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 Writing Woes

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missjulie
ReNu
Novel-Goddess
Bluepolarbear
Lapillus
Ren
DPowell
sdficklin
aresity
pronetoidiocy
imaginary
daeonica
emilycross
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emilycross
The Boss of the Board
emilycross


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PostSubject: Re: Writing Woes   Writing Woes - Page 2 EmptyThu Feb 19, 2009 1:18 pm

Ren is right - (especially in regards to the uni stuff - dont let people force you around and do something that you don't want to do!)
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sdficklin
Outlining the plot
sdficklin


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PostSubject: Re: Writing Woes   Writing Woes - Page 2 EmptyThu Feb 19, 2009 2:29 pm

Thanx guys! I feel better!
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daeonica
Editor of the Board
daeonica


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PostSubject: Re: Writing Woes   Writing Woes - Page 2 EmptyThu Feb 19, 2009 2:35 pm

Just remember that times like 3 months aren't actually that unreasonable for a whole lot of agents. They have backlog. They have a lot of stuff to do.

But I do feel your pain for something you sent off in May and haven't heard back from yet. Neutral
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Lapillus
Informatio consuasor
Lapillus


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PostSubject: Re: Writing Woes   Writing Woes - Page 2 EmptyThu Feb 19, 2009 10:31 pm

I'd be very careful about calling agents. I follow several agent blogs and a few of them have posted that writers should not call them in the querying stage. If they are truly interested in your book, they will get back to you, so it just annoys them to receive e-mails and phone calls. I hear you though, it's an awful process. I hope you get an offer for representation soon!
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Bluepolarbear
March Competition Winner
Bluepolarbear


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PostSubject: Re: Writing Woes   Writing Woes - Page 2 EmptyTue Mar 10, 2009 10:12 pm

I have been finding that every time I decide to write I suddenly loose interest. It's the same with crocheting or knitting or any specific project. Planning doesn't work for me at the moment. It's so annoying too because I want to write, I just don't know what to do or only get one or two paragraphs in. I suppose it's better than nothing though.
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Novel-Goddess
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Novel-Goddess


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PostSubject: Re: Writing Woes   Writing Woes - Page 2 EmptySun Mar 15, 2009 11:00 am

I had that problem for a while this past summer, Blue. As it turned out, I had a mild form of WB and needed to take a week off.
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Novel-Goddess
Editor of the Board
Novel-Goddess


Female
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Humor : My entire life is one of those "you had to be there" jokes.
Registration date : 2009-02-07

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PostSubject: Re: Writing Woes   Writing Woes - Page 2 EmptyThu Apr 02, 2009 8:34 pm

^ I did NaNo this past year. It was pretty wild. I think I missed the bus in the mornings more that month than I have the rest of the year. But it was totally worth it. Smile
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ReNu
Lois Lane has nothing on ReNu
ReNu


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Number of posts : 382
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Job/hobbies : Working journalist, aspiring novelist, history buff, collector of vintage fountain pens and war medals.
Registration date : 2009-02-08

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PostSubject: Re: Writing Woes   Writing Woes - Page 2 EmptyFri Apr 03, 2009 4:25 am

ARGH! I have exams till Apr 28th, which means I can't write a word till then.
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ReNu
Lois Lane has nothing on ReNu
ReNu


Female
Number of posts : 382
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Job/hobbies : Working journalist, aspiring novelist, history buff, collector of vintage fountain pens and war medals.
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PostSubject: Writing Woes   Writing Woes - Page 2 EmptyThu Apr 16, 2009 10:15 am

Here's my first rant/whine

I have two WIPs (see the topic Plot Synopsis for details) The first one has 6,595 words so far, and the second has a 5-page outline and 800 words Sad

My problem: I have final exams from Monday. When I try to study, I get an idea for a dialogue (for WIP - 1) and put away my books and think about my dialogue.

Then I decide to write the dialogue. That's when I get another idea for a character in WIP - 2. So off I go to do that. That's when I get an idea for a blog article.

Here, I take a shower to cool down, and I get an idea for a synopsis. I emerge, feeling very guilty about the exams, and sit down to do some reading.

The process repeats itself all over again.

Sob! Sad No Shocked Crying or Very sad I don't want Monday to turn up, ever. I HAVE to study for the exams! affraid


This proves how pathetic and weak I am.


Any tips on increasing focus/concentration? Don't suggest meditation or yoga please. The moment I try to make my mind blank for meditating, I get exciting thoughts of me chasing smugglers and capturing (singlehandedly) the opium mafia. And I fell asleep in my first and only yoga class.
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missjulie
Designing book covers
missjulie


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PostSubject: Re: Writing Woes   Writing Woes - Page 2 EmptyThu Apr 16, 2009 10:20 am

This is what I did when I ran into similar issues with studying and getting distracted... (I'm ADD too, so THAT doesn't help!!)

Set a timer for 15 minutes. Start the timer and study. When it goes off, stop studying. Reset the timer and read/write for WIPs or blog. When it goes off stop doing that. Repeat.

