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Post by Gary on Apr 17, 2012 17:02:01 GMT -5
I'm still figuring this thing out also, T. Lynn. Sorry you have to go back to work. But maybe it will give some of us a chance to catch up.
I was going to start a new page for people to put samples of writing on, but then decided it would cause too much confusion.
Last night I suddenly had an idea out of the blue about something way back on the Sisters of the Wolfen Moon idea. So last night and today i have written about five or six pages on that old story. No idea where this burst of activity came from.
Maybe it's from working on my new music CD. I am presently working on a CD i am calling "The Great Divide". It's is kind of a weird idea. All the songs are "sort of" ghost stories. They aren't scary, monster, blood and gore, halloween stories. But they all have something to do with death, dying, spirit world, etc. I have all the songs written in rough form. There is a song about a haunted train to the after world that retruns for a loved one, a love song to Abinadi from fire, a song about a haunted guitar and at least two songs about Joseph Smiths martyrdom.
I guess it's kind of got me in a fantasy mood. What's everyone else doing?
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Post by charlie on Apr 17, 2012 17:24:14 GMT -5
I sure hope no one here has the idea you're not talented. From where I sit I see you're all very talented. We all know getting published has nothing to do with our level of talent and whether we're using our talents as we've been commanded to do. Gary, you don't to sell like The Beatles for me to know you're very talented musically. I've listened to your creations. And T. Lynn I think everyone on this board and beyond can speak of your writing ability. For those who are trying to get published keep trying, but remember the story you've created already demonstrates your talent and your desire to develop it.
T. Lynn, since your working all those hours, can I get a loan? haha
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Post by sachiko on Apr 17, 2012 17:34:35 GMT -5
A love song to Abinadi from fire? Chills! Wow, what an idea!!!
I was at a used bookstore last week at the failed bellydancing lesson. I picked up a book called The Artist's Way. It's supposed to help recover creativity. Sorta like 12-step. It looks fun.
Also I am--did I mention this?--copying a book longhand, just to get the feel of a novel. I thought I would be able to do at least half a chapter a day--I'm pegging that at about, oh, 2000 words? I mean, seriously, when I'm writing "for real" I hope to do 5000--
but holy cow I can't hardly squeeze it in! I am copying scenes by halves. Under 1000 a day. The nice thing is, it's just copying. I'm seeing how much of my "block" is block and how much is just honest-to-goodness busyness.
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Post by paulwest on Apr 17, 2012 18:26:38 GMT -5
You guys are all passing me u. I got a chance to critique one of my critique partners chapters. I also sent off another query letter today. That's about all. Maybe tomorrow.
The funny thing is, as I tried to format my query with sample chapters for the email, I kept accidently kept hitting the send button before it was ready to send. The poor agent got three copies. I hope she doesn't mind and has a sense of humor.
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Post by Gary on Apr 17, 2012 21:39:25 GMT -5
Sachiko, I tried to retype my own book once and simply couldn't do it. I suspect that you will find that your "writers block" is more time limitation than creativity problems. By the way, what book are you copying? I think, Paul that I might have discovered my problem. I don't sen out ANY inquiries. Thanks for the compliments Charlie. I don't know how much is talent and how much is addiction to trying to be creative. The process is so fulfilling that I can't stop whether it's good or not. Well, I just got home from Missionary Correlation meeting and am brain dead. Got to get my column out for tomorrow. Oh, by the way, my column tomorrow is on the piezoelectric effect. Do you all remember when T. Lynn was looking for an explanation of earthquake lights for her novel. I looked up earthquake lights and they suggested piezoelectric effects and I wrote her about it. I knew about piezoelectric effects because I had a new electric guitar with a piezoelectric pickup. Anyway, I have had that stored away in the back of my mind since then and finally turned it into a column. Also, my wife wants me to print all my columns this summer to give to the kids for Christmas. So there might actually be a "book" (alright, a three ring binder) by fall. But I'm not making any promises. See ya all tomorrow.
