The Writers' Group introduction thread.

[shoeshine]

pattricia, I recall reading that Geoffrey Archer was hopeless at writing his works, to some degree. He apparently, and I may be wrong, needed some heavy input from others in order to shape up his novels to the point of being ready for his Publisher.

 

Of couse proof readers are employed by the major publishing houses to check typographical errors too.

 

Because this Group comprises really pleasant people, I expect the pedantically critically elements one finds on the General Forum will be less represented on here. Just do your best, and we will all appreciate that is all that any one of us can do.

 

Please just relax, and above all enjoy.......

[pattricia]

pattricia, I recall reading that Geoffrey Archer was hopeless at writing his works, to some degree. He apparently, and I may be wrong, needed some heavy input from others in order to shape up his novels to the point of being ready for his Publisher.

 

Of couse proof readers are employed by the major publishing houses to check typographical errors too.

 

Because this Group comprises really pleasant people, I expect the pedantically critically elements one finds on the General Forum will be less represented on here. Just do your best, and we will all appreciate that is all that any one of us can do.

 

Please just relax, and above all enjoy.......

Yes, I will relax,(Ill have a beer) Also Barbara Cartland never actually wrote a word,but dictated her stories to her secretary.She sold an enormous amount of novels(all trash) Its the imagination you have to have,not the literary skills.

[peterw]

From the age of about eight I fell in love with reading books, and the pleasure has stayed with me for many years.

 

Christmas used to be a time in my childhood when the present of a new book was as important to me as a toy. I loved the feel of a brand new book, the excitement of opening the pristine pages and the anticipation of enjoying the story within it.

 

I recall reading Mark Twain's "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" and "Tom Sawyer", Baroness Orczy's "The Scarlet Pimpernel", Robert Louis Stevenson's " Treasure Island" and "Kidnapped", Anna Sewell's "Black Beauty" and lots of others as I progressed into my teenage years.

 

During my adult years I have always been a member of a Public Library. I visit my local library every month or so. To me they really are "treasure houses". I have never read much of Dicken's work.......even now they seem too "hard going". Fortunately some of the Classic Fiction has been transformed into TV series, so someone else has waded through them and done the really hard work

 

Of late I have read most if not all of the Tom Sharpe novels, and the entire output of Terry Pratchett "Disc World" Series........brilliantly funny authors.

 

My favourite genres? I particularly like Sci-Fi, Mystery, Horror and Non-Fiction books on virtually any subject.

 

Finally, a few weeks ago I revisited my childhood by re-reading "Tom Sawyer" and "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn". The novels stand alone as general stories for children's reading, but I realise now, at my age, there is an underlying depiction of the hardship and bondage to slavery that was the norm throughout the southern States contained within the boyish adventure stories written by Mark Twain (aka Samuel Clements). Whilst I loved the books as a child, I saw them in a new light as an adult.

 

Shoeshine read the right books! I think she’ll agree, though, that Treasure Island (RLS’s title doesn’t have quotes Shoeshine) is probably the best book a writer can read. The first few paragraphs really set the scene. The old pub, Admiral Benbow, Blind Pew, the treasure chest — everything. I’d recommend all novelists to read it.

 

JoelP —I currently have a one-hour play with BBC Radio. It’s a ‘bit different’ and I don’t expect they’ll touch it but I’m waiting! Disabled old man, former Intelligence Officer second world war, murderers the local yob aged 14. Police know who did it. Old man knows police know, but they can’t prove it. Mystery lies in how he disposed of body. Police eventually get a good lead but man dies naturally hours before they call to arrest him.

 

To all — if you’ve got an idea don’t play around with it, get it written. But remember, first check you’ve got a prospective market for it! All it’s going to cost you is the postage, and a few purches of the magazines, or whatever your aim is, to get a feel of the style it should be written in.

 

Apart from designing newspaper pages and CD labels I do nothing else but write, and it gives me a good living. If you need advice, I’m always willing to give it.

[peterw]

From the age of about eight I fell in love with reading books, and the pleasure has stayed with me for many years.

 

Christmas used to be a time in my childhood when the present of a new book was as important to me as a toy. I loved the feel of a brand new book, the excitement of opening the pristine pages and the anticipation of enjoying the story within it.

 

I recall reading Mark Twain's "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" and "Tom Sawyer", Baroness Orczy's "The Scarlet Pimpernel", Robert Louis Stevenson's " Treasure Island" and "Kidnapped", Anna Sewell's "Black Beauty" and lots of others as I progressed into my teenage years.

 

During my adult years I have always been a member of a Public Library. I visit my local library every month or so. To me they really are "treasure houses". I have never read much of Dicken's work.......even now they seem too "hard going". Fortunately some of the Classic Fiction has been transformed into TV series, so someone else has waded through them and done the really hard work

 

Of late I have read most if not all of the Tom Sharpe novels, and the entire output of Terry Pratchett "Disc World" Series........brilliantly funny authors.

