NationStates Jolt Archive

The thread about Vonnegut dying made me wonder how many here are writers, either just for fun, or with the intention of being published/making a job of it.

So, are you a writer? Just for fun, or in the hopes of a career? What type of stuff do you generally write? Who influenced you/your writing? Etc.

As for me, I write for fun, but also with the hopes of being published. I've been writing since...well, since I could, really. I started out writing short little horror stories in kindergarten and first grade, and just went on from there. Now I tend to write, well, just about everything (save western and romance), but I focus mostly on sci-fi/fantasy. In the midst of a fantasy novel right now, in fact (about 115,000 words so far, and nearing the end).

As for influences, the list is pretty long, so I'll be brief:
Kurt Vonnegut
Stephen King
Chuck Palahniuk
George R.R. Martin
Gene Wolfe
Kafka

The list could go on, and yeah, most of them aren't cannon. Not much I can do about that. Of course, I study literature, so I have to keep these preferences secret, lest I be found out and burned at the stake. :)

So, how about it NSGers. Any of you writers? This place seems to have pretty well-read people. I can't be all alone.

I am writing a sci-fi called Hadisveja, which is influenced by 'The Dispossed', 'Accelerando' and Cory Doctorow's works. I have another idea, which I'd call 'Deprecated' about a member of an american cargo cult (on the location of former Hollywood) who is the only one who can communicate with an alien ship.

Eh... yeah. I dunno. I seem to have a rather devote cult following, but I've never had anything published - yet. I post a lot of stuff online, either just through my journal or on deviantArt, but it's just personal-kinda stuff. Mostly poetry and poetic-prose. In fact, it's been years since I wrote anything else - but I did dabble in short stories and personal essays, and might again if the inkling ever strikes.

My boyfriend thinks I'll end up published one day, for what it's worth. :p I have, according to him and others, and very unique writing style. We'll see. I'd love to be published one day. (Which'll have to happen anyway, since I hope to earn a PhD one day.)

I write things, usually fictional histories of places I either make up or come from other sources. They're usually pretty long and detailed, although I imagine they would be quite dry to someone not interested in regular history. It enables me to construct what is really a fully developed character on the scale of a nation, a region or a world with its own personalities and conflicts.

Nonfictional fiction.

I've written some short stories, poems, etc. Haven't shared them with anyone.

I won an online fanfic contest once, but it was the first large-scale piece I'd ever written outside of school. Though I do plan on going into journalism, which admittedly is not quite the same thing...

I write constantly. Not with the hope of being published; I'm too lazy, and can't keep to one thing for long enough. Just for fun.

Mostly I write fiction - mostly fantasy, a little science fiction, and some set in worlds similar to Earth but with different geographies and histories. I never write anything set in the present time.

Some of it is profound, but most of it is worthless... I just like writing it.

i write too many philosophy papers, does that count?


a friend of mine actually just had his first novel published. it's been getting rave reviews all over the place. in the onion's av club, you could actually see the reviewer's hands going down my friend's pants. "one of the best stories told in any medium in a decade" - as if pat's ego needed any more encouragement...

I write a lot of religious work, such as poems and songs. I also write a crap load of poli sci stuff too. Occasionally, I write fantasy stories, like what you find in an RPG game or something.

Yes, I'm a serious writer.

I'd like to one day make a living out of it, but the odds are definitely stacked against me.

For the most part, I like to write fantasy adventure novels that follow an underlying theme. Sometimes I enjoy writing a good old paper on human social interactions, though.

I write things, usually fictional histories of places I either make up or come from other sources. They're usually pretty long and detailed, although I imagine they would be quite dry to someone not interested in regular history. It enables me to construct what is really a fully developed character on the scale of a nation, a region or a world with its own personalities and conflicts.

Nonfictional fiction.

Do you have any of that uploaded anywhere? I like reading fictional histories like the ones you have written.

As for me...I've written occasionally, but unfortunately my lack of decent ability with words results in passionless writing despite my creative abilities...the expression of such creativeness leaves something to be desired...

i write too many philosophy papers, does that count?...

I say it does.
I wrote a few random things. Mainly my personal writing was a spun off from the extra credit opportunity in English class. Now I am working on my first large story (over 50 pages so far and maybe 200 to go). Some kind of adventure/fantasy with some sci-fi elements put in it.

I'll write some things about some philisophy and my Satire ideas... Once I get into college philosophy that is.

I tried once, but then read it and vowed never to violate the very concept of literature itself by attempting to write again.

I write a lot, and I not only intend to do it for living, but I see no other choice for me. I'm interested in no other line of work.

I started the hobby in elementary school, when I wrote short stories in two series of my own: one was about a few people, who traveled in time, and it was a total ripoff of the Back to the Future movies. The second was about a guy, who discovered Atlantis from the bottom of the ocean, raised it to the surface with ping-pong balls, and got into many adventures to stop bad guys, who intended to use the discovered ancient technology to sinister ends.

After that, I spent a few years playing computer games, but in high school, I got into reading science fiction. I did very little else on my spare time. After a while, I started to get a compelling need to write a novel of my own. So I started that after graduating from high school, and spent four years writing my sci-fi novel. Unfortunately, my friend, who was supposed to proofread it before I submit it to a publisher, is taking his sweet time with it. Currently it has been finished and frozen in first-draft stage for a year and a half.

