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Creative Writing Resources

NoID10ts

aka Noddy
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Does anyone have any resources about how to break into some sort of creative writing work? I think it might be fun to write short stories or articles but I wouldn't know where to begin. I don't think I have the patience to write a novel, but short bursts of writing might be feasible. Something that accepts the musings of the insane would be preferable. Musings with pictures even better.
 
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FusionKnight

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I've got a whole slew of books at home. I'll try and remember to post their titles when I get home.
 

Agent Intellect

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"Bird by Bird" by Anne Lamott is a good book about writing (and its very amusing, too). the main thing i'd say (and also said in "Bird by Bird") if you want to write is just to write. the book has a chapter called "Shitty first drafts" and it talks about how the first draft should just be getting something down on paper (or word processor) no matter how confused, incoherent, and, well, shitty it is, just as long as you get something down. you can always delete all of it later or go through it and turn it into something better, but you have nothing to work with if you don't just put something down. and nobody but you ever has to see your shitty first draft. you just have to drown out that perfectionist in your head (which i know is difficult for me and probably for all INTP's who are obsessed with having everything clarified and concise) and just write down whatever comes to mind. and i know from my own experience with writing that its easier to make something good if you have something, anything to work with. you can't make a statue without first having a lump of clay to mold.
 

Ermine

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Anyone know of any resources on making good editorial style essays? I recently had an aha! moment, and I could even see myself making a living this way with freelance writing.
 

EloquentBohemian

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Does anyone have any resources about how to break into some sort of creative writing work? I think it might be fun to write short stories or articles but I wouldn't know where to begin. I don't think I have the patience to write a novel, but short bursts of writing might be feasible. Something that accepts the musings of the insane would be preferable. Musings with pictures even better.
Flash Fiction (micro-fiction, sudden fiction) is a form which has gained popularity recently because of it's concise immediate narrative bereft of anything extraneous save the plot and the action/dialogue of the characters. stories are usually under 750 words.
There are many sites on the Net which publish this form exclusively, as well as some hard-copy mags.
Try this article in Wikipedia as a start.
If you want more links, I have plenty of them.
 

NoID10ts

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"Bird by Bird" by Anne Lamott is a good book about writing (and its very amusing, too). the main thing i'd say (and also said in "Bird by Bird") if you want to write is just to write. the book has a chapter called "Shitty first drafts" and it talks about how the first draft should just be getting something down on paper (or word processor) no matter how confused, incoherent, and, well, shitty it is, just as long as you get something down. you can always delete all of it later or go through it and turn it into something better, but you have nothing to work with if you don't just put something down. and nobody but you ever has to see your shitty first draft. you just have to drown out that perfectionist in your head (which i know is difficult for me and probably for all INTP's who are obsessed with having everything clarified and concise) and just write down whatever comes to mind. and i know from my own experience with writing that its easier to make something good if you have something, anything to work with. you can't make a statue without first having a lump of clay to mold.

I bought "Bird by Bird" yesterday, and am really enjoying it. I also read "The Forest for the Trees" earlier this week and loved it.

I used to write a lot when I was younger, but after I went to college and seminary (cringe!) I really began resisting the idea of creative writing. I think that I was forced to write so many stupid theology papers that the whole process of writing just started to sicken me. Now I am finding a renewed interest in it.

It may not amount to anything, but for the moment I am really interested in it. In fact, you all have been my guinea pigs (evil laugh), in a way. Some of the crazy shit I post here is actually related to different ideas I have floating in this sick gray lump I loosely call a brain.

I'm thinking of expanding the "Out of the Cold and into the Void" stuff into a book idea, but I promise I won't plagiarize anyone's stuff (unless I think it will advance my career in some way ;)).
 

Perseus

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In some quarters "creative writing" can be used as a synonym for wishful thinking, speculative unproven science engaged by historians to explain events.
 

FusionKnight

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Okay, now I'm sitting 6 inches from my library, so I have no excuse not to give you those titles I promised way back when.

If You Want to Write by Brenda Ueland - more about the inner part of writing rather than the mechanics of writing.
The Passionate, Accurate Story by Carol Bly
How to Get Happily Published by Judith Appelbaum
The Seed and the Vision by Eleanor Cameron - about children's books
How to Write by Meyer and Meyer
Writing with Precision by Jefferson D. Bates
Figures of Speech by Arthur Quinn - an excellent work on turning a phrase

Edit:
and of course we can't forget
The Elements of Style by Strunk and White
 

NoID10ts

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Thanks for that, Fusion.

