Excluding Starcraft and Team Liquid, I'm quite sure everyone has their own little hobby. Ever since I was like 7 I've always been big on drawing and painting. It wasn't like something I would throw upon myself to do (like trying to get better at Starcraft lol) but it was more of a natural unconscious thing I did whenever I was bored. So this went on all throughout high school, and then I started to slow down when college came. Maybe it was a mistake for me not to go to Art School and do business instead.. but it's far too late to regret it now.
Nowadays I literally have to set aside time to draw and paint, and it's becoming more and more of a hassle to keep this hobby. Usually when I start drawing out w/e I want to make and bust out the paint, I literally sit and glue myself to my art often for 3 hours and probably more. So its usually a choice between SC2 or art for the night before hitting the sack. I don't really mind putting off gaming on some nights, but getting the materials (like a canvas, or different types of paint, new brushes, ink, another goddamn sketchbook) hasn't been as easy as it used to be.
So I thought to myself why not try something new, and that's when writing came in.
I mean, it's not like I would have to go out and buy $50 worth of goods to be able to do anything. I can simply open up word and start right away, right?
Recently I was lucky enough to stumble upon a chatroom that was filled with writers who did their thing for a hobby. I've always looked up to writers and have had great respect for them. You could say that I placed writers up on a high untouchable intellectual throne. So when I asked how they started writing and what their background was, I was really surprised by the fact that most of them weren't in school as english majors or journalism and whatnot. Most of them were quite the opposite, some being engineers, some medical students, others just average the Joe working his day job to support his family.
This chance meeting completely dispelled my beliefs that all writers were born with incredible literary skills. So now I want to give a go =D.
The problem is, I really have no idea where to start, at all. I've always wanted to write up some mystery/sci-fi short story sort of thing. But I honestly don't know the best way to go about doing it. So here I am once again, humbly seeking out the wisdom of TL. I know that there are some talented writers for TL, and even more hidden talented regular members who simply write for their own pleasure. So how did you guys start? How should a newbie with no prior experience to writing (for leisure purposes) go about starting up?
Hobbies like art and writing have their perks. For Art, it could something as small as being able to draw a funny cartoon next to your notes to aid you through your lessons. For writing, it could help me write better Blogs that don't bore people to death with a wall of mind-numbing text. =D
George RR Martin, an absolutely amazing writer both in fantasy literature (creator of A Song of Ice and Fire) and hollywood movie scripts had a podcast, and one of his tracks was a message to aspiring writers. Be sure to check it out it's awesome
Write up stuff on things you enjoy or want to learn about.
I enjoy a lot of things about fitness, nutrition, etc. so I often write articles on things of that nature. If there's a particular topic I want to learn more about I usually start by doing a quick overview then researching it more and then moving from there.
If you're creative you can do sci-fi etc but that might not be the best place to start if you don't know wtf you are doing
read, try to write in the styles of the authors you like. But the most important part is to actually WRITE. WRITE write write. Even if it's total bullshit. Just keep the words coming. 90% of aspiring writers have alot of ideas and spend alot fo time thinking about it, improving, and what not. They fade into nothingness because that's all procrastinating, they don't actually WRITE. Write, and even if it's mostly bullshit, you need to actually write and perfect yourself in the process. Sorry I am a little tispy, but this is the best advice I can think of, I know I could have used it 2 or 3 years ago.
Keep a handwritten journal, somewhere by your bed! You can doodle AND write . It's a nice exercise to write for 20 minutes about anything you like (even the regular, daily stuff) and find yourself with a notebook full of ideas. I also keep a notebook of things I might use in stories one day--if I hear a name I find intriguing, if I see something like clovers in the rain and think it's beautiful and needs describing sometime, if I learn about Mao Ze Dong's tactics in guerrilla warfare and wonder why anyone would stick to positional warfare...
There are also some interesting writer-ly exercises you can do in your free time, aka go people-watching and write stories about them, or steal a detail (three flounces on Emma Bovary's dress!) from another author's work and expanding on it, or write one simple story--they went on a picnic--from multiple perspectives. Yay, writing is fun :D
Being a good writer is difficult because it takes sincere work and dedication, but there are some "tricks of the trade" to grease the wheels a little bit and get you on the fast track, if not to being an actual good writer, to at least having the appearance of being one.
Step one: Alcohol. This brain lubricant has been used for centuries by some of our best writers. Don’t believe me? A few writers who maintained a significant relationship with the drink: Ernest Hemingway, James Joyce, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Charles Bukowski, William Faulkner, Jack Kerouac, Truman Capote, Edgar Allen Poe, Dylan Thomas, Tennessee Williams, Dorothy Parker, O. Henry, Raymond Chandler and Hunter S. Thompson. The pattern is unmistakable, and I don’t know about you but I’m not about to call all those heavyweights “liars”. Find some hard liquor you can tolerate and start drinking alone, in your home. This will allow you to free yourself from the shackles of inhibition and write from the heart, squeezing the most amount of truth possible from your “mind grapes”.
Step two: Trauma. Were you molested by a parent or significant authority figure as a child? What about that time Uncle Hank walked in on you in the bathroom? Did he stare for a little too long? If you’re not sure, or if you can’t remember any molestation, you’ve probably repressed the memories. All children are molested at one point or another, but most have the luxury of pushing those dark memories down into the subconscious. The use of alcohol from step one can be useful in triggering flashbacks or unlocking your hidden past. The hazier and more uncertain you are about this, the more likely it is to be true. You were almost certainly molested, and now it’s time to use your writing to deal with this fact.
