I believe

Colleen0701 · Post by **Colleen0701** » 16 Sep 2015, 07:46

I believe there is a story in every one of us. Sadly, most of them remain untold. So I salute anybody who can put pen to paper and create. I have about 50 ideas for a short story or (maybe I'm reaching here) a book. Which probably means 48 of those ideas aren't enough of a foundation to tell a story. If any author out there has some ideas of how to write five good pages instead of 20 bad ones, I'm all ears. If alcohol is involved - that will not be a problem.

moderntimes · Post by **moderntimes** » 16 Sep 2015, 09:18

Ideas cannot be read by others. Only if those ideas are put into words can that occur. Just start writing. If you're a beginner the first efforts will not be very good but you must keep plugging away and honing your craft.

Remember that writing is both a talent and a learned skill. You may have innate talent to conceive of good story ideas but that doesn't make you a writer. Writing does.

So just start. Don't fantasize about being a writer. Start writing. As you continue to write you will get better. Read Stephen King's great book "On Writing" -- maybe the best beginner's book ever.

I've heard countless people say, dreamingly, "I'd like to write a novel some day..." But that just doesn't cut the muster. Never tell yourself "I'd like to be a writer" because that is just hogwash. Instead, tell yourself "I AM a writer!" and then just start writing.

GandalfTheFey · Post by **GandalfTheFey** » 16 Sep 2015, 14:25

I can flyyyyyyy! I believe that I can touch the skyyyy! I something something and a night, and dayyyy....

Ahem. Sure, yeah. We all do come inbuilt with the story of our life. Probably most people could write a somewhat unique story or two. It always weirded me out in school when people said English class was hard, though. Writing is easy! It's just talking but recording it on paper/computer.

moderntimes · Post by **moderntimes** » 16 Sep 2015, 18:42

Well, Gand, the basic writing is easy as you say, but for months of careful revisions I've pored over every single word and sentence in my novels until they were the best I could -- like in Gibert & Sullivan, I polished the handle so carefully, and now I'm commander of the Queen--- oh wait -- not that -- and now I've signed a 3-book contract with a legit non-subsidy publisher.

It's the revisions which are so very difficult but this is necessary as writers -- we have to make these things as perfect as possible.

LadyE · Post by **LadyE** » 20 Sep 2015, 11:14

It's great that you have so many ideas! When I have an idea, I will play the "what if" game. What if there were goblins? What if the sun had set? What if the dogs ate the flower? Get my drift? Then you can take those "what ifs" and expand your story. Obviously there needs to be a start, middle, and finish, but that comes to you as part of the process. Anyone with an imagination like yours will have no problem at all.

moderntimes · Post by **moderntimes** » 20 Sep 2015, 11:51

I write the occasional horror story and for the last year or so I've toyed with a dark Lovecraftian / Stevie King sort of novel but when i signed the 3-book contract, naturally the bulk of my new writing will be focused on my 4th mystery novel in the series.

Therefore all my writing for now is on my fairly realistic, modern American private detective series, the "Mitch King Mysteries" and my speculations are of course more limited than your story ideas might be. Nevertheless I've "floated" several tentative story ideas into my fevered brain on which to base my new, in-progress 4th novel...

1. Mitch goes back to his alma mater Univ of Tex at Austin to help his old college roommate who's now a professor there and is receiving death threats.
2. Mitch is working security for a big computer conference and becomes involved in a fight between two former pals who're now at odds, one of them the business genius, the other the tech whiz kid, and one of them ends up murdered so suspicion falls to the other guy.
3. A priest is gay but in the closet and is being blackmailed, so Mitch is asked to help find the blackmailer before the priest is outed.
4. A friend of Mitch is killed by a hit-and-run driver and the incident is chalked up to a tragic accident until evidence shows the killing was premeditated murder.

All of these story ideas, I pounded out a couple of starting chapters and I went back and forth a while with each topic until I decided that #4 is the one I wanted the most. So I've now got about 5000 good words and all that remains is the easy-deasy task of simply writing the remaining 75,000 words or so. A snap (ha ha). Here's paragraph 1:

"Death never comes as a guest. It’s always an intruder into our lives, even for the aged and infirm. But when that dark and final veil arrives unexpectedly, with no time for the least preparation, the impact is even worse. And this time, death once more had descended upon a close friend and was delivered to us with violence."

And so it begins... and yes, I agree, Colleen, that we've all got many ideas and stories inside each of us. What we writers must do is put that onto paper (or in my case, my laptop). I realize it's often a struggle getting started but after some discipline is applied, it becomes easier.

stoppoppingtheP · Post by **stoppoppingtheP** » 22 Oct 2015, 16:37

Sure everybody has a story to tell, but is everybody's interesting...