How do you, and anyone else here who writes, find the will and time to stick with it? I find life gets in the way a lot. I feel like I have so much to say, but sometimes I just don't quite know how to say it. I think I am beginning to find a voice, and I have a lot of strong, albeit twisted and outlandish, ideas (:D), but its pulling it together into something cohesive that's hard.
 

Da Blob

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Thanks for that, Fusion.

How do you, and anyone else here who writes, find the will and time to stick with it? I find life gets in the way a lot. I feel like I have so much to say, but sometimes I just don't quite know how to say it. I think I am beginning to find a voice, and I have a lot of strong, albeit twisted and outlandish, ideas (:D), but its pulling it together into something cohesive that's hard.
Believe or not I do quite a bit of writing
Unfortunately, mostly notes to Self
I used to keep a journal..
I found I occasionally I would come up with a glorious idea,
but if I did not write it down
it would disappear, just like a dream.
I found writing to be a way of organizing thought,
a way of maintaining a train of thought,
Perhaps even a type of thought, writng is...
reflecting and criticizing one's own words...
I have always been guilty of constantly
"putting my foot in my mouth"
If I actually spoke words.
You know, once you've said ______...
It's to late to delete it..

You have to write to be a writer,
I keep copies of my various Blog submissions
eventually, I might put some of them together
but you have to put your thoughts 'on paper'
before they can be considered real, in an objective sense
Enjoy writing? Then do what you enjoy and provide
an opportunity for others
to share that pleasure...
 

Perseus

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A million published words, a half a million paid work and the rest self-published and sold, but I can now only write for money, apart from blogs, which is research.
 

Ermine

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I wish I could get back into writing. I've been told I have a thing for communicating on paper, and I've even influenced people to tears with it. However, not only does writing have to compete with my many other hobbies, but I've had to grapple with self doubt every step of the way. Last time I wrote something significant, the plot was cliche, sappy, and over done. That was 9th grade. My skills are rusty and I don't even know if I remember how to write well, let alone find original plots and characters worthy writing about.
 

Agent Intellect

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i'd start with writing short stories before jumping into a novel (short stories are probably more INTP friendly anyway). that, and you can always steal your ideas from your short stories when you do finally get around to that novel.
 

Da Blob

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I have had a few things published,
but I 'cheated'
I have been involved with a number of newspapers
as editor etc., I wrote articles, editorials etc.
Supposedly, (according to my outdated education)
Many great writers served an apprenticeship in journalism...
 

NoID10ts

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I just realized that if I estimate an average words per post for me on this forum as about 20 (probably a very conservative number) and then multiply that by the number of posts and PM's I've written (exactly 2,500 not including this one) That's 50,000 words I've written on this forum. That's about 2/3 of a novel!

If I estimate it at a 30 words per post average, that's 75,000 words! That is a novel!

God dammit. I could have written my masterpiece by now, but, no, I'm bullshitting around with all of you people.

Holy Shit!

:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:
 

Da Blob

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I just realized that if I estimate an average words per post for me on this forum as about 20 (probably a very conservative number) and then multiply that by the number of posts and PM's I've written (exactly 2,500 not including this one) That's 50,000 words I've written on this forum. That's about 2/3 of a novel!

If I estimate it at a 30 words per post average, that's 75,000 words! That is a novel!

God dammit. I could have written my masterpiece by now, but, no, I'm bullshitting around with all of you people.

Holy Shit!

:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:

Ditto...
I have only written around eight hundred posts in the seven weeks I have been a member of this forum. However, since I don't get right to the point like you do, my average word count is a bit higher.
Of the 80,000 words I 've written - how many made a difference? 80-100?
 

NoID10ts

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I gave up trying to make a difference here a long time ago ;).

But this is kind of a sobering realization, especially since I am trying to write a novel. Without this place I probably wouldn't even be attempting to write in the first place, but if I devoted as much time to the novel as I have here, I could almost be done with a first draft by now. Wow.

Especially if my novel is nothing but cover to cover bullshit!
 

Da Blob

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I gave up trying to make a difference here a long time ago ;).

But this is kind of a sobering realization, especially since I am trying to write a novel. Without this place I probably wouldn't even be attempting to write in the first place, but if I devoted as much time to the novel as I have here, I could almost be done with a first draft by now. Wow.

Especially if my novel is nothing but cover to cover bullshit!

Well you could also cobble various and sundry posts from your Own and Others in the community into a "novel' of sorts

I mean what if there was an alien race that could only receive information about humans from this forum?

Wouldn't they get a really warped view of humanity, especially if they lacked the ability to separate fact from fiction

or somehow thought our avatars had some deep significance whatever...