 

My favourite genres? I particularly like Sci-Fi, Mystery, Horror and Non-Fiction books on virtually any subject.

 

Finally, a few weeks ago I revisited my childhood by re-reading "Tom Sawyer" and "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn". The novels stand alone as general stories for children's reading, but I realise now, at my age, there is an underlying depiction of the hardship and bondage to slavery that was the norm throughout the southern States contained within the boyish adventure stories written by Mark Twain (aka Samuel Clements). Whilst I loved the books as a child, I saw them in a new light as an adult.

 

Shoeshine read the right books! I think she’ll agree, though, that Treasure Island (RLS’s title doesn’t have quotes Shoeshine, and neither do any of your other favourites [just constructive criticism]) is probably the best book a writer can read. The first few paragraphs really set the scene. The old pub, Admiral Benbow, Blind Pew, the treasure chest — everything. I’d recommend all novelists to read it.

 

JoelP —I currently have a one-hour play with BBC Radio. It’s a ‘bit different’ and I don’t expect they’ll touch it but I’m waiting! Disabled old man, former Intelligence Officer second world war, murderers the local yob aged 14. Police know who did it. Old man knows police know, but they can’t prove it. Mystery lies in how he disposed of body. Police eventually get a good lead but man dies naturally hours before they call to arrest him.

 

To all — if you’ve got an idea don’t play around with it, get it written. But remember, first check you’ve got a prospective market for it! All it’s going to cost you is the postage, and a few purches of the magazines, or whatever your aim is, to get a feel of the style it should be written in.

 

Apart from designing newspaper pages and CD labels I do nothing else but write, and it gives me a good living. If you need advice, I’m always willing to give it.

[shoeshine]

peterw, you have just, publically, advertised my fetish..

 

I love commas, inverted ones, misplaced ones, "orphaned" ones

 

Yes, I am well known for it, round here, they say, I can't get enough, of commas,

 

Full stops are anathema to me, simply can't help it, I think I may need treatment for this "commaritis"

[Annoni_mouse]

Yes, I will relax,(Ill have a beer) Also Barbara Cartland never actually wrote a word,but dictated her stories to her secretary.She sold an enormous amount of novels(all trash) Its the imagination you have to have,not the literary skills.

 

I always find that my best ideas come to me when im as far as humanly possible from either a pen or paper:(

 

For this reason,ive often toyed with the idea of buying a dictaphone, so I can record the idea as soon as it pops into my head(which may or may not be a good thing:hihi: )

[shoeshine]

I woke up at about 3.00am after having a strange dream with the thought that it could be shaped into a good fantasy story for the Writing Group.

 

As usual I went back to sleep and can't remember it this morning. Doesn't it always happen to everyone?

 

If I get any deeper into this Group it seemsI have three choices. Buy a Dictaphone for the bedside, have a notebook and pen handy or the worst scenario of all......giving up a sniff of the wine cork before Morpheus turn up.

 

Comet here I come!

[Jabberwocky]

I woke up at about 3.00am after having a strange dream with the thought that it could be shaped into a good fantasy story for the Writing Group.

 

As usual I went back to sleep and can't remember it this morning. Doesn't it always happen to everyone?

 

If I get any deeper into this Group it seemsI have three choices. Buy a Dictaphone for the bedside, have a notebook and pen handy or the worst scenario of all......giving up a sniff of the wine cork before Morpheus turn up.

 

Comet here I come!

I had a dream last night that I was Homer Simpson and... his daughter, I forget her name was lopping my arm off with a saw. I woke in a cold sweat and thought about trying to add it to a story.

I wish it had forgotten it now.

[Annoni_mouse]

I woke up at about 3.00am after having a strange dream with the thought that it could be shaped into a good fantasy story for the Writing Group.

 

As usual I went back to sleep and can't remember it this morning. Doesn't it always happen to everyone?

 

If I get any deeper into this Group it seemsI have three choices. Buy a Dictaphone for the bedside, have a notebook and pen handy or the worst scenario of all......giving up a sniff of the wine cork before Morpheus turn up.

 

Comet here I come!

 

Aye, the essay I entered for my GCSE open writing coursework was inspired by an alcohol induced dream I had in Zakynthos....

 

That metaxa is a cruel mistress......

[krimsonkaos]

Hi all

 

Okay, so what can I say about me? Well, been writing for as long as I can remember and always received support and encouragement from friends, family and teachers alike. I mainly do sci-fi and fantasy, and self-published my first short cyberpunk novel earlier this year entitled Fallen Skies: A Pocketful Of Secrets. So far it's been well-received with the second one due out very soon (this month). I'm also working on a dark fantasy epic which I'm hoping to have ready for release next year.

 

Influences include William Gibson, Robert Heinlein, Philip K Dick, M John Harrison, Iain M Banks, Arthur Conan Doyle, Chuck Palahniuk and Terry Pratchett (asmongst others).

 

Favourite all-time book: The Princess Bride

 

Hope the group goes well, and hope to be seeing some good writing from you guys.

 

Have fun for now.

 

MJE