Calling all writers!

[TheWanderingGhost]

Well hello everybody!

 

I've been writing blogs and books (that I don't love) and marketing copy (that I really don't love) for about ten years now.  For the past three years I've been focusing solely on screenplays (mostly TV, since I friggin' love TV) -- I had a great idea for a story but just couldn't make it work in a novel.  A friend suggested that I try writing it as a screenplay, and three days later I had 135 pages. I've been hooked ever since.  I live out in LA now, figuring that after years of rainy weather in Portland, a few years of sunny weather might be a good change of pace.  Plus, if I have any hope of making a living (or a luxury) at writing for TV, this is the place to be!

 

Planning on diving back into NaNoWriMo again this year but with an actual idea instead of just a vague winging it philosophy.

I'm doing Nano as well!

[Razzy]

Everything I previously said here was a mistake. Disregard. It is meaningless.

[TheWanderingGhost]

So what's everyone's favorite music to write to? Or do you prefer silence?

 

Personal favorites: 

Assassins Creed soundtracks (2 and 3)

Lord of the RIngs soundtrack 

Beethoven's 9th symphony 

Adele- 19

Studio Ghibli in concert 

[elinox]

So what's everyone's favorite music to write to? Or do you prefer silence?

 

I actually can't have music on while I'm trying to write, I find it too distracting. Particularly if it's music I chose and thus, like.

[Razzy]

So what's everyone's favorite music to write to? Or do you prefer silence?

 

Personal favorites: 

Assassins Creed soundtracks (2 and 3)

Lord of the RIngs soundtrack 

Beethoven's 9th symphony 

Adele- 19

Studio Ghibli in concert 

 

Depends on what I'm writing. Different songs for different moods.

 

Something sad, then "Home" from the Deus Ex: Human Revolution soundtrack is my go-to for ambiance.

 

Something funny -- which is most of my work -- and I just put on a song I've listened to so many times, I don't hear the lyrics anymore. It's more to block out the sounds of the house around me than anything else.

 

Can't have anything for fight scenes -- they're very technical and I need all my concentration to make sure descriptions are on target.

 

Epic moments require epic music; thus, I break out the Two Steps From Hell.

 

And, even though I rarely write this kind of thing, I find I MUST have rave/hip-hop remixes for writing sex scenes. o_0 I've no idea why this is so, just that it works. If it makes my muse happy, I shall not complain. Applause by Lady Gaga is an example.

[Mistborn]

Didn't finish the story yesterday, but I did write over 2000 words. Almost finished.

 

So did you get it finished and entered? I sent mine in on the 28th!

 

I'm a writer as well of Fantasy and the occasional Sci Fi short story. I've written a fantasy novel that I'm trying to find an agent for and recently had my first publication with a piece of flash fiction. I'm looking to increase my list of stories published while seeking an agent for my manuscript.

 

Anyone here listen to the podcast Writing Excuses? I've only listened to the first season so far but it has been very influential!

[Phytomancer]

So what's everyone's favorite music to write to? Or do you prefer silence?

 

 

Kalafina

Yuki Kujiura

Yoshida Brother

Peter Hollens

And whatever the coffee shop plays

[hwedwards]

So what's everyone's favorite music to write to? Or do you prefer silence?

 

Personal favorites: 

Assassins Creed soundtracks (2 and 3)

Lord of the RIngs soundtrack 

Beethoven's 9th symphony 

Adele- 19

Studio Ghibli in concert 

 

Oh man -- my writing music is SUPER WEIRD:

 

BOARDS OF CANADA (what I work to most often)

Aphex Twin (Selected Ambient Works '89-'92 mostly)

There Will Be Blood Soundtrack (during re-writes only -- if I put it on when I'm writing a first draft it'll come out feeling just like TWBB whether I want it to or not!)

Metallica / Slayer / Iron Maiden / Megadeth (chase / action scene specific)

Phish (if I'm having a bad day)

Elliott Smith (if I'm having a good day)

[Chrestomanci]

I found rap music to be helpful when I write for some reason. I'll usually just throw on a random rap mix from 8 Tracks and start plugging away

[amar2396]

I write scripts. My epic quest in life is to make my own animated feature film and start my own studio. I have 4 finished scripts just sitting in my shelf, waiting for the opportunity to become films. As for music I listen to while doing it, it depends on the script. My dark comedy script about a mortician used classic halloween music, fun yet spooky. My horror/drama script I used the soundtrack to sweeny todd, more specificly "No place like london" because my story took place in london. For my current script I use the theme for "once upon a time"  

[kaelvan]

I just got back into writing. Mostly tricking myself into working on my art, helped.

[Thrillho]

Any writers still around? 

[vitzy]

Happy to have found this thread!

 

I've had a lifelong writing habit. For years I've written in three genres, but recently made the decision to focus only on fantasy for a while. I have a finished novel (well, I have about ten finished novels, but one that I think is worth publishing) that I'm getting ready to send out to agents. 

 

I'm also working on a fantasy novella trilogy. The first in that series is done. I'm 1/3 through the second. This is my first serious foray into the novella format, and I'm finding it quite fun and refreshing after the 200,000 word marathon that was the epic fantasy novel I finished last year.

 

Anyone else write novellas?