In the meantime, I've switched my style to mindfuck, and am currently halfway through writing a shortish psychological thriller.

I write poetry on occasion. Very bad poetry.

I write fiction, fanfiction, poetry and blog.

I write fantasy books, but I've never had anything published, but I hope to one day.

Ain't been writing much at all in recent years, but I used to produce short stories on a regular basis. They started off as fairly pointless bits of immature juvenalia, but then started to go interesting places when I started ripping off people like Ballard and Acker or some of the weirder experiments from the New Wave of Science Fiction. Self published them as zines/chapbooks and some of them got a reasonable reaction. Also had a few odds and ends printed here and there in the underground press, but nothing sold for money. One of the weirdest things was discovering that someone had translated one of my stories into greek and published it in their zine. Very strange feeling to be presented with something youw rote, but are completely unable to read...

I mostly write fiction, I would guess that 99% will never be published, and that's okay. One of them is being published, I am still unsure why......

I write a fair amount of non-fiction, most of it gets published, although not under my name, it's important for me to keep up the appearance that I don't believe the things I do, otherwise, things could get ugly around here.

I write poetry on occasion. Very bad poetry.

We all write bad poetry at first. Some of us never stop.

As for me, I'm a writer in a genre where I can be guaranteed never to make money. For instance, I had two poems published in the last issue of The Southern Review. My payment? 60 bucks, and that's more than I've ever made for a publication before. But if I keep publishing, I might end up a full professor one day, so it pays in that sense.

I've written two novels and am working on a third. None of them are related to each other (except that they are the progeny of a twisted and warped mind). The first and second are in various stages of being published, although the first is significantly closer, just got to reach an agreement between lawyers and my agent. Oh, and editors suck, they want to ruin your work for political correctness, but an agent helps with that, too. :D

I primarily write intentionally bad poetry, philosophy and theology, including a collection of Socratic dialogues with titles like "In which Clever Socrates proves that dirt and water are the same, and then refreshes himself from a running path." I've also got some more original stuff about the fate of the Universe (time will start to run backwards in the year 3500 AD) and the purpose of life (be apologized to as much as possible).
The primary influence for that stuff is, obviously, Marguerite Porete, Rousseau, Dante, Hildegard VanBingen, Aristotle, Meister Eckhart, Richard Rolle, Plato, Shakespeare, Hobbes, Chaucer, random street crazies and anyone who has ever written a glowing, biographical introduction for one of the people mentioned above.

The thread about Vonnegut dying made me wonder how many here are writers, either just for fun, or with the intention of being published/making a job of it.

So, are you a writer? Just for fun, or in the hopes of a career? What type of stuff do you generally write? Who influenced you/your writing? Etc.

As for me, I write for fun, but also with the hopes of being published. I've been writing since...well, since I could, really. I started out writing short little horror stories in kindergarten and first grade, and just went on from there. Now I tend to write, well, just about everything (save western and romance), but I focus mostly on sci-fi/fantasy. In the midst of a fantasy novel right now, in fact (about 115,000 words so far, and nearing the end).

As for influences, the list is pretty long, so I'll be brief:
Kurt Vonnegut
Stephen King
Chuck Palahniuk
George R.R. Martin
Gene Wolfe
Kafka

The list could go on, and yeah, most of them aren't cannon. Not much I can do about that. Of course, I study literature, so I have to keep these preferences secret, lest I be found out and burned at the stake. :)

So, how about it NSGers. Any of you writers? This place seems to have pretty well-read people. I can't be all alone.:)

I met Palahniuk. He's more twisted in person, and it's just barely under the surface.

Robert Anton Wilson, William S. Burroughs, Brian Lumley, Douglas Adams (whom i've also met, he was a prick), Jean-Paul Sartre, Tom Robbins, Ambrose Bierce, Waves Forrest and Maureen "Cobra" Dowd are the strongest influences that come to mind.

Yar, I write. I'm in the process of writing a short story/novel (depending on how long it gets) loosely based upon my childhood.

I fantasized and daydreamed constantly, so I'm adding in that as if it's real life. I think it's neat.

:)

I met Palahniuk. He's more twisted in person, and it's just barely under the surface.

Robert Anton Wilson, William S. Burroughs, Brian Lumley, Douglas Adams (whom i've also met, he was a prick), Jean-Paul Sartre, Tom Robbins, Ambrose Bierce, Waves Forrest and Maureen "Cobra" Dowd are the strongest influences that come to mind.

Well previous to writing Hitchhiker's Guide, he was just a drunk guy staring into space, laying in a field. Not surprised. He's brilliant, regardless.

I have no hope nor intention of "making a living" from my writing, but I've had some pieces published in the past and will very likely have more pieces published in the future. I mostly just write for my own entertainment, though - if other people like my words, that's simply a bonus. :)

I have no hope nor intention of "making a living" from my writing, but I've had some pieces published in the past and will very likely have more pieces published in the future. I mostly just write for my own entertainment, though - if other people like my words, that's simply a bonus. :)

Made any money off of it, though?

Made any money off of it, though?

I have, actually. If you count the contest I won, I've made a total of about $800 off my writing. If you don't count contests, then I've made about...$50 off my writing. :)

Yes, I write.

