Your writing ambitions

[IronParrot]

Is anyone here writing with the ambition of getting published someday? If so, what sort of works are you thinking of?

Myself, I have a full-length novel in the works, though it's moving along very slowly and is at a bit of a standstill right now. I do intend to submit like crazy in the future, though.

Screenwriting is actually the medium I prefer, but I'm not working on any screenplays right now.

[Gwaimir Windgem]

I hope to make my living writing. Though of course I don't know how that'll turn out. :p

[Shadowfax]

I plan to write in my spare time (ie: not depend on writing as my source of income) and if it gets published, hey that's great, if not, I'll still love it. I do hope though to publish a bunch of poetry that I've written (maybe into a book), and maybe some essays, etc. I do not have the gift of writing fiction, but I can comment on just about anything. And I write poems.:)

[Elvellyn]

I write mostly just for fun. As a hobby. Sure it would be great if something got published but it wouldn't be the end of the world for me if they didn't.

[crickhollow]

my goal is to one day be published. Aside from that, I've got a good eye for editing, proof-reading, and other such nit-picky things, that I think it would be fun to work for a publishing company.

[Agalayth]

I want to get my books published, but I haven't started writing them yet. I'm only 13, and would like to finish Middle/High School before I start writing. My writing would be better that way. But I have all my ideas written down for the story.

[Miranda]

I'd love to be published one day, I had one publication deal in the works but it fell through *cries*:(
I'm working on something at the moment, a fantasy story based around my real life experiences with my friends in London- its basically about the bohemian lifestyle we live but with touches off egyptian mythology thrown in- but nuff said, I don't want to give my plot away. I've written short stories before and a very long LOTR fan fic- you can ask Elvedans about that, it made her cry at the end! Mx

[Coney]

I only write as a hobby..........no real ambition to make it a career:)

I have been toying with self-publishing some of my finished work on the internet...........maybe after the lump of this years Uni work is out of the way...

[Lizra]

I wrote a monthly garden column for our local paper for two years. I enjoyed it, but felt like I had said everything I wanted to say, and quit last fall. I don't like to read stuff that isn't coming from the heart, if you know what I mean. ;) Maybe I'll start a non fiction thread and put one of columns up for the gardeners! Let me see what the last two April ones wear like....or is this only for fiction?

[Hasty Ent]

speaking for myself, I'd love to read your gardening columns! -- maybe a non-fiction thread in this forum? or, you can just pm them to me...:)

[Lizra]

Heh! You're sweet! :) Thanks!

[elvendrummer87]

i'd love to make a living writing; 'course i've also wanted to be an elf or a knight since i was eight....... :D

[samwiselvr2008]

I'd love to read something from someone off the 'moot, that was published. I'd deffently buy a copy and try to promote you (to my friends)!!!

I'm an okay writer, people are sometimes surprised that I write like I do, because I seem to be able to pute my thoughts into writing better then trying to tell someone verbally. I don't think that my storys will ever be published, although I would love them to be, but I don't expect that to happen.

That sounds bad. My head hurts. Bed time. (I write better then that usually).

[Gwaimir Windgem]

Published, you say? On my way...:D

[Laurus Nobilis]

I don't want to write for a living -I already chose Biology as my career- but yes, I would love to be published someday.

I'm sort of afraid of sending my novel to an editor when I finish it, though. Is's not rejection what scares me; I know that happens all the time. But what if they say "We'll publish it, if you change this and this and this"?

One thing is if they find plot holes or something of the like, but I've heard some editors tell the authors to change stories in order to make them easier to sell. I don't want to do that to my babies. :(

[Lalaith]

Screen-plays.

I want to write screen-plays. Actually I have written one and it is now waiting to be sent to a publisher.
Maybe my poems will be good enough one day to be published (but they are all so "dark" and very personal, I don't know if I want them to be published)

[Ma Uai: Ua Nemti]

I'm a lousy writer, but I try anyway. I'd love to get published some day and become a professional writer, what a life that'd be.

Right now I'm working on a story. I've got the ending down but its the begining and middle I always have trouble with.

[elvendrummer87]

ugh, i know what you mean; i always get the coolest battle/action scenes in my head, write them down, and then can't figure out how to build up to them! :p

[Ninquelote]

I have no real intention of getting published, I just couldn't apply myself to that.
I want to be a computer software designer when I grow up. Maybe web designer. Although I enjoy writing a great deal, I'll probably only be writing code for the rest of my life.
I also don't consider myself good enough to write seriously. Then again, I'm pretty young, and my writing style might change.
I just don't want to end up writing books that no one likes, or books for "young teens struggling with adolescense and depression". (I think teenagers who say they have depression just do it for attention or really don't know what depression is, but that's my opinion.)

