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[Beaniedude]

Hey gaf.
I just wanted to pop in and say that I was just sitting around thinking, 'I should write a book'.
And then this thread popped up.

So expect a post from me in a years time with something along the lines of, 'I wrote a book!'

If not you can either assume that I am dead or just gave up.

 

[Mully]

Hey gaf.
I just wanted to pop in and say that I was just sitting around thinking, 'I should write a book'.
And then this thread popped up.

So expect a post from me in a years time with something along the lines of, 'I wrote a book!'

If not you can either assume that I am dead or just gave up.

What's your idea for your book?

 

[Beaniedude]

What's your idea for your book?

I kinda started writing it for Nano but never finished it.

Basically.
You have a dimension filled with Racoons and they're still living in a monarchy because of reasons. The King goes out to kill this Prince because that's what evil Kings do so the Prince flees and escapes into this dimension via the use of this organic machine that showed up in this dimension a decade or so ago.

Meanwhile a boy is moving from the city to the countryside with his mum. Spoilers, he totes befriends the Prince.

There's also a Scientist that recently got sacked who likes to investigate Yeti sightings and all those crazy things and her roommate who is trying to get her another job so she can get out of his hair and go back to (unwittingly) paying both her rent and his.

And last but not least there is the Racoon scientist who has been gathering data on this planet about the social customs, who is acting as a guide for the thug/ assassin/ really tough guy on his mission to find and kill the Prince.


Shenanigans ensue. As everyone wants to get at this Racoon Prince.
And then there is a satisfying conclusion that resolves everything incredibly nicely leaving the reader with the sense that that book was $20 well spent and yes, I will tell all my friends about it.

I'm still working on that conclusion.

And the plot for that matter.

So nothing really hard hitting. Nothing questioning the essence of 'What is humanity?' Just a story where 3 different parties want the same thing and shenanigans happen.

 

[cosmicblizzard]

Woo, got the giveaway up! Gonna see if doing one of these before release actually helps.

The book will be released when it ends this Sunday.

 

[Conkersbadfurday]

Anyone else losses their"voice"? Sometimes I find it and I happily write with a prose and style I love, yet somedays I sit down and write like a stiff man. I am reading my very first complete draft (first timeI ever write a full novel, 70+k!) and I am noticing when I do those random style jumps. Pisses me off, editing won't be fun at all. At least the plot is cohesive.

I've done it, yeah. Actually, the voice I tried to work with when I first started my book wound up not being the voice I had by around chapter four I had to rewrite major parts of the first three chapters to get that shit right. I think I got lucky and didn't drop it though, at least my beta readers never pointed anything like that out.

There were times when I noticed my writing style was different though, like the way I described stuff or the words I was using. Learned not to write immediately after reading something (in this case, LotR).

 

[sirap]

Do you find absurdist situations work better for the $$$ (A la the dino erotica that popped up a couple years back)

Short erotica is a numbers game, and if a kink is too niche you might not get enough borrows to justify the effort put into the pen name. That said, there are some weird ass kinks out there. Shifter tentacle porn, ghost porn etc.

 

[cosmicblizzard]

sirap, when you gonna follow up on this post? I must have your guidance!

I'll write a longer post with replies and some tips on how to find a profitable genre soon (its dead easy)

Gonna watch Interstellar now!

 

[Timu]

Three in one sounds like a great plan, especially if they're on the shorter side. Is publishing it to follow?

I sure hope so.=p

 

[timetokill]

Short erotica is a numbers game, and if a kink is too niche you might not get enough borrows to justify the effort put into the pen name. That said, there are some weird ass kinks out there. Shifter tentacle porn, ghost porn etc.

Where do you publish? Amazon?

I'm curious. I'd write it if it made me some decent $$$

 

[Relix]

Agh I couldn't wait. Decided to rewrite a portion in the middle of the novel I felt was weak and forced,so I am extending it, making it less forced and to have the proper impact it should have. When I am done with rewriting that part I will jump into further editing and rewriting.

