I can’t be the only one around here spending time writing a book that may never get published… can I?
I’m writing a novel. Science fiction/futuristic. It’s a variation on the classic plotline in which a group of humans has lost touch with the rest of humanity, in this case because the planetary colony they lived on was involved in a hugely destructive war which wiped out most of the population. Officially, all survivors of the war were rescued and taken to other colonies, but a small group was forgotten and left behind. A few centuries later their descendants are unexpectedly visited by other humans who are considering recolonizing their planet. We see the story through the eyes of a young man who is coming of age and going through conflicts of his own: unresolved grief for his murdered brother, a sense of helplessness in the face of the injustices inherent in his society, a low opinion of himself, and an assortment of family problems.
I have two major writing projects going at the moment, but I’m one of those writers who think it’s bad luck to discuss a work in progress.
I’m fairly pleased with my progress, but I’ve been unable to work on it for three days. Arghh. I’ve just been too sick to concentrate. Bleh. So, instead I’ve been writing pointless e-mails all day and cleaning out my computer. Hey, if I’m sitting at my desk, I’m technically working, right?
I have a SF world going, which I’m currently just writing short stories in, but I intend to write a novel set in it as well. It’s a colony (also cut off from the rest of humanity, but that’s cause it’s 75 years travel from anywhere else) that started well, but then got invaded by a nasty alien organism and had to develop along what we would consider ethically dodgy lines in order to survive. Planned novel will be from the point of view of a journalist at the time of the invasion (so he never actually sees any of the later developments, just his world being overwhelmed). Not sure if I’ll ever get round to making a serious effort on it, I have other projects to work on that will keep me busy for quite a while.
After years of trying and much frustration I have concluded that I do not possess the required skills to write fiction. I am a damn good journalistic/nonfiction writer, though. I’m the kind of guy who could get himself hired to write an exhaustive history of the local courthouse or something. I suppose someday I might bother to get some fiction writing training. But right now I’ve got to earn a living.
I believe I have the skills. I just don’t have the willpower to actually write much down, which is sad, cause I really like all the ideas I’ve got spinning round my head.
One deals with my life working at a dot com company and the pure insainity that culture entails.
The other one deals with my dad’s military service. He flew KC-135 tankers in the Vietnam war, an area of flight that has never really been covered very much. The stories he has are simply too amzing not to be told. He dragged an aircraft to safety with his aircraft, was involved in a VC firefight, hooked up with an aircraft that only after hookup realized that it had an armed air to air missile dangling by one bracket. Anyway, the hard thing is writing about the mundane things that went in between the action.
I have written (unpublished, except to certain family members and friends), a series of 6 children’s stories, centering on the exploits of a prince and princess. They are firmly tongue in cheek, with references to things like Tupperware etc, the dragon became a vegetarian (some one he ate disagreed with him) etc.
I have had many many projects that have begun, but not even came close to being completed.
I just do not possess the stamina, drive, and imagination to really succeed in this business.
I’ve written TV series, movie scripts, novels, short stories, poetry, and instructional websites. And most of them are sad crappy wastes of time.
However, I have one story idea, a fantasy for kids, that I think has great potential, and could even work as a kick-off point for a whole series of tales. And it has no similarity whatsoever to Harry Potter!
One day I shall write it. But do not hold your breath waiting for it. (Because, you know, you’ll go purple and pass out)
Actually, if there is one thing that I hope rubs off from “dot-com culture” onto corporate America at large, it’s the notion that smacking forehead “Hey! People will work harder if we pay them more money!”
I’ve got two books on the burner. Mind you with everything that’s going on it’s a small burner on ‘low’ at the back of the stove.
One’s a ‘memoirs’ style. Bladdabladda… Booooooorrrrrriing.
The other one is a sci-fi thing set in futur Quebec… most likely Montreal. It’s based on a comic strip I did for the college newspaper. (oh so many years ago) The entire premise has yet to fully crystalize, but I’d be leaning on the whole dissolution of society thing. Earth changes, disease, etc… (no apocolypse) and my own bleak little vision of Quebec’s futur. A mix of “The Underdogs” and “The End Of The Dream”.
If I was sure they’d ever get finished, I probably wouldn’t have posted this. As it is, this may be the only exposure these stunning works of literature ever get.
I’ve mentioned this but I just get these weird blank stares. So I gave up on that concept and am trying to instill another - if you hire a developer, make sure they have a computer! There’s nothing sadder than paying a computer developer to act as company gopher because the computer purchasing budget is running a little over.
There is a straight dope writers club on Yahoo…I don’t have the link here…but if anyone is interested, I could dig it out (or one of the regulars could post it) & if I ever finish anything, I will post it there, but that’s a big if (I’m so much better at starting than finishing!)
