Jump to content
Lhoris

Writing your own novel?

Have you ever tried writing a novel  

258 members have voted

You do not have permission to vote in this poll, or see the poll results. Please sign in or register to vote in this poll.

Recommended Posts

I've tried, but I have way too short an attention span to get very far. Way too short.

Share this post


Link to post

I'm writing a novel based on my experience in my game of Minecraft. The first 8 pages are based on actual gameplay and the rest is fiction. I'm at 17 pages so far 8D

Share this post


Link to post

*pops in and waves*

 

I've done NaNoWriMo since 2003, and I've won.... 4 times, I think? So that's 4 50k-word novels I have. ..... Which have not been edited or polished. Well, one is in the process of being edited, but it's slow-going 'cause I really hate editing.

 

I also have 15+ short stories that I've written over the years, each less then 25k, most less then 15k. Most of those will never see the light of day.

Share this post


Link to post

Hey Marie, can we read any of them?

 

The only two stories I ever had the motivation to write didn't really work out. The first only went for about ten chapters, but then I got obsessed with rewriting everything and got frustrated. However, for some reason, I feel like going back and completely starting over with it, so who knows.

 

The other one I was pretty excited about, and had nearly the whole thing lined out in this teeny notebook. My AP english teacher would spend time after class going through it with me, and she really like it, so I was pretty inspired. Never got around to putting out a third chapter though, and now that I think about it, I've lost interest.

It's kind of sad how much I've lost interest in writing as a whole. I used to sit at my computer and just crank censorkip.gif out day after day.

Share this post


Link to post

I'm done! I'm done! I'm done!!!! 687 pages at a whole!!

 

Now I'm giving myself a few days to rest before I start with the edition.

Share this post


Link to post

Shiny Hazard Sign, I have months at a time where I don't write at all. Almost like a huge Writer's Block, except it's more just Motivation Block. It will pass, though... If you like to write, sooner or later it will pass on it's own. (Or, you know, you can get your friends to kick your butt in gear like mine do....)

 

I write... well, adult stuff, erotica for the most part. Which is why many of the things I write will never be published.

 

http://obsessionwriter.livejournal.com/ is my writing blog, some of it is friends-locked but some isn't. I post little snips of my stories on there.

Share this post


Link to post

xd.png Nice. I honestly did not expect that from you. /is now curious

Edit: Oh goodness. Well, you certainly are a very good writer! /hides behind hands and giggles madly

 

Yeah, my friends were the main reason I kept up so long with my first idea. But then it just kind of...died out. I was about to get into it again, but it kind of has an emotional value right now and those emotions aren't sitting so great with me at the moment. ; ;

 

This writer's block has been going on for like, a year or more. The second story I mentioned was a little break from it, but after two chapters it just up and vanished again. Now I only write when I roleplay, and some times that is draining. A little worrisome for me, since this is the first time it's happened in seven years of writing. x _x

 

And besides all that, I have no good ideas for stories anymore. I used to be so excited about my other ones, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized how cliche (well, maybe not the first one) it was and how uninteresting my writing really was.

Edited by Shiny Hazard Sign

Share this post


Link to post

It's so easy to start. The issue is finishing.

 

I've been working on mine, off and on, for the last... let's see... eleven years now. And it's only 1/3 done.

I've been toying with the idea of taking off a week in November, and to just write like it's my job. Need to actually read what I wrote at this point, though, become re-involved with my characters, and maybe tweak a few things. (Just a few, though... I have learned long ago that I have to beware of the edit trap. Once I start editing, the writing stops for a very long time.)

Then of course there's the question - am I still interested in writing a science fiction story? I think so, but I'm not sure, so I'd better be sure that's what I want to write before I restart in earnest or my writing will suffer. smile.gif

Share this post


Link to post
(Just a few, though... I have learned long ago that I have to beware of the edit trap. Once I start editing, the writing stops for a very long time.)

Whaaa, that's what happened to me D:

Share this post


Link to post

My friend has written 2 novels and is working on the third.

 

Whenever I try to make a book, I always come to one name... But i'm not going to say, because my friend is using it in his book. *straitens back proudly* biggrin.gif

 

Yea,

Froggu_master

Share this post


Link to post

That's why I leave editting for when I've finished the story. I usually work individual chapters (that's the reason I never know until I merge everything how many pages I'm working on), and unless it's some minor thing, I rarely go back to edit.

Share this post


Link to post
xd.png Nice. I honestly did not expect that from you. /is now curious

Edit: Oh goodness. Well, you certainly are a very good writer! /hides behind hands and giggles madly

That's a much better reaction then the "I want to thwap your character" that I usually get from my friends, lol!

 

Right now I'm trying to edit my NaNo 2008 story, and working slowly on a story that has no name so I just call it "Danielle story". (... I really suck at titles.) Editing is mega-frustrating, but I take a little comfort in knowing it's usually hard for everyone, I'm not the only one.

Share this post


Link to post

Well, I did want to smack Kris a bit. Meanie pants >(

/will now stalk you >>

 

 

I know this sounds a bit cheesy, Marie, but for some reason you've given me the bit of inspiration/motivation to take up that first story x3 Perhaps it had something to do with the lesbian coupling (since that's a big part of my own story) and probably the fact that I like your style so much x3 So thank you!

Share this post


Link to post

Novels are fun. I've started two (I think can't quite remember...) one was based off of a roleplay from the DC forums, actually - it has over thirty pages thus far!

Share this post


Link to post

I've tried writing two novels but they went too fast or the plot was strange so I'm on my third attempt and it's going well.

Share this post


Link to post

For my story, I need another name for magic. : P

Advice??