The good news? Coming to this realization can only help your progress as a writer. Discovering you had a terrible childhood, despite what you remember, is key in accessing the complex emotions and fragile psyche it takes to construct artificial worlds of any meaningful depth. Don’t be afraid to embrace the painful emotions you’re going through, and bring your friends into this tortured world as well. People love being friends with harrowed artists and you’ll instantly become interesting to everyone you meet.
Step three: Life Experience. Aron Ralston cut off his own arm with a dull pen-knife before he was able to write a successful book. Fyodor Dostoyevsky stood in front of a firing squad, believing himself dead. Elie Weisel survived the holocaust as a teenager before he was able to write. What do you have? That time you were molested? Good luck; everyone’s playing up that angle these days. Unless you want to write Law & Order: SVU episodes, you’re going to need more than that. If you don’t have a wealth of rich, terrible tales to draw from, your writing will feel shallow and forced. It’s time to hit the streets and soak up some “life”.
Have you ever toyed with the idea of experimenting with hard drugs? Now’s the time. You can do anything you want under the guise of “research” for your writing. No one can judge you; it’s not drug abuse, it’s an intellectual exercise. Maybe you want to take your love of facebook stalking into the real world, who knows? Ever wonder if murdering someone with a hammer is as easy and poetic as the Beatles make it sound? Go for it. Nothing builds up street cred like jail time, plus you’ll have plenty of time to refine your craft. There’ll be plenty of prison wine and molestation to keep your imagination producing at a fevered pitch.
Writing is a very rewarding hobby, but you’re going to have to put in the effort if you want to see results. Now get on out there and make Team Liquid proud!
On December 02 2010 00:46 Snuggles wrote: Recently I was lucky enough to stumble upon a chatroom that was filled with writers who did their thing for a hobby. I've always looked up to writers and have had great respect for them. You could say that I placed writers up on a high untouchable intellectual throne. So when I asked how they started writing and what their background was, I was really surprised by the fact that most of them weren't in school as english majors or journalism and whatnot. Most of them were quite the opposite, some being engineers, some medical students, others just average the Joe working his day job to support his family.
My first advice would be not to put it on that untouchable throne, at least not out of view of yourself. As you implied, most people that write don't go to school for it, they do it because they feel they have to regardless of their situation. But for a hobby that's not too important. The thing is, do you enjoy it? You want to write some sort of sci-fi, so just think of what you want to write, what you want to describe, why you want to describe it, and what significant things do you feel like bringing out in a story? Often one gets the cold case of writer's block, so you might want to invest in finding out what gives you inspiration, or a muse as they call it. This will help guide you to what to write specifically. I did a quick search on youtube for my favourite author and his ideas on writing. Not what I had hoped but it might give you a start:
Next, what kind of authors do you like reading? You can gain a lot of style and substance from finding out other authors. Well, there was just a power outage and somehow this pgh was saved! alas i've lost my train of thought and need to write up a psyc report. hope that helps!
On December 02 2010 02:19 JackMcCoy wrote: Being a good writer is difficult because it takes sincere work and dedication, but there are some "tricks of the trade" to grease the wheels a little bit and get you on the fast track, if not to being an actual good writer, to at least having the appearance of being one.
Step one: Alcohol. This brain lubricant has been used for centuries by some of our best writers. Don’t believe me? A few writers who maintained a significant relationship with the drink: Ernest Hemingway, James Joyce, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Charles Bukowski, William Faulkner, Jack Kerouac, Truman Capote, Edgar Allen Poe, Dylan Thomas, Tennessee Williams, Dorothy Parker, O. Henry, Raymond Chandler and Hunter S. Thompson. The pattern is unmistakable, and I don’t know about you but I’m not about to call all those heavyweights “liars”. Find some hard liquor you can tolerate and start drinking alone, in your home. This will allow you to free yourself from the shackles of inhibition and write from the heart, squeezing the most amount of truth possible from your “mind grapes”.
Step two: Trauma. Were you molested by a parent or significant authority figure as a child? What about that time Uncle Hank walked in on you in the bathroom? Did he stare for a little too long? If you’re not sure, or if you can’t remember any molestation, you’ve probably repressed the memories. All children are molested at one point or another, but most have the luxury of pushing those dark memories down into the subconscious. The use of alcohol from step one can be useful in triggering flashbacks or unlocking your hidden past. The hazier and more uncertain you are about this, the more likely it is to be true. You were almost certainly molested, and now it’s time to use your writing to deal with this fact.
The good news? Coming to this realization can only help your progress as a writer. Discovering you had a terrible childhood, despite what you remember, is key in accessing the complex emotions and fragile psyche it takes to construct artificial worlds of any meaningful depth. Don’t be afraid to embrace the painful emotions you’re going through, and bring your friends into this tortured world as well. People love being friends with harrowed artists and you’ll instantly become interesting to everyone you meet.
Step three: Life Experience. Aron Ralston cut off his own arm with a dull pen-knife before he was able to write a successful book. Fyodor Dostoyevsky stood in front of a firing squad, believing himself dead. Elie Weisel survived the holocaust as a teenager before he was able to write. What do you have? That time you were molested? Good luck; everyone’s playing up that angle these days. Unless you want to write Law & Order: SVU episodes, you’re going to need more than that. If you don’t have a wealth of rich, terrible tales to draw from, your writing will feel shallow and forced. It’s time to hit the streets and soak up some “life”.
