The Writing (and Artistic) Ranting Thread

[Shadow]

I've been having trouble with setting aside time to write so any tips?

I have the same problem at times (namely when a new game comes out >_>). What I usually find works best for me is to decide what time of day I write best and am most comfortable, then tell myself that I will write for x amount of time. Basically, schedule it in. If you're like me and get caught up in other entertainment stuff instead, maybe use the other stuff as a reward; ie: "I don't get to game until I've completed x amount of words". -hopes that helps-

 

[DragonMaster2010]

When you want your writing to sound mature and get out of that high school writing mentality. It's difficult to get the right words to make your story sound a bit more interesting with the use of words. For example instead of "He jumped on to the fast moving train that was going to go over the cliff" You want "He leaped over the edge, onto a speeding train just as it was dangerously heading towards a cliff." But all the words you need don't come about and thesaurus ends up being your best friend.

Constantly changing the appearance of your protagonist and characters. Just when you think you have one design choice, something inspires you visually to change your character into that inspiration. I've faced this many times and am still facing it.. I can just never get a handle on what I want for a character design and it ends up in constant re-writes and changed scenes.

When someone compares your story to another story and you didn't even know that other story existed. Like your writing a story about two brothers who hunt evil and save lives with guns, curses, exorcisms, and even a bit of religion figures and mythology in the mix. You think its so original and your best idea you could pop out of your ass. Then someone reads it and says "So...is this Supernatural fanfiction?" Then you look up what that person meant, and suddenly, your grand story isn't as unique and original as you thought. This has Happen to me many times as has it been with other writers. Like J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and Tim Hunter from the DC comics.

When you get so into the writing that you end up spending all night working on it. This has plagued me for so long. I get so into the writing that I end up staying up late hours at night to write on. Then I get so exhausted the next day as I take years off my life. It's stressful.

When you work on a story all night, only for that dreaded "file corrupted" pop up to appear. Need I say more?

 

[Dante's Stalker]

I've been having trouble with setting aside time to write so any tips?

A pen that works. Take it with you wherever you go. And make sure you've got pockets. When an idea/inspiration hits, you'll find something you can write on and then stuff it in your pocket.
I don't have the mind to remember to take a notepad with me everywhere, whatnot with all the other important stuff I have to remember to pack for trips out, BUT I've found tissues, toiletpaper, and receipts work well. If all else fails, I write on my hand. Yep, real old school lol.

Current rant:
When you're trying to find that one completed manuscript, but it's not on that computer, nor on the USB, but on the OTHER computer, and then having to go through a maze with a lot of decoys and dead ends before you find it. And when you DO find it, you discover that you were in the process of revising the bloody thing.
I sometimes fail to understand myself. What was I thinking, really?

 

[KRSkull]

Spend lots of days on planing and writing. Then you look at it and just hit the Delete button because you didn't like what you wrote.

 

[Dante's Stalker]

That moment you realize that the 17 chapters you just spent an hour reformatting and entered into a competition is the very first freaking draft and the wrong version.

Pardon me while I cry.

 

[Rebel Dynasty]

That moment you realize that the 17 chapters you just spent an hour reformatting and entered into a competition is the very first freaking draft and the wrong version.

Pardon me while I cry.

Oh gods. D: -Hugs and offers comfort food and drink-

 

[Dante's Stalker]

Oh gods. D: -Hugs and offers comfort food and drink-

Thank youuuu

 

[Rebel Dynasty]

Thank youuuu

No problem. ^^

Edit: I thought maybe you had fixed it (it started off like the more recent version I'd seen), but the more I read, the more obvious the difference in content. I hope you're able to get the most recent version up without a hitch...

...But damn if that site doesn't make it impossible when it comes to anything italicized. >.>

 

[Rebel Dynasty]

Is it weird that I was more put-out by a bit of complimentary feedback recently, than I was by the actual constructive criticism itself? Literally, the concrit didn't bother me at all (I know Phenex and Forneus are a great deal more advanced than Gwen as far as character development goes; that's probably why it didn't bother me).

I guess it was another one of those, "getting compared to a series I haven't even read" things, on top of hearing that the genre I'm writing for is apparently over-crowded. And yet, everything said was said as a compliment. Why, brain? Why did you have to pick it apart, and start worrying yourself over whether it'll make it in the market, or not? I mean ****, I wasn't looking to write "what's popular" right now...I honestly thought what I was working with theme-wise would be less noticeable. :'(

Wait, why am I worrying? By the time this beast is out of its cage, the next fad will have come and gone, anyway. I'd rather my works be little known and published, than denied publication because there's more supply than demand.

 

[Dante's Stalker]

You know... you go online and you research runes and you find this one particular combination rune that is meant for protection on a pagan site and you think, WHOOT, this will work well and it's unique because you've never laid eyes on it before.

And then you watch another episode of the Dresden Files and notice that Harry has the exact same bloody rune imprinted on his steel door, and you kinda go

Wasted 20 minutes of writing time just to find that blasted rune, when all I had to do was watch the first five minutes of a series to get what I was looking for.