My influences are Orson Scott Card, Isaac Asimov, Robert Jordan, Jane Austen, and the Bible.

I write humor.

My main influences tend to be Douglas Adams, Monty Python, and Joseph Heller.

When I was 16, I wrote a multi-chaptered fanfic about video game characters. I could never hope to publish it, though, because of trademark regulations and because, frankly, I would probably have to edit the hell out of it.

Then last summer, I wrote a complete fictional season of the TV series Survivor. I posted it at another message board, but sadly, it was overshadowed when someone else did the exact same thing, but her characters were considered more compelling. D'oh.

I am a screenwriter as discussed in that job type thread thing.

When I was a teenager I wrote short stories and won various national competitions but there's no money in it and films are just cooler.

I write for RPGs, and keep making stabs at fiction, but I doubt I'll ever make a living at it. Beer money and the ego boost of seeing my name in print is good enough for me, along with knowing that my work has entertained people.

I have been trying to do some writing myself, though I haven't meet with much success. I did actually manage to complete two relatively short novels, but they weren't much good and I am working on rewriting one of them now.

a friend of mine actually just had his first novel published. it's been getting rave reviews all over the place. in the onion's av club, you could actually see the reviewer's hands going down my friend's pants. "one of the best stories told in any medium in a decade" - as if pat's ego needed any more encouragement...

though seriously, it is a good book, and you should all go buy a copy.
"the name of the wind" by patrick rothfuss

though seriously, it is a good book, and you should all go buy a copy.
"the name of the wind" by patrick rothfuss

I dunno. Unless it's about hurricanes, it sounds a bit too pretentious for my taste. Not saying it's not good, but I wouldn't give it a second look in Borders.

I won a Z-board with a story story, but it wasn't much of a contest and I don't know how they got Ideazon to agree to giving away 3 of the things to such a small community.

I often write for fun. I wirte about everything I can come up with, from politics to sports. Usually I write soemthing in Word and erase it.

We all write bad poetry at first. Some of us never stop.

As for me, I'm a writer in a genre where I can be guaranteed never to make money. For instance, I had two poems published in the last issue of The Southern Review. My payment? 60 bucks, and that's more than I've ever made for a publication before. But if I keep publishing, I might end up a full professor one day, so it pays in that sense.

are they required by law to pay you? $60 seems a bit of an insult for poems worth publishing. better to pay nothing than to suggest that thats all your work is worth.

are they required by law to pay you? $60 seems a bit of an insult for poems worth publishing. better to pay nothing than to suggest that thats all your work is worth.

Nope. In fact, most journals pay in copies of the journal you appear in, if that much. The bigger journals pay more, but I think the most I've seen is in the range of $100-150 a poem, and that's rare. Hell, most book contest winners get between $1500 and $5000, and then royalties if the book sells enough to make more than the prize winnings, and in poetry, that's tough.

I write poetry.

Influences? Albert Camus, Hugo Ball, uhhh . . . Very few writers influence me.

I dunno. Unless it's about hurricanes, it sounds a bit too pretentious for my taste. Not saying it's not good, but I wouldn't give it a second look in Borders.

maybe, but what wouldn't sound pretentious?

We all write bad poetry at first. Some of us never stop.

As for me, I'm a writer in a genre where I can be guaranteed never to make money. For instance, I had two poems published in the last issue of The Southern Review. My payment? 60 bucks, and that's more than I've ever made for a publication before. But if I keep publishing, I might end up a full professor one day, so it pays in that sense.

Yay! Someone slightly further down the compensation chain than playwrights! Except I won't even end up professor of my pants...

I have written enough plays and had enough productions of those plays that I don't really know the number. I've made tragicly little doing that, but have gotten Kennedy Center nominations and a residency (a bootsy residency that was all but made up, but a residency all the same) and everything I've written (for the stage) has been preformed at least once.

And my screenplays...I don't know, line someone's birdcage, I guess. This has more to do with my fixation on directing them myself than anything else, because otherwise I'm relying on the door to door guy to ask if I have any more screenplays I might want people to read.

Hell, it worked once, why wouldn't it again?



...oh, right...

I write satire and dystopian novels. I hope I get published someday... Writing is one of the few things I'm good at... :(

The thread about Vonnegut dying made me wonder how many here are writers, either just for fun, or with the intention of being published/making a job of it.

So, are you a writer? Just for fun, or in the hopes of a career? What type of stuff do you generally write? Who influenced you/your writing? Etc.

As for me, I write for fun, but also with the hopes of being published. I've been writing since...well, since I could, really. I started out writing short little horror stories in kindergarten and first grade, and just went on from there. Now I tend to write, well, just about everything (save western and romance), but I focus mostly on sci-fi/fantasy. In the midst of a fantasy novel right now, in fact (about 115,000 words so far, and nearing the end).

As for influences, the list is pretty long, so I'll be brief:
Kurt Vonnegut
Stephen King
Chuck Palahniuk
George R.R. Martin
Gene Wolfe
Kafka

The list could go on, and yeah, most of them aren't cannon. Not much I can do about that. Of course, I study literature, so I have to keep these preferences secret, lest I be found out and burned at the stake. :)

So, how about it NSGers. Any of you writers? This place seems to have pretty well-read people. I can't be all alone.