 

[Maron]

Hey guys, figured this may be more helpful than doing an entirely separate topic.

Basically the main writing project I've been doing is my webcomic series Comixscape.

It's essentially a lighthearted episodic series about a young boy's adventures in his new town with his pet raccoon. Many of the characters I've had around for years (with one going back over 10 years) but this is my first attempt at truly doing something with them together.

A couple months ago I have put the comic on hiatus after ending the third chapter and reaching 99 pages. With the first two chapters I was essentially writing by the seat of my pants (and, as it wasn't until Chapter 3 that the site existed, didn't even know I would separate things into chapters at first), and as a result the beginning parts are rather rocky and unfocused to me. While I didn't intend there to be some huge crazy story it was something I did due to lack of knowledge on writing.

With the 3rd Chapter I essentially took recent critique I received and attempted to put more focus on character development more balanced with humor. Now that I placed the strip on break I stepped back and have put much focus on continuing that trend and carrying a more solid plan of where things could lead.

There are multiple things I've listed to research as well for the series' remaining chapters, but one specific thing I need to find out about is properly handling an 'inventor' character. Does anyone have experience with that type of character particularly? Like, providing a decent portrayal despite me (clearly) not being a gifted intellectual? I suppose studying shows like Dexter's Lab and Phineas & Ferb may be a good start, but I'd love to see if there are other great resources I overlooked.

I apologize for the long post, but if anyone would be willing to spare the time to read the three chapters of the series currently out and provide feedback and critique it would be much appreciated. I'm lucky to be friendly with a couple comic industry folks but still have this nagging feeling that I'm not seeking enough critique/feedback.

 

[Billy_Pilgrim]

I had no idea James Smythe posted on Gaf.

The Explorer is one of the better books I read last year.

I'm feeling the inspirationz.

 

[Rankun]

Just found this thread. Chiming in here to say that I finally finished the first draft of the book I originally started for this year's NaNoWriMo at a little over 97,000 words. It's obviously crap, especially the parts I wrote during the last days of November where I, half-asleep, hacked down seven thousand words in a few hours, but I'm quite happy that I actually finished it.

Working on the second draft now -- major editing in progress. I want to have something which I can hand to my beta readers some time in summer. That would be nice.

 

[AngmarsKing701]

Just found this thread. Chiming in here to say that I finally finished the first draft of the book I originally started for this year's NaNoWriMo at a little over 97,000 words. It's obviously crap, especially the parts I wrote during the last days of November where I, half-asleep, hacked down seven thousand words in a few hours, but I'm quite happy that I actually finished it.

Working on the second draft now -- major editing in progress. I want to have something which I can hand to my beta readers some time in summer. That would be nice.

Congrats!

 

[EulaCapra]

Subscribed to this thread and its previous incarnation but said I wouldn't post anything until I start revisions (nearing 150,000+ words Jesus Mary Joseph). But already I must say congrats to many on this page!

But now I need GAF's help now with dialogue structuring. Google keeps giving me College guidelines on paraphrasing. I don't know if the following blurb is grammatically correct. I don't know when and where to include apostrophes if they're even needed. Any help is appreciated.

“Oh yeah? And what words would you use to describe me?” he playfully goads her on.
“I don’t know. Maybe...’quiet’?”
“Okay,” he nods along. “That’s true. I’ll give you that. Keep going.”
“I don’t know: ‘mysterious, dark, brooding, secretive’ and so on.”
“’Dark and brooding’, really? So now I'm the prime example of your perfect man?”
"Or your common alley way."

 

[Freeza Under The Shower]

.

 

[EulaCapra]

For the alley way thing, I was going for a different meaning. It should've read something more like:

"You're dark and brooding."
"Ah, so you're basically describing the perfect man?"
"That or an alley way." [I know that alleys don't brood but it's just for the sake of it]

But excellent regardless! Thanks! Reads way better without apostrophes and more ellipses.

