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number13 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote number13 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Jul 2017 at 9:17am
Originally posted by nod1v1ng nod1v1ng wrote:

Originally posted by stephenmatlock stephenmatlock wrote:

 I am always truly saddened by people who are afraid to read their works because they fear someone will not like them because of what they wrote. 

This right here is some serious truth. 

It's understandable, since most writers are so emotionally invested in our work. It's our word babies, our creations, a tiny piece of our souls poured into the story. It's so easy to feel that when people critique creative work they are critiquing us as a person. Thanks for the reminder that the two are not the same thing. 

My creative writing tutor (as part of my degree course) suggested we let friends and family read our work and give feedback. My immediate response was "!!!" followed by "No way am I letting my mum read this story! It's got sex in it!"

Being raised Catholic has a lot to answer for. Tongue
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote stephenmatlock Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Jul 2017 at 10:44am
Originally posted by number13 number13 wrote:

... My creative writing tutor (as part of my degree course) suggested we let friends and family read our work and give feedback. My immediate response was "!!!" followed by "No way am I letting my mum read this story! It's got sex in it!"

Being raised Catholic has a lot to answer for. Tongue


I can't remember who said this (I have her book...somewhere...), but it was "You can't really write until your mother dies."

Meaning not that we should wait until the literal parents die, but that the voice of the mother (or sometimes father) in our head has to die before we're free.

I generally write long-form where I just write, whatever comes out. No barriers or censoring. All sorts of wild stuff. What I'm thinking, what I think my characters are thinking, fantastic interactions and dubious morals. That's all the id coming out.

Then in editing I clean it up so that it makes a story, but if the character is amoral and that is necessary for the character's development, it stays that way.

I put in all the worst language at the beginning and then edit it out as it fits.

Otherwise IMO I'm not really writing and creating. I have to be unbounded by the voices telling me "shame!"

Not saying what results is good, but it is, as far as I can make it, authentic.

Ex: my first short screenplay for the contest contains several characters who swear naturally. I myself don't, at least not at all that often. My next short screenplay contains characters who don't swear. In both cases, it is what fit the scene/characters/need.

My mom might have been appalled at some of my writing and might have giggled at other examples, but she's not my target audience. 
Pithy sayings are for the apt. For a longer message, you need a condo.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Suave Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Jul 2017 at 11:05am
Originally posted by stephenmatlock stephenmatlock wrote:

Originally posted by number13 number13 wrote:

... My creative writing tutor (as part of my degree course) suggested we let friends and family read our work and give feedback. My immediate response was "!!!" followed by "No way am I letting my mum read this story! It's got sex in it!"

Being raised Catholic has a lot to answer for. Tongue


I can't remember who said this (I have her book...somewhere...), but it was "You can't really write until your mother dies."

Meaning not that we should wait until the literal parents die, but that the voice of the mother (or sometimes father) in our head has to die before we're free.

I generally write long-form where I just write, whatever comes out. No barriers or censoring. All sorts of wild stuff. What I'm thinking, what I think my characters are thinking, fantastic interactions and dubious morals. That's all the id coming out.

Then in editing I clean it up so that it makes a story, but if the character is amoral and that is necessary for the character's development, it stays that way.

I put in all the worst language at the beginning and then edit it out as it fits.

Otherwise IMO I'm not really writing and creating. I have to be unbounded by the voices telling me "shame!"

Not saying what results is good, but it is, as far as I can make it, authentic.

Ex: my first short screenplay for the contest contains several characters who swear naturally. I myself don't, at least not at all that often. My next short screenplay contains characters who don't swear. In both cases, it is what fit the scene/characters/need.

My mom might have been appalled at some of my writing and might have giggled at other examples, but she's not my target audience. 


I can hook you up with someone to work on your issues.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote stephenmatlock Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Jul 2017 at 11:19am
Originally posted by Suave Suave wrote:


I can hook you up with someone to work on your issues.


