Writers' discussion thread

[Shinigami357]

First things first, there's a legit guide for writers here, so if you're starting out or are confused with the whole act of writing, that would be the best place to start.

Anyway, I wanted to start a discussion thread. Whether you're writing something for school, writing as a hobby, writing seriously [considering publication, perhaps?] or, um, writing something for someone else, as long as you're serious about writing, then welcome. Whether you write poems, stories, essays, blogs, school articles, or whatever, if you need somewhere to discuss it, come on in. If you want to rant, brag, ask for help/opinions, or just take some time to talk to other people who write on your quest for literary perfection [there's such a thing?] hopefully this thread can help you.

...​

So, to start with, let me just say, sometimes I hate myself. Because of my own stubbornness, I've been forced to put my first story on hiatus at chapter 8. What happened is this: the story was doing just fine, getting along at 30k words for the first 7 chapters, and then this twisted idea gets into my head to make chapter 8, of all things, a love story. Just to be clear, the whole story is horror [with a side of drama for the backstory], and the first 7 chapters followed this no-BS straightforward horror template to a tee. Now, I'm stuck trying to write a chapter that I have no clue how to write [I mean, romance, for crying out loud!].To make matters worse, the next 3 chapters are all lined up in my head, waiting for this roadblock to take care of itself, and this story would have been finished within 4 months without the hiatus.

If you're wondering why I don't just start the chapter over, it's because, for one, my crazy hunches and ideas have made the story alright so far. Second, it's because I believe that if you put enough of a twist into any story, you can turn it into a horror story [which was the point of chapter 8 in the first place]. Hopefully, one of these days an idea falls out of the sky [that's where some of my best ideas come from] and gets this thing done.

It's not a complete loss, though, since it's given me time to shift my focus to an alternate story. It's doing fine [unless *knock on wood* some twisted idea gets into my head again] so far, I think. This is prob coz 1-it's not horror [a mish-mash of the premise of the once-great Heroes in a dystopian setting a la Hunger Games or Battle Royale] which is a breath of fresh air; and 2-I'm more at peace with myself when writing overall, so that helps.


PS
I somehow miss writing poems. Did that a lot during high school, when there was just enough time to write line after line, then stanza after stanza. I kinda stopped after noticing that after 4 poems, I didn't even get one reaction from the girl I wrote them for.

I should consider tying this up with my story-writing, I think. There's definitely a way to get it in there. Hmmm...

...​

Anyway, that's all for now. What's up with the rest of our fellows who follow the path of the written [typed?] word?

 

[KingdomBlade]

Writing.

I take pride in writing aphorisms, profound, slightly poetic statements about life and stuff. Though I find it quite difficult since in my situation, being a 14 year old means my experience is limited.

While lack of experience does not stifle creativity, experience can help to improve the product as a whole.

Not many people actually take interest in it though.

Here's the ones I've written at the time being.. I haven't written one in a while though.

Spoiler

Opposites attracting is puzzling, but like a puzzle all of the pieces fit together.

I like smiling. Why? Because I can.

Excuse my French as I excuse your English.

Break a leg, but don't break both of them.

Power is a fire that ignites us, but turns us into ashes eventually.

If I have 2 apples and you have 3 apples, why don't we just eat some apples?

We live to do everything and we do everything to live.

The only difference between the view from the peak of a mountain and the view from a helicopter is how you got there.

Enlightenment cannot be achieved by knowing what the world is, it can be achieved by knowing what the world is to you.

The most beautiful thing in the world is nothing.

A drop of water that goes into a river flows into the ocean.

The only good thing that never ends is goodness itself.

Giving does nothing and everything at the same time.

Peace and freedom cannot coexist without acceptance.

When too many people call something overrated, it becomes underrated.

A promise is not a promise if it was meant to be broken.

Even if we have survived dinosaurs and floods, we find it difficult to survive each other.

Don't look back or you will find yourself where you were before.