Have you ever toyed with the idea of experimenting with hard drugs? Now’s the time. You can do anything you want under the guise of “research” for your writing. No one can judge you; it’s not drug abuse, it’s an intellectual exercise. Maybe you want to take your love of facebook stalking into the real world, who knows? Ever wonder if murdering someone with a hammer is as easy and poetic as the Beatles make it sound? Go for it. Nothing builds up street cred like jail time, plus you’ll have plenty of time to refine your craft. There’ll be plenty of prison wine and molestation to keep your imagination producing at a fevered pitch.
Writing is a very rewarding hobby, but you’re going to have to put in the effort if you want to see results. Now get on out there and make Team Liquid proud!
Good post. Another thing you forgot to mention is that a lot of the classic writers kill themselves, for example Victoria Benedictsson slit her throat, Ernest Hemingway shot himself, Harry Crosby formed a suicide pact with his lover, Klaus Mann overdosed, Osamu Dazai drowned himself, Yasunari Kawabata gassed himself. Stig Dagerman also gassed himself in a car. Yeah, the list goes on. Anyway, just make sure not to kill yourself early in your carrer, you'll have to produce at least a few books before you'll become a memorable suicide writer. But going out with a 'bang' will definitely increase your literature recognition.
On December 02 2010 02:19 JackMcCoy wrote: Being a good writer is difficult because it takes sincere work and dedication, but there are some "tricks of the trade" to grease the wheels a little bit and get you on the fast track, if not to being an actual good writer, to at least having the appearance of being one.
Step one: Alcohol. This brain lubricant has been used for centuries by some of our best writers. Don’t believe me? A few writers who maintained a significant relationship with the drink: Ernest Hemingway, James Joyce, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Charles Bukowski, William Faulkner, Jack Kerouac, Truman Capote, Edgar Allen Poe, Dylan Thomas, Tennessee Williams, Dorothy Parker, O. Henry, Raymond Chandler and Hunter S. Thompson. The pattern is unmistakable, and I don’t know about you but I’m not about to call all those heavyweights “liars”. Find some hard liquor you can tolerate and start drinking alone, in your home. This will allow you to free yourself from the shackles of inhibition and write from the heart, squeezing the most amount of truth possible from your “mind grapes”.
Step two: Trauma. Were you molested by a parent or significant authority figure as a child? What about that time Uncle Hank walked in on you in the bathroom? Did he stare for a little too long? If you’re not sure, or if you can’t remember any molestation, you’ve probably repressed the memories. All children are molested at one point or another, but most have the luxury of pushing those dark memories down into the subconscious. The use of alcohol from step one can be useful in triggering flashbacks or unlocking your hidden past. The hazier and more uncertain you are about this, the more likely it is to be true. You were almost certainly molested, and now it’s time to use your writing to deal with this fact.
The good news? Coming to this realization can only help your progress as a writer. Discovering you had a terrible childhood, despite what you remember, is key in accessing the complex emotions and fragile psyche it takes to construct artificial worlds of any meaningful depth. Don’t be afraid to embrace the painful emotions you’re going through, and bring your friends into this tortured world as well. People love being friends with harrowed artists and you’ll instantly become interesting to everyone you meet.
Step three: Life Experience. Aron Ralston cut off his own arm with a dull pen-knife before he was able to write a successful book. Fyodor Dostoyevsky stood in front of a firing squad, believing himself dead. Elie Weisel survived the holocaust as a teenager before he was able to write. What do you have? That time you were molested? Good luck; everyone’s playing up that angle these days. Unless you want to write Law & Order: SVU episodes, you’re going to need more than that. If you don’t have a wealth of rich, terrible tales to draw from, your writing will feel shallow and forced. It’s time to hit the streets and soak up some “life”.
Have you ever toyed with the idea of experimenting with hard drugs? Now’s the time. You can do anything you want under the guise of “research” for your writing. No one can judge you; it’s not drug abuse, it’s an intellectual exercise. Maybe you want to take your love of facebook stalking into the real world, who knows? Ever wonder if murdering someone with a hammer is as easy and poetic as the Beatles make it sound? Go for it. Nothing builds up street cred like jail time, plus you’ll have plenty of time to refine your craft. There’ll be plenty of prison wine and molestation to keep your imagination producing at a fevered pitch.
Writing is a very rewarding hobby, but you’re going to have to put in the effort if you want to see results. Now get on out there and make Team Liquid proud!
Good post. Another thing you forgot to mention is that a lot of the classic writers kill themselves, for example Victoria Benedictsson slit her throat, Ernest Hemingway shot himself, Harry Crosby formed a suicide pact with his lover, Klaus Mann overdosed, Osamu Dazai drowned himself, Yasunari Kawabata gassed himself. Stig Dagerman also gassed himself in a car. Yeah, the list goes on. Anyway, just make sure not to kill yourself early in your carrer, you'll have to produce at least a few books before you'll become a memorable suicide writer. But going out with a 'bang' will definitely increase your literature recognition.
I thought it was a complete joke, especially the part about "everyone" being molested as a child.
On December 02 2010 02:19 JackMcCoy wrote: Being a good writer is difficult because it takes sincere work and dedication, but there are some "tricks of the trade" to grease the wheels a little bit and get you on the fast track, if not to being an actual good writer, to at least having the appearance of being one.