[IronParrot]

As a current website designer AND software engineering student, let me tell you this: it shouldn't stop you from writing.

Just so you know, I've done websites for pay over three or four summers now, and it gets old really fast... I'm expanding into doing more graphics art and animation, which is a constantly evolving field.

Trust me, by the time you're my age (that makes me sound old, which I'm not), the computer landscape is going to be very different. Writing, on the other hand, will always be there. So keep it in mind, and remember, there's nothing wrong with doing several different things at once.

[Silverstripe]

Originally posted by Ma Uai: Ua Nemti

Right now I'm working on a story. I've got the ending down but its the begining and middle I always have trouble with.

I know how that goes! Though I usually have a series of scenes/moments during the story in my head, and little if any idea of how to connect them. With my latest project, I'm doing an outline, so I have a basic idea of where things are in the story before I begin trying to write.

[Lief Erikson]

That is a very good thing, Silverstripe. The outline is basically stage 2 of my plot organization. I take things one step further than that, but it is possible to go that far and launch forward. It's actually possible to go forward with no previous plotting, but that's a LOT more risky.

[Earniel]

I have no intentions of getting published. I'm terrible at writing. Which was only to be expected since I only started putting things to paper last august and since I have a loooong history of bad essays and being told quite plainly that I have no writing skill whatsoever. Meh, I'm trying anyway.

I've got quite a few stories in my head, some quite extensive and detailed. But putting them on paper is much more difficult than I expected. I keep editing and editing the tiny part I have on paper. I just don't get it perfect.

The most likely future for my scribblings is to end up among the junk in the attic and stay there. Then a decade or two later some hypothecially kid digs them up, wipes the dust away, sits down, starts to read and laughs. And then runs downstairs yelling 'Hey mum! Is this yours?' I'd like that. :)

[Fingolfinrox]

Writting! I've made a few short stories, and my freinds said they were good. The thing is, whenever I try to write a novel I stop somewhere around page sixty. Oh well, someday...
Good Luck to everyone else who tries!

[Linaewen]

Hmm... A while ago I really wanted to be a writer, and I actually got words of encouragement from my (then) favourite author, Robin Hobb. However, I sort of lost interest, and now I would like to write, but only as a hobby.

[Gwaimir Windgem]

Originally posted by Eärniel
I have no intentions of getting published. I'm terrible at writing. Which was only to be expected since I only started putting things to paper last august and since I have a loooong history of bad essays and being told quite plainly that I have no writing skill whatsoever. Meh, I'm trying anyway.


And Einstein was told that he'd never amount to anything. :p Don't let it get you down. :)

[sun-star]

I'd love to be published because then I can justify spending my time writing as a bit more than a hobby. I'm not so much of a writing purist that I don't want to make money out of it :D

[elvendrummer87]

wouldn't it be cool if entmoot published an anthology of mooters' works/ that'd be awesome! there's probably some catch or whatever, not to mention money, but if we could that'd be killer.

[Lalaith]

My problem is that I don't like action. This friend of my mother (he knows much about the business) told me that nowadays most production firms (screen-play) want action-movies. Damn, I won't be able to write action.

[IronParrot]

Lalaith, that's only if you're working with the big studios that have the money to make action films. Most of those are pretty top-down - i.e. the producer defines what the project should be about, and you write your screenplay around it. Freelance screenwriting is a completely different issue. I recommend entering competitions, and talking to independent low-budget filmmakers who have more creative freedom (but less money with which to express it). These films won't find general release right away until they're picked up by distributors, but they will make the festival circuit.

If all else fails, go to a film school and learn how to direct your own film - that's probably the best way to ensure that you see the project you want.

[Lalaith]

I want to become a director, too, not only a screen-play writer. I can't imagine another person getting things just as I want them to be.
I would go to the film school in Vienna, but it is sooooo expensive. That's horrible. I couldn't afford one semester.
But thanks for your advice. (But finding such things in Austria is really hard)

[Earniel]

Originally posted by Gwaimir Windgem
And Einstein was told that he'd never amount to anything. :p Don't let it get you down. :)

I'm no Einstein. Save me from the horrible prospects of maths! :p But thanks for the encouragement. :)

I decided to ignore the endless list of bad essays and comments about my yes or no writing skills. That was years ago, this is now. That's why I started writing for myself a few months ago. To see if I could. And after all I may not have a talent for writing but that doesn't mean I can't learn the skill. Practise is the key to mastery, they say. And writing is oddly enjoyable to do. Though I'm still terrible at it (and probably always will be), at least I'm having a good time. :)

[Lalaith]

A little off-topic I know:
Einstein wasn't even good as a student.
(I'm always wondering how english speaking persons pronounce Einstein)

[Gwaimir Windgem]

From what I know, it's commonly pronounced "ain-stain". "Ai" being like in Dunedain.