We say that a penguin is a bird that cannot fly, but we never say that a dove is a bird that cannot swim.

Nothing can define your life but you.

Even the best explorer needs directions.

Saying 'why take a bath if you get dirty anyway?' is like saying 'why live if you die anyway?'

If no news is good news, there's still great news.

Love can move mountains but not molehills.

The opposite of death is not life, it's birth.

There are more things to do with lemons than making lemonade.

Tissues take away tears but they don't stop the crying.

Desperation is better than indifference.

A lamp does nothing if you don't know where you're going.

The world is your oyster, but remember to open the shell.

As for fiction, I find that short sketches work for me the most, since I'm not one to make long stories. However, I can make a longer story if I feel like it.

 

[Shinigami357]

Those are pretty good aphorisms... Sometimes one pops into my head, and usually ends up in my tumblr or twitter, LOL. Not my forte though. And I somehow end up sounding too preachy when I do come up with one.

PS
Remember, experience only counts in RPGs.


How's that for an aphorism?

EDIT:
Typo. Damn.

 

[Raika]

Gonna be writing A LOT of stories in future. But I'm only good at writing stories with dark themes, not those cheerful ones with happy endings. My mind is full of darkness. >:

Any tips on how to expand my writing style? Or should I just stick with dark and sinister themes all the way? :\

 

[Shinigami357]

Gonna be writing A LOT of stories in future. But I'm only good at writing stories with dark themes, not those cheerful ones with happy endings. My mind is full of darkness. >:

Any tips on how to expand my writing style? Or should I just stick with dark and sinister themes all the way? :\

Hmmm... I started like that, too. I believe one can tell from the fact I'm writing one horror story and another in a dystopian setting, LOL.

IMHO, it won't hurt to get at least a little neutrality into it. It's generally the thought of light that breaks us when we are wrapped in darkness [profound much?]. I guess you can say it's the reason there are so many stories with twists in them, where a good situation turns bad [or a bad situation gets way worse]. Also, expanding your horizons is helpful, because you never know if you will need it somehow [like me, stuck coz of one chapter I don't yet know how to write].

That said, there's absolutely nothing wrong with dark and sinister themes. Each person writes what speaks to them. Best of luck there.

 

[KingdomBlade]

Those are pretty good aphorisms... Sometimes one pops into my head, and usually ends up in my tumblr or twitter, LOL. Not my forte though. And I somehow end up sounding too preachy when I do come up with one.

PS
Remember, experience only counts in RPGs.


How's that for an aphorism?

To be truthful? It's not really that insightful.

It's witty though, it's more of a one liner than an aphorism.

 

[Shinigami357]

Haha. Well, can't blame me for trying. At least I didn't go with "age is just a number", which is invariably cliche now.

 

[Sterling]

My advice for the Love Story trouble you're having is to go read a little. As you advised in the last thread, many times if you're having trouble, someone else's form and prose will inspire you.

I haven't written in awhile neither. I'm more of an action oriented writer. I can put a image of a fight scene, or flight scene in your mind better than most. I've been trying to get a clear Horror writing style since I recently got into that genre myself.

 

[Nujui]

I've been doing more detailed stuff...

Like this Professor Layton thing.

Spoiler

Autumn leaves are falling from the trees as people around London go about their daily lives, though the children of London are looking forward to the Autumn Fair. Every year you could always hear the children playing around in the crimson leaves, hearing the crackle of leaves as children piled into them.

"Reminds me of when I was a young gentleman" Said Professor Layton as he took another sip of his tea. He was watching Luke, his apprentice, playing with the other children.

"Ah, I always look forward to this tea. It's the annual autumn tea made with pumpkin species and maple to add a certain fragrance to it that I'm just drawn too."

As he took another sip of his tea, Luke came running towards him.

"Are you having fun Luke?" Asked Professor Layton.

"Of course I am, professor!" Luke said with a grin. "I just came to sit down and relax bit. I'm a bit tired out."

