A glimps in a mirror.

[Valnus]

Good Day Traveller.

You see a small hand mirror lying on your path through these forums. The little mirror is nothing special, just plain silver from the looks of it. You pick it up, wondering why is there a mirror in the dirt. And as a secondary thought. Where is this post going?

What is interesting about the mirror is that as you turn it over you don't see yourself. What you see is man, a man with a story to tell. His first story by the looks of things based on an idea that might not be any good.

But this story is scratching at him, so much so that he is spending two hours a day writing this story with only that idea to lead him. The rest is sort of spur of the moment towards that goal. He looks a little worried about the progress he is making. Only a paragraph or two in a sitting is making him wonder if he should be so carefree about this. Other than this he is also trying to convey a sense of darkness, danger and fantasy to the reader. As he hopes there will be someday.

If you could speak to this man through the mirror. What morsel of advice would you give him to help him scratch that itch?

 

[msstice]

Spellcheck.

But seriously, I'd say "BOO!" because a reverse haunting is too good an opportunity to pass up.

But seriously, I'd say keep writing and OH MY GOD WHAT IS THAT BEHIND YOU?

But seriously, I'd say to get the ideas down first IS THAT A HAIRY THING CREEPING UP YOUR LEG?

But seriously, I'd say fall in love with editing DID SOMEONE FOLLOW YOU HERE?

But seriously, I'd say start closer to the act--

 

[Astro Pen]

1 For now, write for yourself, not some imagined critic watching over your shoulder.
This is hard to do at first, I think that school causes that. Private diary writers are probably more familiar with unsupervised expression.

2 Write the 'moments' that excite you or move you and backfill later.* This will almost inevitably change the whole story.

* I don't do this, I just pantser serially, but I know someone who does it that way.

 

[DLCroix]

What tips?
Apart from continuing to write, she reads and comments on what others write. Right here at Critiques, for example. Why? For two reasons. First, because according to what I have observed, the people who publish their writings in the Critiques section are largely an excellent rehash of the best in literature out there, including theory; therefore, they are a first guide that can serve as guidance on what to do or not do. And second, because I can already intuit that the next thing you will do is ask for comments on your writings, and that is fine, but it is still better when there is reciprocity. There is nothing better than the feeling that you are not paddling alone. But the problem is that every two or three days someone who dies because they read him comes around here but see to see who of them is willing to read the others as well.
Oh, and the golden tip: patience. Go step by step. And I already said it before and I repeat it: if you are twenty, be patient. If you are thirty, continue to be patient. When you are forty this will already be a dogma. Etc. And as for that itch, the only thing you should care about is the desire to write. Although if you don't read you won't have much progress either. That's the second paddle, in fact, and in this you need them both equally.

 

[Brian G Turner]

Honestly? Be honest. That means stop talking about mirrors and talk straight about writing.

That's actually pretty serious, because a lot of aspiring writers hold themselves at arms-length from their writing, as if they are afraid to connect emotionally with it - or, at least, connect the reader emotionally to events. What people end up doing is writing an audio narrative where the reader "sees" events rather than a novel where the reader experiences the character(s). Learn to stop being evasive and engage your emotions and put them into the story, and you'll save yourself massive headaches and time wasted later on.

 

[Danny McG]

I don't like glimpses in the mirror, for several years now I've spotted my dad looking back at me - I never realised how much I look like him

 

[Valnus]

Honestly? Be honest. That means stop talking about mirrors and talk straight about writing.

That's actually pretty serious, because a lot of aspiring writers hold themselves at arms-length from their writing, as if they are afraid to connect emotionally with it - or, at least, connect the reader emotionally to events. What people end up doing is writing an audio narrative where the reader "sees" events rather than a novel where the reader experiences the character(s). Learn to stop being evasive and engage your emotions and put them into the story, and you'll save yourself massive headaches and time wasted later on.

I did the little mirror thing because I though it would be more entertaining to read than the normal" Help I am lost " post and thus get more insight like yours. Thank you for the advice, I offten wonder if I am really showing and not just telling. On the topic of how to connect a reader on a emotional level. That I must admit I have not even thought about. Thank you, I have some editing to do i:

 

[Valnus]

I don't like glimpses in the mirror, for several years now I've spotted my dad looking back at me - I never realised how much I look like him

I am more, Objects in the mirror are lager than they seem.

 

[Valnus]

1 For now, write for yourself, not some imagined critic watching over your shoulder.
This is hard to do at first, I think that school causes that. Private diary writers are probably more familiar with unsupervised expression.