Step one: Alcohol. This brain lubricant has been used for centuries by some of our best writers. Don’t believe me? A few writers who maintained a significant relationship with the drink: Ernest Hemingway, James Joyce, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Charles Bukowski, William Faulkner, Jack Kerouac, Truman Capote, Edgar Allen Poe, Dylan Thomas, Tennessee Williams, Dorothy Parker, O. Henry, Raymond Chandler and Hunter S. Thompson. The pattern is unmistakable, and I don’t know about you but I’m not about to call all those heavyweights “liars”. Find some hard liquor you can tolerate and start drinking alone, in your home. This will allow you to free yourself from the shackles of inhibition and write from the heart, squeezing the most amount of truth possible from your “mind grapes”.
Step two: Trauma. Were you molested by a parent or significant authority figure as a child? What about that time Uncle Hank walked in on you in the bathroom? Did he stare for a little too long? If you’re not sure, or if you can’t remember any molestation, you’ve probably repressed the memories. All children are molested at one point or another, but most have the luxury of pushing those dark memories down into the subconscious. The use of alcohol from step one can be useful in triggering flashbacks or unlocking your hidden past. The hazier and more uncertain you are about this, the more likely it is to be true. You were almost certainly molested, and now it’s time to use your writing to deal with this fact.
The good news? Coming to this realization can only help your progress as a writer. Discovering you had a terrible childhood, despite what you remember, is key in accessing the complex emotions and fragile psyche it takes to construct artificial worlds of any meaningful depth. Don’t be afraid to embrace the painful emotions you’re going through, and bring your friends into this tortured world as well. People love being friends with harrowed artists and you’ll instantly become interesting to everyone you meet.
Step three: Life Experience. Aron Ralston cut off his own arm with a dull pen-knife before he was able to write a successful book. Fyodor Dostoyevsky stood in front of a firing squad, believing himself dead. Elie Weisel survived the holocaust as a teenager before he was able to write. What do you have? That time you were molested? Good luck; everyone’s playing up that angle these days. Unless you want to write Law & Order: SVU episodes, you’re going to need more than that. If you don’t have a wealth of rich, terrible tales to draw from, your writing will feel shallow and forced. It’s time to hit the streets and soak up some “life”.
Have you ever toyed with the idea of experimenting with hard drugs? Now’s the time. You can do anything you want under the guise of “research” for your writing. No one can judge you; it’s not drug abuse, it’s an intellectual exercise. Maybe you want to take your love of facebook stalking into the real world, who knows? Ever wonder if murdering someone with a hammer is as easy and poetic as the Beatles make it sound? Go for it. Nothing builds up street cred like jail time, plus you’ll have plenty of time to refine your craft. There’ll be plenty of prison wine and molestation to keep your imagination producing at a fevered pitch.
Writing is a very rewarding hobby, but you’re going to have to put in the effort if you want to see results. Now get on out there and make Team Liquid proud!
Good post. Another thing you forgot to mention is that a lot of the classic writers kill themselves, for example Victoria Benedictsson slit her throat, Ernest Hemingway shot himself, Harry Crosby formed a suicide pact with his lover, Klaus Mann overdosed, Osamu Dazai drowned himself, Yasunari Kawabata gassed himself. Stig Dagerman also gassed himself in a car. Yeah, the list goes on. Anyway, just make sure not to kill yourself early in your carrer, you'll have to produce at least a few books before you'll become a memorable suicide writer. But going out with a 'bang' will definitely increase your literature recognition.
I thought it was a complete joke, especially the part about "everyone" being molested as a child.
Well, I meant almost everyone, as there are always exceptions to any rule. You don't have to deal with your pain here, but if you ever plan on being a writer those demons must be excised. I can freely admit I am not a great writer, but I feel like calling me or my writing a "joke", while probably hyperbolic, is not kind. I may have only been mildly molested, and am only semi-drunk at work, but I've seen rock-bottom and I've lived to tell my tales. Come and talk to me after you've eaten nothing but baby shampoo for a week, for only then shall we be peers.
On December 02 2010 02:19 JackMcCoy wrote: Being a good writer is difficult because it takes sincere work and dedication, but there are some "tricks of the trade" to grease the wheels a little bit and get you on the fast track, if not to being an actual good writer, to at least having the appearance of being one.
.
.
.
Writing is a very rewarding hobby, but you’re going to have to put in the effort if you want to see results. Now get on out there and make Team Liquid proud!
Wow. You're an excellent writer. While I hate to accuse you, my cynicism refuses to let me believe you composed that entirely on your own.
On December 02 2010 02:19 JackMcCoy wrote: Being a good writer is difficult because it takes sincere work and dedication, but there are some "tricks of the trade" to grease the wheels a little bit and get you on the fast track, if not to being an actual good writer, to at least having the appearance of being one.
.
.
.
Writing is a very rewarding hobby, but you’re going to have to put in the effort if you want to see results. Now get on out there and make Team Liquid proud!
Wow. You're an excellent writer. While I hate to accuse you, my cynicism refuses to let me believe you composed that entirely on your own.
I suppose if you count the alcohol and horrific memories, there was a team of us. I feel that, as a seasoned internet denizen, you should have the requisite ability to confirm or refute your fears through Google searches.
Well, I used a page from my sketchbook and just started scribbling. I followed the advice you guys gave me, and simply just started writing. Figured that if I sat here all day trying to think up something good to write I'd never ever actually get anything done.
So yeah, I wrote and a lot of weird bullshit came out lol... But some of the ideas that I managed to write out were pretty fun. It feels pretty satisfying to actually flesh out your ideas on paper rather than just thinking about it.
So far what I came up with are just short descriptions of stuff and scenes taking place. It from an orange that when consumed, would cause you to hallucinate and imagine that your skin was melting off and then you'd fall into the sky. Once you got into the sky you would all of the sudden come face to face with a creepy female figure, that didn't seem quite human. She wore a spotless clean pretty white dress, however, her skin was a weird deteriorated color, much like chocolate ice cream after falling on the ground in some city park, and then being scooped back up again into the ice cream cone after sloshing around in the dirt for a good minute....