I write mostly fanfiction, but I'm working on a parody story.

My fanfictions: fanfiction.net/~UzumakiJohnny
My original story (Getting it on Fictionpress soon): http://oddfacts.awardspace.com/tranzor_z_parody.htm

Please critique my original story.

yea i write some fantasy, a little science fiction, and mostly stuff about life as a 15/16 year old...

I write poetry on occasion. Very bad poetry.

Me too...although I refrain from writing poetry unless I can't get a concept out of my head. My poems are generally as bad, or worse, than a Vogon's :p

I am also in the process of writing two novels. One is a sci-fi thriller intended to confuse the fuck out of people, and the other is a classic Tolkien-esque fantasy.

Neither are likely to be finished any time soon, much less published...school eats up all my free time. :(

I'm in the process of writing a weird sci-fi/apocalyptic/fantasy type book, except it's nothing really like any of those genres, ie. Not cheesy or fake (ideally, anyway). It's very dark and depressing. Influences: sitting 6,000 ft on a swiss mountain top listening to 'Sorrow', 'High Hopes', and 'When the tigers broke free'. Also influenced heavily by writers like George Orwell, Aldous Huxley, and Leonard Cohen's music.

.....Damn, this thread makes me want to pick up the pen and add to it some! thanks, OP!

I'm in the process of writing a weird sci-fi/apocalyptic/fantasy type book, except it's nothing really like any of those genres, ie. Not cheesy or fake (ideally, anyway). It's very dark and depressing. Influences: sitting 6,000 ft on a swiss mountain top listening to 'Sorrow', 'High Hopes', and 'When the tigers broke free'. Also influenced heavily by writers like George Orwell, Aldous Huxley, and Leonard Cohen's music.

.....Damn, this thread makes me want to pick up the pen and add to it some! thanks, OP!

Sounds kinda nifty actually. I try and make my writing dark, but avoiding the clichéd cheese factor is hard.

Sounds kinda nifty actually. I try and make my writing dark, but avoiding the clichéd cheese factor is hard.

I kinda like it, but it's fairly short still... I was writing it on my first trip out of the country after my friend ran away at a train station in Switzerland after an argument and abandoned me. I was pretty fucked up for a couple weeks, but it made my writing excellent.

I'm starting my first novel called Secret of the Magi, which is the first book in a three part set. It is a fanasty novel. Writers that have influenced me is mainly Orson Scott Card, for those of you that are into Sci-fi read his Ender and Bean books and for fanasty read his anvil maker books. I will start posting some of my story on myspace in blog form so I will post a link to it soon.

At the moment, my writing is either for school work or in my journal. An old fashioned, pen and paper, journal.

Well I'm in the middle of trying to write my own sci-fi/fantasy novel. Keep getting writers block though.

Influences tend the be the usual suspects, Tolkein, King, Asimov etc.

Do you have any of that uploaded anywhere? I like reading fictional histories like the ones you have written.

As for me...I've written occasionally, but unfortunately my lack of decent ability with words results in passionless writing despite my creative abilities...the expression of such creativeness leaves something to be desired...

Unfortunately, no. I write it out on paper since it's easier to make maps and reference tables and things like that compared to doing it on paper. I imagine I'll scan some of them at some point, but I'm currently working on a much larger-scale history (roughly 2,000 years) so it will take a while.

For reference, it is an African-themed setting since I find that to be a chronically underrepresented environment in any kind of fantastic or sci-fi setting.

]So, are you a writer? Just for fun, or in the hopes of a career? What type of stuff do you generally write? Who influenced you/your writing?


I, too, love to write. I mainly do it for fun, sometimes to relieve stress. It'd be nice to be published, but I don't expect to make a living that way - however, I am interested in careers that do involve writing, for example journalism.

I started writing stupid little short stories when I was a kindergartener. It's progressed from there - I am attempting to write a book now. It's going slowly, mainly 'cos I've got school to contend with.

I mainly write fantasy, although I may try sci-fi. Any sort of fiction ('cept romantic. I suck at romance, in my writing and in real life), really. I do fanfiction, in particular Harry Potter.

My biggest influence is Douglas Adams, may he rest in peace.

Oh, and while I'm not writing, I'm correcting other people's grammar. :D

I, too, love to write. I mainly do it for fun, sometimes to relieve stress. It'd be nice to be published, but I don't expect to make a living that way - however, I am interested in careers that do involve writing, for example journalism.

I started writing stupid little short stories when I was a kindergartener. It's progressed from there - I am attempting to write a book now. It's going slowly, mainly 'cos I've got school to contend with.

I mainly write fantasy, although I may try sci-fi. Any sort of fiction ('cept romantic. I suck at romance, in my writing and in real life), really. I do fanfiction, in particular Harry Potter.

My biggest influence is Douglas Adams, may he rest in peace.

Oh, and while I'm not writing, I'm correcting other people's grammar. :D

Ah, a grammar nazi - you'll fit in well here.

I write things, usually fictional histories of places I either make up or come from other sources. They're usually pretty long and detailed, although I imagine they would be quite dry to someone not interested in regular history. It enables me to construct what is really a fully developed character on the scale of a nation, a region or a world with its own personalities and conflicts.