 

[toddhunter]

For the alley way thing, I was going for a different meaning. It should've read something more like:

"You're dark and brooding."
"Ah, so you're basically describing the perfect man?"
"That or an alley way." [I know that alleys don't brood but it's just for the sake of it]

But excellent regardless! Thanks! Reads way better without apostrophes and more ellipses.

I would leave out " he playfully goads her on." and "he nods as she talks.". I don't think it adds much because you'll pick that up from the context.

 

[Mike M]

Subscribed to this thread and its previous incarnation but said I wouldn't post anything until I start revisions (nearing 150,000+ words Jesus Mary Joseph). But already I must say congrats to many on this page!

But now I need GAF's help now with dialogue structuring. Google keeps giving me College guidelines on paraphrasing. I don't know if the following blurb is grammatically correct. I don't know when and where to include apostrophes if they're even needed. Any help is appreciated.

“Oh yeah? And what words would you use to describe me?” he playfully goads her on.
“I don’t know. Maybe...’quiet’?”
“Okay,” he nods along. “That’s true. I’ll give you that. Keep going.”
“I don’t know: ‘mysterious, dark, brooding, secretive’ and so on.”
“’Dark and brooding’, really? So now I'm the prime example of your perfect man?”
"Or your common alley way."

Apostrophes are always used for quotations within quotations, so you're mostly correct here.

In American English, punctuation goes within quotation marks. In British, it gets a bit more complicated and depends on whether or not it was part of the original quotation.

For example:

"He said this dress mad me look 'fat?'"

He said this dress makes me look 'fat'?"

In your case, I would tidy it up thusly:

“Oh yeah? And what words would you use to describe me?” he playfully goads her on.

“I don’t know. Maybe...’quiet’?”

“Okay,” he nods along. “That’s true. I’ll give you that. Keep going.”

“I don’t know: ‘Mysterious, dark, brooding, secretive,’ and so on.”

“’Dark and brooding,’ really? So now I'm the prime example of your perfect man?”

"Or your common alley way."

 

[victreeb3l]

Hey guys, hope this isnt totally OT.

I've come to the conclusion that I'm really terrible at describing things and when I do, its usually drawn out and really messy. I'd like more brevity in my writing and speech. Are there any kinds of writing exercises or tips I should try out? As I often have to make presentations and stuff, this problem is really affecting me at work.

 

[fredrancour]

Hey guys, hope this isnt totally OT.

I've come to the conclusion that I'm really terrible at describing things and when I do, its usually drawn out and really messy. I'd like more brevity in my writing and speech. Are there any kinds of writing exercises or tips I should try out? As I often have to make presentations and stuff, this problem is really affecting me at work.

See how little description you can get away with. The problem might be that you give an unnecessary level of detail.

Focus more on what the reader needs to understand about a given thing, and worry less about explicitly describing events.

 

[Woorloog]

Brevity? Read some Isaac Asimov, there's a writer who is somewhat notorious about this.
At least TV Tropes thinks so.
EDIT That is, if you can learn by reading. Doesn't work for everyone.

I would leave out " he playfully goads her on." and "he nods as she talks.". I don't think it adds much because you'll pick that up from the context.

I will echo this. Said Bookisms are not needed unless necessary, eg: shouted, whispered (and they don't need to be repeated necessarily) as those cannot be picked from the context really. It is OK to use such sometimes, perhaps to for emphasis or perhaps if it is necessary otherwise, but in general you don't need 'em.
As a reader, i find them rather annoying, especially since when they're used, they're often overused.

 

[Daft Fear]

Hey guys, hope this isnt totally OT.

I've come to the conclusion that I'm really terrible at describing things and when I do, its usually drawn out and really messy. I'd like more brevity in my writing and speech. Are there any kinds of writing exercises or tips I should try out? As I often have to make presentations and stuff, this problem is really affecting me at work.

If you're trying to cut down your wordiness… my best suggestion is to try 100-word challenges. Take a writing prompt, either a word, a photo, or a line, and write 100 words with it. If description is your weak point, then take a photo, for example, and try to describe it in 100 words. Be strict about the word count.

