What does writing mean to you?

[argenianpoet]

Writing is life.

Writing is purpose.

Writing is balance.

Writing is health.

Writing is meaning.

Have you ever read William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White's, The Elements of Style, because man you are concise. When I challenged you to write a short response you really took me seriously, didn't you? Unfortunately, I could not write a short responsel; I never can...

 

[Marky Lazer]

just that some of us are more lucky than others.

Well, luck... luck... Of course, luck is a big chunk of getting published, but all too often are people hiding behind "bad luck." I think the idea of never getting published is scary for some aspiring writers, and it feels safe to hide behind something like luck, or better, bad luck. I'm not trying to be Mr Pessimist here, and don't want to discourage anyone in their writing, but there's a lot of work--also here in the critiques sections, I'm affriad--that I read, but simply isn't good enough. I won't comment on pieces like that because people may think I'm a negative [insert some abuse] and will hate my guts for it. (By the way, this doesn't mean everything I didn't comment on is bad in my opinion, some I really didn't read, sometimes I'm too busy--lazy--to give comments)...

 

[argenianpoet]

Well, luck... luck... Of course, luck is a big chunk of getting published, but all too often are people hiding behind "bad luck." I think the idea of never getting published is scary for some aspiring writers, and it feels safe to hide behind something like luck, or better, bad luck. I'm not trying to be Mr Pessimist here, and don't want to discourage anyone in their writing, but there's a lot of work--also here in the critiques sections, I'm affriad--that I read, but simply isn't good enough. I won't comment on pieces like that because people may think I'm a negative [insert some abuse] and will hate my guts for it. (By the way, this doesn't mean everything I didn't comment on is bad in my opinion, some I really didn't read, sometimes I'm too busy--lazy--to give comments)...

You're right, it does take a lot of hard work and if you're not willing to put in the effort then you will probably never stand a chance. But you must also cosider that editors rip even the best manuscripts to pieces, and I'm talking about your big names like Stephen King, Tom Clancy, and so on... Nobody escapes editorial change, and in that sense no body is good enough. I think that success is a mixture of hard work, persistence, and research. Moreover, I think that the ones that succeed do not let rejection get them down or take it personal and give up. But one thing's for sure, if you don't give it your best try and I do mean best, you will never make it into print.

 

[scalem X]

Well, luck... luck... Of course, luck is a big chunk of getting published, but all too often are people hiding behind "bad luck." I think the idea of never getting published is scary for some aspiring writers, and it feels safe to hide behind something like luck, or better, bad luck. I'm not trying to be Mr Pessimist here, and don't want to discourage anyone in their writing, but there's a lot of work--also here in the critiques sections, I'm affriad--that I read, but simply isn't good enough. I won't comment on pieces like that because people may think I'm a negative [insert some abuse] and will hate my guts for it. (By the way, this doesn't mean everything I didn't comment on is bad in my opinion, some I really didn't read, sometimes I'm too busy--lazy--to give comments)...

You're right. The same goes for me here. Some stuff (including the writings I myself have posted in the critiques section (It's been ages, should write less mails, more stories)) just isn't good enough. Yet if you have not the courage to tell someone that their writing still needs a lot of work, how can these people realise? I'm not a fan of a rating system here, but ...
agh well the forum's doing fine, some things just never change...

 

[Marky Lazer]

Well, people might want to create an alter-ego on the site. The one being the nice guy posting in the Tearoom, the other giving merciless critiques... (just kidding, kids, don't make clones, really). Anyway, when I was negative at someone's story he more or less freaked out, so I won't be too harsh on people, unless they ask me for my blunt opinion...

Other than that, a lot of people only want to hear praise, and I'm not up for that, I guess.

 

[mosaix]

Marky

If people post stories for critique and then 'freak out' at the response, it's not your fault. You can only repsond with YOUR opinion of the work that THEY have posted with the express purpose of asking for OUR opinions.

In my view you should not modify your actions based on someone 'freaking out' as that devalues your input and the forum as a whole.

As long as posters stick by the guidelines then authors shouldn't complain. They should either accept the opinion offered and try to improve or choose to ignore it.

 

[Marky Lazer]

I know Mosaix, but you know as well that not everyone takes critiques so lightly, and I have to admit, I can be pretty harsh. So, the "fault" lies probably on both sides.

 

[mosaix]

Without actually reading the guidlines again I don't think 'harsh' is banned.