Nonfictional fiction.

I'm writing one of those "fictional histories", only incorporating fantasy into it.

I'm still working everything out. :headbang:

Wow, a much bigger turnout than expected. I definitely didn't expect so many fantasy/sci-fi writers, so that's awesome. A lot of people won't admit to writing such stuff, because it's still sort of in the ghetto of literature, which is unfortunate. Even Vonnegut denied that he wrote science fiction. As Harlan Ellison put it, "Vonnegut has always not written science fiction." You still get crucified in creative writing classes if you try to turn in a speculative story, at least at my university. Used to leave me in a pickle when no more mainstream-style ideas were coming.

For those of us that ever get published, we should self-promote here, buy each other's books. It's not cheating, I promise.

For those of us that ever get published, we should self-promote here, buy each other's books. It's not cheating, I promise.

If I ever published something, it would probably be self-published or nothing. I couldn't take having my work violated by some dumbass editor trying to publish what he thinks people want to read. And it would probably be ridiculously unsuccessful, which I am prepared for. :)

I occasionally write poetry and song, and I'm working on a novel, but mostly I write mediocre academic essays.

I can't believe no one picked up on the fact that one of my influences wrote a large essay on the philosophical problems of suicide or that the other was an anti-artist who derived the most pleasure from baffling people.

Absurdism and Dadaism, gotta love em!

35000 words into what was supposed to be a short cyberpunk story... no idea when I'll finish it, or what I'll do with it once it's done.

I had a very strong interest in writing for a living, since I was about 6 years old. I just always assumed, growing up, that I was going to be a 'writer'. I have no one but myself to blame for things not going that way, but I tried my hand at the print journalism thing in college.

I keep meaning to get back to writing. I enjoy it, but I find it much harder to do, now that I'm not doing it everyday.

The most important thing a writer ever told me was - 'Writer's Write'. Sounds simple, but it's true. Writer's, ones who intend to write for a living, or want to keep up the skill, always, always write. They write, re-write and re-read, and they submit story after story.

I just didn't keep it up.

I had a very strong interest in writing for a living, since I was about 6 years old. I just always assumed, growing up, that I was going to be a 'writer'. I have no one but myself to blame for things not going that way, but I tried my hand at the print journalism thing in college.

I keep meaning to get back to writing. I enjoy it, but I find it much harder to do, now that I'm not doing it everyday.

The most important thing a writer ever told me was - 'Writer's Write'. Sounds simple, but it's true. Writer's, ones who intend to write for a living, or want to keep up the skill, always, always write. They write, re-write and re-read, and they submit story after story.

I just didn't keep it up.

Writing is enjoyable but it quickly stops being enjoyable when you're doing it for a living.

Writing is enjoyable but it quickly stops being enjoyable when you're doing it for a living.

Do you write for a living? If so, what field exactly?

Do you write for a living? If so, what field exactly?

Yes, I'm a screenwriter and for the record I hate every second of the writing process. I write a few words and slam my fingers on the delete button and try again. Anything I write that I actually like gets beaten out by practicalities, notes, directors, actors, producers, janitors..

If you like writing do it for yourself, it's the only way it remains enjoyable.

Yes, I'm a screenwriter and for the record I hate every second of the writing process. I write a few words and slam my fingers on the delete button and try again. Anything I write that I actually like gets beaten out by practicalities, notes, directors, actors, producers, janitors..

If you like writing do it for yourself, it's the only way it remains enjoyable.

I wondered about that. When I was in college, I found the process of having my writing re-written so many times tedious. Understandable to a degree, but at the end, it didn't seem like my 'voice'.

For me personally, I want to start writing again, for my own enjoyment. I just have to find my muse I guess.

I do write for fun, but I haven't ruled out the idea of being a writer. The trouble is, I suppose, I just don't have enough faith in myself. It's yet another abstract career in which you have to get your foot in the door. Such things seem to fill my future. However, I've been getting the horrible impression that I may be headed for- I should sensor this one- politics. :(

I have very strong opinions.
About everything.

Those of you who have debated with me probably already know that.

I have in the mean time been writing a political satire column (not published and I sincerely doubt it ever will be) the most recent segement of which was based on the sex scandals of Congressman Mark Foley and evangelical Pastor Ted Haggart. I'll show it to you if you like, though, being about "Senator Albert Folly's" affair with the Pope's Chaimberlain, it's not quite for those with delicate sensabilities. Especially the bit about the rosaries in the locked drawer witht the fuzzy handcuffs.

If I ever published something, it would probably be self-published or nothing. I couldn't take having my work violated by some dumbass editor trying to publish what he thinks people want to read. And it would probably be ridiculously unsuccessful, which I am prepared for. :)

That I agree with, I'm paranoid about people butchering what I write. Same goes for the film adaptation of my in work in progress novel, the thought of some big ego hollywood director butchering it with crap overpaid American actors putting on terrible English accents scares me.

Now I know why Bill Waterson stopped doing Calvin and Hobbes.

I wrote and sold two short stories to the erstwhile ADQ: AutoDuel Quarterly for Steve Jackson games.