2 Write the 'moments' that excite you or move you and backfill later.* This will almost inevitably change the whole story.

* I don't do this, I just pantser serially, but I know someone who does it that way.

Thanks. I will do that. I

appreciate the response

 

[Valnus]

What tips?
Apart from continuing to write, she reads and comments on what others write. Right here at Critiques, for example. Why? For two reasons. First, because according to what I have observed, the people who publish their writings in the Critiques section are largely an excellent rehash of the best in literature out there, including theory; therefore, they are a first guide that can serve as guidance on what to do or not do. And second, because I can already intuit that the next thing you will do is ask for comments on your writings, and that is fine, but it is still better when there is reciprocity. There is nothing better than the feeling that you are not paddling alone. But the problem is that every two or three days someone who dies because they read him comes around here but see to see who of them is willing to read the others as well.
Oh, and the golden tip: patience. Go step by step. And I already said it before and I repeat it: if you are twenty, be patient. If you are thirty, continue to be patient. When you are forty this will already be a dogma. Etc. And as for that itch, the only thing you should care about is the desire to write. Although if you don't read you won't have much progress either. That's the second paddle, in fact, and in this you need them both equally.

Apologies there is a sentance in the middle that makes very little sense to me ( might be me )

But thank you for the comment and advice. I will read the Critiques section for insight and I will not ask for a read myself. I am miles away from being ready.

Thank you for taking the time

 

[Valnus]

Spellcheck.

But seriously, I'd say "BOO!" because a reverse haunting is too good an opportunity to pass up.

But seriously, I'd say keep writing and OH MY GOD WHAT IS THAT BEHIND YOU?

But seriously, I'd say to get the ideas down first IS THAT A HAIRY THING CREEPING UP YOUR LEG?

But seriously, I'd say fall in love with editing DID SOMEONE FOLLOW YOU HERE?

But seriously, I'd say start closer to the act--

I am not sure how to read this.

Spellcheck as in my post ?

I use grammerly to back me up. This second language thing sometimes gets me.

I will extract everything outside of But seriously as the ideas

 

[Christine Wheelwright]

This is an extension of what Astro and Brian said above. My approach, when starting out, was to accept that my first two novels (at least) would never be published. Perhaps nobody else would ever see them (at least, not in their entirety). This takes a weight off your shoulders, right from the start. It enables you to write for yourself, with your inner censor turned off. Don't worry about what you expect your reader to like, just write what you like and enjoy. Don't worry about someone else judging you! And I don't just mean judging your writing - I mean judging you on a personal level: your quirks, preferences, orientations. This was especially the case for some of my early experimental (and somewhat depraved) work. But with this approach you can really develop and improve as a writer! Its all about practice. If you try to knock it out of the park on your first attempt you will just get frustrated.

 

[Valnus]

This is an extension of what Astro and Brian said above. My approach, when starting out, was to accept that my first two novels (at least) would never be published. Perhaps nobody else would ever see them (at least, not in their entirety). This takes a weight off your shoulders, right from the start. It enables you to write for yourself, with your inner censor turned off. Don't worry about what you expect your reader to like, just write what you like and enjoy. Don't worry about someone else judging you! And I don't just mean judging your writing - I mean judging you on a personal level: your quirks, preferences, orientations. This was especially the case for some of my early experimental (and somewhat depraved) work. But with this approach you can really develop and improve as a writer! Its all about practice. If you try to knock it out of the park on your first attempt you will just get frustrated.

I like that idea.

Thank you. You have given me alot to think about.

 

[msstice]

I am not sure how to read this.

Spellcheck as in my post ?

I use grammerly to back me up. This second language thing sometimes gets me.

I will extract everything outside of But seriously as the ideas

I have lately been using a grammar checker, but nothing beats a plain old spellchecker. Grammar checkers can be annoying because of their false positives.

Have you seen the wonderful posts at: The Toolbox -- The Important Bits ? I always refer to them.

 

[Wayne Mack]

I found the Brandon Sanderson lectures very helpful. They provided some frameworks that clicked with me and let me avoid having to discover the items myself. The link can be found here. Writing lectures by Brandon Sanderson As this is a college course, I found it necessary only to listen to one year. As would be expected, each of the different years covers the same set of concepts.

 

[Valnus]

I found the Brandon Sanderson lectures very helpful. They provided some frameworks that clicked with me and let me avoid having to discover the items myself. The link can be found here. Writing lectures by Brandon Sanderson As this is a college course, I found it necessary only to listen to one year. As would be expected, each of the different years covers the same set of concepts.

You sir are a legend