Elfforkusu
Member
Better example is probably every summer action movie in forever.
-
Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.
The Writing-GAF Mega Thread
- Thread starter 1stStrike
- Start date
- Status
Let me tell you about the process that is NaNoWriMo
toddhunter
Member
However good it is now, it'll be even better at 1116 words so just keep going.
....ok maybe not if that word is "irregardless" but I'm sure you'll think of something good.
What's life without a little challenge? Trust me. Come December 1st, you'll look back and go: wait, how did I just write most of a novel? Did I really do that? Damn. I did do it. Awesome!
Elfforkusu
Member
"Most of a novel I'm going to turn around and set on fire", more realistically.
But you should do it anyway! Even if you can only salvage half of what you write, that's still a large slice of a novel written in only a month.
tiggerkiddo
Member
Everyone owes it to themselves to try NaNoWriMo at least once.
I tried Nano back in 2010 and 2011 but last year in 2013 is the 1st time I succeeded in completing a novel before the end of the month, and I'm looking to do the same for this years within a few months.=p
Petit Melon
Member
NaNo is what got me into writing "high" word counts daily. I was able to complete a 120K manuscript this summer thanks to NaNo helping me turn off my inner critic. It's a lot easier to edit after the fact than it is slaving away one sentence a time.
I was never in the habit of writing nonsense to get the word count up like some people in the local NaNo chapter did, though.
I was never in the habit of writing nonsense to get the word count up like some people in the local NaNo chapter did, though.
Yup. Trying it once is something I always recommend.
Just noticed this thread.
I'm aiming to be a writer, but I'm not sure how to get going. Most guides give unspecific advice on improving pre-existing writing, when I want something like writing exercises from easy to hard to get me started on writing. Can you guys offer me anything?
I'm aiming to be a writer, but I'm not sure how to get going. Most guides give unspecific advice on improving pre-existing writing, when I want something like writing exercises from easy to hard to get me started on writing. Can you guys offer me anything?
Write plenty.
Read plenty.
Participate in reading, critiquing, writing, in the poetry, creative writing, and nanowrimo threads. Well... participate in one form or another.
Instead of doing writing exercises to get you started on writing, maybe you should just start writing.
If you're in high school or college, try writing for a student literary magazine or newspaper. Start a blog and do movie- or food reviews. If you have an opportunity to do an internship for school credit, write news- or feature stories for a community newspaper or Web site.
In particular, I think hitting up the Creative Writing Challenge threads would be your best all-around GAF resource. Keeps you writing regularly, keeps you reading regularly, and there's always at least one guy who writes 6000 words of critiques every week
Conkersbadfurday
Member
Planning on finishing my first novel this year. I've edited it three times now, and it's looking pretty solid. One more and I'll be willing to call it "done." Or done in that it'll be good enough to send to agents who can then call it shit.
135 thousand word mix of heroic and high fantasy.
Hoping to go the traditional publication route, though if that winds up failing, self publishing exists.
See what happens.
135 thousand word mix of heroic and high fantasy.
Hoping to go the traditional publication route, though if that winds up failing, self publishing exists.
See what happens.
AngmarsKing701
Member
I third the recommendation for the Creative Writing Challenge threads! Great way to practice your writing and read a variety of styles. Here's the current one if you want to check it out.
Conkersbadfurday
Member
My problem with self publishing is that since literally anyone can do it, it means nothing.
Plus, I've always wanted to walk into a book store and see something of mine on a shelf. I can think of no greater high in the world.
But, if I can't get it publish published for one reason or another, then I'll self publish it. Something is better than nothing.
toythatkills
Member
People in this thread saying "do NaNoWriMo!" are really tempting me into doing it, but I don't even know how to write a novel.
I've written hundreds and hundreds of short (very short) stories in a phase where I would write one around 500 words every single day. This phase lasted about three years. It was kind of a challenge to myself more than anything to write every day to see if I had the commitment to do it and yeah, it went okay. Problem with that though is that my brain is so focused on writing that kind of thing that I find long-form writing very difficult. I kind of just get to the point and am done really quickly.
I'm still tempted though, I need to look for some guides and tips for planning a novel!
Conkersbadfurday
Member
I'd say find an idea big enough to fit into a novel and then just start. Seemed to work for me anyways
I'd say find an idea big enough to fit into a novel and then just start. Seemed to work for me anyways
Just a note on this, and not so much a contradiction. When you say a big enough idea, it's not the idea itself that needs to be "big." Since we're on a gaming site, I feel a need to say this, since so many games feel an inexplicable need to try and tell the (exact same) biggest story idea ever of a dude saving the entire universe.
Something relatively small on the grand scheme of things, such as a man who gets in an argument with his father could be a big enough idea provided you have a lot to say on the subject.
Conkersbadfurday
Member
Oh for sure. I meant big in terms of page space, not epic scope. But I can see why that needs to be said
H.Protagonist
[-_-]/
Short story deadline: Sept. 15
Started last night, 4,915 words in, ~2 hours left in America before midnight.
Yeeeehaaaaaaaw
Started last night, 4,915 words in, ~2 hours left in America before midnight.
Yeeeehaaaaaaaw
Blargonaut
Banned
Fine Ham Abounds
Member
I had a nightmare about NaNo this weekend for some reason, clear out of the blue. I dunno why I'm already thinking about it.
I've failed miserably two straight years now, I dunno if I have it in me to try again, though I'm sure I could pull of the failing.