[Aralyn]

*embarrassed laugh* Well I kinda want to be a reporter or journalist for a paper but I want to have a book published of short stories

[IronParrot]

Aralyn, it's a good idea to start writing stuff for papers now, then. I had a piece or two published in my local paper when I was still in high school (not counting Letters to the Editor), and I was also a volunteer staff writer for my university paper earlier this year. It's a great way to get started. In fact, I'm thinking of applying for a newspaper-related job this summer, maybe.

[Lizra]

Writing for a newspaper is fun! Just be prepared to do it for free! :D (at first) It's sort of like establishing credit. You have to get that first piece published, then you can use that to help you get the next...and so forth. Writing on Entmoot is great exercise, that's why I like to see people use good spelling, grammer etc. Painting with words is almost as fun as painting with paints! I never had to go to the office, except to get my picture taken. It was all done by email. Find a small paper and send them something that might be of interest. :)

[Aralyn]

Originally posted by IronParrot
Aralyn, it's a good idea to start writing stuff for papers now . . .

I'm the reporter for my school's newspaper so I get some experience there, Iron Parrot. If you get something published tell us!!
Thanks Lizra for the advice.

[Lief Erikson]

Originally posted by Eärniel
I'm no Einstein. Save me from the horrible prospects of maths! :p But thanks for the encouragement. :)

I decided to ignore the endless list of bad essays and comments about my yes or no writing skills. That was years ago, this is now. That's why I started writing for myself a few months ago. To see if I could. And after all I may not have a talent for writing but that doesn't mean I can't learn the skill. Practise is the key to mastery, they say. And writing is oddly enjoyable to do. Though I'm still terrible at it (and probably always will be), at least I'm having a good time. :)
Eärniel, you are NOT a terrible writer! Not in the RPG forum, anyway :D.

Practice is definitely a key. Practice is a key to anything, as everyone knows :p. Practice and reading are two of the primary keys to writing. Focusing upon your writing skill and trying to improve can be important too, as I learned not long ago from Tessar. His practice combined with focus produced astounding results in the improvement of his writing skill. I don't know if that's the same for everyone, of course.

But anyway, you are definitely not a terrible writer, and I very much enjoy reading your posts :).

[Blackboar]

I have. Yeah, I know. Like I can be an author.
But all I do is write stories, during class, in bed, got a Word Document open right now in fromt of me.
My stories are mostly Fantasy, I've tried mythology but it dosn't work for me.
Tales about life, about a 16-year-old girl and teenage trauma's.

Well, It's a dream.

[Coney]

Originally posted by Eärniel
Practise is the key to mastery, they say. And writing is oddly enjoyable to do. Though I'm still terrible at it (and probably always will be), at least I'm having a good time. :)

o_O Geezus Earniel, your a good writer............you should write comedy tho'..............you and the lasses in the TLA threads are some of the funniest folks here:D

Seriously tho'...........you're right, it's all just practise:)

[Baby-K]

I write mainly for my own enjoyment, but if I were to be published I'd love to publish my 'diary'.

I'm more into humerous recounts of what my friends & I get up to (somehow I find it easier than having to make up characters) - think along the lines of "Sex & the City" - some of my friends really do fit those profiles (I'm a Samantha type, while Nikki is the Carrie of our group).

I recently decided that it might be fun launching a website which we will call "The Troll Diaries" or summin of the sort (like an online diary).

Then again, I suck at writing (at least I think so) and I'm not sure if other people will find these things funny

[Earniel]

You people are all much too nice. :) RPG's can hardly be compared without real one-author writing. The TLA wouldn't be half as good if it were only me. (thank god, it's not!:eek: ) Anyway I spend ages on nearly every post I write, especially in the RPG-forum. I may not be such a terrible writer that I think I am, but it's going to take me looooooads of practise before I will consider myself a decent writer. :)

[Lalaith]

Originally posted by Gwaimir Windgem
From what I know, it's commonly pronounced "ain-stain". "Ai" being like in Dunedain.
You're right. We, the german speaking people, would pronounce it that way.

[Lief Erikson]

Originally posted by Eärniel
You people are all much too nice. :) RPG's can hardly be compared without real one-author writing. The TLA wouldn't be half as good if it were only me. (thank god, it's not!:eek: ) Anyway I spend ages on nearly every post I write, especially in the RPG-forum. I may not be such a terrible writer that I think I am, but it's going to take me looooooads of practise before I will consider myself a decent writer. :)
Well . . . I'll not bother with arguing. Though I do disagree.
Originally posted by Blackboar
But all I do is write stories, during class, in bed, got a Word Document open right now in fromt of me.
My stories are mostly Fantasy, I've tried mythology but it dosn't work for me.
Tales about life, about a 16-year-old girl and teenage trauma's.
You want to post one of your better ones here, or no?

