%%USERNAME%%    %%ACCWORDS%% %%ONOFF%% |
Hello! Once again, I am letting you know I am reaching the rank of White Pawn to 7th row in the Wonderland challenge. I am one step closer to the White Queen!  |
Just Get to it Already! To any published authors out there, I have a serious question to ask. How exactly do you motivate yourself to write even when you're not in the mood to? For several years now, I've wanted to write and publish my own book. But even after all this time, I still haven't gotten past the first step. After taking a look over it, I have figured out the three main reasons for this. 1. I'll be the first to admit that I have a bad habit of procrastinating on this sort of thing. Sometimes for months on end. I think it's because this would be my very first published work, and therefore there's no major deadline, so there's really no need to rush to get it finished. 2. I just have too many ideas! I'll be working on one story, then get an idea for a different one, get excited to start on that so I do, rinse and repeat. Even now I have several unfinished books stuck in limbo because of this. I just can't seem to focus on one single item. 3. I'm kind of easily distracted, not going to lie. I'll write a good chunk of a story, or maybe just a few sentences or paragraphs, then take a break. During that break I'll become interested in something else for a while, and spend more time on that instead, be it a video game or TV series, etc. As I said, this has been going on for years now. Can anybody help me to break this seemingly endless cycle? Because I really want to get my first book out there and start making a name for myself. |
It's Lonely at the Top? You know those stories where you see a character struggle and claw their way to wealth and glory, perhaps by less than ethical means, only to question whether it was worth it when they reach their goal? They have all the money and power they could ever want, but lost their friends, family and anybody whom they loved to get there. But if I'm being completely honest, I don't think that would really effect me all that much. I'm not some megalomaniac or a sociopath, but I've always been kind of an introvert. I'd really rather be alone more often than not, and I never wanted to get married or have a family in the first place. Hell, most people I consider friends I know through this site, and have never met in person. So, if I ever found myself in a position of money and power, I don't think it would be quite so lonely because that's how I like it anyway. Anybody else feel the same? |
| I'm the opposite. Clawing my way to the top? Not going to happen; but, I do regret losing friends along my life's path due to other choices. Is it realistic to think people who reach the top have regrets? Maybe a few... but there's a certain political figure who has reached the top and it wasn't enough. Question themselves? That would mean self-reflection and this individual doesn't seem to have any. So I doubt that those characters exist in real life unless they have a heart to begin with. That I could believe. |
| Open hearts make connections. I've always felt wealth and loneliness are independent of each other. If the wealthy protagonist is lonely at the top, it's probably due to some inability to connect. But rather than face the flaw within, the protagonist projects the flaw to outside factors. Blaming others or circumstances is easier than finding fault with oneself. And these stories are almost always told from the protagonist's Point of View so it's easier to side with the protagonist. But if the story shifts to another character's POV, the flaws are revealed.  . |
If you like horror anthologies, I just started my own series here:
The first few stories I had written years ago, and just now decided to incorporate them into an anthology. More to come soon! |
| Have you ever encountered someone on this site that enjoyed your work maybe a little too much? I know I have. Several times, I've met some other members that seemed to take my stories a bit too seriously, and to be honest, I didn't really care for their style. Of course, I didn't want to be rude and just tell them to screw off. But at the same time, they were kind of getting on my nerves. I didn't just block them because they hadn't really done anything to insult or harass me, so I didn't think it was really warranted. After all, they did like my stories. But still, it was frustrating being in this position. Has anyone else had a similar situation? |
| Quick question: If, hypothetically, you were an evil overlord in a fantasy style setting, how would you ensure your main enforcer/ most powerful minion doesn't try to betray you and take over your position? |
| Make them offers they can't refuse - Ah, Joe, your daughters are still going to that school on Main and 7th. Fred - how's the wife? Still going to the Beauty Parlor every Tuesday? Oh, how's the mistress you see on those days? Tom - still dunking those chocolate doughnuts with your coffee - you still take that black, by the way, right? |
| I would, by accident, let the number-two guy find out my deepest-darkest secret... the one that I cannot defend myself from... Once he knows how to defeat me, without any doubt. I watch him set the stage for the best opportunity to use the guaranteed kill-me spell, ring, and amulet. Only after he has sprung his master trap does he find out that my deepest_darkested secret was not all that real... and I had even considered possible plans B Thur F. I remain magnanimous, allowing the number -two (as a gesture of compassion for his years of service) To choose his execution from an extensive list of our best, darkest, most bizarre methods of changing the living into something other than. This gesture will indeed be noted by number three as he is promoted. |
| I would recommend checking this area out. https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/JustForFun/TVTropesAdditionalEvilOverlord... |
| So, I have a bit of a dilemma. For several years now, I've wanted to write my own novel. I've already got several started, but the problem is I can't seem to finish any of them. Either something comes up in my life, or I get distracted with another idea for a story, and it's an endless cycle of distraction and procrastination. I want to break this cycle. I really do. But I just can't seem to find a way. They say you can never have too many ideas, but i beg to differ. To anyone reading this, particularly if you're a published author, how do you overcome this probem, if at all? |
| I'd recommend writing down whatever new ideas you have, then put them aside until you finish whatever you're currently working on. |
| I can't finish novels too. Still working out my issues. Still working on a strategy. I keep wanting to start but my track record tells me to wait until I have a plan of attack or some sort of idea of how to sustain my momentum. Have you participated in NaNoWriMo? NaNoWriMo has helped a lot of writers. |
| How Do You Kill That Which Has No Life? How would you kill something that is already dead? Such as in a Horror or Fantasy setting? |
I've just posted an item in my portfolio:
|
I've just posted an item in my portfolio:
|
I've just posted an item in my portfolio:
|
I've just added a new item in my portfolio:
|
I've just added a new item in my portfolio:
|
View Portfolio
Visit Notebook
Send Gift Points
Awards
Badges
Send Email
Community Newsfeed
General Discussion
Sponsored Items
Book of Trinkets
Static Items
Books
Groups
Interactive Stories
Audio
Campfire Creatives
Community Notes
Crossword Puzzles
Documents
Folders
Images
In & Outs
Madlibs
Photo Albums
Polls
Product Reviews
Quizzes
Survey Forms
Web Pages
Word Searches
However, I only publish using traditional publishers. This means, I often have deadlines for when an anthology closes, or when an open call is going to be. For example, i had to submit three things last weekend because one open call was for 3 days, one for 24 hours, one for 6 hours. That was it. So I wrote (only one thing had to be written) and edited (the other 2 things needed some editing, one some serious editing) to get everything ready for those 3 times. The deadline aspect does help spur the completion of work on.
It also depends on how serious you take your writing. If it's for fun, it doesn't matter. But for me, where I am making money from it and have to rely on external publishers, I take it very seriously.
So, I would suggest just focus on one thing, write down notes to keep other ideas alive, and keep working that one thing until it is done.
But that is just my opinion.
Oh, and Spring in my Sox's suggestion of NaNo is good for focusing the mind as well. So long as you don't treat it as a be-all and end-all of writing, and if you do not meet the 50k words, realise it is not the end of the world and you have not failed. So many are put off after failing that first NaNo. Still - great suggestion for getting that first draft of that first manuscript completed, or at least well under way.
Sorry. I waffled.