Alternately, you can try the two-sentence story, which works essentially the same way as above, but in a much shorter space. Unless you have run-on sentences as whatnot, I guess.

Other than that, reading authors known for their brevity and sparse text might help too.

The classic story I can think of at the moment is Hemingway's "Hills Like White Elephants"—the sparsest story I think I've ever read. Raymond Carver is also pretty good at that kind of writing. See what they accomplish in very few words.

 

[H.Protagonist]

Oh, happy day. Dead Endings has been doing well enough that they're going to print physical copies!

It's been selling steadily (not a ton, but often enough to keep the heart thrilled), and has gotten great reviews, so this year will be Year of the Ghosts.

Where do you publish? Amazon?

I'm curious. I'd write it if it made me some decent $$$

Doooooo eeeeeeeet, T. I will be your first customer. \[-_-]/



Welcome, btw, EulaCapra, Rankun, Maron, Beaniedude~ Lots of new faces.

 

[AngmarsKing701]

Oh, happy day. Dead Endings has been doing well enough that they're going to print physical copies!

It's been selling steadily (not a ton, but often enough to keep the heart thrilled), and has gotten great reviews, so this year will be Year of the Ghosts.






Doooooo eeeeeeeet, T. I will be your first customer. [-_-]/



Welcome, btw, EulaCapra, Rankun, Maron, Beaniedude~ Lots of new faces.

That is fantastic news!

Spoiler

I'm jelly

 

[Elfforkusu]

In American English, punctuation goes within quotation marks. In British, it gets a bit more complicated and depends on whether or not it was part of the original quotation.

I write in American English, more or less. But this is one rule I refuse to follow.

If it's not part of the quotation, it shouldn't go inside the quote. And that's the bottom line!

e: Though thinking about, it do roll with the comma inside the quote block, even if it doesn't belong. But that's my one nod to conformity. If it changes the meaning of the quote (! or ?), it doesn't go inside the quotation marks.

 

[Mike M]

I write in American English, more or less. But this is one rule I refuse to follow.

If it's not part of the quotation, it shouldn't go inside the quote. And that's the bottom line!

I don't make the rules, I'm just relaying them.

Personally I prefer the American style if only because "this looks so much more 'sloppy'!"

e: Though thinking about, it do roll with the comma inside the quote block, even if it doesn't belong. But that's my one nod to conformity. If it changes the meaning of the quote (! or ?), it doesn't go inside the quotation marks.

The comma goes inside regardless of American or British.

 

[Elfforkusu]

Well, there you have it!

All hail the queen's english!

 

[H.Protagonist]

That is fantastic news!

Spoiler

I'm jelly

Thanks, yo. Been hoping to join you physical guys for a while now. Now that my work is done I can focus a bit more on the fun promo stuff too. Wahey.

Anything new on your end? Promotion finds, new ideas, new book plans?

 

[toddhunter]

Now that my work is done I can focus a bit more on the fun promo stuff too.

....

Oh "promo". Yeah you need to do the fun promo stuff.

 

[AngmarsKing701]

Thanks, yo. Been hoping to join you physical guys for a while now. Now that my work is done I can focus a bit more on the fun promo stuff too. Wahey.

Anything new on your end? Promotion finds, new ideas, new book plans?

One year anniversary for Ahvarra's publication is coming up in March, so I'll be running another sale. I really need to look at how the Goodreads giveaways work, but I've been buried with my real job the last couple weeks. I have managed to squeeze in more writing time on the second book. Plan is to have the draft of it ready for beta readers this year.

 

[Conkersbadfurday]

So I've spent the last twenty or so days on a fifth draft of my book, and now I'm calling it done. Measures 132,128 words!

Now I get to play the "try and find an agent" game.

 

[H.Protagonist]

....

Oh "promo". Yeah you need to do the fun promo stuff.

Is it not fun...? I love writing little blogs and thinking up random ways to get the word out.