[Snowdog]

I have been writing a novel since 1975, with much revision and periods of inactivity due to life's duties. Maybe one day a finished product wioll be submitted for publication.

[Aralyn]

Originally posted by Lalaith
I want to become a director, too, not only a screen-play writer.

I wanted to do that for awhile. I write all kinds of things so I'm not really sure what kind of writing I want to do.
Plus I am incredibly bossy and organized so it would be a cool job to have

[Entlover]

I'm happy that so many of you guys are determined to keep on with writing. A lot of the poetry here is excellent.

I'm publishing my novel and it's going to be available on amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com in a few weeks. It took me a year and a half to write it, but I forget how long the research took. It's self published so by definition it won't be highly regarded, but I think it's good.(not prejudiced or anything!)

Aralyn, maybe you'd like to review it for your school newspaper? Do you live in the US?

I'm going to be looking for reviewers if anybody is an English teacher, magazine editor, etc and would like to read it.

[Lief Erikson]

Good job, Entlover :D. That's wonderful news!

[Gwaimir Windgem]

Ooooo! :eek: What's it called? Will definitely keep my eyes open. :)

[Lalaith]

Originally posted by Aralyn
I wanted to do that for awhile. I write all kinds of things so I'm not really sure what kind of writing I want to do.
Plus I am incredibly bossy and organized so it would be a cool job to have
I knew that I will have to be an artist, when I worked for a month in a office and I couldn't stand a whole day there. Horrible. I'm not the kind of person who wants to have that fix labour times.
So, screenplay writing is a good thing to do. Plus, I have sooo many ideas. It would be wasting not to use them.

[Aralyn]

Originally posted by Entlover
I'm happy that so many of you guys are determined to keep on with writing. A lot of the poetry here is excellent.

I'm publishing my novel and it's going to be available on amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com in a few weeks. It took me a year and a half to write it, but I forget how long the research took. It's self published so by definition it won't be highly regarded, but I think it's good.(not prejudiced or anything!)

Aralyn, maybe you'd like to review it for your school newspaper? Do you live in the US?

I'm going to be looking for reviewers if anybody is an English teacher, magazine editor, etc and would like to read it.

Just let me know what it is called and I'll read it.
I don't know if my review would make it in our newspaper. I usually write human interest type thing.
And yes I live in the U.S.A.

[Elfmaster XK]

Originally posted by Entlover
I'm happy that so many of you guys are determined to keep on with writing. A lot of the poetry here is excellent.

I'm publishing my novel and it's going to be available on amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com in a few weeks. It took me a year and a half to write it, but I forget how long the research took. It's self published so by definition it won't be highly regarded, but I think it's good.(not prejudiced or anything!)

Aralyn, maybe you'd like to review it for your school newspaper? Do you live in the US?

I'm going to be looking for reviewers if anybody is an English teacher, magazine editor, etc and would like to read it.

Congratulations! That's really great news! A published 'mooter :D

I am both an artist and writer, and my friends' book, Bryce (http://www.geocities.com/mariemuses/bryce.html), has my cover art on it. Which, I suppose is an achievement, even though I hate the art. She wanted a simple cover...I tried.

As for my own writing, I have four novels in the works, and a screenplay. I need lots going so when I get blocked I can move away for a while and not force anything. My current one is a fantasy story based in a world of my own design, and focuses on a love story in a politically unstable society.

It was all done by email. Find a small paper and send them something that might be of interest.

I agree with Lizra. Local newspapers are good for this, and it will really help you learn what sort of thing the papers like and don't like.

[Earniel]

Hey first mate, long time no see. :)

[Elfmaster XK]

I know. Have returned for a while, second mate. Missed everyone. Still hauling in that chocolate? ;)

[Earniel]

*munch munch*

*with mouth full* Muh-uh. :)

[Starr Polish]

My writing ambitions? Well, I hope to make a name for myself by publishing articles, essays and short stories first. Probably anywhere that will take me first, and then I'll enter things that pay or for prizes. Thus, if I do make a name for myself in the publishing industry, it may be easier to get a future novel in print. This is, of course, only if my writing skills improve greatly, to the point where people would want it published.

[Entlover]

Lief Erickson, thanks for the kind words. I'm curious, what is the third step in your writing process, after the outline?

Gwaimir, my book's called The Ring of the Dark Elves and an excerpt can be read by clicking where it says here down below.

Aralyn, if your newspaper says you can write a review, maybe I could send you a copy (since you're a mooter.)

Elfmaster XK, I like your cover for Bryce, though it's frustrating because the picture is so small it's hard to see. The book sounds interesting too.