The only things that come to me anymore are small stories, private and intimate, rarely about familiar places, often with utterly alien characters, but also nonsensical, abstract, dreamlike. It's the kind of thing I'm confident I can't do well, and even more confident is not what I've ever actually wanted to write, but I think I could at least do quickly and consistently.
I've failed miserably two straight years now, I dunno if I have it in me to try again, though I'm sure I could pull of the failing.
The only things that come to me anymore are small stories, private and intimate, rarely about familiar places, often with utterly alien characters, but also nonsensical, abstract, dreamlike. It's the kind of thing I'm confident I can't do well, and even more confident is not what I've ever actually wanted to write, but I think I could at least do quickly and consistently.
H.Protagonist
[-_-]/
WRITE, WRITE TO RUIN AND THE WORLD'S ENDING
6,021 words, submitted at 11:57 PST.
My eyeballs hurt.
Blargonaut
Banned
timetokill
Banned
so, hey, I don't write much and I just remembered why. does anybody else wake up the day after they wrote something and just loathe what you wrote?
if so, how do you handle it and stick with it?
if so, how do you handle it and stick with it?
No, nobody does that. Writers tend to be egoistical and insensitive. Except me, as you can tell.
However, there is one simple solution to such melancholy. One that also adds to your believability as a writer. The bottle.
cosmicblizzard
Banned
I go through cycles. Sometimes I'm like "wow, someone like ME could write something neat like this?" and then a day later I'm like "this is dreck! I should just give up and burn everything that has this data!"
I still write 500 words a day no matter what mood I'm in. Jogging right before writing helps me because when you're hopped up on cardio-induced adrenaline, you're a lot more lenient on your own ideas and think of neat ways to further flesh them out.
In other news, just passed the 5000 word mark for novel 3. Not much has happened beyond character introductions and some general plot musings, but I'm making progress. Might even be able to finish a good chunk of this before I get my second book out.
timetokill
Banned
before, during, or after writing? or all three? I love bourbon so I can do this.
congrats on the progress you're making! sounds good to just make sure you write something every day regardless. and exercise isn't a bad idea either. I could use it anyway.
All three, of course.
Master Milk
Member
The more I work on this nano thing, the more I don't want to work on this nano thing.
I wanted to be done by the end of the month, but that's not looking likely.
I wanted to be done by the end of the month, but that's not looking likely.
toddhunter
Member
I only drink during... it gets pretty bad. Or maybe that is pretty good, I always forget after.
So write a collection of small stories and make them NaNo's word count. NaNo isn't "just novels" as they say.
So long as you do the 1,667 words per day, you should be able to hit it in the month.
Conkersbadfurday
Member
Yeah. It's a bitch when you're on draft two or three of a book and going, "oh. all of it sucks for now and forever and what am I doing with my life?"
Then the next day it's all fine because my headspace is different.
But as others said: drinking helps! I figure if I want to be the next Hemingway i need to drink like him. Can't really figure out what comes next though.
Constantly.
Just realize it's not really true, I guess. Or here, listen to four professional writers answer the question: http://www.writingexcuses.com/2013/...-the-internal-heckler-vs-the-internal-editor/
timetokill
Banned
That was a good listen, thanks Cyan.
Well, morning crisis averted. Thanks everyone.
Well, morning crisis averted.
Thanks everyone.show me your skeleton
Member
so is there any help for someone that can't come up with plot ideas? like i have a world, places, history, creatures, species, characters etc... i just don't know what to do with them. seems like i shouldn't try to write, haha.
Just dig up some forgotten B-films and copy them mercilessly. Execution is the trick.
show me your skeleton
Member
Plot? Just make something happen, have the characters react to it as a jumping off point.
Your question specifically addressed the concepts(plot, places, characters), not the execution.
No matter. Do your part and then send the raw material to me. I'll write ya a story you can show your distant transsexual cousin with pride.
We'll talk about the selling rights and other nonsense later.
Start with the basics. One of your characters wants something a lot. This person is your protagonist. Something, or someone, is preventing them from getting it (the someone would be your antagonist). Try/fail cycles occur, where the character tries to get what they want and fails, several times, trying different things each time and usually escalating the conflict in the process. Ultimately, they finally try and succeed (or try and fail for good).
show me your skeleton
Member
i feel like i should plan though, the 'book' i have so far has multiple characters in a few different places and they need to have something happen that ties them together or otherwise it's all a bit pointless.
hmm, maybe i am out of my depth with this idea.
this is definitely the basics that i'm missing. i think i need to focus on this flow of ideas on one character first, at least, then see whether i can introduce other characters, all with their own motives etc, in to a larger plot.
Conkersbadfurday
Member
If you have all of that down then awesome! Now think of something to disrupt the daily flow of whatever your place is. Could be big, could be small, could be anything. Just give the characters something to do. Or just start writing about them and see if they stumble upon a narrative themselves.
Elfforkusu
Member
Hey writing GAF, do you know what time it is?
That's right, BILLBOARDING TIME!!!
Wrath of Flight is up in the kindle store!
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NS9FOQK/?tag=neogaf0e-20
It's Fantasy! It's short! It's good! You should totally read it!
That's right, BILLBOARDING TIME!!!
Wrath of Flight is up in the kindle store!
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NS9FOQK/?tag=neogaf0e-20
It's Fantasy! It's short! It's good! You should totally read it!
- Status