Comments on Help me, please!

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Just some thoughts...

I read this post right after posting my Writing Tip #2 and I had to laugh a little.  All of us get stuck sometimes doing more thinking and talking about writing than actual writing.  The only cure is plain and simple.  Write, write, write.  And part of the committment of the writing life is going to be a lot of "bad" writing to get to the "good" writing, or as you said it, the "right" writing.  Writing about writing and talking about writing is not bad, but we must keep practicing, be diligent in writing every day.  And when you aren't writing, read.  Read the writing that inspires you.  If you want to write novels, read novels.  If you want to write poetry, read poetry, etc. .  Another thing that helps me is to ask what is good writing to me and why?  What is bad writing and why?  For instance, Literature, in my opinion, is so crucial because it explores the human condition.  It gets into the complexities of the real importance of our being here.  It makes us question what meaning the world has.  What important things might we have to say to add to that thinking?  What do you believe in?  When you think back on refreshing and inspiring conversations (not about writing, but about life), what are you talking about?  Those are things to write about - in novels, poetry, articles, etc. .  What do you know about, what areas are you expert in?  Write what you know and write whatever comes through when you are thinking this way.  Then you can go back and shape them into the "right" pieces of writing through structuring and revision. 

posted by Starla7 on September 10, 2004 at 11:24 PM | link to this | reply

I know what you mean.
I'm going to have to discipline myself soon.  I've read your interesting blogs, though, and you seem to be in good writing shape, so I wouldn't worry. . . yet.

posted by Witchflower on August 30, 2004 at 8:58 PM | link to this | reply

Witch - blogit has been taking way too much time from me also
and am having to set aside only certian tiems I will be on here. My motivation to write is that I need the money to eat! and live. LOL

posted by Hollee on August 30, 2004 at 7:54 PM | link to this | reply

Yeah, I don't put anything on here that I plan to submit to a real paying market. I had a novel in progress on here and removed it. I have two areas set up in my saved documents folder. One if for Blogging and there is for the stuff I write to send out. My goal is to always have something out there to a magazine. I've got two stories out there right now. I need to get another out because soon I will hear back on one of them.

posted by Kay-Ren on August 21, 2004 at 11:59 AM | link to this | reply

Thank you!
I have been enjoying your blogs.  Thanks, too, for the click.     I had similar thoughts and questions about publishing online in advance.  Once again, you've carried the thought ahead of me.  I think you're right.  I'll keep the novel to myself for now.  I have plenty of other pieces in mind for Blogit.

posted by Witchflower on August 20, 2004 at 9:42 PM | link to this | reply

Witchflower -- I just had to put a click on your new counter

Be careful with the suggestion of writing your novel on Blogit. This can be a very good forum for ideas, input and encouraging feedback but a few unforeseen pitfalls can exist. A year ago I began writing a fiction novel and posting the excerpts here. They were notes really, ideas that were beginning to form the storyline of the book. Much encouragement was gleaned from a number of Blogit members, also some very helpful hints and advice.

When I had finally assembled a crude version of the finished manuscript I started looking for an agent and eventually found one. The very first thing he asked me to do was delete all of my postings containing excerpts from the manuscript he was now representing. He simply did not like the idea of trying to sell a work that was posted in a public online forum. Although I felt his request was overkill I could not refute the underlying point he was making. In that it is simply not prudent to post a possibly commercially viable work in it's entirety in public domain. But that is not to say that you cannot enjoy posting some of your initial manuscript's notes and deriving the best of what Blogit has to offer in feedback from other members.  

Thanx for putting me in your favourites.

posted by gomedome on August 20, 2004 at 10:36 AM | link to this | reply

I read everything that I can get my hands on
I read many posts, newspapers, magazines, and articles about writing. The more I read, the more I take notes, and the more my brain waves open up to different subjects. We all get blocked, that is just human nature. The mind can only absorb so much before it says "enough".

posted by Sherri_G on August 19, 2004 at 8:42 PM | link to this | reply

Thanks!
You're right, of course.  We do it for ourselves and because we have to. After a little venting and whining, I feel I can work on several things at once.  Thanks, everyone for listening and for the encouragement.

posted by Witchflower on August 16, 2004 at 9:19 PM | link to this | reply

My Advice...

I would say that in my situation I am just so happy to be writing again that I don't care what I'm writing or where it's going or even who it's being read by.  I've always written for myself.  I do enjoy sharing with other people and would love to actually make money from something I wrote, but that's not what I'm after in the end.  My advice?  Enjoy the creativity.  You never know where it might take you.    ~ A. Winters ~

posted by A.Winters on August 16, 2004 at 8:49 PM | link to this | reply

i've wondered the same thing
i would think that even though we use a screen name, the screen name belongs to us as registered with blogit, so therefore the copyright is ours- i'm going ask brian- back to ya

posted by Psych_Scribe on August 16, 2004 at 1:59 PM | link to this | reply

That's a thought.  I know I can copyright it on Blogit, but that would involve revealing my true identity.  Hmm.   Not that there is anything remarkable about my identity; I'm just shy.  Seriously, do people do that?

posted by Witchflower on August 16, 2004 at 1:09 PM | link to this | reply

Just write your novel on blogit.

posted by aardvark on August 16, 2004 at 1:01 PM | link to this | reply