I'm in the process of writing a weird sci-fi/apocalyptic/fantasy type book, except it's nothing really like any of those genres, ie. Not cheesy or fake (ideally, anyway). It's very dark and depressing. Influences: sitting 6,000 ft on a swiss mountain top listening to 'Sorrow', 'High Hopes', and 'When the tigers broke free'. Also influenced heavily by writers like George Orwell, Aldous Huxley, and Leonard Cohen's music.

Hmmm. Sounds somewhat reminiscent of Richard Brautigan.


Which is a good thing.

Hmmm. Sounds somewhat reminiscent of Richard Brautigan.


Which is a good thing.
Indeed? I will have to see if I can get some of his work. Thanks for the post - it'll be very interesting to read.
EDIT: Hah! the first thing I see upon consult of wikipedia is 'died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in Bolinas, california'. Hmmm....:eek:

maybe, but what wouldn't sound pretentious?

Things like "Odd Thomas" and titles with puns in them, a la Xanth, vis a vis Piers Anthony.

I write satire and dystopian novels. I hope I get published someday... Writing is one of the few things I'm good at... :(
Can you maybe send me something? I love reading dystopias!

I churn out dozens of poems and I'm 'in the middle' of writing a novel (except I've been writing it since I was seven, I've majorly revised it in that time and I haven't written a word for it in six months).

Influences?
Virtually everyone.

One of the biggest, though, is Terry Pratchett.
Second biggest influence is probably Scott Adams; both his Dilbert cartoons and God's Debris influence me a lot.

Indeed? I will have to see if I can get some of his work. Thanks for the post - it'll be very interesting to read.
EDIT: Hah! the first thing I see upon consult of wikipedia is 'died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in Bolinas, california'. Hmmm....:eek:

Doesn't sound like a good thing to me :(

Doesn't sound like a good thing to me :(

Yeah.... its just funny given my namesake, a lot of my influences, and in some ways my real life personality.

Well I plan on dying young if I'm an uber successful writer :D

Mind you I'm already almost 26 and nowhere near successful so I'm way off that plan :rolleyes:

More of a poet than anything used to write short stories but they were never very good so I kept to what I think I can do best lol.
You can check some of them out on www.poetry.com just search my name
Karl Dugan

I write for a living, mostly.

I write for a newspaper, and work as a journalist. No, not as an anchor in TV News, that seems to be (sadly), the idea of most people here about journalism. Apart from being the Press Manager of a Radio Station, I research, and write news, and I have a column on a magazine. (No, it is not about politics, it is about little stories from everyday's life).

I have written lots of essays and short stories, some have been published in local magazines, used them on my column, and some others I have done just for my pure entertaiment, as I do with my poetry.

As influences, well, given that my entire professional work is in spanish, I tend to consider Gabriel García Márquez, Mario Vargas Llosa, Julio Cortázar, Antonio Skármeta, Ernesto Sábato, Carlos Fuentes, Horacio Quiroga, Rómulo Gallegos, Miguel de Unamuno, Pío Baroja and José Ortega y Gasset as my main influences. I forgot Jorge Luis Borges.

Regarding non-spanish authors, well, I hold in the highest regard Umberto Eco, perhaps my all times favorite author. Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, James Joyce, Truman Capote, Tom Wolfe, and Honoré de Balzac also rank high in my lists of influences.

José Martí, Rubén Darío, Gabriela Mistral, and Pablo Neruda are my favourite poets, that influence most of my sadly not too good poems.

Currently, I am writing a script that actually could hold a punch to turn into a rather big movie, (big not as in the Hollywood sense, but it could have a rather large budget) as long as the premises of the director that charged me with it fulfill. I have refused to do any other writing meanwhile I finish that project, even my writing of roleplay stories in the Natiostates Forums.

I need to take 'a year out'. :)

I'm a sometime-poet... and, I've been told, a pretty good one.

I also write essays (mainly for kicks, I admit - and to help me 'get my head straight').

I have a number of long-term writing projects, including three collaborative efforts... none of which gets anything like the commitment it deserves. My main interests are science fiction and fantasy

The sort of stuff that inspires me would be Asmimov's "Foundation", Herbert's "Dune", Niven's "Ringworld"... and anything by Anne McCaffrey, Julian May or Sheri S Tepper. Also, obvious tips of the hat to "Discworld", "Lord of the Rings" and Robert Jordan's "Wheel of Time" series.

My main project runs under the name "Hegira" and has been a work-in-progress for a decade and a half. There are literally stacks of files of background material, created language work, and the skeleton of a complete history that dates back something like 5000 years.

I have way too many ideas, and way too little time to write any of it.

I need to take 'a year out'. :)

I'm a sometime-poet... and, I've been told, a pretty good one.

I also write essays (mainly for kicks, I admit - and to help me 'get my head straight').

I have a number of long-term writing projects, including three collaborative efforts... none of which gets anything like the commitment it deserves. My main interests are science fiction and fantasy

The sort of stuff that inspires me would be Asmimov's "Foundation", Herbert's "Dune", Niven's "Ringworld"... and anything by Anne McCaffrey, Julian May or Sheri S Tepper. Also, obvious tips of the hat to "Discworld", "Lord of the Rings" and Robert Jordan's "Wheel of Time" series.

My main project runs under the name "Hegira" and has been a work-in-progress for a decade and a half. There are literally stacks of files of background material, created language work, and the skeleton of a complete history that dates back something like 5000 years.