What would be your basic plot and scenario to enable you to pull it off ?
 

NoID10ts

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I wouldn't know where to begin, but it would be very violent, anti-social, and fairly sleazy.

Actually, that sounds pretty good.

:D

The novel I really am attempting to write is an extension of some of the things I've posted here.
 

Da Blob

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I wouldn't know where to begin, but it would be very violent, anti-social, and fairly sleazy.

Actually, that sounds pretty good.

Crap! It sounds like a Best Seller so far...

SciFi scenario -Star Trek, a group of half-Vulcans are stranded ...

A. I. - scenario A computer becomes self-aware, starts the INTP forum in an effort to learn to become/manipulate humans, using multiple avatars in Its interactions...

A person suffering from Multi-personality disorder sits in front of a computer posting to its other selves...

The Omega Point is reached when members of the forum begin to develop a group mind...

There are plenty of characters already available here....
 
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Someone should certainly write a story based on this forum.
 

Zealot

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Today, I discovered that there's a Grade 12 Creative Writing course at my school!
I'm excited for that.
 

Sapphire Harp

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I'm a touch surprised that no one has included a link to the Burry Man website.

I haven't employed it's information myself (yet), but it seems like hub-central for writing work and resources. Very well organized with a LOT of links to potential writing opportunities (many for pay, no less.)

By the by... has anyone considered making this thread a sticky? There's a lot of inspiring content here. (Perhaps after cleaning it up a bit :p )
 

sagewolf

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There are good books, like the Writer's and Artist's Yearbook or Writer's Market (which I personally think is better) for finding writing markets, from book publishers and magazines to competitions for stories, novellas and books. (And bizarre things like the best bad ending submitted, or the best first chapter, no book required.) The website Sapphire mentioned looks like a good one.

Of course if it's motivation you're looking for... nothing motivates like a demanding, unrealistic deadline. Only fifty days to go! :phear: :D
 

Antonio Bufera

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Re: Risorse di Scrittura Creativa

Non credo esista un vero e proprio metodo di scrittura creativa... piuttosto reputo molto più importante la conoscenza del mezzo letterario, dei suoi modelli, e delle varie modalitÃ* di scrittura. Ovviamente opinione personale.
 

Wittgenstein

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http://www.demandstudios.com/

Good way to get started and get some real credentials. Fun writing to do. Only downside is the long wait before you get paid (payment goes out to Paypal Tuesday and Thursday, then takes 4-5 business days after that to get to your bank from Paypal).
 

yogurtexpress

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Read On Becoming a Novelist by John Gardener. Even if you don't want to write novels, it's the perfect book for a serious writer. Be warned, however: it's very pessimistic and it's from the '70s....
 

Meer

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http://www.demandstudios.com/

Good way to get started and get some real credentials. Fun writing to do. Only downside is the long wait before you get paid (payment goes out to Paypal Tuesday and Thursday, then takes 4-5 business days after that to get to your bank from Paypal).

Meh, I really wouldn't bother with this kind of stuff. $15.00 for writing some random eHow article? No thanks. If you pick the right one and approach them in the right way, it's not too hard to get published in a magazine, a little luck helps, too. On the other hand, you might become distraught if a week is a long wait for you.
 

dark+matters

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Read On Becoming a Novelist by John Gardener. Even if you don't want to write novels, it's the perfect book for a serious writer. Be warned, however: it's very pessimistic and it's from the '70s....

I loved that book. I disagree with his opinions about "talent" and a few other things, but you can't expect to approve of everything someone says or thinks. Definitely worth the read in any case.
 

NoID10ts

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Does anyone have any resources about how to break into some sort of creative writing work? I think it might be fun to write short stories or articles but I wouldn't know where to begin. I don't think I have the patience to write a novel, but short bursts of writing might be feasible. Something that accepts the musings of the insane would be preferable. Musings with pictures even better.

Damn, has it really been almost ten years since I posted this? I've gone on to self-publish (and subsequently withdraw) one novel and my second will be released in October.

NoID10ts 2008, here are some of the books I've found helpful:
  • James Scott Bell - The Art of War for Writers: Fiction Writing Strategies, Tactics, and Exercises
  • Robert Olen Butler - From Where You Dream: The Process of Writing Fiction
  • Constance Hale - Sin and Syntax: How to Craft Wickedly Effective Prose
  • Anne Lamott - Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life
  • Noah Lukeman - The First Five Pages: A Writer's Guide To Staying Out of the Rejection Pile
  • Mike Sacks - And Here's the Kicker: Conversations with 21 Top Humor Writers on their Craft and the Industry
  • Lynne Truss - Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation
  • Jeff VanderMeer - Wonderbook: The Illustrated Guide to Creating Imaginative Fiction
  • James Wood - How Fiction Works
  • Stephen King - On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft
 

Jennywocky

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Damn, has it really been almost ten years since I posted this? I've gone on to self-publish (and subsequently withdraw) one novel and my second will be released in October.