 

[argenianpoet]

But, yes, in essence I'd say that's it. Very few people become writers over time (I'm not talking about being published, I'm talking about writing itself); most are born with the bug. I know I was.
As for the connection (I assume there was one; it's not entirely clear) between the movie and your taking up writing that story: as writers from Lovecraft to Ellison to Faulkner and Hemingway would have agreed, ideas can come from anything -- it's all in how that particular thing sparks an idea in that particular person's head.

It was already there; the movie only opened my eyes and then I saw it clearly.

...writing really is the center of existence for me.

Nicely put, J.D.

The reason why we write is not to be published, although we do strive for that, but rather it is for our own self-satisfaction.

Interesting thread. I look forward to hearing what others have to say on the subject.

Thanks a lot; I had the idea right in the middle of answering someone else's thread and screamed: 'Eureka!'

 

[argenianpoet]

Seasonal bouts of insanity.

A torture akin to being nibbled to death by ducks.

Okay, that's just altogether a scary thought...

Something, that now makes me wonder how I used to fill my short spans of spare time before I used to write...

That's about as deep as I go in the self-analysis. Too often, I find, if you think too much about why you do something, you either stop doing it because you become self conscious about it, or you realize that it is totally a waste of time and effort and you never really enjoyed doing it anyway

I am the opposite; I am very willing to talk about it with hawk-eye self-analysis, because I learn much that way about the sub-conscious mind, (a dimension that we're not supposed to know nothing about). Self-discovery helps me understand who I am and reinforces my ability to express myself.

 

[ZoeRat]

I agree 100% and believe me, we all know how you feel. I try not to even think about the feirce world of publishing, because it only depresses me and I hate depression; it takes away from my creativeness.

I feel the same way; even when I took creative writing classes I felt that my ability to be creative was lessened significantly, because for one thing, we weren't allowed to write genre fiction, and for another thing, I was too concerned about writing something the teacher would like so I could get a good grade rather than writing the way I wanted to write. For example, one of the teachers didn't like my ending, so I tried changing it to fit what she wanted, but ended up hating it and changing it back. When it comes to trying to get published, I think you have to take all those rejections with a grain of salt and just keep writing, and keep submitting, no matter how many times they reject you. Persistance is key, I think. Even J.K. Rowling got turned down at first for her first draft of Harry Potter.

 

[argenianpoet]

I feel the same way; even when I took creative writing classes I felt that my ability to be creative was lessened significantly, because for one thing, we weren't allowed to write genre fiction, and for another thing, I was too concerned about writing something the teacher would like so I could get a good grade rather than writing the way I wanted to write. For example, one of the teachers didn't like my ending, so I tried changing it to fit what she wanted, but ended up hating it and changing it back.

There is no such thing as a creative writing class that can teach you how to write, and that is why I steered clear of them. A writer learns how to write by reading lots of books and not just reading them, but studying them also. I learned from Stephen King what a creative writing class would have never taught me.

When it comes to trying to get published, I think you have to take all those rejections with a grain of salt and just keep writing, and keep submitting, no matter how many times they reject you. Persistance is key, I think. Even J.K. Rowling got turned down at first for her first draft of Harry Potter.

Rejection is apart of the game and everyone gets rejected at least once, if not a thousand times! The difference between a published author and an unpublished one is that the former did not give up after he or she started recieving rejections. Persistence is the key, but ultimately you will find that it's a process of trial and error. Learn from your mistakes, because the worst thing a writer can have is an ego. Also, be willing to take constructive criticism, because there are none of us perfect writers, not even the big names are perfect, trust me.

 

[Carolyn Hill]

Have you ever read William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White's, The Elements of Style, because man you are concise.

Strunk and White would complain that I repeated "Writing is" several times and, thus, was insufficiently concise.

 

[Marky Lazer]

"Rejection is half the fun." That's a quote from a mate of mine, Jason Heim.

I've never been part of a creative writing class, but would want to be. They won't teach you to be creative, but can help you, and show things you have to take into account when writing. Personally, the essays of Chuck Palahniuk helped me a ton. Themes, on the body, submerging the I, burnt tongue, etc. are all terms that I learned from those essays and which improved my writing a ton or two.