I have way too many ideas, and way too little time to write any of it.

Love your sig - big, ugly, unequivocal, and unapologetic. :)

I'm working on a history of Zaire under Mobutu.

Love your sig - big, ugly, unequivocal, and unapologetic. :)

Ha ha :D Thanks. It actually mis-states my 'belief', in all honesty... but it serves the purpose. (Well, several purposes, actually).

Ha ha :D Thanks. It actually mis-states my 'belief', in all honesty... but it serves the purpose. (Well, several purposes, actually).
Okay, now I'm curious... what purposes?

Okay, now I'm curious... what purposes?

The sig was coined in a thread about agnosticism and atheism. It occured to me that there are a whole lot of prayers, witnessing testimonies, mantras... various religious assurances... in people's sigs, and that they are unchalleneged. They are accepted. It's like, "you can debate my point on issue X, but here is something you can't argue with, and I'm just gonna stick it in your face EVERY time I post". I kind of expected that - if anyone created a bold statement like that, but with an Atheist focus, it would be heavily commented on, and challenged directly.

My expectations were met almost immediately. There is still a bias against the Atheist. The skeptic is still (illogical though this is) expected to defend not accepting something extraordinary sounding.

The sig was coined in a thread about agnosticism and atheism. It occured to me that there are a whole lot of prayers, witnessing testimonies, mantras... various religious assurances... in people's sigs, and that they are unchalleneged. They are accepted. It's like, "you can debate my point on issue X, but here is something you can't argue with, and I'm just gonna stick it in your face EVERY time I post". I kind of expected that - if anyone created a bold statement like that, but with an Atheist focus, it would be heavily commented on, and challenged directly.

My expectations were met almost immediately. There is still a bias against the Atheist. The skeptic is still (illogical though this is) expected to defend not accepting something extraordinary sounding.
Interesting.... it's like a christian can say "there is a god, he loves me (and only me, unless you worship him)", and the expectation is that anyone who doesn't agree is not supposed to be offended... but an atheist does the same thing with his belief and it's considered a personal challenge on anyone who believes differently. Bit of a double standard, there.

Interesting.... it's like a christian can say "there is a god, he loves me (and only me, unless you worship him)", and the expectation is that anyone who doesn't agree is not supposed to be offended... but an atheist does the same thing with his belief and it's considered a personal challenge on anyone who believes differently. Bit of a double standard, there.

It wasn't unexpected, obviously. :D

The 'double standard' has long been obvious... one only has to look at the ferocity with which (so many) Christians attack the very concept of Atheism... as the devil's toy, as a willful act of disobedience, as arrogant folly. They attack Atheism for being 'belief' (which Implicit Atheism isnt), 'just like religion'... but don't consider that to be a check against religion...

I wanted to create a storefront to test and expose that. I worried a little about upsetting some people that are from 'that side of the fence', but the one's I was worried about offending are obviously way too cool to be offended... or just know 'me' well enough to know it is an artifact.

I've been writing a single consistent story for over 2 years now. Over 200k words, fantasy based, with a completely scratch built global history. Roughly 1/9th done.

Didn't think it'd get this big when I started writing.

It wasn't unexpected, obviously. :D

The 'double standard' has long been obvious... one only has to look at the ferocity with which (so many) Christians attack the very concept of Atheism... as the devil's toy, as a willful act of disobedience, as arrogant folly. They attack Atheism for being 'belief' (which Implicit Atheism isnt), 'just like religion'... but don't consider that to be a check against religion...

I wanted to create a storefront to test and expose that. I worried a little about upsetting some people that are from 'that side of the fence', but the one's I was worried about offending are obviously way too cool to be offended... or just know 'me' well enough to know it is an artifact.
Well kudos to you. :)

I've been writing a single consistent story for over 2 years now. Over 200k words, fantasy based, with a completely scratch built global history. Roughly 1/9th done.

Didn't think it'd get this big when I started writing.

Sounds like you write as slowly as I do. I get distracted very easily :(

Some writers can do several books in the space of two years, I wish I could. Took nearly that much time to write 1,000 pages for one story a few years ago.

Sounds like you write as slowly as I do. I get distracted very easily :(


Eh, when I started, I was punching out roughly 4,500 words a day. The problem is that the scope and scale of the entire project has escalated to nightmare proportions so I lost a bit of steam along the way.

That and I had things like uni to worry about.


Some writers can do several books in the space of two years, I wish I could. Took nearly that much time to write 1,000 pages for one story a few years ago.

I don't mind too much. At roughly 250k words now, it's already novel length, which is pretty good for a first time effort into writing eh?

Yeaa it is.

As long as you don't get slower like I have. Writers block mainly, it's a pain :(

Interesting.... it's like a christian can say "there is a god, he loves me (and only me, unless you worship him)", and the expectation is that anyone who doesn't agree is not supposed to be offended... but an atheist does the same thing with his belief and it's considered a personal challenge on anyone who believes differently. Bit of a double standard, there.

Actually, that's rather a misstatement of Christian belief (at least the way *I* was raised Christian). It's more, "There is a God and he loves us all."

Asshats add on, "And if you don't believe, you're going to Hell."

