The Writing Thread

[BrunoMattei]

I have sent my 'beta' works to one of the most prominent magazines in my country, and the reactions were quite different from yours. However, they aren't finished, nor do I feel any urgency to wrap them up

Was it the Penny Saver or something?

 

[del_toid]

Whispers haunt me, still alive.

Her voice guides me through the pain,

Haunted by the scars I bear

I'll mend each scar.

These are the only lines that stand out to me as too heavy with the language. The atmosphere of the poem is mellow enough not to need the directly angsty words I think. I'm not much of a writer though, so take my opinion with a grain if salt lol.

 

[Rungle]

I think that if you do this, it may be better to make OCs otherwise we end up subconsciously having expectations of the characters you're using.

Should I make it an original character, What would the name even be.
I am thinking about just making it a broken follower of Hastur, his visage being an anorexic bald negro man dawning yellow robes with pure white eyes.
Every name I think of sound incredibly cheesy.

 

[Harambe]

I've finished up a comedy-thriller about AI and grand strategy, it's pretty fun! I'm working on a more typical preppy drug novel but written in the style and tone of Ford Madox Ford's The Good Soldier, basically a sort of twisty narration from an unreliable narrator about a bunch of horrible stuff that happened in his life. Pretty fun book. If anyone's interested I would be very willing to read in exchange for someone reading some stuff from my thriller. I'm very interested in seeing more of other peoples' work if they're willing to do the DM thing

 

[Alexander Thaut]

I've finished up a comedy-thriller about AI and grand strategy, it's pretty fun! I'm working on a more typical preppy drug novel but written in the style and tone of Ford Madox Ford's The Good Soldier, basically a sort of twisty narration from an unreliable narrator about a bunch of horrible stuff that happened in his life. Pretty fun book. If anyone's interested I would be very willing to read in exchange for someone reading some stuff from my thriller. I'm very interested in seeing more of other peoples' work if they're willing to do the DM thing

I salute you, madman. The only person I know to have enjoyed Ford was this really old guy that was a Judge and English Prof in his lifetime.

 

[BrunoMattei]

Steinbeck's 6 rules of being a writer:



I mostly agree. I disagree with stopping to correct or rewriter because you might be improving on a sentence and alter the flow for the better. I also slightly disagree that a scene or section being better than the rest or too dear to you then it might be scrapped, that just might be another book.

 

[Harambe]

Steinbeck's 6 rules of being a writer:

View attachment 6354373

I mostly agree. I disagree with stopping to correct or rewriter because you might be improving on a sentence and alter the flow for the better. I also slightly disagree that a scene or section being better than the rest or too dear to you then it might be scrapped, that just might be another book.

I think some of this was a bit more for the typewriter era when the process would have been much more discretely generate-edit than the free ranging experience of word processing.

Also I have an intuition that any time a writer gives rules they’re giving rules they break out of habit, some idealized version of their work flow

 

[Paper Machete]

I think some of this was a bit more for the typewriter era when the process would have been much more discretely generate-edit than the free ranging experience of word processing.

This is true. It's one of the reasons I can't stand writing by hand as well, despite the fact it would be easier for quick ideas when on the move. I've gotten into the habit of line editing a lot of stuff as I go because using word processors allows for it. It makes the work of rewriting drafts and editing much less of a chore down the line because the most obvious stuff is already taken care of. Misspells and typos are also easier to correct as you go if you have a program automatically flagging them.

 

[Shaneequa]

Suno makes an ok AI narrator.

And yes I have been playing No Mans Sky, it updated recently with new biomes.

 

[Scream Aim Fire]

Is it weird that I have difficulties writing lighter-hearted stories? Like, I was planning on writing what was supposed to be a fairly relaxed shorter story, but I keep drifting towards making it a lot heavier than I want. Anyone else got that issue?

 

[Harambe]

Is it weird that I have difficulties writing lighter-hearted stories? Like, I was planning on writing what was supposed to be a fairly relaxed shorter story, but I keep drifting towards making it a lot heavier than I want. Anyone else got that issue?

How are you making it heavier? Like plot or tone or complications? Is it something coming out when you’re writing or is your planning just getting away from you? I usually have a tone I work in, it’s kind of a byproduct of my subjects and inclinations towards them, it’s hard to make a light hearted story about a character who I take super duper seriously.

 

[Viper the rappah]

Weird how the second i gave myself project the less i coonsume media (i watch maybe 1-2 series per year and maybe a movie but it completely dropped my interest)
Shouldn't writers consume more media or some shit

 

[Scream Aim Fire]

How are you making it heavier? Like plot or tone or complications? Is it something coming out when you’re writing or is your planning just getting away from you? I usually have a tone I work in, it’s kind of a byproduct of my subjects and inclinations towards them, it’s hard to make a light hearted story about a character who I take super duper seriously.

Sorry for the delayed reply; got busy.