It went on to the guy sitting in an office, then robots, and then mystery murder case that involved zerglings...
It was weird, but fun lol. My vocabulary is really hurting me though. When I reread through the stuff I wrote, it felt really bland, no flavor to it. =P If anything one day I want to get good enough to write stuff that I would enjoy reading.
I see you went the hard drugs route. Bold move, I like it. Fortune favors the bold. To quote Leon Uris, "Writing is a very, very difficult position to obtain... and retain." What he's getting as is that you have to keep working at it. You may find yourself escalating your drug use to an alarming rate as your tolerance builds and compounds upon itself, but you have to remember that these are the sacrifices that need to be made if you're ever to be a successful writer. Maybe you've got the next Last Exit to Brooklyn in there somewhere.
On December 02 2010 02:19 JackMcCoy wrote: Being a good writer is difficult because it takes sincere work and dedication, but there are some "tricks of the trade" to grease the wheels a little bit and get you on the fast track, if not to being an actual good writer, to at least having the appearance of being one.
Step one: Alcohol. This brain lubricant has been used for centuries by some of our best writers. Don’t believe me? A few writers who maintained a significant relationship with the drink: Ernest Hemingway, James Joyce, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Charles Bukowski, William Faulkner, Jack Kerouac, Truman Capote, Edgar Allen Poe, Dylan Thomas, Tennessee Williams, Dorothy Parker, O. Henry, Raymond Chandler and Hunter S. Thompson. The pattern is unmistakable, and I don’t know about you but I’m not about to call all those heavyweights “liars”. Find some hard liquor you can tolerate and start drinking alone, in your home. This will allow you to free yourself from the shackles of inhibition and write from the heart, squeezing the most amount of truth possible from your “mind grapes”.
Step two: Trauma. Were you molested by a parent or significant authority figure as a child? What about that time Uncle Hank walked in on you in the bathroom? Did he stare for a little too long? If you’re not sure, or if you can’t remember any molestation, you’ve probably repressed the memories. All children are molested at one point or another, but most have the luxury of pushing those dark memories down into the subconscious. The use of alcohol from step one can be useful in triggering flashbacks or unlocking your hidden past. The hazier and more uncertain you are about this, the more likely it is to be true. You were almost certainly molested, and now it’s time to use your writing to deal with this fact.
The good news? Coming to this realization can only help your progress as a writer. Discovering you had a terrible childhood, despite what you remember, is key in accessing the complex emotions and fragile psyche it takes to construct artificial worlds of any meaningful depth. Don’t be afraid to embrace the painful emotions you’re going through, and bring your friends into this tortured world as well. People love being friends with harrowed artists and you’ll instantly become interesting to everyone you meet.
Step three: Life Experience. Aron Ralston cut off his own arm with a dull pen-knife before he was able to write a successful book. Fyodor Dostoyevsky stood in front of a firing squad, believing himself dead. Elie Weisel survived the holocaust as a teenager before he was able to write. What do you have? That time you were molested? Good luck; everyone’s playing up that angle these days. Unless you want to write Law & Order: SVU episodes, you’re going to need more than that. If you don’t have a wealth of rich, terrible tales to draw from, your writing will feel shallow and forced. It’s time to hit the streets and soak up some “life”.
Have you ever toyed with the idea of experimenting with hard drugs? Now’s the time. You can do anything you want under the guise of “research” for your writing. No one can judge you; it’s not drug abuse, it’s an intellectual exercise. Maybe you want to take your love of facebook stalking into the real world, who knows? Ever wonder if murdering someone with a hammer is as easy and poetic as the Beatles make it sound? Go for it. Nothing builds up street cred like jail time, plus you’ll have plenty of time to refine your craft. There’ll be plenty of prison wine and molestation to keep your imagination producing at a fevered pitch.
Writing is a very rewarding hobby, but you’re going to have to put in the effort if you want to see results. Now get on out there and make Team Liquid proud!
Good post. Another thing you forgot to mention is that a lot of the classic writers kill themselves, for example Victoria Benedictsson slit her throat, Ernest Hemingway shot himself, Harry Crosby formed a suicide pact with his lover, Klaus Mann overdosed, Osamu Dazai drowned himself, Yasunari Kawabata gassed himself. Stig Dagerman also gassed himself in a car. Yeah, the list goes on. Anyway, just make sure not to kill yourself early in your carrer, you'll have to produce at least a few books before you'll become a memorable suicide writer. But going out with a 'bang' will definitely increase your literature recognition.
I thought it was a complete joke, especially the part about "everyone" being molested as a child.
Well, I meant almost everyone, as there are always exceptions to any rule. You don't have to deal with your pain here, but if you ever plan on being a writer those demons must be excised. I can freely admit I am not a great writer, but I feel like calling me or my writing a "joke", while probably hyperbolic, is not kind. I may have only been mildly molested, and am only semi-drunk at work, but I've seen rock-bottom and I've lived to tell my tales. Come and talk to me after you've eaten nothing but baby shampoo for a week, for only then shall we be peers.
It would seem, and I would posit, Mr McCoy, that you are the exception here.
On December 02 2010 02:19 JackMcCoy wrote: Being a good writer is difficult because it takes sincere work and dedication, but there are some "tricks of the trade" to grease the wheels a little bit and get you on the fast track, if not to being an actual good writer, to at least having the appearance of being one.