"Well then sit down and have some pumpkin bread. You can't expect me to eat all of this by myself."

Luke took a seat as he reached out to get a piece of pumpkin bread. "The fair…(munch) is tomorrow….(munch) right Professor?"

"Now Luke, it's very rude to eat while talking."

Luke gulped down his remaining bread and said "I'm sorry professor; I'm just excited for the fair tomorrow."

"It seems so," said Layton with a giggle "I remember the first time I went to the fair. It was the most wonderful experience I've ever had, though….."

"Though what, Professor?" Said Luke as he stuffed another piece of bread in his mouth.

"Well, during one of my times at the fair, there was a terrible tragedy that occur there. Involving someone being killed."

"What happened Professor?"

"I…..very much appreciate it if you not ask me Luke, I lost someone….very dear to me that day. I don't want to relive it again.

"Oh, sorry professor. I was just curious."

"No, it's not your fault. I peaked your curiosity with what I said, but please I would be very grateful if you didn't speak of it."

"Alright professor." Said Luke "How about we talk about something else?"

As the two were talking and eating, Layton looked at his watch. It was 6 pm.

"Well Luke, I think it's high time we seat off for home. It's getting late, and I don't think you want to be sleepy during the fair?"

"I wouldn't dream of it!" Said Luke as he picked up his bag. "Come on then, I want to go to sleep early. I want to get a fresh start in the morning!"

Luke and Layton went into the car and drove back home. As they were driving, they stopped at a red light. As Layton was waiting for it to turn green, he looked out his window and saw to little kids playing by a tree, one a boy, the other a girl. Layton was so transfixed on them that he didn't notice the light turn green until someone honked there horn.

"Come on!" Said the annoyed driver, "I don't have time for this!"

Layton jerked his attention back onto the road and proceeded to drive again.

"Are you alright professor?" asked Luke.

"Yes…I'm quite all right. I was just.. remembering old times is all."

Luke wasn't buying the fact that he was alright. He thought that he must be remembering the tragedy that happen, "It's better that I don't bother him" Said Luke in his head.

But inside Layton's head was something more than just a thought.

Not much, but something.

 

[Shinigami357]

My advice for the Love Story trouble you're having is to go read a little. As you advised in the last thread, many times if you're having trouble, someone else's form and prose will inspire you.

I haven't written in awhile neither. I'm more of an action oriented writer. I can put a image of a fight scene, or flight scene in your mind better than most. I've been trying to get a clear Horror writing style since I recently got into that genre myself.

I've been trying that, with limited success, partly because love stories bore me to sleep. So, instead, I'm incorporating a sort-of-but-not-quite love story angle on the story I'm working on now [btw, what story based on a dystopian setting doesn't have a love story angle anyway?].

You're considering writing horror? That's cool. Give it time, I think you'll take to it easily, because the attention to the smallest things that action-oriented writing demands is invaluable in horror [or at least to the style of horror I'm used to].

By the way, one of these days we should try rounding up all of the Temp's writers and make a short story collection. Haha, that would be fun.

 

[Nujui]

My advice for the Love Story trouble you're having is to go read a little. As you advised in the last thread, many times if you're having trouble, someone else's form and prose will inspire you.

I haven't written in awhile neither. I'm more of an action oriented writer. I can put a image of a fight scene, or flight scene in your mind better than most. I've been trying to get a clear Horror writing style since I recently got into that genre myself.

How's this for horror?

Spoiler

How am I suppose to live in this....place.....I can't........control myself...no matter what I do, these voices in my head, they keep telling me to kill her....she's too pretty to say alive. She'll currupt others...like she did me...

Those thoughts rang through my head as I picked up the knife with her tied up in the chair. I keep walking around in circles trying to think straight , but reailty keeps changing, everything keep changing, the carpet looks clean one second, but then a big pool of blood replaces it. The panitings keep chaning from the beautful pieces of art they once were into horrific monstrosities. I have to do something, or else I'll fade into this world, and I may not come back... I'm sorry little girl, but.....

