me to actually finish a project. So often, I'm halfway through something when another idea seizes and I can't shake it until I've started working on it. It's a problem. I'm trying to do better. I'm into everything - fiction, non-fiction, poetry, short stories, the works. Most of what I write is fiction, dabbling in all the genres. I read pretty much everything as well. Right now I'm nearly finished with A Song of Ice and Fire series (don't judge me *hides*) because I wanted to know what all the hype was about. Some of the other recent reads that I quite enjoyed were all of the Sherlock Holmes novels (haven't read the shorts yet), Ready Player One, Interpreter of Maladies, The Hangman's Daughter, Hamlet, Prince of Denmark: A Novel, and The Last Child in the Woods. I'm here to get help and advice from other writers, to revel in the exchange of like-minded people, and offer my own thoughts and critiques where I can. I'm excited. And motivated!
Hi Lyrical, welcome out of the shadows with your sparkly new account! It sounds like we're similar in some ways; I've been collecting ideas for years, new ideas keep popping up, and in the process finishing a project becomes a problem. I really need to crack this tough nut. As soon as I come up with the magic formular I'll pass it on!
Hey Lyrical, nice to meet you! I'm also lurking on the forums and reading posts, at the moment - feel like I may be here to stay, so will post an intro shortly. Also, similar to Scrib and yourself, I sometimes feel that I have too many ideas to work on any particular one. I've found that taking a pen and pad of lined paper, and getting away from my distractions (for me, the great procrastination bearer, my PC), allows me to get more done, but still working on staying on track with just one idea is not the easiest. But, I hope that joining in and getting advice from the other members of this forum will help me to work on that.
YES. My comp is a huge, huge distraction for me. Sometimes it's incredibly helpful, because in the early stages I tend to research a ton just to make sure whatever obscur thing I'm talking about comes across as believable, and throughout I frequently utilize an online thesaurus to help me find the perfect word, but that is about 15% of the time. The other 85% is me getting sidetracked and lost in the inane whirlpool of the internet. I might try going the pen-and-paper route once in a while, for focus, as you say.
Welcome, Lyrical! Maybe you could try to write using software that comes with a full screen mode? Personally I use Scrivener for my writing, and I love the full screen function. It blocks out everything but my text. No distractions present at all. Also, I'll leave a link to the New Member Quick Start here. It will take you through the forum basics, like the rules and stuff. Have fun!
Thank you for the suggestion! I will try it out. I've been seeing things about Scrivener for a while, I guess I just need to check it out. The full screen function sounds very helpful.
Welcome from this new member. I know what it's like to feel a little aprehensive to start posting. Everyone on forums always seem like they know each other already, it's daunting to make that first post.
Scrivener is awesome - it just has so much that it can do, and there are some great 'How To' videos by the team that make it, they really help to get you up and running quickly. Also, the trial is clever, too - it's based on actual usage of the program, rather than a set time in days since you installed it, so I would recommend going for that to start; if you love the program by the time the trial runs out, then you know that it's worth buying, whereas, if you have stopped using it before then, you know that it's not for you! I only wish they had a version for Android/IOS tablets, too. Would be great to have it with me when I'm out. You can actually install a portable version to take it with you if you can use other computers (parents, partners, work, etc.) I have been trying out handwriting recognition apps for my tablet - still ongoing, and yet to find one that is comfortable to use. I have found some good ones for taking handwritten notes, but not really found one that does the handwriting recognition and has a comfortable interface, which is what I am looking for. I want to be able to scribble away, and then have it typed up for me! Still, I am almost comfortable enough to get rid of standard pen and paper for my long hand rambles, at least, even if I still have to type it up later.