Step one: Alcohol. This brain lubricant has been used for centuries by some of our best writers. Don’t believe me? A few writers who maintained a significant relationship with the drink: Ernest Hemingway, James Joyce, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Charles Bukowski, William Faulkner, Jack Kerouac, Truman Capote, Edgar Allen Poe, Dylan Thomas, Tennessee Williams, Dorothy Parker, O. Henry, Raymond Chandler and Hunter S. Thompson. The pattern is unmistakable, and I don’t know about you but I’m not about to call all those heavyweights “liars”. Find some hard liquor you can tolerate and start drinking alone, in your home. This will allow you to free yourself from the shackles of inhibition and write from the heart, squeezing the most amount of truth possible from your “mind grapes”.
Step two: Trauma. Were you molested by a parent or significant authority figure as a child? What about that time Uncle Hank walked in on you in the bathroom? Did he stare for a little too long? If you’re not sure, or if you can’t remember any molestation, you’ve probably repressed the memories. All children are molested at one point or another, but most have the luxury of pushing those dark memories down into the subconscious. The use of alcohol from step one can be useful in triggering flashbacks or unlocking your hidden past. The hazier and more uncertain you are about this, the more likely it is to be true. You were almost certainly molested, and now it’s time to use your writing to deal with this fact.
The good news? Coming to this realization can only help your progress as a writer. Discovering you had a terrible childhood, despite what you remember, is key in accessing the complex emotions and fragile psyche it takes to construct artificial worlds of any meaningful depth. Don’t be afraid to embrace the painful emotions you’re going through, and bring your friends into this tortured world as well. People love being friends with harrowed artists and you’ll instantly become interesting to everyone you meet.
Step three: Life Experience. Aron Ralston cut off his own arm with a dull pen-knife before he was able to write a successful book. Fyodor Dostoyevsky stood in front of a firing squad, believing himself dead. Elie Weisel survived the holocaust as a teenager before he was able to write. What do you have? That time you were molested? Good luck; everyone’s playing up that angle these days. Unless you want to write Law & Order: SVU episodes, you’re going to need more than that. If you don’t have a wealth of rich, terrible tales to draw from, your writing will feel shallow and forced. It’s time to hit the streets and soak up some “life”.
Have you ever toyed with the idea of experimenting with hard drugs? Now’s the time. You can do anything you want under the guise of “research” for your writing. No one can judge you; it’s not drug abuse, it’s an intellectual exercise. Maybe you want to take your love of facebook stalking into the real world, who knows? Ever wonder if murdering someone with a hammer is as easy and poetic as the Beatles make it sound? Go for it. Nothing builds up street cred like jail time, plus you’ll have plenty of time to refine your craft. There’ll be plenty of prison wine and molestation to keep your imagination producing at a fevered pitch.
Writing is a very rewarding hobby, but you’re going to have to put in the effort if you want to see results. Now get on out there and make Team Liquid proud!
Good post. Another thing you forgot to mention is that a lot of the classic writers kill themselves, for example Victoria Benedictsson slit her throat, Ernest Hemingway shot himself, Harry Crosby formed a suicide pact with his lover, Klaus Mann overdosed, Osamu Dazai drowned himself, Yasunari Kawabata gassed himself. Stig Dagerman also gassed himself in a car. Yeah, the list goes on. Anyway, just make sure not to kill yourself early in your carrer, you'll have to produce at least a few books before you'll become a memorable suicide writer. But going out with a 'bang' will definitely increase your literature recognition.
I thought it was a complete joke, especially the part about "everyone" being molested as a child.
Well, I meant almost everyone, as there are always exceptions to any rule. You don't have to deal with your pain here, but if you ever plan on being a writer those demons must be excised. I can freely admit I am not a great writer, but I feel like calling me or my writing a "joke", while probably hyperbolic, is not kind. I may have only been mildly molested, and am only semi-drunk at work, but I've seen rock-bottom and I've lived to tell my tales. Come and talk to me after you've eaten nothing but baby shampoo for a week, for only then shall we be peers.
It would seem, and I would posit, Mr McCoy, that you are the exception here.
Well Mr. McCoy's posts are pretty fun to read. I was so curious about what was going on with the way he posts that I read through his other posts.
Jack McCoy is a character from Law & Order, which could explain the OBJECTION in his sig. From digging up his older posts, Jack really must be a good writer irl =D. Some posts, like these in this thread are probably written in character (can't really say since I haven't watched L&O in years).
Googled some of the good parts of the posts to see if it's authentic, and they are! It seems like we are in the presence of a real intellectual!
Pret-ty awesome!~
BTW I am currently soaking my feet in a bucket of kerosene right now.
On December 02 2010 02:19 JackMcCoy wrote: Being a good writer is difficult because it takes sincere work and dedication, but there are some "tricks of the trade" to grease the wheels a little bit and get you on the fast track, if not to being an actual good writer, to at least having the appearance of being one.
Step one: Alcohol. This brain lubricant has been used for centuries by some of our best writers. Don’t believe me? A few writers who maintained a significant relationship with the drink: Ernest Hemingway, James Joyce, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Charles Bukowski, William Faulkner, Jack Kerouac, Truman Capote, Edgar Allen Poe, Dylan Thomas, Tennessee Williams, Dorothy Parker, O. Henry, Raymond Chandler and Hunter S. Thompson. The pattern is unmistakable, and I don’t know about you but I’m not about to call all those heavyweights “liars”. Find some hard liquor you can tolerate and start drinking alone, in your home. This will allow you to free yourself from the shackles of inhibition and write from the heart, squeezing the most amount of truth possible from your “mind grapes”.