It got me through MANY boring ass exam study sessions. I have no idea if it works for anyone else but its worth a shot!! Its like a reward for having focus for 15 straight minutes. Set it to 10 if you have trouble with 15.

I hope that helps!!


Last edited by missjulie on Thu Apr 16, 2009 10:48 am; edited 2 times in total
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*Moonlight_Mania*
Still typing first draft
*Moonlight_Mania*


Female
Number of posts : 203
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PostSubject: Re: Writing Woes   Writing Woes - Page 2 EmptyThu Apr 16, 2009 10:42 am

Oh that's a really good idea! Surprised I think I'll try that too, since I sometimes have the same problem ReNu is having. ^_^; Writing is so much more fun than studying. D:

What I sometimes do, too, is when I'm daydreaming in English class (I have a teacher who's kind of a hillbilly and whenever I think about how much I hate him, I somehow get story ideas), I just write down one sentence or two to remember what it is I want to write, then get back to what schoolwork I had to do. It puts me at ease since I know I won't forget the idea, since it's written down, so I can concentrate. Then, when I finally have some free time, I write the scene out! Smile

Hope that helps, too. >w<
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ReNu
Lois Lane has nothing on ReNu
ReNu


Female
Number of posts : 382
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Job/hobbies : Working journalist, aspiring novelist, history buff, collector of vintage fountain pens and war medals.
Registration date : 2009-02-08

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PostSubject: Re: Writing Woes   Writing Woes - Page 2 EmptyThu Apr 16, 2009 10:14 pm

Missjulie, you are good! Thanks to you I tried it and completed History of Journalism. Now I'm tackling Press Laws today Sad I HATE that paper. The timer is on TWO minutes now.
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Novel-Goddess
Editor of the Board
Novel-Goddess


Female
Number of posts : 505
Age : 30
Location : Everywhere.
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Humor : My entire life is one of those &quot;you had to be there&quot; jokes.
Registration date : 2009-02-07

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PostSubject: Re: Writing Woes   Writing Woes - Page 2 EmptyMon Apr 20, 2009 12:26 pm

Okay, this is pretty much just me whining and doing that whole "oh, woe is me!" thing, but I have to say (type, whatever) it or I might explode.

I got another rejection letter, bringing the total up to eight. I understand why I got the first seven -- because my queries sucked. Majorly. They were just...horrible. But this one...I worked really hard on this one. I went crazy over it. I formatted it correctly, made sure there were no typos or grammar mistakes...all that.

And I still got rejected. With a form letter. I've started to think that maybe it's not me or my queries, it's my story. What if it's crap? What if the concept just isn't interesting or inventive or unique? What if it's just some words on some pages written by some wannabe-writer of a fifteen-year-old?

What if all 326 pages are nonsense? What if all 89,095 words are garbage? What if my characters are stale and predictable and I've deluded myself into thinking that I can actually write when I can't?

I just...I'm really upset. I want somebody to read it and help me make it publishable, but at the same time I don't want anybody to see it because I'm worried that it *is* crap and that it *is* cliched and that it *won't* ever see the world outside of my filing cabinet.

If you've read this far, thanks. Have a cupcake and a gold star.

I'm going to go get some chocolate now...
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sdficklin
Outlining the plot
sdficklin


Female
Number of posts : 47
Location : Colorado
Registration date : 2009-02-09

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PostSubject: Re: Writing Woes   Writing Woes - Page 2 EmptyMon Apr 20, 2009 12:59 pm

Novel,

Don't give up!! Nine, ten rejetions, that's NOTHING!!! I got over 20 rejects, and even Twilight got like 16. Do not let it get you down!! It's all about finding that special person who loves your book as much as you do. That person is out there! The more queries you send,( and the more rejections you get,) the closer you are to finding that person!!
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missjulie
Designing book covers
missjulie


Female
Number of posts : 108
Location : Michigan
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Humor : For teh lulz!
Registration date : 2009-02-11

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PostSubject: Re: Writing Woes   Writing Woes - Page 2 EmptyMon Apr 20, 2009 2:39 pm

(hugs novel)
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Novel-Goddess
Editor of the Board
Novel-Goddess


Female
Number of posts : 505
Age : 30
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Humor : My entire life is one of those &quot;you had to be there&quot; jokes.
Registration date : 2009-02-07

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PostSubject: Re: Writing Woes   Writing Woes - Page 2 EmptyMon Apr 20, 2009 2:59 pm

*Hugs back* Aw, thanks. Smile

It's just been a bad day for me...I've been throwing up ALL DAY and I might miss school tomorrow, too...ugh. It's throwing everything off...ah, well.
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missjulie
Designing book covers
missjulie


Female
Number of posts : 108
Location : Michigan
Job/hobbies : Art Director
Humor : For teh lulz!
Registration date : 2009-02-11

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PostSubject: Re: Writing Woes   Writing Woes - Page 2 EmptyTue Apr 21, 2009 9:22 am

Take a day off and just eat chocolate and ice cream in bed. I still need those days once in a while... don't let a little rejection get you down. Let all those emotions you're feeling fuel the fire for putting your awesome work out there! For every ten, twenty, thirty NO's you get, there is at least one YES! out there! You just have to plug along and keep yourself focused.

