The Writing Thread

basilmunroe · Post by **basilmunroe** » March 6th, 2006, 11:39 am

Booooooo!

Never mind. Dark Horse published a comic version of The Ring of the Nibelung in 2002. Too recent to be viewed as anything other than a rip-off.

Unless I adapted it more loosely, but I wouldn't want to do that.

I'll explore Arthur then. Much research to be done!

Aldark · Post by **Aldark** » March 6th, 2006, 11:51 am

basilmunroe,

You're posting of looking for a story to work with reminded me of something... In the early '90s I wrote a short story - that I have buried some place - and I let this girl I was dating in the late '90s read it.

Then she says to me, "Have you ever read Anne Rice's Servant of the Bones?" She told me how similar my short story was in concept to her novel... after I reading it I was amazed how similar they were.

basilmunroe · Post by **basilmunroe** » March 6th, 2006, 11:56 am

Ah, yes. That happens to me often. Not with my writing, but with general ideas.

Any other ideas for old stories I could adapt? Or borrow from to make an original story?

pberinstein · Post by **pberinstein** » March 6th, 2006, 12:11 pm

You don't have to worry about ripping off Shakespeare and Poe, Basil. Shakespeare himself ripped off other people's plots, and anyway, you can't copyright a plot. You can only copyright exact words.

Why don't you check out some of Grimm's fairy tales, Basil? I hear there's a Librivox version of them floating around.

Aldark · Post by **Aldark** » March 6th, 2006, 12:34 pm

pberinstein wrote: Why don't you check out some of Grimm's fairy tales, Basil? I hear there's a Librivox version of them floating around.

I think that is an excellent idea.

I have a friend/co-worker who is incredible with fantasy-style art and his talents are being wasted working for the gov't - he needs to latch on to a good story teller.

pberinstein · Post by **pberinstein** » March 6th, 2006, 12:37 pm

Aldark wrote:
pberinstein wrote: Why don't you check out some of Grimm's fairy tales, Basil? I hear there's a Librivox version of them floating around.
I think that is an excellent idea.

I have a friend/co-worker who is incredible with fantasy-style art and his talents are being wasted working for the gov't - he needs to latch on to a good story teller.

Send me a private message or an email about him, Aldark. Maybe I should make a pitch for him on The Writing Show.

paula at writingshow dot com

dbaker · Post by **dbaker** » March 7th, 2006, 2:20 am

Writing versus editing, editing while writing...

On writing: I participated in the 2003 nanowrimo, and finished a book that way, but since then I've mainly played with short stories on my livejournal. I have submitted a couple stories I've been rather proud of. Waiting for the rejections as we speak.

The Nanowrimo book is buried somewhere, waiting for a far advanced civilization to discover it.

I plot on paper, type when I do the actual writing. If I'm really into the groove, I don't look at the screen, just go. I know I'm on a good tear when what I'm writing begins playing out in my head, like a movie. When I'm forced to stop, it's almost like waking up from a sleeping state. I've had sore arms from writing, and I feel especially proud when that happens.

Biggest obstacle? Time, and getting myself into the right mindset to let go. It's really just a matter of cultivating my life to take a moment, reflect, and dream. Haven't been very good at that lately.

On Editing: I suppose I could be labeled a professional editor. In 2003 I created my own publishing house called Rabid Press with a good friend. Later, with investors, I formed Rabid Press, Inc. We're just seeing our fourth book enter the marketplace, and I'm editing... (counts) our eighth novel.

It has been a hell of an education, let me tell you.

Editing while writing: On the whole, I can't get myself to write on an editing day (and they've all been editing days lately). My thought processes seem to be completely opposite than the creative mindset I need to write. Also, I find myself wanting to mimic style, so when I'm working with a writer on character fundamentals, then turn around to work on my own stuff, I'm find myself either in the wrong voice or being far too critical.

On a writing dayI try to keep going without looking back to edit, then spellcheck, etc. Sometimes it works, sometimes not. If I just can't get away from editing as I type, I force myself to take a break. Without a doubt, I'm trying to think for the reader instead of doing my job, writing.

Anyway, I'm going to post this before I second-guess myself and delete...

-D

basilmunroe · Post by **basilmunroe** » March 7th, 2006, 6:47 am

Welcome to the thread dbaker.

I took a look at Rabid Press' web site. Very nice. I like your submissions page.

I'm working on a novel now, maybe it will cross your desk in a couple of years (I hate having a day job).

basilmunroe · Post by **basilmunroe** » March 7th, 2006, 12:20 pm

My novel is clipping along nicely. I'm about half-way through the prologue now.

I spend my lunch hour at work sitting by myself with my sandwich and little looseleaf binder, scratching away with my $10 fountain pen. It's slow going, but it's way more fruitful.

dbaker · Post by **dbaker** » March 8th, 2006, 2:53 am

basilmunroe wrote:Welcome to the thread dbaker.

I took a look at Rabid Press' web site. Very nice. I like your submissions page.

I'm working on a novel now, maybe it will cross your desk in a couple of years (I hate having a day job).

Thank you so much Basil! If two years leaves us well, I will be happy to look at you work. If not (such is the business life), look me up anyway. I'm always eager to add my two cents.

As for the progress: Way to go! Progress is progress, right? Heck, you know what? I have my "great first novel" plotted, sitting here on a shelf as it has been for a year. I should start on that.

basilmunroe · Post by **basilmunroe** » March 8th, 2006, 5:59 am

Sure you should! Everyone should attempt a novel. It builds character!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » March 8th, 2006, 7:19 am

basilmunroe wrote:Sure you should! Everyone should attempt a novel. It builds character!

That's what does it! I thought it was Whisky! I... I feel like Hemmingway lied to me.

pensk · Post by **pensk** » March 8th, 2006, 6:00 pm

a novel? I try but i always get writers block!!! does anyone know how to rid my blocking problems? i've written a short "novel" only about 7-8 pages. can anyone help with this too?

:x

pensk · Post by **pensk** » March 8th, 2006, 6:00 pm

a novel? I try but i always get writers block!!! does anyone know how to rid my blocking problems? i've written a short "novel" only about 7-8 pages. can anyone help with this too?

:x

pensk · Post by **pensk** » March 8th, 2006, 6:03 pm

i find the computer works for me best (it always does) i find that to transfer my data to a better computer it always jams up my floppy disks, does any one know how to deal with not enough memory??

-pensk