There seem to be an awful lot of writers around here, and a few of them discussing projects and collaborations.

I'm an aspiring fantasy/sci-fi author myself. My biggest barrier is maintaining the quality and interest on a project long enough to finish it. So far I've made it to 52000 words on a fantasy novel, and that's my record. (For those who don't know, a typical novel might be 90000).

I do think my writing has bursts of good quality and am seeking ways to make it more consistently so, and ways to make sure I actually produce a lot more writing.

So if any of you can relate I would love to hear it, your problems and solutions and feelings...

On a side note... there is a Poetry section to show off your work, but no other creative writing. I would love to get feedback on short stories I have written. Shall I just post one somewhere else, or is this worth creating a subtopic for, do the mods think?

What do "mods" think? Well this mod thinks a creative writing thread should be started under Creative Endeavors forum.....I will ask Tara to start that......

Okay contacted Andrew, The Site Administrator.....The Poetry Site will be changed to Creative Writing.....So now you can put poetry AND short stories there.......so go ahead Paul....looking forward to seeing your short stories:) And everyone else....poetry and short stories there.....

Sounds like a great idea to me. I have written a couple short stories. I will may be writing some more.

Cool....if your short stories are anywhere near as good as your poetry....well, there will be lots of talent there, James....:)

Site Admin Note: Both Tara and I are Site Admins, and David owns the site. :)

Paul, keep the novel moving. It is possible for people like us to complete projects like this. I finished the first draft of a fantasy novel at just over 114,000 words, although in looking at it I expect to be adding another 50-75,000 words to make it work--the story really didn't begin to formulate properly until I was halfway through!!!!

I also have a short story being published in the Spring of 2004--and I'm actually getting paid for it!!! (a whole $100)

Although I don't claim to be a writer for a career...and unless you're one of the top best-selling novelists in the US, it's near impossible to make a complete career choice out of it, I have begun to tell people I'm a writer first, but that's not what I do for a living.

Get involved in a critique group, and accept that critique with open arms. You should have at least one or two published writers in that group, who can help explain the process. I find sometimes I have grown so attached to some little device I'm using in my story, something that I think is so darn clever. When most of the people in my critique group tell me it isn't work, then I know I have to extract it.

I want to write stories, but I also want to sell them!!!!

Originally posted by BIG
Site Admin Note: Both Tara and I are Site Admins, and David owns the site. :)


Sorry about oversite Andrew:(..Okay as he said, both Tara and Andrew are Site Administrators and David owns the site...:)

I can't stress how much a critique group has helped in my writing. In addition to all I've learned from others, it has helped me create a schedule for writing and given me deadlines in which to turn work for others to go over.

In looking at where you live, Paul, you might have a harder time finding a critique group that works for you than say, someone who lives in Toronto, Seattle or Miami. (Even Thunder Bay's official website, City of Thunder Bay (http://www.city.thunder-bay.on.ca), has a big typo on the front page.) Never fear, however. Look for notices at your local library, Borders or Barnes and Noble if you have them, if you have an alternative city newspaper, if not, you may even find notices in your local Newspaper.

Finally, there's a number of online communities devoted to helping writers move forward. I haven't sought them out, but I know about them from others. If I wasn't in such a rush to compulsively post, I would have prepared a list.

But I'm already late for work.

Originally posted by Paul S


I'm an aspiring fantasy/sci-fi author myself. My biggest barrier is maintaining the quality and interest on a project long enough to finish it. So far I've made it to 52000 words on a fantasy novel, and that's my record. (For those who don't know, a typical novel might be 90000).






So this means you are more than 50% done????:) Doesn't sound so bad to me....:)

FtLaudWolf, thanks for the tips. There is a local writing group but it sucks; I get more inspiration out of my two best friends, also aspiring writers.

On the subject of spelling mistakes, Thunder Bay IS an illiterate town. Our so called "newspaper" never prints an edition that I can't find a spelling or gross editing mistake in (such as cutting off an article mid sentence, for example).

On online resources, I highly recommend www.critters.org. I'm not a member of it anymore though because to get critiqued you have to do a LOT of work on other people's submissions, which is cool, but I can't find the time to do my OWN work!

Joan: yeah, more than 50% is wonderful, but its frustrating to reach this point and realize that over 50% of what I have done sucks and needs to be redone and that there is no point in finishing until I go back and fix.

Now I know I am a terrible perfectionist, so currently I am looking at my work with a more optimistic eye and trying to salvage the majority of it. Because it looks like if I can creatively work with what I have already then my first completed manuscript will be ready within a month or two.

Originally posted by Paul S


On the subject of spelling mistakes, Thunder Bay IS an illiterate Because it looks like if I can creatively work with what I have already then my first completed manuscript will be ready within a month or two.



YAY!!!!!!!! YIPEE!!!!!!!!!! GO PAUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That is cool Paul!!

Originally posted by Paul S

Now I know I am a terrible perfectionist... So am I. That's a definite ADD trait according to a well known ADD book I read. I used to take FOREVER to finally "finish" poems, and I never really felt they were finished.

I used past tense since my creative writing has been burried deep for 15+ years. This thread has given me the feeling I get right before I plunge into a fresh new obsession/interest/"topic of the month". Consider it inspiration. Anyway, this might be the push I needed to rev up the right hemisphere and get back into writing poetry.

I know what you mean by keeping the interest in what you are writing. I too am trying to write a couple of fantasy books. One Science fantasy, one fantasy world. I have a solution to one of them. I'm doing a series of short shories based in this fastasy world I created. So far I've written 5 stories for it. They are short enough for interest and I get more of a feeling of completion.

Originally posted by Keppig
I know what you mean by keeping the interest in what you are writing. I too am trying to write a couple of fantasy books. One Science fantasy, one fantasy world. I have a solution to one of them. I'm doing a series of short shories based in this fastasy world I created. So far I've written 5 stories for it. They are short enough for interest and I get more of a feeling of completion.

This is a fascinating approach that I have been considering...

The novel I am working on now, I have been breaking down into units similar to short stories, which are kind of "modular", like Lego blocks. So that way if I change the project I can salvage most of it and just keep going.

Currently doing just that.