[Thrillho]

Most of my 'short stories' turn into novellas (30,000 - 50,000 words), but my novels never get that far because I always get too terrified once I'm a few chapters in and they go into The Vault.  REALLY looking for some help kicking my own ass to write more.

 

Also, next month, my children's book will be (self) published, with copies going to local bookstores and the local library system, as well as everyone who helped with the crowdsourcing.  That's helped to give me the confidence to actually let other people read stuff I write. 

[vitzy]

REALLY looking for some help kicking my own ass to write more.

 

For me, writing is just like working out. I set a time, I set a goal. It helps to share that goal with people who will hold you accountable. Then it's a question of doing. I write first thing every morning, and have recently started to take Wednesdays off work to write the whole day. (*Ahem, please ignore the fact that is currently Wednesday and I am posting in this forum instead of churning out fiction ...)

 

What I find challenging/fun about the novellas is keeping them short. I'm capping them at 30,000 words. Telling a complete story in that short time requires efficiency.

 

Congrats on the children's book!

[Thrillho]

Setting a schedule for writing for me is kind of a hilariously laughable concept. I just try to shoehorn in a few sentences where I can, which obviously makes it hard to write anything cohesive. If I have time in a block to just sit down and WRITE, then that means I'm neglecting the other eleventy billion responsibilities I have, and someone in my family will point this out to me right quick. Most of my writing is done at work on days where I don't have any frontlog of drafting work to do. 

[elinox]

Anyone else write novellas?

 

My own original novel counts as a novella (50,126 words) and I finished my initial editing phase back in September. Although when I first started writing it, I'd intended for it to just be a 'novel' (what I'd assumed all published books over 200 pages were). 

 

I'm at a point though where I think I'd like to self-publish it, to get it out there, but I'm still feeling like I should have a professional editor take a look at it. In all honesty though, I really just want to hold a physical copy in my hands, nothing more. 

 

My other problem with writing is that once I have an idea for a story, I can easily let the muse loose and run with it for hours. But once the inspiration stops, I feel no compunction to continue writing it. At least, until the muse returns!

[Pavowski]

Yes!

 

I have been meaning to write a book for years, but it was always one of those I'll get to it one day things. Well, back in April of last year, I decided that if I kept waiting around for "one day" to roll around, I'd be old and gray before I ever wrote that book -- if I ever did.

 

I finished the first draft in July of last year and have been working on the edit ever since. I'm hoping to finish that edit within the next few weeks and pass the book off to some readers for some feedback before I go shopping around for an editor or an agent. It's exhausting but incredibly rewarding.

 

To supplement work on the novel (which I knew would not be consistent) I also started a blog. There, I write about the process, or running, or parenting, or whatever else is front-of-mind on the day. Finally, I write flash fiction short stories (~1000 words) every week or two to keep the creative juices flowing. 

 

That said, once I have a somewhat polished draft in hand, I am not a hundred percent what my next steps should be. Anybody out there with a little more experience have any pointers?

[Rednwhite]

Not sure what the best way into writing is around the rest of the world, but in the UK I've been told that radio is a good way in. If you listen to enough radio and are able to work out the kinds of things stations are looking for and you've got a good enough script, your chances are good. I think they're a little underwhelmed for writers of that medium.

I write. I did a bit of freelance journalism but the pay was so sporadic that I had to give it up and look for a "proper job". I had a play put on once, too - but writers, directors, actors and sound people were all volunteers; ticket sales just about covered the cost of the venue. I'm writing a novel at the moment but my passion is for scripts: theatre, TV, film... I also co-wrote a film but again: didn't get paid.

[kathrynl]

 

Also, next month, my children's book will be (self) published, with copies going to local bookstores and the local library system, as well as everyone who helped with the crowdsourcing.  That's helped to give me the confidence to actually let other people read stuff I write. 

 

I'm working on a children's book myself, both writing and illustrating. Congrads on your book!

[EVEArgent]

I am working on a Horror/Psychological novella-my first. I don't know if I can call myself a writer yet. I've been writing on forums for years, but I never had a whole concept for a story until recently. Part of my challenge this time around is to get it out of my head and on paper.

[elinox]

I am working on a Horror/Psychological novella-my first. I don't know if I can call myself a writer yet. I've been writing on forums for years, but I never had a whole concept for a story until recently. Part of my challenge this time around is to get it out of my head and on paper.

 

I'm pretty sure the main reason I finished my first novel was because I had 'write at least once a week' as part of my challenge back in April of 2014. And it did get completed!

[DanyRose]

Hey good to see other writers here!

 

It's nice to hear a challenge worked for getting novels finished. That's my main quest this challenge. I've written novels in the past, very bad novels granted, but I've learned from them and actually have a good story I am excited about again. The doing of it is the problem. 

 

@EVEArgent: If you write, semi regularly (as in, putting words of some variety on paper/word doc creatively--even nonfiction is creative) you are a writer. Own it

[Damaramu]

I self-publish parnaormal romance under a pen name. My website is: http://jessicaryanbooks.com

[phobos28km]

I used to write Sci Fi in high school, and have been wanting to get back into it lately. I want to write at least one fictional novel before I die. Right now I just write horrible boring scientific papers, that only 20 people in the world care about. Not really a living, more of a hobby until I graduate.