Share this post


Link to post

Lulz. Sparklestuff, Luneshine,Insanity tongue.gif ,and Chaorder

Share this post


Link to post

Hmm...well, I have started all the background in a folder for a novel I'm trying to write. Twice. =_= Unfortunately, it has been lost in moves/cross-country travels/randomly twice, also. It's very disheartening...took me a year and a half to start it the second time, and I haven't started it again yet this time (though it's been ALMOST a year since it was lost again, now.) However...have to move AGAIN in about a month and a half, so--we'll see if I don't either find it as I move or just set up and start it again afterward...

 

Hmm--names for magic? Do you mean a made-up word or established alternatives?

 

There are established ones, like "mana"...also, more vague ones like "Power" and "Gift" etc. that have been used a few times...but are vague enough to be flexible. I used to have (in my original folders/files...) lots of root words that sounded nice, or soft, or harsh, or spirited, from various languages...and sometimes I would base a word I had to make up off of one of them, to help me have a starting point. It worked well! Best of all, it was like an "inside joke" that could make me smile. It could even be something tangentially related, to make it as subtle as could be desired. smile.gif It was fun, creating a new world.

 

...I just don't want to be re-creating the same world so many times. D:

Share this post


Link to post

Developing characters & plot atm. Haven't quite delved into the actually writing process, gotta set down my foundation so I'll stick to this one.

Share this post


Link to post
Lulz. Sparklestuff, Luneshine,Insanity tongue.gif ,and Chaorder

Insanity's been done. xd.png

 

I use "Gift". I know it's been done a thousand times, but I like how it slips out of my tongue. Better than making up some word. I try to keep made up things to a minimum. I mean, it's all right calling your green moon in that lush fantasy word "Bersta" if you wish (made up the word in like right now), but giving names to every single creature in the planet is just confusing. A deer is a deer, not "that large animal with antlers which is called .......".

 

I asume the people in my made up planet speak a whole different language, and the deer is posibly called something else, but the book is written in spanish (my book), so it's stupid dropping weird words to call common things, as it is if I started dropping spanish words right now.

Share this post


Link to post

I participated in NaNoWriMo for the first(and now last) time in 2007... it took me three years, but I finally found a publisher for my novel last year. I started writing in 2003 and started looking for a publisher/agent in earnest in 2005(I just thought you'd like to know to get an idea of how long it can take to find someone...)

 

So to all you guys writing... keep going and don't give up(keep writing until you finish the book, keep looking until you find a publisher/agent). I'm really lucky that I found a publisher... I was given the advice that I should try smaller publishers who are more willing to take on new authors and it seemed to work.

 

Gosh, I sound like a right know-it-all. >.< Not my intention, but... I just thought you guys would like to know there's hope.

 

Currently having problems with my current novel because my main char is being dull and my antagonist is being all nice and likeable. And I'm having to poke the plot with a stick, because it's loathe to go anywhere right now.

 

EDIT: So I did include my novel title, but in one single day I've done several stupid N00b things and made quite a few angry it seems, so I removed it because I don't want the wrath of the internet to descend on my publisher(it's her who has to suffer after all, and that isn't fair) so... yeah. Sorry for being a n00b to the max today guys.

Edited by alicia-chan

Share this post


Link to post

Finnished with the first draft. I quiet like how it turned out.

 

I still don't have a title. I thought about Red Rose, but a friend of mine told me it was way too sappy. Sure it's a love story, but it's also an adventure of sorts.

 

Editing not to double post;

 

Went through my oldest novel and I just feel like ripping it apart. UGH! I've been working so hard on that one and I still CAN'T get it right!

 

It just doesn't "feel". It's like a bunch of letters put together but with no sentiment placed in it. The story has no plot holes, but it's got so many plot lines it gets confusing. The characters are unlikeable. The whole thing is BORING!

 

YARGH!

 

How can it be? I've rewritten it like 3 times already. It's not my first work, but it's like one of those annoying pictures you never quiet get the lighting and the facial expression right!

 

When I started working on my latest one, I was not even taking it seriously. My whole inspiration was; "What would Twilight be if done correctly?".

 

For the other one, I've spent hours planning the plot, crafting the characters, the world, the history and mythology, the bestiary, EVERYTHING!

 

I'm starting to think I'm working too hard. Maybe I should focus it differently. I'm thinking of simplifying the plot, focusing more on the humane aspect of the story and the characters, and less on the world and politics. In other words, I'm going to try again from a different POV.

Edited by DragonNighthowler

Share this post


Link to post

So, it looks like I have a somewhat decent idea for a story/novel/something I'll attempt to write for this year's NaNo. However, I keep thinking about whether it would be interesting enough without big drama/battle/quest/anything fancy. Just a slice-of-life story about an exchange student in a country with... fairly interesting laws about some aspects of society organization (it would be slightly sci-fi-y), the impeding culture shock, relationships with the people he meets there, including his host family. I'm also thinking about telling the story from several different viewpoints, that of the exchange student and two of the family members, maybe someone else. Anyone has any experience about writing something similar (slice-of-life, cultural introspection and/or switching viewpoints) and can give some pointers about what NOT to do, except making the different POV characters seem like having the same mentality (I've encountered such writing, where, unless it's said somewhere, who's in the scene, I have no idea which character that is, because they seem to be thinking the same way)?

 

I'm currently in the stage where I'm trying to figure out the general aspects of the characters and what happens during the year, and why should anyone besides me care about that. :b

 

Also, would you, the reader, think it cheap if a story that is set in a different world from our own (as in, not Earth, but not necessarily an alien planet) leaves things like the familiar names of the months unchanged, or should I push on inventing something different? I'm not really fond of inventing words "just because" for everything, but would this appear lazy or... just not important enough to bother?

Edited by lightbird

Share this post


Link to post


  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.