Step two: Trauma. Were you molested by a parent or significant authority figure as a child? What about that time Uncle Hank walked in on you in the bathroom? Did he stare for a little too long? If you’re not sure, or if you can’t remember any molestation, you’ve probably repressed the memories. All children are molested at one point or another, but most have the luxury of pushing those dark memories down into the subconscious. The use of alcohol from step one can be useful in triggering flashbacks or unlocking your hidden past. The hazier and more uncertain you are about this, the more likely it is to be true. You were almost certainly molested, and now it’s time to use your writing to deal with this fact.
The good news? Coming to this realization can only help your progress as a writer. Discovering you had a terrible childhood, despite what you remember, is key in accessing the complex emotions and fragile psyche it takes to construct artificial worlds of any meaningful depth. Don’t be afraid to embrace the painful emotions you’re going through, and bring your friends into this tortured world as well. People love being friends with harrowed artists and you’ll instantly become interesting to everyone you meet.
Step three: Life Experience. Aron Ralston cut off his own arm with a dull pen-knife before he was able to write a successful book. Fyodor Dostoyevsky stood in front of a firing squad, believing himself dead. Elie Weisel survived the holocaust as a teenager before he was able to write. What do you have? That time you were molested? Good luck; everyone’s playing up that angle these days. Unless you want to write Law & Order: SVU episodes, you’re going to need more than that. If you don’t have a wealth of rich, terrible tales to draw from, your writing will feel shallow and forced. It’s time to hit the streets and soak up some “life”.
Have you ever toyed with the idea of experimenting with hard drugs? Now’s the time. You can do anything you want under the guise of “research” for your writing. No one can judge you; it’s not drug abuse, it’s an intellectual exercise. Maybe you want to take your love of facebook stalking into the real world, who knows? Ever wonder if murdering someone with a hammer is as easy and poetic as the Beatles make it sound? Go for it. Nothing builds up street cred like jail time, plus you’ll have plenty of time to refine your craft. There’ll be plenty of prison wine and molestation to keep your imagination producing at a fevered pitch.
Writing is a very rewarding hobby, but you’re going to have to put in the effort if you want to see results. Now get on out there and make Team Liquid proud!
Good post. Another thing you forgot to mention is that a lot of the classic writers kill themselves, for example Victoria Benedictsson slit her throat, Ernest Hemingway shot himself, Harry Crosby formed a suicide pact with his lover, Klaus Mann overdosed, Osamu Dazai drowned himself, Yasunari Kawabata gassed himself. Stig Dagerman also gassed himself in a car. Yeah, the list goes on. Anyway, just make sure not to kill yourself early in your carrer, you'll have to produce at least a few books before you'll become a memorable suicide writer. But going out with a 'bang' will definitely increase your literature recognition.
I thought it was a complete joke, especially the part about "everyone" being molested as a child.
Well, I meant almost everyone, as there are always exceptions to any rule. You don't have to deal with your pain here, but if you ever plan on being a writer those demons must be excised. I can freely admit I am not a great writer, but I feel like calling me or my writing a "joke", while probably hyperbolic, is not kind. I may have only been mildly molested, and am only semi-drunk at work, but I've seen rock-bottom and I've lived to tell my tales. Come and talk to me after you've eaten nothing but baby shampoo for a week, for only then shall we be peers.
It would seem, and I would posit, Mr McCoy, that you are the exception here.
How can you be so positive?
Well who said anything about that? I think we both know life's a struggle from day one, but it's mostly just luck. I don't really feel it necessary to be "kind" especially when critiquing others' writing. You can do the same, if you like. I do enjoy, now that I read over the paragraph again, how you find a way to intertwine stories of colloquial interest with a single phrase from someone else. Just now I realize you seem to have taken some kinda offense. I meant "joke" more in the fact that you use hyperbole and these kind of "steps" to becoming a good writer in a very..."late night Jim the writer at the office who's drunk while staying late with everyone else who also has a grudging disposition and candor towards the world"...way. Though I suppose I'm being a bit shallow and pedantic as Mr. Griffin would say.
I guess it depends on what you mean by molested, as you haven't defined that neatly. If there's one thing to take from this very facetious reply, it's that not nearly as many people have experienced what you have.
On December 02 2010 07:12 Snuggles wrote: Well Mr. McCoy's posts are pretty fun to read. I was so curious about what was going on with the way he posts that I read through his other posts.
Jack McCoy is a character from Law & Order, which could explain the OBJECTION in his sig. From digging up his older posts, Jack really must be a good writer irl =D. Some posts, like these in this thread are probably written in character (can't really say since I haven't watched L&O in years).
Googled some of the good parts of the posts to see if it's authentic, and they are! It seems like we are in the presence of a real intellectual!
Pret-ty awesome!~
BTW I am currently soaking my feet in a bucket of kerosene right now.
I've been wondering about this over the past few months. Is it ok to slip and delve into character?
If you are writing as a hobby, why are you putting so much pressure on yourself? Just write whatever the fuck you want.
To be blunt, the advice you might get from those writing groups and other amateur writers is at best obvious, but more often useless. It wouldn't be art if someone could tell you how to do it. Homogeneity is kind of completely the opposite of art.
On December 02 2010 07:12 Snuggles wrote: Googled some of the good parts of the posts to see if it's authentic, and they are! It seems like we are in the presence of a real intellectual!