That's awesome! Is it still self-published or did you find a publishing house somewhere?
 

NoID10ts

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That's awesome! Is it still self-published or did you find a publishing house somewhere?
It's a small traditional publisher out of Denver. They haven't officially announced it yet, but it'll be out on October 1st. Probably won't move many more copies than the self-pubbed one, but the editorial help has been invaluable.
 

loveofreason

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You withdrew it? Does this mean my copy of Under the Suns is valuable? Or good for blackmail purposes?
 

Cognisant

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I think I still have it on my Kindle app.
 

NoID10ts

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You withdrew it? Does this mean my copy of Under the Suns is valuable? Or good for blackmail purposes?
You can't blackmail someone who has no shame. That text will be valuable one day. There's a vibrant market for the art of psychopaths!

Actually, I'm working on a slightly less subdued rewrite. My publisher has agreed to consider it if I rewrite and change the title. As a writer, I've decided that I just need to fully embrace the insanity. I suspect some of you might really enjoy the new book, The Author Is Dead. I just received the back cover copy yesterday:

"A failed suicide, a failed writer, and a failed husband, Ches is tragically depressed—that is, until, he finds his muse in punk-rocker/militia-marketer/free-spirited Thalia. Ches is haunted by Thalia's ghost—or perhaps a hallucination—and obsessed with writing her story...but due to his increasingly erratic behavior, he is quickly self-destructing. The pressures of public school IT work, a middle school revolution, an ex-wife, a crazed father, and an emotional crime spree culminate in a fantastic meta twist, creating a surprising end to this fabulously witty dark comedy."
 

loveofreason

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Yeah, this is it "...fully embrace the insanity." You know you got it. Oodles of it. The best writers do.

Will wait for the new book... :noddy:
 

loveofreason

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I'm an awesome reviewer of witty dark comedy!

A little scared to ask how much of the new book is fiction though!
 

NoID10ts

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I'm an awesome reviewer of witty dark comedy!

A little scared to ask how much of the new book is fiction though!

I don't make much distinction between fiction and reality. I think you'll like it. I was lucky enough to have an INFP editor and she kind of reminds me of you. PM me your most current email address so I can resume stalking you.
 

Cognisant

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It does seem rather autobiographical, as selfish as it may be I really hope you don't plan to validate that title.

Have you considered doing a science fiction rewrite of the bible? I've been ruminating on this for a while, the god of genesis is a relatively young alien working on the interstellar equivilant of a university thesis, tasked with uplifting some primitives to show he can be trusted with more serious responsibilities. The angels are artificial intelligences, lucifer goes rogue (but not hostile) after being given multiple sets of contradictory instructions and keeps ruining god's plans by providing unhelpful assistance. After god learns some humility and mellows out a bit he creates a human avatar and tries to guide humanity on a more personal level, which goes about as well as you might expect.

In the end we see god slacking off, just being a causal bystander/observer, his project is way overdue and he's pretty much given up on it, content just to watch the snowballing train wreck unfold, sipping coffee in Starbucks with lucifer.
 

NoID10ts

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It does seem rather autobiographical, as selfish as it may be I really hope you don't plan to validate that title.

Perhaps it's an autobiography for a more terrible version of the real me (Yes, I can be worse, believe it or not). It's meta. The book is about the writing of the book. At its core, it's about the madness of art.

Have you considered doing a science fiction rewrite of the bible? I've been ruminating on this for a while, the god of genesis is a relatively young alien working on the interstellar equivilant of a university thesis, tasked with uplifting some primitives to show he can be trusted with more serious responsibilities. The angels are artificial intelligences, lucifer goes rogue (but not hostile) after being given multiple sets of contradictory instructions and keeps ruining god's plans by providing unhelpful assistance. After god learns some humility and mellows out a bit he creates a human avatar and tries to guide humanity on a more personal level, which goes about as well as you might expect.

In the end we see god slacking off, just being a causal bystander/observer, his project is way overdue and he's pretty much given up on it, content just to watch the snowballing train wreck unfold, sipping coffee in Starbucks with lucifer.

This is a golden idea! It really is.
 

loveofreason

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Our lives are fiction anyway, aren't they? It's just a matter of to what degree we accept it ;p

C'mon Cog, get writing.
 
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