One year anniversary for Ahvarra's publication is coming up in March, so I'll be running another sale. I really need to look at how the Goodreads giveaways work, but I've been buried with my real job the last couple weeks. I have managed to squeeze in more writing time on the second book. Plan is to have the draft of it ready for beta readers this year.

Sounds like a year full of potential. Second book underway and celebrations for the first. Anniversaries are a great way to push sale stuff. CosmicB is a GoodReads pro, I think, so check with him? Maybe you could also commission some character art or scenery art for it? The visual stuff really has been a boon for DE.

 

[toddhunter]

Is it not fun...? I love writing little blogs and thinking up random ways to get the word out.

Yeah I just did a double take at the word promo and ... Lets move on

Awesome work, congrats!

So I've spent the last twenty or so days on a fifth draft of my book, and now I'm calling it done. Measures 132,128 words!

Now I get to play the "try and find an agent" game.

Best of luck!

 

[timetokill]

Oh, happy day. Dead Endings has been doing well enough that they're going to print physical copies!

Hell yeah! great work!

 

[Elfforkusu]

Oh, happy day. Dead Endings has been doing well enough that they're going to print physical copies!

Totally skipped past this paragraph.

That's pretty neat! Congrats!

 

[Delio]

Oh, happy day. Dead Endings has been doing well enough that they're going to print physical copies!

It's been selling steadily (not a ton, but often enough to keep the heart thrilled), and has gotten great reviews, so this year will be Year of the Ghosts. .

Omg yes! Congrats

 

[Timu]

Oh, happy day. Dead Endings has been doing well enough that they're going to print physical copies!

It's been selling steadily (not a ton, but often enough to keep the heart thrilled), and has gotten great reviews, so this year will be Year of the Ghosts.

That is epic, congrats!!!

 

[cosmicblizzard]

Congrats H Pro!

 

[H.Protagonist]

Yeah I just did a double take at the word promo and ... Lets move on

Awesome work, congrats!



Best of luck!

Haha. Thanks, todd. Almost there!

Hell yeah! great work!

They saw your review and couldn't say no.

Totally skipped past this paragraph.

That's pretty neat! Congrats!

Thanks, man. It's another step forward. ^_^

Omg yes! Congrats

Cheers, D. You'd better be working on yours...

That is epic, congrats!!!

I can't wait to kill spiders with it!

Congrats H Pro!

Thanks, cosmic!

 

[cosmicblizzard]

Second book is live! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Cover art again for the new page:

So yeah, go and give it a look everybody!

 

[cosmicblizzard]

And in the same 24 hour time-span, the third book has been completed!

Final word count: 76,242

My shortest book to date, but probably also the tightest and best-paced.

In exactly two weeks, I'm gonna start editing it. Exactly one month after that, I'll get started on my fourth book, which will be the continuation of the second one released earlier today.

 

[Ghost_Messiah]

So something pretty amazing happened that might re-energise my previously dormant writing career. I met a science fiction author through a mutual friend. She's had several books published and a long twenty year career in writing science fiction. We clicked instantly because I'm also a hardcore science fiction writer and when I told her about my difficulty in landing any work or real progression she offered to help.

She asked to read some writing samples of my work so yesterday I attached the best work I've ever produced to a message and sent it to her. She said she's going to generate what will hopefully be some uplifting, positive and supportive feedback and she said if she thinks the work is any good she might forward it on to her agent. Meaning give it a week or so and I could theoretically and possibly have a literary agent soon.

I tried for years to get one and thus far it has alluded me. Hoping his works!

 

[AngmarsKing701]

So something pretty amazing happened that might re-energise my previously dormant writing career. I met a science fiction author through a mutual friend. She's had several books published and a long twenty year career in writing science fiction. We clicked instantly because I'm also a hardcore science fiction writer and when I told her about my difficulty in landing any work or real progression she offered to help.

She asked to read some writing samples of my work so yesterday I attached the best work I've ever produced to a message and sent it to her. She said she's going to generate what will hopefully be some uplifting, positive and supportive feedback and she said if she thinks the work is any good she might forward it on to her agent. Meaning give it a week or so and I could theoretically and possibly have a literary agent soon.