It's basically what you said, mostly; my writing just gets away from me. I just start taking on ideas that I find interesting, and it oftentimes just results in the story going in directions that I hadn't entirely intended. Probably doesn't help that I just really love writing action scenes and post-apocalyptic scenarios; stuff like DayZ was my jam for the longest time, and I really just enjoy the whole "scavenging the wastes" and "survival at all costs" kind of stuff.

But... yeah, I just have trouble sticking towards making a lighter-hearted story, just used to making heavier stories and such.

 

[del_toid]

I really just enjoy the whole "scavenging the wastes" and "survival at all costs" kind of stuff.

Just write that but funny then

 

[Dick Johnson]

Sorry for the delayed reply; got busy.

It's basically what you said, mostly; my writing just gets away from me. I just start taking on ideas that I find interesting, and it oftentimes just results in the story going in directions that I hadn't entirely intended. Probably doesn't help that I just really love writing action scenes and post-apocalyptic scenarios; stuff like DayZ was my jam for the longest time, and I really just enjoy the whole "scavenging the wastes" and "survival at all costs" kind of stuff.

But... yeah, I just have trouble sticking towards making a lighter-hearted story, just used to making heavier stories and such.

What sort of story are you trying to write as 'lighter'? How does it end up becoming darker? Do you set out to write something that doesn't involve action, but then you think of some action with the characters/setting/situation that would be cool to see and then start bending the story around it?

 

[Scream Aim Fire]

What sort of story are you trying to write as 'lighter'?

Put simply, it was meant to be a writing exercise; making a small, relaxed setting that I could just write out and develop for fun. Figured making something positive would be a nice distraction, given the current state of... well, everything.

Do you set out to write something that doesn't involve action, but then you think of some action with the characters/setting/situation that would be cool to see and then start bending the story around it?

For the most part, yes. There're also just issues with getting a bit too "involved" with worldbuilding in general, like discussions of political issues such as crime rates, or just random bullshit in general like discussions about resources or jobs.

I just get too invested in action and worldbuilding, really. Granted, given that the setting is a modern-day/slightly futuristic Earth, that's... also most likely a contributing factor.

 

[Dick Johnson]

Put simply, it was meant to be a writing exercise; making a small, relaxed setting that I could just write out and develop for fun. Figured making something positive would be a nice distraction, given the current state of... well, everything.



For the most part, yes. There're also just issues with getting a bit too "involved" with worldbuilding in general, like discussions of political issues such as crime rates, or just random bullshit in general like discussions about resources or jobs.

I just get too invested in action and worldbuilding, really. Granted, given that the setting is a modern-day/slightly futuristic Earth, that's... also most likely a contributing factor.

With that setting, I expect you gravitate towards reading/writing technothrillers that perhaps border on cyberpunk? Generally something set in the world of crime, espionage or warfare?

Take a character from something else you've written (or have in progress) and have them engage in a hobby. Main character, side character, doesn't matter. They're going to spend the day hunting, or fishing, or hiking, or in ballroom dance class, or petting shelter dogs. They have an unexpected encounter that changes the tenor of the day, and also sheds light on a subject that causes the MC of the story to change (or simply reevaluate) their opinion on a subject.

Any action that you think of like the MC having to fight off a bear or robbers or an agent from a rival organization? Make it part of their background. Write it down of course, because you don't want to discard a cool action scene. But set it to the side, have it inform the way the main character interacts with the world and other people.

For a lighthearted story the stakes should generally be fairly low. No one's going to get killed or seriously harmed, even if the people involved are seriously harmful. I think you can turn your enjoyment of worldbuilding toward this - what are the funny, absurd aspects of the organizations/technology/trends/politics of the worlds that you're building? What are the bizarre implications of those worldbuilding elements you're coming up with? The unexpectedly dumb procedures of clandestine organizations, the petty behind-the-scenes reasons that a megacorp put resources into one product over another, the counterintuitive schemes of organized crime outfits?

Out of curiosity, what sort of stuff are you writing? What's the world/s and what sort of characters are you populating them with and stories are they getting involved in? (Feel free not to answer, I fully understand if you'd prefer to keep that under your hat.)

 

[Caddo Cobgang]

I started writing a sci-fi universe, I started writing several factions, competing for control over the Sol System:

Human Factions:
United Nations Space Alliance:
A State in Collapse, its capital is on Earth, it is basically a US-analogue, ruled by a President with a bicameral Congress, its jurisdiction includes Mercury,Venus,Earth, and many colonies on artificial space stations in the Inner System

The Martian State:
An Authoritarian government with its Capital on Mars, its ruled by a single dictator with the support of the military, it broke with the UNSA in the 23rd century following a dispute with Earth over its own autonomy, initially a LIbertarian Confederation of various cities and colonies, it quickly militarized into a unitary Fascist state and dissidents are often executed for minor offenses against the state, its control is over Mars itself, its moons,and it projects power into the Asteroid belt and the Jovian System