TrishaAnn92 · Post by **TrishaAnn92** » 28 Oct 2015, 07:10

I think whether their story is interesting or not is a matter of opinion. What I may find interesting others may not.

I admit I have always had the mind set of 'I want to be a writer'. Of course I am working on changing that since my goal is to write 50,000+ words for a novel and see where it leads.
I've always had story ideas some I thought were good some I forgot about almost as soon as I thoughthink them.
Yeah everybody may have a idea(s) but it's a matter of if they put it to paper or if they even can, nothe everybody has the knack for writing.

stoppoppingtheP · Post by **stoppoppingtheP** » 28 Oct 2015, 07:13

True.

moderntimes · Post by **moderntimes** » 28 Oct 2015, 07:40

Trisha, it may interest you that since I last posted on Sep 20, my new novel now has not 5000 but 14000 words, and I'm proceeding apace. The story is starting to shape up and come together, and I've got a nice big "ideas" file full of notes and comments and plot threads to add. At this point, I think I know who the major bad guys will be, one somewhat expected, the other a surprise (no spoilers thank you).

Regarding your statement "... I want to be a writer", it's fine but that mindset is, I think, lacking in progress and energy. I've heard dozens of people say "I'd like to write a novel..." and that's as far as it goes.

Let me strongly recommend that instead of telling yourself "I want to be..." that you change it to "I AM a writer!" and keep plugging away. The mindset of this more proactive statement will imbue you with energy and determination. That way, if you get stuck you won't get discouraged. You'll remind yourself that you ARE a writer and then you'll find the solutions to your temporary hangup and go forward. If you keep thinking "want to be" then you'll, as Hamlet says, "lose the name of action".

Good luck. I can tell you that my 3 now-being-published novels didn't write themselves, at nearly a quarter million words total, and that in the space of only a month, going from 5000 to 14,000 words on my 4th book wasn't easy, but it has been fun. Honest.

And as you know full well, having pounded out 50,000 words was no spring day's easy deasy job. That you've gone this far indicates real determination. Good luck!

TrishaAnn92 · Post by **TrishaAnn92** » 28 Oct 2015, 08:06

moderntimes wrote:Trisha, it may interest you that since I last posted on Sep 20, my new novel now has not 5000 but 14000 words, and I'm proceeding apace. The story is starting to shape up and come together, and I've got a nice big "ideas" file full of notes and comments and plot threads to add. At this point, I think I know who the major bad guys will be, one somewhat expected, the other a surprise (no spoilers thank you).

Regarding your statement "... I want to be a writer", it's fine but that mindset is, I think, lacking in progress and energy. I've heard dozens of people say "I'd like to write a novel..." and that's as far as it goes.

Let me strongly recommend that instead of telling yourself "I want to be..." that you change it to "I AM a writer!" and keep plugging away. The mindset of this more proactive statement will imbue you with energy and determination. That way, if you get stuck you won't get discouraged. You'll remind yourself that you ARE a writer and then you'll find the solutions to your temporary hangup and go forward. If you keep thinking "want to be" then you'll, as Hamlet says, "lose the name of action".

Good luck. I can tell you that my 3 now-being-published novels didn't write themselves, at nearly a quarter million words total, and that in the space of only a month, going from 5000 to 14,000 words on my 4th book wasn't easy, but it has been fun. Honest.

And as you know full well, having pounded out 50,000 words was no spring day's easy deasy job. That you've gone this far indicates real determination. Good luck!

I have an author friend that is helping me keep motivated and she said the exact same thing to me last night after I sent her the first three pages (I was unsure about it and close to scrapping it) and I was left being told "don't you dare stop writing this, YOU ARE A WRITER!" It was a good reassurance for me.

That is a good jump 5,000 to 14,000 words! Honestly with three young kids and health issues that keep me on pain meds, writing 50,000 words in a month will certainly be a challenge but an attainable one.

Congrats on your novels!

Thank you for your kind words of encouragement!

moderntimes · Post by **moderntimes** » 28 Oct 2015, 08:46

I'm an older dude (photo) and live with my girlfriend, but I do have health problems besides just getting older -- arthritis which is severe, and I've been on some chemo too.

I find that my writing is a great way for me to energize myself and avoid worrying about things.

The book review for my novel will soon be posted in that section-- I don't think I'm allowed to list the title since my novels are professionally and published via non-self-firm and sold for, yeah, profit. PM me for my website which gives all the info.

Thanks, and Good luck.

TrishaAnn92 · Post by **TrishaAnn92** » 28 Oct 2015, 08:50

That is why I have turned to writing so heavily. I have endometriosis that will require 6 months of Lupron shots and eventually a second surgery. Writing has helped take my mind off things.

I look forward to reading it!

Thanks.