The one thing I think that can help you in a class is when someone says it just isn't good enough, and you need to let go. I wrote a very cool introduction parapgraph for a story, and everyone agreed on that, but it didn't fit in. I had a hard time to let go of that paragraph, but I did, because people showed me it didn't belong in the story. So, I did get rid of it, because I realized they were right, and now I'm glad that I did so.

 

[argenianpoet]

Strunk and White would complain that I repeated "Writing is" several times and, thus, was insufficiently concise.

LOL!

 

[KSeriphyn]

"Rejection is half the fun." That's a quote from a mate of mine, Jason Heim...

I'm new to the writing game, I can really respect what Marky's friend said. It is hard to take on rejection. However, I believe rejection allows you to think in different ways and question your approach. When you are doing this, you are developing further. It makes you a stronger person.

On a different track. Isn't getting your manuscript accepted by a publisher similar to getting a job? I don't see much difference there, except the target group is smaller. I've gone through over countless resume rewrites, over 50 no replies, 20 unsuccessful emails, and 10 failed job interviews in the last year alone! How's that for rejection

xx

KS
(ps: I eventually got a job)

 

[ray gower]

I write simply because it is a means to relax the old grey cells. If others enjoy what I write, it is a big morale boost.
I have been given a few shillings for my efforts here and there, but to go looking for more turns it into a dull job, not worth the extra stress.

 

[williemeikle]

I started in my early teens. Back then it was mainly song lyrics as I fancied myself as the next "Donovan" (ask your parents, kiddies) The rat race caught me after school and University led to a job in IT. At that point writing seemed a long way away. But at the back of my mind I always had an idea for a West of Scotland horror novel, and when work finally got too dull I found solace in creating somewhere else.

About ten years ago I found I couldn't stop. Now,with 150 short stories, five published novels, one self-published novel, four screenplays and three more novels on the way with four more in various stages of writing, I've still got a lot more stories to tell.

I remember writing a short story for an English class. I must have been thirteen or fourteen, and I had just discovered the horror genre. The story was set in a seance where a group of kids managed to conjure up Satan himself - sort of an early Scottish version of Buffy the Vampire Slayer (without the teeth and tans) My teacher wasn't too impressed, and had us writing "meaningful" poetry and "kitchen-sink" slices of life which bored me to tears. I didn't need to write about urban poverty - I just had to walk round town to see it up close.

For a while I wrote for myself, but didn't know about markets or marketing so it went no further. Then writing song lyrics assuaged that heavy feeling for a while. Then I discovered the small press and I was off and running.

Over the years, the need to write has been getting worse if anything. With me, the ideas seem to fill my head, and it's only when I start to write that things calm down. When I started I tried to work with every single idea I ever had, but I soon realised that a lot of ideas are just that - good ideas, but unworkable as a piece of fiction. I've got notebooks full of short scenes that work brilliantly on their own, but, as yet, haven't found a way into a fully rounded story.

I knew I was where I wanted to be when I started to write about vampires. (All horror writers need to do at least one vampire novel...it's sort of written into their contracts. :}

Seriously though, I felt that vampires in current fiction (and other media) were getting too cuddly and had been humanised too far from the bloodsucking bastards they are meant to be. I wanted to go back to basics.

In my vampire books vampires were created by God before man, but blew their big chance by killing a lamb and drinking its blood. I gave them their own Adam and Eve, their own ten commandments, their own Messiah etc, and had a lot of fun with it.

It was while making up mock-biblical passages that I realised I was creating something rich and varied, and the buzz drove me on to where I am now.

We now return you to your regular broadcasting schedule....

Willie

 

[madeener]

Writing and reading to me is a hobby, probably my favourite next to playing computer games.

I have had a bad habit of fantasizing and daydreaming for a long time now, and every time, those dreams involve stuff I just want to share with everyone else, which is why I write.

 

[Curt Chiarelli]

This an excellent thread, one that's provided some wonderful insights into the act of writing.

For me, writing serves two distinct purposes: it acts as an emotional carthartic and allows me to comprehend the special brand of madness that our species loves to indulge in.

Speaking as someone who has never been published, the main outlet for my creative expression is through my career as a professional commercial artist; work which runs the gamut from production designing motion pictures to designing video games and museum exhibits to sculpting toys and collectibles on through to illustrating books.

However, writing occupies a very special and critical function in my life: it permits me to exercise the more intellectual, analytical and socio-political observational aspects of my personality, aspects which generally never get expressed in my work in the visual arts.