A similar thing happened to me a long while back... I sent in some of my most fab poetry to a literary arts magazine and it /all/ got turned down. I was distraught for weeks, especially since I thought some of the stuff that made it was positively awful. So I took all that anger and defeat and frustration and channeled it into writing more poetry and submitting nearly 50 things to the magazine the next year. It was all anonymous so I thought over-saturation would get at least *something* through!! Well it turns out... I was right! They took about 20 of my poems and I even won two awards.

And every writer, at some (or multiple) points in their life thinks, "Oh my god, this is complete crap. What have I been doing with my life?!" But that self criticism is very normal and, usually, it means you're doing something right.

*hugs!*
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emilycross
The Boss of the Board
emilycross


Female
Number of posts : 1170
Age : 37
Registration date : 2009-02-05

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PostSubject: Re: Writing Woes   Writing Woes - Page 2 EmptyTue Apr 21, 2009 10:41 am

Novel i'm posting a link i think you should read.

ReNu - i'm the exact same. i'm supposed to be doing a report right now, but i don't wannnna *whinge*
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Novel-Goddess
Editor of the Board
Novel-Goddess


Female
Number of posts : 505
Age : 30
Location : Everywhere.
Job/hobbies : I write stuff.
Humor : My entire life is one of those &quot;you had to be there&quot; jokes.
Registration date : 2009-02-07

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PostSubject: Re: Writing Woes   Writing Woes - Page 2 EmptyTue Apr 21, 2009 10:49 am

Thanks, everyone! I sent out another query earlier this morning (or was it last night? I forget) and I'm feeling a lot better today, even though I'm still home sick. But I haven't thrown up yet! HA!

Anyway...thanks for the link, Emily!
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gobblegobble
Editing the First draft
gobblegobble


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PostSubject: Re: Writing Woes   Writing Woes - Page 2 EmptyTue Apr 21, 2009 9:33 pm

Novel--putting out another query is a good thing. Rejections are good--you can learn how to change things even if the agency/publisher doesn't tell you anything. You are an amazing writer and I cannot wait to see yours or anyone else's works on the shelves here as well. I am glad you are feeling better.

P.S. I still want to read The Enigma--it's been making me think about lately.
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Novel-Goddess
Editor of the Board
Novel-Goddess


Female
Number of posts : 505
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Humor : My entire life is one of those &quot;you had to be there&quot; jokes.
Registration date : 2009-02-07

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PostSubject: Re: Writing Woes   Writing Woes - Page 2 EmptyTue Apr 21, 2009 9:39 pm

Well, I'll have to go back to working on it, then, won't I? When I get home tomorrow, I'll start edits on it. Very Happy

Thanks again, guys. Smile
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emilycross
The Boss of the Board
emilycross


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Age : 37
Registration date : 2009-02-05

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PostSubject: Re: Writing Woes   Writing Woes - Page 2 EmptyThu Apr 23, 2009 1:16 am

Hey guys, this isn't a vent but is a warning.

anyone who posted stuff on FF.net, you should know there is a wiki which records your activities and sets up a page with a link to all your FF.

sounds cool and great idea - but many of us want to get rid of our ff.net stuff when we seek publication so i'm giving you a heads up.

never knew this site existed
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*Moonlight_Mania*
Still typing first draft
*Moonlight_Mania*


Female
Number of posts : 203
Age : 30
Location : Skyway Avenue
Job/hobbies : Occupation: Student. Hobbies: Writing (duh), playing around with Photoshop, and singing.
Humor : Laughing at my spastic self
Registration date : 2009-04-15

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PostSubject: Re: Writing Woes   Writing Woes - Page 2 EmptyThu Apr 23, 2009 3:24 pm

emilycross wrote:
Hey guys, this isn't a vent but is a warning.

anyone who posted stuff on FF.net, you should know there is a wiki which records your activities and sets up a page with a link to all your FF.

sounds cool and great idea - but many of us want to get rid of our ff.net stuff when we seek publication so i'm giving you a heads up.

never knew this site existed
I had no idea that was even possible. o_O

But you can't publish fan fiction...right (unlike Lady S *cough cough*)? So why would people seriously seek publication for it? Though I understand the "getting rid of it part" because my fan fiction is bad X_X
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missjulie
Designing book covers
missjulie


Female
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Humor : For teh lulz!
Registration date : 2009-02-11

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PostSubject: Re: Writing Woes   Writing Woes - Page 2 EmptyThu Apr 23, 2009 7:29 pm

Does this mean all the smut I posted on ff.net will be forever cycling in the web? That's just downright terrifying...
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ReNu
Lois Lane has nothing on ReNu
ReNu


Female
Number of posts : 382
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Job/hobbies : Working journalist, aspiring novelist, history buff, collector of vintage fountain pens and war medals.
Registration date : 2009-02-08

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PostSubject: Re: Writing Woes   Writing Woes - Page 2 EmptyThu Apr 23, 2009 10:31 pm

Emily that link is awesome. Christie is so inspiring.
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