 

[TWOxACROSS]

"He jumped on to the fast moving train that was going to go over the cliff" You want "He leaped over the edge, onto a speeding train just as it was dangerously heading towards a cliff."

I would advise against overuse of -ly adjectives, especially given the context of something "dangerously heading towards a cliff." The reader is probably able to surmise how dangerous a situation that is in and of itself, without the need for us to mention it. I mean, c'mon, what about heading towards a cliff isn't inherently dangerous, right?

One of my old creative writing teachers used to say "When people use too many -ly adjectives, it makes me want to pull my beard out and choke on it." It was a glorious beard too, so the tragedy would have been two-fold. Similarly, there's plenty of other words in the English language that encapsulate what we want to say without having to use simple adjectives. Oh Captain, my Captain said it best, after all

It's like, not giving your audience enough credit, or treating them like simpletons. People know things, so some stuff just doesn't need to be emphasized. Fortunately, you can also use the audience's knowledge to make different things carry weight, like implying how courageous a character is because he is jumping onto a train about to go over a cliff.

Writing a story is just like having a conversation with the reader; even if they can't talk back, they are certainly formulating their own thoughts. Have respect for their intelligence and use what you both know to create an entertaining experience.

 

[V]

I get asked the weirdest questions. Where do you get your bases? Is that real? Can I give you 1/4 what you're asking for that?

 

[TWOxACROSS]

I get asked the weirdest questions. Where do you get your bases? Is that real? Can I give you 1/4 what you're asking for that?

My favorite.

 

[Shadow]

My favorite.

I can't help but think working only for exposure is like selling your soul: you shouldn't do it unless you have something to fall back if and when it all goes south.

 

[V]

"If you're good at something, never do it for free". . .

 

[Rebel Dynasty]

"If you're good at something, never do it for free". . .

For free occasionally wouldn't be so bad; I think it's just ill-advised to do it more than that, when you intend on going somewhere with your craft. Do it for free too often, and you get walked all over. Never show any of your skill without monetary gain, and you lose out on clientele.

Being an artist is a fickle business, indeed. ^^;

 

[V]

Depends, I mean even an expose is to do it for "something" rather than nothing. I've done my time working with film people and business who don't understand or care about the position of the artist. Maybe if you're just starting out and not serious you can consider doing it for free, but what about you Rebel, would you let someone use a piece of your writing for whatever they want for nothing, or would you expect something in return?

 

[Rebel Dynasty]

Depends, I mean even an expose is to do it for "something" rather than nothing. I've done my time working with film people and business who don't understand or care about the position of the artist. Maybe if you're just starting out and not serious you can consider doing it for free, but what about you Rebel, would you let someone use a piece of your writing for whatever they want for nothing, or would you expect something in return?

Nope, I wouldn't. I was thinking more along the lines of the writer or artist providing samples of their work themselves, not of gaining exposure through someone else parading it around without crediting it to the creator. ^^;

 

[V]

Nope, I wouldn't. I was thinking more along the lines of the writer or artist providing samples of their work themselves, not of gaining exposure through someone else parading it around without crediting it to the creator. ^^;

I see. I was referring more to my own experience of potential employers that promise a job if you work on a sample first. Beware those. They seem to be rife, and employers seem to think they can ask for it because many artists agree to it. Although I'm not sure if writers have such an equivalent.

There shouldn't be a need because artists have portfolios. You wouldn't ask a builder to build you a sample house or an accountant to do some sample books. Which is why it's somewhat unethical to ask an artist to do it - they are still professionals like builders and accountants.

 

[Rebel Dynasty]

I see. I was referring more to my own experience of potential employers that promise a job if you work on a sample first. Beware those. They seem to be rife, and employers seem to think they can ask for it because many artists agree to it. Although I'm not sure if writers have such an equivalent.

If such creatures exist in the writerly world (in which I'm sure they do), I'll avoid them like the plague they are, don't worry. I have no intentions of letting anyone use me for their own personal gain while crapping all over what I've worked so hard on.

There shouldn't be a need because artists have portfolios. You wouldn't ask a builder to build you a sample house or an accountant to do some sample books. Which is why it's somewhat unethical to ask an artist to do it - they are still professionals like builders and accountants.

Precisely; your portfolios are your "free samples", so to speak. Nothing else beyond that is necessary. And of course, I'm in agreement. ^^ Apparently, the "exposure" bit confused me, lol. I was thinking in terms of, "if a person never posts their work where it can be seen, then how will they ever gain the recognition to develop a following or monetary gain?"

I'm not going to lie; monetary is on my list of things I'd like to gain. Not the first thing, but if I'm getting published, there'd better be money involved. It doesn't have to be a lot; in fact, since I'm a realist, I know it's unlikely to be, anyway. That said? I may love writing, but that doesn't mean I've enjoyed every last second, nor that I haven't suffered setbacks during. As such, I need to get something out of it that proves all of the time and sacrifice that went into it--that continues to go into it--was worthwhile. Personally, publication is a big part of that; financial gain is secondary, and something that I care about more in regards to my family than to myself.

...I can't remember where I was going with this. ^^; Anyway, in sum? I agree with you. A career in one form of entertainment or another is still a career, and should be treated as such.