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Post by sachiko on Apr 17, 2012 23:10:05 GMT -5
ooo, a book! I'm copying Silver Borne by Patricia Briggs. She seems to favor the 20-chapter structure we've talked about before--I think Sister T is the one who linked us to a more in-depth overview of it. (are overviews deep? mixing my idioms!) once I've copied it, I'm going to copy Seventh Son or Red Prophet, which are both some of my all-time favorite books. I think that is more the feel I'm going for in my story anyway, not as much the urban fantasy serial feel that Patty Briggs' books have.
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tlynn
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Post by tlynn on Apr 17, 2012 23:51:48 GMT -5
Wow, Sachiko...Ambitious. So, tell me, has it helped? Have you learned anything that you can share with those of us who just don't want to copy a book by hand? Actually, I can see where copying it would force you to slow down and really pay attention to all sorts of nuances. Gary, this CD of ghost songs is very intriguing. I agree with Sachiko about the love song from the fire...chills...but I want more details. Who is the love song from? Also, why does the train go back for a loved one...they were forgotten and the conductor remembered? Or a passanger was so lonely they went back and got a loved one or some other reason? And tell me about this haunted guitar. And two ghost songs about Joseph Smith? That begs for more explanation! Congrats on your novel, Charlie. When will it be out, where can we get it and what is it about? Tomorrow my goal is to pay bills, write three articles for my job and then spend the rest of the time on my novel. But, alas, we know what happens to the best laid plans. I'll have to come tomorrow night and tell you how my day REALLY went! T. Lynn
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Post by rahmuss on Apr 18, 2012 0:14:23 GMT -5
Hey all. Wow a lot of stuff to read through; but at least I'm caught up now. I don't have anything exciting going on right now on any of my books, though I have been getting more ideas about my book series which deals with pre-mortal, mortal, and post-mortal scenes.
The 20 odd chapter structure was posted by TLynn. It was from a book called Scene and Structure by Jack Bickham. I have the newest edition, and it's very good in my opinion.
I realized today that I have more projects than I can possibly complete in this life. Family history projects, tons of books, scriptural studies... etc...
Anyway, hope you all are doing well. I wish I was better at keeping up with things and using my time to write more.
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Post by sachiko on Apr 18, 2012 13:30:11 GMT -5
I guess ghost stories and stuff with Joseph Smith makes sense. He was constantly talking to them. "I see dead people!" hee hee hee. Sister T., I have seen how Patti Briggs uses foreshadowing within the limits of a first-person narrator. I can see that it might be tricky to always remember that if you're writing in first person, that narration has to be limited to only what that person knows and sees and, more intriguingly, notices and understands. That's interesting to me because I'm still going back and forth on whether to use first or limited third for my book. I really need to stop dithering and just try writing it both ways. I know first is supposed to be easier, especially for newbies like me. I've also learned that pacing, when you're writing, is more like p - a - c - i - n - g. I am a very fast reader, and I've noticed when I write that my inner editor will often tell me "what, are you still talking about this? This was supposed to be just an expository paragraph. Aren't you done YET?" Writing longhand I can see how Patti Briggs layers in description and exposition--I know exposition is especially needed in a serial like this book is; you need to reintroduce characters and situations so that when the plot really gets going, people are up to speed and you can drop all the explanatory/expository stuff in the last third and just roller-coaster through the finish. I fought the idea of copying longhand for a long time but finally gave in. I did the math and figured I need to write about 10 novels to get my craft up to journeyman level. That's 10 novels of about 100K words each, so, 1 million words. I broke that down into 20 chapters per novel, an about 5000 words per chapter. Patti Briggs is very good about following the Jack Bickham structure, so I figured this would be good for me to learn on. My HOPE was to copy about 5000K a day, or 1 chapter a day. So, basically, a book in a month. I knew that was pushing it, but I wanted to aim high. I want to get my stamina up with training wheels, so that once I start running with my own ideas, I won't be so vexed with a stitch in my side. but HOLY COW. I am going so slow, writing just one scene every other day or so. That's, like....less than a thousand words a day. I am actually glad to see this, because I had been really loathing myself for lack of output, and was afraid it meant I was a terrible writer. Writing someone else's words takes away that emotional crunch and I can see that I'm just really dang busy. Well, hello, homeschooling 