Outer Rim Confederation:
a loose union of space stations,and moons of Saturn,Uranus,and Neptunes, it rejects the authority of both the UNSA and the Martian State, it is a haven for religious pilgrims fleeing persecution and pirates raiding into the inner system, each colony is entitled to its own form of government and the central government, stationed on Titan has little authority of its own

Alien Factions:
The Zynthar Swarm:
a extra-galactic race of Ant-like creatures they are a hive mind seeking to devour all forms of life in the Universe and infect all worlds rendering them unhabitable

The Nyrax Dominion:
a race of Fungi-like creatures, all Nyrax born into the dominion are required to be Cybernetically enhanced from birth, they seek to enslave all non-Nyrax creatures by harnessing psionic energy and cybernetic mind control

The Hawea Theocracy:
An Avian species, they do not seek to destroy or enslave other races, but instead spread their religion to other races, they only wage wars of extermination if the species at large refuses conversion to their religion, they are ruled by a High Patriarch, who wields absolute power over the state and its faith

The K’thar Empire:
a Rodent-like humanoid species, they are a militaristic state controlling most of the Milky Way Galaxy, they simply seek to take over star systems and expand their empire by any means necessary and operate several client races under the direct control of their capital Home world, Romulus, however the K'thar are also internally divided between those who support the Emperor in Romulus and those who favor to reform the empire into a military Junta with a Warlord being elected first-among equals in a military council of Generals and Admirals, some systems have broken away from Imperial control and the Empire is divided, nevertheless they seek to take control of Sol and Humanity

 

[Harambe]

Sorry for the delayed reply; got busy.

It's basically what you said, mostly; my writing just gets away from me. I just start taking on ideas that I find interesting, and it oftentimes just results in the story going in directions that I hadn't entirely intended. Probably doesn't help that I just really love writing action scenes and post-apocalyptic scenarios; stuff like DayZ was my jam for the longest time, and I really just enjoy the whole "scavenging the wastes" and "survival at all costs" kind of stuff.

But... yeah, I just have trouble sticking towards making a lighter-hearted story, just used to making heavier stories and such.

What helps me is approaching my writing with a 'plan' and I use 'plan' here loosely basically a slug of scenes I want to hit in a certain chapter, usually very very vague descriptor or title of the scene so I know what I want to do in terms of events and then try to execute. It's also just helpful to think through your scenes and get them into events and actions and stuff for you to target, it's harder to let it get away from you when you have sign posts all around

 

[Scream Aim Fire]

@Dick Johnson Again, sorry I'm late; it's been a busy time on my end.

Like you said, I tend to write stuff on the line of crime, espionage, and warfare; particularly the 1st and 3rd points. Not always in the field of cyberpunk, but sometimes; I've got something of a bad habit of trying to ground even the more fantastic stuff in realism. It's part of the reason why I wanted to try to make a lighter-hearted story; new world, new setting, new protagonist, just a world I can relax and develop for fun.

Of course, it being my happy ass, there's issues. As mentioned, I keep getting ideas that just snowball out of control into various ideas, typically action or survival-focused ones; like I said previously, I have a lot of fondness for stuff like DayZ and Rambo, and it can honestly be pretty fun just writing some mindless popcorn-and-candy stuff. Over-development and getting stuck on the smaller details are another huge issue of mine; it's not uncommon for me to end up just getting completely distracted on minutiae, and I often get WAY too into random background shit, whether it's crap like the phase of the moon or day of the week on a specific day, to more complex issues such as the potential civil and legal ramifications of certain actions in a story.

Hence, why I've been looking to try and start making some lighter stories; both to give myself some writing experience with writing something outside my usual sphere, and partially because I just really want to make something fun. I admit, I do WANT to leave a possibility of dipping into some more serious topics later down the line - nothing too major, just a few glimpses - but for the most part, I'm just wanting to make something relaxed as a creative space.

I think, frankly, my main issue is that I don't know where to start. Like what you mentioned earlier, I'd like to make a fairly low stakes setting, I just don't have an idea on what to write; I'm fairly certain that I can write down a positive plotline once I get a story started, but I don't have an idea where or how to start. The setting itself is the main issue; don't know if I should set the setting in some random city, or a simulation, or space, or what, and I'm not entirely sure on where I should start.

What helps me is approaching my writing with a 'plan' and I use 'plan' here loosely basically a slug of scenes I want to hit in a certain chapter, usually very very vague descriptor or title of the scene so I know what I want to do in terms of events and then try to execute. It's also just helpful to think through your scenes and get them into events and actions and stuff for you to target, it's harder to let it get away from you when you have sign posts all around

This is actually my usual method of writing as well; it helps being able to plan out the plot beforehand. I've heard it's something called an "architect" style of writing; planning everything out beforehand and following the plan as closely as possible. Part of the reason why I'm having a bit of trouble figuring out how to make a lighter story, actually; I keep getting ideas on how things could escalate into an action sequence or something. Embarrassing, but true.