The Writing Thread

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Didn't see the edit.
But seriously, I find it impressive that you first say not to take writing advice because writers are too far up their own asses, then proceed to take a day trip up your own rectum to bring us this eternal writing wisdom. Amazing.
There's a very simple explanation for this: It's the furthest thing possible from advice and I'm only telling you because you came here and prompted me to respond to you directly. So there's no discrepancy between the two posts. If you're that offended on behalf of your favorite children's book author that's strictly a you problem.
 
Didn't see the edit.

There's a very simple explanation for this: It's the furthest thing possible from advice and I'm only telling you because you came here and prompted me to respond to you directly. So there's no discrepancy between the two posts. If you're that offended on behalf of your favorite children's book author that's strictly a you problem.
You weren't criticizing Rowling, so why would I be offended on her behalf?

Edit: I think you believe I disagree with you because your writing ethos contradicts Rowling's. I don't. I fundamentally disagree with the postmodern view on art. A messy blob on a canvas is not better than a technically well-executed piece of art simply because the blob meant something to the artist. The quality of a work determines its value, not the supposed meaning behind it.
 
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You weren't criticizing Rowling, so why would I be offended on her behalf?

Edit: I think you believe I disagree with you because your writing ethos contradicts Rowling's. I don't. I fundamentally disagree with the postmodern view on art. A messy blob on a canvas is not better than a technically well-executed piece of art simply because the blob meant something to the artist. The quality of a work determines its value, not the supposed meaning behind it.
But then you gave up on writing because of a youtube video. Why does your opinion on art even matter? It's not about postmodernism or quality or beauty. Art at its core is a prehistoric thing and taking it back to the root of its origin requires a kind of madness that's incompatible with half-assed contemporary notions of entertainment.

When I talk about these things, I'm not really giving writing advice or opinions on art or entertainment; what I do in practice is more along the lines of connecting to the void and letting it spill out through me. The writing part is damn near automatic at this point, after all these years, because I write most of my first drafts by hand. It's the ability to make that connection that's a lost art nowadays in and of itself and the path to making it requires a level of insanity and discipline you clearly can't muster. In fact I don't recommend anyone else does what I do unless they're willing to burn absolutely everything around them to the ground for the sake of this one pursuit.

Though if you do want to talk art, I have no respect for anyone who isn't willing to throw themselves upon the pyre of their own convictions. If you're not willing to go that far you're merely a tourist.
 
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But then you gave up on writing because of a youtube video. Why does your opinion on art even matter?
This is the second wrong inference you've made from a very simple post. Next time I'll save myself the agony and reply to the thread instead of you.
It's not about postmodernism
Your reasons for agreeing with postmodernists are incidental to me.
Welcome to my twisted mind
This is a lot of pretentious nonsense you've constructed to cope with the awareness that you'll probably never publish anything. I understand from everything you've posted that you want your writing to be the opposite of what modern audiences want to read, and what modern publishing deems fit for sale. That could potentially be an interesting thread topic if you'd drop the MySpace Joker act.
Though if you do want to talk art, I have no respect for anyone who isn't willing to throw themselves upon the pyre of their own convictions. If you're not willing to go that far you're merely a tourist.
If I ever want your respect or your personal opinions on art, I'll let you know via DM. I responded to you as a general jumping off point to say something related to the thread, not because I wanted a front row seat to your art lecture.

I'm sure everyone is tired of this discussion by now, so I suggest a compromise: I continue to use the thread because it seems like a nice thread, but will not @ you again. You either use the ignore button or employ your favorite way to cope: announcing that the person has shallow convictions and just can't understand the prehistoric creative fires that allow you to make your cave paintings. I won't engage you either way.
 
Are there any sites you'd all recommend for self publishing other than AO3? Somethin' about throwing up original fiction and short stories on there feels like it's not quite the play. Especially if it's not smut.
meth or crack, which is a more sustainable habit long-term? I wanna get a new hobby
Meth. Just make sure you're doing the right meth............................................
 
Anyone else get the issue where you sit down to write something, and you make an absolute fuck-ton of progress, but you realize a bit down the line that it's not something that you entirely enjoy and start up a side-project to create something that you "truly" love?

I think my issue is, is that I don't typically write solely for enjoyment; I got a bad habit of focusing entirely on "what's good for the plot" rather than whether or not I actually end up liking it or not. The current storyline I've got storyboarded - which I'm taking a break from for right now to focus on other things - I got pretty much entirely outlined, only to realize that I wasn't really having "fun". I got all of the plot points I wanted to hit, characters that I like, a story I'm genuinely satisfied with... but it wasn't the "destressing" story I had in mind, as it really evolved into a much heavier and more-character/plot-driven experience than what I wanted. Believe me, I'm going to get it written once things settle down on my end, but I also decided to make a smaller side plotline as a fun little project to help me cool off. Granted, I'm not entirely sure what I should be writing for the side project just yet, but... I've got ideas.
 
Yes. The second novel in my current series is dark and upsetting. It's thematically necessary but I really, really don't enjoy writing grimdark. While editing it, I found I had to take a break to write a tie-in novella about a ballerina, and another entry in my fantasy series as a palate cleanser. I've posted it before that I can't maintain being in that headspace, and I understand and empathise why GRRM and Miura has/had trouble closing out their stories.
 
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Yes. The second novel in my current series is dark and upsetting. It's thematically necessary but I really, really don't enjoy writing grimdark. While editing it, I found I had to take a break to write a tie-in novella about a ballerina, and another entry in my fantasy series as a pallet cleanser. I've posted it before that I can't maintain being in that headspace, and I understand and empathise why GRRM and Miura have/had trouble closing out their stories.

My current "big plot" is basically a World of Darkness-style "Urban Fantasy Masquerade" plotline about tracking down a death cult; it started as a parody plotline, taking a massive piss on nihilism, selfish hedonism, and all that "lovely" shit - the cult was basically self-disposing due to the numerous failings of its members, with the MC sorting through the aftermath. As time went on, though, I started adding a LOT more to the overarching plot; the cult itself started getting many more ideas put into it, with multitudes of sub-factions all vying for control in a rather complex underworld, discussions of how their attacks and actions would realistically effect the lives of people both normal and supernatural, that sort of thing.

Issue is... it ended up being a bit too heavy. Not that I've abandoned the lighter tone or more playful elements completely, but it just drifted too far away from the original idea I had in mind for a simpler plot. It's why I decided to create a smaller side-story, albeit still set in the same world; can use what I already made, just in a less depressing storyline. Just need to figure out what to write, exactly...
 
Anyone else get the issue where you sit down to write something, and you make an absolute fuck-ton of progress, but you realize a bit down the line that it's not something that you entirely enjoy and start up a side-project to create something that you "truly" love?
Yes, all of the time. Sometimes I get frustrated with how it comes along, and write a side project, before repeating over and over. It's a bad habit of mine that I'm trying to stop. Due to a lack of confidence, and me being my harshest critic, I do it way too often or wind up scrapping a good portion of the story.
 
Anyone else get the issue where you sit down to write something, and you make an absolute fuck-ton of progress, but you realize a bit down the line that it's not something that you entirely enjoy and start up a side-project to create something that you "truly" love?
Had that happen over the weekend. I put about 7K words into a project and mothballed it for a while. I just looked at it and was so disgusted with it that I immediately deleted it.
 
Had that happen over the weekend. I put about 7K words into a project and mothballed it for a while. I just looked at it and was so disgusted with it that I immediately deleted it.
I had that, my own nihilism bled in too much and completely ruined the chapter I set out to write. Just yielding the most misanthropic and miserable shit possible.
 
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