So please don't tar ALL of us with that brush, mkay?

I write alot for enjoyment, and am trying to conquer my aversion to endings so I can make some money on it in later life. I generally just write my own way with alot of feedback from an aunt, but I am an absolute Terry Pratchett fanatic.

I wrote and sold two short stories to the erstwhile ADQ: AutoDuel Quarterly for Steve Jackson games.

You said this last time and I meant to comment then-I didn't take you as a Car Wars player...I guess in that I never picture anyone as a Car Wars player since I had such a hard time finding people to play... (and when I did I would get my ass handed to me 'cause I'd build a really fast, thinly armored hot rod that would nearly explode right about the time I get it to 120mph as my opponent hurls a rock at it...it was always followed by the comment, "I don't think you understand the point of this game...")

Of course I never read ADQ, so I don't know how stringently it held to its theme. I'm just assuming the stories where about Car Wars...I guess it could be about Paranoia or any other Steve Jackson game...

I published a short, Pythonesque story called "A Brief History of Genghis Khan" in a school publishing thing. Apparently, it's hilarious.

Actually, that's rather a misstatement of Christian belief (at least the way *I* was raised Christian). It's more, "There is a God and he loves us all."

Asshats add on, "And if you don't believe, you're going to Hell."

So please don't tar ALL of us with that brush, mkay?
But it's not just 'asshats' that add it on - it's more like the nice ones choose to omit it - it is a part of the doctrine that bad things await unbelievers. Undoubtedly there are christians who say, 'I believe in god, I know he loves me, and people are free to be muslim, gay, atheist, or whatever they want to be - it's none of my business'. Unfortunately I have never run across one. If you are the first, pleased to finally meet you - I've been waiting a long time.

But it's not just 'asshats' that add it on - it's more like the nice ones choose to omit it - it is a part of the doctrine that bad things await unbelievers. Undoubtedly there are christians who say, 'I believe in god, I know he loves me, and people are free to be muslim, gay, atheist, or whatever they want to be - it's none of my business'. Unfortunately I have never run across one. If you are the first, pleased to finally meet you - I've been waiting a long time.

Your fourth terminated thread lives on past you.[/off topic]

Your fourth terminated thread lives on past you.[/off topic]
Blast! this sig is so high maintenance!

The thread about Vonnegut dying made me wonder how many here are writers, either just for fun, or with the intention of being published/making a job of it.

So, are you a writer? Just for fun, or in the hopes of a career? What type of stuff do you generally write? Who influenced you/your writing? Etc.

As for me, I write for fun, but also with the hopes of being published. I've been writing since...well, since I could, really. I started out writing short little horror stories in kindergarten and first grade, and just went on from there. Now I tend to write, well, just about everything (save western and romance), but I focus mostly on sci-fi/fantasy. In the midst of a fantasy novel right now, in fact (about 115,000 words so far, and nearing the end).

As for influences, the list is pretty long, so I'll be brief:
Kurt Vonnegut
Stephen King
Chuck Palahniuk
George R.R. Martin
Gene Wolfe
Kafka

The list could go on, and yeah, most of them aren't cannon. Not much I can do about that. Of course, I study literature, so I have to keep these preferences secret, lest I be found out and burned at the stake. :)

So, how about it NSGers. Any of you writers? This place seems to have pretty well-read people. I can't be all alone.

I'm a writer. I intend to turn writing into a career.

As for influences:
George R. R. Martin
Gene Wolfe
Isaac Asimov
Margaret Weis + Tracy Hickman

To name a few.


I've been meaning to put up an excerpt of my writing on here, but I just can't seem to refine it well enough to get it to a "other people should be able to read this without tearing it to itty-bitty shreds" level. The big problem being that my best work is currently on a hard drive in another state.

I've been meaning to put up an excerpt of my writing on here, but I just can't seem to refine it well enough to get it to a "other people should be able to read this without tearing it to itty-bitty shreds" level. The big problem being that my best work is currently on a hard drive in another state.
Dude, Shakespeare couldn't get something to that level around here. Doesn't matter 'round here, someone will shred it.

Some will be nice, or supportive, or at the very least constructive, though.

Dude, Shakespeare couldn't get something to that level around here. Doesn't matter 'round here, someone will shred it.

Some will be nice, or supportive, or at the very least constructive, though.

Aye. I don't mind the shredding. My worry is (however irrational) that my work will be compared to the work of other NSG posters (who tend to be younger than I) and found wanting.

I'm somewhat worried that I'm already past my literary prime.

I posted something earlier in this thread which seemed to communicate the idea that the main reason not to write for money is because it's a chore and your babies get torn to shreds. While this is true there's a more general and more important reason which also applies to why you shouldn't write for others regardless of whether or not they're paying you:

*Pretentious Nonsense Alert*

When you write for others you can only create on a level beneath your understanding as otherwise you can't effectively manipulate and communicate the elements of your story.

When you write for yourself you are operating on your highest - and therefore incomplete - level, you are expressing and discovering yourself and your ideas as your progress. Any theme or overriding message is discovered as you go along.

Write for who you are, what you believe in and to make sense of the world around you. Not for others.

And even if the approval of others is your main motivation behind writing you'll soon find that trying to please everybody is the quickest way to please nobody.