I have two main projects and lots of little ones. The first is a story of erotic horror set mostly in modern day Chicago with a few side trips to Egypt and England.
The other is a series of short stories. The setting is a blues club in Chicago. All the stories are told by the bartender to a friend of his after he gets off from work. SOme of the characters from the erotic horror novel show up in the bar. I work on this when the novel gets too overwhelming.
I would love to write Science Fiction, but I just can’t seem to come up with a story idea that inspires me to work on it every day.
You folks who write science fiction amaze me. I like reading and writing fiction, and I’ve dabbled in the SF arena, but I just don’t have the power of imagination to create whole new worlds. My fiction tends to be grounded in the here and now; I need that structure, that solid place to set my feet before my imagination takes over. Creating that structure, that solid place, is beyond my limited ability.
I’ve written a horror novel about a werewolf in a small Southern town. It took me three years, and through the revision process I’ve managed to go from form rejection letters to personalized rejection letters. So that’s something, right?
I’m writing a romance novel, actually. I have quite a bit done, but I’ve hit a block. <sigh> I also have a sci-fi novella, a horror series, a full-blown, 400-page-so-far sci-fi novel. A fantasy series that grew from a short story I wrote for my creative writing class last year, part of which I submitted to a writing school I want to go to this summer.
I’ve done a historical fiction piece and a non-fiction short story on the holocaust.
I’ve written a collection of poems and one of short stories. I’ve also written a short, one-act play and three two act plays.
I’ve yet to get anything published. I haven’t even tried.
But, my favorite teacher said she thought I was ready, so I’m going to set forth and give it a go.
Wish me luck… I’m gonna need it.
It’s not about imagination. It’s about power. It’s so damn fun to play god
Seriously… as I explained to flodjunior, I shared a bedroom with my sister until I was twelve. I couldn’t fall asleep very easily, so I’d often tell myself stories in my head while I was lying there awake. They had to be in my head because if I said them out loud, my sister would clobber me with a pillow But I kept it up even after I got my own bedroom, because the stories had become my private world to escape to by then, and I didn’t want anyone to know about them (or they’d lose their power). Terraduon, my “whole new world”, has elements I dreamt up fifteen or twenty years ago. I don’t think I have a great imagination, just a patient one!
(The name Terraduon is probably too obvious. The other colony mentioned in the book is called Valentina - a bit more obscure I think!)
I’m trying to get back into writing after a hiatus of several years. For about four years (from '89 to '93) I wrote mostly short stories, completing thirty in that time span. Only two were published, the first in a high school literary magazine, and the second in a college literary magazine. Neither publication counts as a big deal in my mind. As for the other stories, they were never sent out for consideration, and after recently re-reading them all, I see that it was a wise move. I’m older now, more mature (hopefully), and wouldn’t be writing the same way today as I did years ago.
I had started a story once… I’ve got maybe 3 or 4 pages done and if I actually thought about it and worked on it, it could probably become a novel or maybe just a novella. I started to write it about a year or so ago so maybe I should work on it again. I also write some short stories (or try to at least) One I have is entitled Lillith and its about a serial killer… I’ve gotten some good feedback from a Writings board I go to about it but I need to spruce up the point of view a bit. I start in one then skip to another at the very start.
I also have just started a new story about a girl and a dragon… I was inspired by one of my own poems actually which is set sorta near the end (I’ll have to find it to show you guys) but its been bugging me and I wanted to really write about her and the dragon. Maybe it’ll work out… I also have a few short stories having to do with my Role Playing characters (mainly Merile… she seems to be the only one I write majorly about though I have sorta a diary entry for Kinkoa and started to write about Chibi/Kay)
Then I also do lots of poems about my feelings and thoughts and stuff like that. Just generally when I get really worked up and need to vent or even just when I feel inspired.
I hope to one day at least make a partial living from it and;
I haven’t written a damned thing of actual substance in several weeks, for reasons I can’t quite fathom.
Projects:
Three novels, in at least two separate universes (the third novel could easily be set in either universe as its premise doesn’t really require a separate universe; it is, in fact, set in America in the early 2100s). One of the other universes is requiring the creation of an artificial language for an extinct civilization. Fun stuff.
At least a dozen short stories are currently in the works either on paper or in my head. One more story is circulating currently in the semi-pro magazines.
One story has been published (in Jackhammer), two more have been accepted for publication in an anthology that may not ever find a publisher, though I certainly hope it does.
The only thing I’ve really done in the last month is significantly augmented the language construct for the one universe, though not to the point where I have syntax rules yet.
I’ve also been slowly working on outlines, both in my head and on paper every so often.
OK. There’s my frustrations. At least now I know more about what they are. Wish me luck getting back into a groove.