Oh, but I like my issues!
Pithy sayings are for the apt. For a longer message, you need a condo.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Émile Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Jul 2017 at 11:27am
Originally posted by MattrickBT MattrickBT wrote:

Originally posted by ottersdaughter ottersdaughter wrote:

Originally posted by MattrickBT MattrickBT wrote:

Originally posted by ottersdaughter ottersdaughter wrote:

Originally posted by vanwijk88 vanwijk88 wrote:

I do worry though that my story may have gone a little dark and wonder what first impression will get of me though XD 


I wouldn't worry about going dark with horror, that's often the point. I pulled horror last year and it got really dark - Hellraiser type dark - and it scored 12 or 13.


How many kids did you kill?

0 kids, so it could have been darker. I killed a helpless mental patient, rather graphically (which is what made me think Hellraiser).

I"m not sure how I'd manage multiple kills in a flash piece and still have room for story - unless it was a mass casualty type thing...

ETA: and I just realized you were probably not asking me ;)


There's always enough room to kill kids ;)


Yep. Once killed 20+ kids in 900 words. It wasn't horror though.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote jftrent Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Jul 2017 at 11:52am
Originally posted by Émile Émile wrote:

Originally posted by MattrickBT MattrickBT wrote:

Originally posted by ottersdaughter ottersdaughter wrote:

Originally posted by MattrickBT MattrickBT wrote:

Originally posted by ottersdaughter ottersdaughter wrote:

Originally posted by vanwijk88 vanwijk88 wrote:

I do worry though that my story may have gone a little dark and wonder what first impression will get of me though XD 


I wouldn't worry about going dark with horror, that's often the point. I pulled horror last year and it got really dark - Hellraiser type dark - and it scored 12 or 13.


How many kids did you kill?

0 kids, so it could have been darker. I killed a helpless mental patient, rather graphically (which is what made me think Hellraiser).

I"m not sure how I'd manage multiple kills in a flash piece and still have room for story - unless it was a mass casualty type thing...

ETA: and I just realized you were probably not asking me ;)


There's always enough room to kill kids ;)


Yep. Once killed 20+ kids in 900 words. It wasn't horror though.
 

That seems like a weird way to write a Romantic Comedy, but you do you!  
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Émile Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Jul 2017 at 1:47pm
Originally posted by jftrent jftrent wrote:

Originally posted by Émile Émile wrote:

Originally posted by MattrickBT MattrickBT wrote:

Originally posted by ottersdaughter ottersdaughter wrote:

Originally posted by MattrickBT MattrickBT wrote:

Originally posted by ottersdaughter ottersdaughter wrote:

Originally posted by vanwijk88 vanwijk88 wrote:

I do worry though that my story may have gone a little dark and wonder what first impression will get of me though XD 


I wouldn't worry about going dark with horror, that's often the point. I pulled horror last year and it got really dark - Hellraiser type dark - and it scored 12 or 13.


How many kids did you kill?

0 kids, so it could have been darker. I killed a helpless mental patient, rather graphically (which is what made me think Hellraiser).

I"m not sure how I'd manage multiple kills in a flash piece and still have room for story - unless it was a mass casualty type thing...

ETA: and I just realized you were probably not asking me ;)


There's always enough room to kill kids ;)


Yep. Once killed 20+ kids in 900 words. It wasn't horror though.
 

That seems like a weird way to write a Romantic Comedy, but you do you!  


Sorry for the late reply. Not romantic comedy, just some Halloween comedy piece.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jbspencer Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Jul 2017 at 2:04pm
This was my first time! Stupid me, I only had less than 24 hours because I didn't remember when it started.... So I started around 10pm friday night and finished 2pm on saturday.  It was fun and exhilarating.  I connected with my genre immediately.  I thought of a premise for my story and kept getting stuck and feeling like it was an obvious choice.  Feeling uninspired, I scrapped the whole thing and that's when I came up with my final idea.  I am proud of myself for being a first timer.   What fun!  I can't wait to read everyone else's stories.  Best of luck everyone and way to go to all us first timers we have jumped into the pool without a toe test and we floated!!
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