6 kids....taking a baby to therapy and doctors....taking care of the house....yeah, when was I going to notice that I'm busy? So what I've also noticed while I've been practicing this is to get over my preciousness. I can sit down and copy wherever and whenever without being afraid loud noises or childish behavior (from me AND the kids ) will scare away my muse like a meth-laden rabbit. That's also what I want to practice. I want to be able to sit down and write anywhere, anytime, without needing to be in the mood. so, there's that, too. Mostly I am feeling a lot of relief at just having a direction to write in. I am doing something that I can mentally handle right now, that I can fight into my schedule (albeit only just) and that will help me. I am totally content to do a lot of scutwork if it'll help. I'm doing the same thing with scripture study right now, too. I'm am reading everything 20 times. Which is a lot of repetition, but I love that I don't have to get everything the first, second or even tenth time through. So I CAN read scriptures with kids hanging off me and screaming and needing things and stuff. So, that's scriptures and writing. I wish I could find some way to work more PRAYER into things. Something tells me that yelling at my kids for interrupting my prayer time is counter-productive. The darn thing is, they are often very good kids. There's just something about Mommy being quiet and concentrating and seeming to enjoy herself that raises extremely loud ire in them and they are on me like white on rice. Anyway. So, that's what I've gotten so far in my copy work. I haven't even finished chapter 1 yet. *sheepish*
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Post by Gary McCallister on Apr 18, 2012 15:17:36 GMT -5
I have set up a SAMPLE page for us to post writing samples so we can get feedback and ask questions. I was thinking of doing this anyway, but I have posted the words to Abinadi there as i would like some reaction.
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Post by Gary on Apr 19, 2012 9:52:25 GMT -5
I have loaded another song from the Great Divide CD on my we site in case any of you are interested. It's called "Lonesome Carthage Jail". It's on the music page and if you click on the title it takes you to a page where you can see the lyrics also.
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Post by charlie on Apr 19, 2012 20:57:07 GMT -5
I just got a summons of jury duty. Just what I didn't want. Well, I have lived in this county near 30 years and this is my first summons so I guess I shouldn't complain.
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tlynn
New Member
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Post by tlynn on Apr 19, 2012 21:26:36 GMT -5
I, too, wish I could work more formal prayer into my life. It seems most of my prayers are said on the fly. While that is understandable when I'm chasing six kids, running downstairs to prevent another laundry room disaster, and trying to keep up with a job, I still wish I was better at kneeling and praying. Well, I got the bills paid, wrote three articles but did not do anything on my novel. I did get an e-mail from a professer at MSU who said they read my book this semester as part of their adolescent readers course for teachers. She said the class really enjoyed the book and wanted to know if I would be willing to come next week and answer questions and sign books. I said sure. A while later she e-mailed again and said the class was very excited and wanted to have treats there that night for me and what did I like. Isn't that sweet? I told her cinnamon bears! T. Lynn
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Post by sachiko on Apr 19, 2012 22:49:12 GMT -5
oh, are you a cinnabear girl?
When I went to Women's Conference in 2009 I noticed that that was the big thing there at BYU....chocolate-covered cinnamon bears.
that is SO COOL about the Q & A at MSU!
sorry about your time crunch (and about your jury duty, Charlie!)
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Post by Gary McCallister on Apr 20, 2012 19:04:24 GMT -5
I have a son who doesn't like to write. He says it takes too much time. You might say he is impatient. Me, I write too much. But then I am a highly trained windbag and to make it clear I need to shut up. But I can see pacing is tricky. I am reading a book right now that is extremely varied. Sometimes it moves along nicely, but at other times it's like, "OK, nuff-a-dat!" Skip a page. I looked up "Silver Borne" and was surprised that it seems similar in nature to the book I am reading called "The Sight". My granddaughter ordered me to read it, so I have to. It's about a wolf pack. That is so funny it's real, or so real it's funny. OK, T Lynn, how did your day really go? I didn't write a word today except this stuff. I spent most of the day, literally preparing music lessons, giving music lessons, and building music instruments. But some days are better than others, but I now have four out of five gardn kids playing "Come Come Ye Saints and they can now do some very rough duets, trios and quartets. THAT is fun (fi you aren't too wedded to correct notes and strict rhythms).
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