I tried for years to get one and thus far it has alluded me. Hoping his works!

Fortuitous!

 

[Cowlick]

So, I wrote a novel last year. First draft, at least. Gave it a second draft, but it needs far more work than that. But the moment 2015 rolled around, it found itself on the back burner while I work on a new novel.

Write a novel a year. That’s my goal. But I'm not sure what to do: Double down on editing Novel #1 – and use it to attempt finding an agent – or finish writing Novel #2?

Spoiler

Or clone myself so I can do both?

 

[Conkersbadfurday]

So, I wrote a novel last year. First draft, at least. Gave it a second draft, but it needs far more work than that. But the moment 2015 rolled around, it found itself on the back burner while I work on a new novel.

Write a novel a year. That’s my goal. But I'm not sure what to do: Double down on editing Novel #1 – and use it to attempt finding an agent – or finish writing Novel #2?

Spoiler

Or clone myself so I can do both?

I'm big into seeing a project through to the end. How long do you think it'll take to write your second book? Maybe write that then go and edit the first one?

 

[NipplesAndToes23]

snip

 

[Ghost_Messiah]

Fortuitous!

Thank you! I'll post an update in this thread when she responds with the feedback.

So, I wrote a novel last year. First draft, at least. Gave it a second draft, but it needs far more work than that. But the moment 2015 rolled around, it found itself on the back burner while I work on a new novel.

Write a novel a year. That’s my goal. But I'm not sure what to do: Double down on editing Novel #1 – and use it to attempt finding an agent – or finish writing Novel #2?

Spoiler

Or clone myself so I can do both?

Finish what you started. Edit the first book until it's pristine so you have a completed first novel under your belt and then shift over to the new project. I've jumped between multiple projects for years and that way nothing ever gets finished in completed form. Once the editing is done and the work is completed you'll feel amazing and have a fresh mind to work on a new story.

Let us know what you decide and good luck!

 

[Conkersbadfurday]

Finish what you started. Edit the first book until it's pristine so you have a completed first novel under your belt and then shift over to the new project. I've jumped between multiple projects for years and that way nothing ever gets finished in completed form. Once the editing is done and the work is completed you'll feel amazing and have a fresh mind to work on a new story.

Let us know what you decide and good luck!

I dunno. I just got done editing my novel and I don't really feel amazing. I felt damn good when the first draft was done, but the editing process was a huge bitch. I guess I feel relieved more than anything. FINALLY I can start on some other projects!

 

[victreeb3l]

See how little description you can get away with. The problem might be that you give an unnecessary level of detail.

Focus more on what the reader needs to understand about a given thing, and worry less about explicitly describing events.

I definitely do. I think I also dont know enough adjectives, so I go halfway around the world trying to describe something. I rely too much on abstract hand motions and sounds to get my point across which doesnt translate well into writing at all.

If you're trying to cut down your wordiness… my best suggestion is to try 100-word challenges. Take a writing prompt, either a word, a photo, or a line, and write 100 words with it. If description is your weak point, then take a photo, for example, and try to describe it in 100 words. Be strict about the word count.

Alternately, you can try the two-sentence story, which works essentially the same way as above, but in a much shorter space. Unless you have run-on sentences as whatnot, I guess.

Other than that, reading authors known for their brevity and sparse text might help too.

The classic story I can think of at the moment is Hemingway's "Hills Like White Elephants"—the sparsest story I think I've ever read. Raymond Carver is also pretty good at that kind of writing. See what they accomplish in very few words.

Thanks, I'll give those exercises a shot! I may also have a problem really focusing on what it is that I'm trying to describe. I've been trying to just slow down and really thinking about what it is that I want to say.

Brevity? Read some Isaac Asimov, there's a writer who is somewhat notorious about this.
At least TV Tropes thinks so.
EDIT That is, if you can learn by reading. Doesn't work for everyone.

I'll give it a shot, thanks!