I pick up the knife as things keep going in and out of focus, I put it to her neck....

And then nothing.... As I wake up in this cementary, I remember nothing of the events that took place there...but I think I have a pretty good idea, with the blood spatter on my shirt and the bloody knife in my hand.

 

[Sterling]

That particular scene sounds like it's a thriller. It's out of context. Something like this:

Spoiler

The last house by the dead end. The place where I live. Two stories of pure hatred and malice of such force it corrupts anyone who dares to tame it. Thirteen murders, Thirteen suicides, Thirteen, Thirteen. The number of misfortune The number of death. The number stands ever so prevalent, ever so dark on the plaque of the address. I haven't gone crazy... yet. I've seen things lurking in this house that are worse than even the demons that haunt every man's heart. Yet, I stay. Inheritance is inheritance.

should lead up to your passage.

EDIT:
Should we start a 'temp writers' guild? People who are approved can review other's works and stuff. Perhaps start a few 'temp writing projects than anyone in the guild can edit and improve?

 

[Sterling]

dammit double posts.

 

[Nujui]

That particular scene sounds like it's a thriller. It's out of context. Something like this:

Spoiler

The last house by the dead end. The place where I live. Two stories of pure hatred and malice of such force it corrupts anyone who dares to tame it. Thirteen murders, Thirteen suicides, Thirteen, Thirteen. The number of misfortune The number of death. The number stands ever so prevalent, ever so dark on the plaque of the address. I haven't gone crazy... yet. I've seen things lurking in this house that are worse than even the demons that haunt every man's heart. Yet, I stay. Inheritance is inheritance.

should lead up to your passage.

Lol, I know. I'm not one for horror. I just tried is all.

 

[Sterling]

It isn't bad by any means. I can see the potential for a great horror story there. It just seems out of context because it's only an excerpt.

 

[Nujui]

It isn't bad by any means. I can see the potential for a great horror story there. It just seems out of context because it's only an excerpt.

I was going for the guy doing that and as he went walking through this other world, he starts to remember what led up to him killing that girl, while finding more people that had also lost their memories of a certain event. The girl would be the key part of the story.

 

[Raika]

Should we start a 'temp writers' guild? People who are approved can review other's works and stuff. Perhaps start a few 'temp writing projects than anyone in the guild can edit and improve?

I like this idea. But there aren't that many writers on this site from what I can see.

 

[Sterling]

Should we start a 'temp writers' guild? People who are approved can review other's works and stuff. Perhaps start a few 'temp writing projects than anyone in the guild can edit and improve?

I like this idea. But there aren't that many writers on this site from what I can see.

There are many writers on this forum. However, there isn't much incentive to participate. If we get this rolling, perhaps there could be incentive.

 

[Shinigami357]

Should we start a 'temp writers' guild? People who are approved can review other's works and stuff. Perhaps start a few 'temp writing projects than anyone in the guild can edit and improve?

I like this idea. But there aren't that many writers on this site from what I can see.

There are many writers on this forum. However, there isn't much incentive to participate. If we get this rolling, perhaps there could be incentive.

He has a point. After all, the majority of the forum is based on words, so there should be some of us who have at least some willingness to explore writing further. Let's see if we can find enough of us.

PS
Just somehow thought up another tip for the guide. Check it at your leisure.

 

[Recorderdude]

I'm not a big writer, but a few of KB's contests (Steam Gives) and thread ideas (minor char stories in EOF) have opened me up to it a little more. I've never been the best at serious writing, though I love comedy, and, when writing, attempt to be as descriptive as possible with my stuff. I try and keep the reader guessing for the joke as long as possible before revealing too much to give it away.

Here's some brief "dark comedy" stories I've written for such things that sort of follow the same theme. Maybe I'll try other stuff sooner or later.

Spoiler

Julian had awakened from his deep slumber. He stretched his feet out, and began patrolling his assigned area. Should he see his enemy, he was to charge forward ruthlessly, and attack with no holds barred. He marched back and forth for hours, and began to feel quite weak from the repetitive and never-ending motion.

Then, HE appeared.

The ultimate enemy. The one who had killed millions of his bretheren. This fiend had to perish.

Julian charged forward rapidly at the murderous monster, and was ready to attack, but just then, the monster rose up into the air with a mighty bound.

Julian gasped in horror as he saw the shadow of the beast descend upon his mortal body.

And then, he felt it.

Julian felt a large foot pressing upon his soft, fragile body. His internal organs spewed out and his skeletal structure collapsed. He screamed in pain, but his cries and his pain were soon ended by the sweet release of death. Yet another victim to the bounding beast.




Mario walked away with one hundred more points than he had before.

and a longer/better one:

Spoiler

The "pleasant pastures" bar was dark, murky and miserable as ever tonight. Within its cold, hard, dust-ridden walls, a group of grizzled old palace knights sat and guzzled down beer after beer. They should have been guarding their new ruler's residence from something, but they cared not about that. Instead, they turned to their only friends; themselves, the quiet and ever-busy bartender, and their drinks.

It was then that a Young man burst into the bar in a panic.

The man seemed to be about twenty-one of age, of considerable cleanliness and decent appearance. He dashed towards the drunks in a rush and found his face planted into the beer gut of the largest, known "John Dodson" or simply "Staggerin' John", a name acquired from the many, many nights he had staggered out of the bar in a drunken stupor.

"Death...warrior...no...mercy...", the young man jitterishly uttered.

"Whoa, pal...slow...slow down there" John mumbled in a nearly inaudible slur. Surely the beer he was clutching was not his first tonight.'What...what are you so worry...worried about?"

Gathering himself together, the man began to talk in a clearer tone.

"My name is Harold Morris", he began. "However, that is of no importance. You must all listen to what I am saying and run for your lives shortly after".

The drunken bums chuckled at the prospect of something truly frightening occuring in their worthless slum town.

"L-L-LISTEN TO ME!" Harold shouted nervously in an attempt to attract attention.

The men quieted themselves and listened more intently.

"Listen, and listen well. There is an infamous warrior who has been rumored to be headed for our town. He is a ruthless beast who has destroyed the lives of many."

"Sounds like my wife", chuckled Staggerin' John. The others chimed in guffawing loudly in a drunken chorus.

"I SAID LISTEN!" Harold screamed once again.

They quieted down once more.

"This warrior is, however, different from most. He is the most barbaric man has ever known. He slays his enemies ruthlessly, and, when they have been defeated, he CONSUMES THEIR HEARTS.

Once again, the men burst into drunken guffaws. This time, Mel, the bartender joined in.

"I'M BEING SERIOUS!" Harold yelled out as he smashed a bottle on a table to command attention once more.

The men stopped immediately.

"Good.", Harold said quietly. "NOW, listen to me, you MUST know how to save yourself from this monster. If a teenaged boy wearing a green suit should come into this bar, smashing practically any container he should find, get out, then and there. If you do not, you will have but one saving grace. Pray that...Chickens are near."

At this point, the men lost it. They fell over on their sides, laughing uncontrollably. "So wait.", began Staggerin' John, you're saying that some kid wearing green clothes is gonna walk in here, break all the pots, and consume our HEARTS? and our only hope is CHICKENS?" "AHAHAHAHAHAHAAA!". They all returned to their laughter.

As they laughed, a chill ran down harold's spine. He heard grunts, and they were coming closer.

"No...not now...", he said, shaking and trembling in a corner.

Suddenly, the door burst open. There stood a young man in green.

"EEyah!" "huh!" "waaaaaaah!", he screamed. The men turned around.




Link happily walked out of the bar, having defeated three evil knights and gaining three hearts and ten rupees.

so yeah, maybe I'll do more of this in the future. I really love animation and music the most, though you often need a strong story to power those as well

.