Pret-ty awesome!~
Not to sound cruel or anything, but I don't think you'd make a good writer.
On December 02 2010 07:12 Snuggles wrote: Googled some of the good parts of the posts to see if it's authentic, and they are! It seems like we are in the presence of a real intellectual!
Pret-ty awesome!~
Not to sound cruel or anything, but I don't think you'd make a good writer.
On December 02 2010 07:12 Snuggles wrote: Googled some of the good parts of the posts to see if it's authentic, and they are! It seems like we are in the presence of a real intellectual!
Pret-ty awesome!~
Not to sound cruel or anything, but I don't think you'd make a good writer.
Por que?
Yeah why's that? Just be blunt, I'm not the type of guy who cries over getting criticized. If it's a good reason, then you could be saving me time by telling me to just quit right now.
Don't take all my posts too seriously, I mean it looks like you're judging my ability to write based off that little post.
If you're into epic fantasy world-building kind of writing, keep a writer's bible of every idea that you have that is applicable to the world you're creating. Don't lose it. I lost mine once (it was a binder) and I spent the better half of a month trying to remember what names I gave what places. Now I just have a folder on my external harddrive.
Write frequently and vomitously. What I mean by that is you'll likely get better content by producing a LOT instead of trying to get things perfectly once. Even if you don't get content you're satisfied with, you'll still have stuff you can improve upon instead of some nebulous ideas. When I did Nanowrimo last year I found that I actually got a lot more done when I cared less about the words I was putting on the page and more that I was putting them on the page. I ended up being pretty happy that I finished on time but I know it needs a lot more work for me to be absolutely satisfied.
p.s. Alcohol does help especially if you're on a tight deadline, but I wouldn't recommend being an alcoholic to enable your writing!
I echo other people's sentiments here, but I want to focus on something: READ LIKE CRAZY! When you read in a deliberate and analytical way you'll discover so many nuances and subtleties in good writing that are absolutely invaluable.
Another important tip: Plan ahead. If you're writing as an exercise then it's fine to vomit out a couple thousand words to keep your mind sharp, but when you start writing seriously you definitely need to plan, outline, and research to make sure your story is interesting, coherent, and cohesive. When you don't do this you tend to ramble in your writing, and it's no where near as potent and focused as it could be. Don't be afraid to write, then re-write, and then re-re-re-write. I've written some good stories that started off as absolute SHIT in my first draft.
Read like mad, plan/outline, and keep editing or refining your work. Almost every piece of writing can be polished into a gem with the right approach and editing.
On December 02 2010 06:04 Snuggles wrote: So far what I came up with are just short descriptions of stuff and scenes taking place. It from an orange that when consumed, would cause you to hallucinate and imagine that your skin was melting off and then you'd fall into the sky. Once you got into the sky you would all of the sudden come face to face with a creepy female figure, that didn't seem quite human. She wore a spotless clean pretty white dress, however, her skin was a weird deteriorated color, much like chocolate ice cream after falling on the ground in some city park, and then being scooped back up again into the ice cream cone after sloshing around in the dirt for a good minute....
It went on to the guy sitting in an office, then robots, and then mystery murder case that involved zerglings...
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this. ^-^ Especially the part with the icecream.
A safer option to drugs is just using your natural altered states of consciousness.. as in falling asleep. I think I heard once that Dali would try to fall asleep holding a spoon above a metal bowl or some such, so when he fell asleep and dropped the spoon, the noise would wake him up, and he would draw what his imagination had created in it's altered state. Because you know dreams are so bizarre!
At least for myself, my brain always seems to subconsciously make ridiculous stories just before I fall asleep.
If you're just doing it as a hobby, write whatever the fk you want however you want. Usually the drive to write comes from something you want to share. It doesn't matter whether it's an experience or a fantasy or just an idea: write while it's fresh. Also, I advise you to study short stories and newspaper articles to get a grasp of different writing tactics.
When you want to get professional, start thinking about omission, and be ruthless with your own work. Make sure to save copies, though .
Here's one of my favorite pieces on writing by Kurt Vonnegut:
In his book Bagombo Snuff Box: Uncollected Short Fiction, Vonnegut listed eight rules for writing a short story:
1. Use the time of a total stranger in such a way that he or she will not feel the time was wasted. 2. Give the reader at least one character he or she can root for. 3. Every character should want something, even if it is only a glass of water. 4. Every sentence must do one of two things—reveal character or advance the action. 5. Start as close to the end as possible. 6. Be a Sadist. No matter how sweet and innocent your leading characters, make awful things happen to them—in order that the reader may see what they are made of. 7. Write to please just one person. If you open a window and make love to the world, so to speak, your story will get pneumonia. 8. Give your readers as much information as possible as soon as possible. To hell with suspense. Readers should have such complete understanding of what is going on, where and why, that they could finish the story themselves, should cockroaches eat the last few pages.
Vonnegut qualifies the list by adding that Flannery O'Connor broke all these rules except the first, and that great writers tend to do that.
Also,
Here is a lesson in creative writing. First rule: Do not use semicolons. They are transvestite hermaphrodites representing absolutely nothing. All they do is show you've been to college.
On December 02 2010 13:33 Hakker wrote: JackMcoy hooked me with the rat post in some thread about a temp job, and with this one, I've become a full blown fan :D
He rivals baller in terms of epicness but posts like a god.
If only there were a purpose and a sense of contribution in his posts. Those together with his humor would be amazing.
Speaking of which, always have a purpose in your writing. You don't want to write a piece and think back why the hell you even wrote it.
EPT
. It's a nice exercise to write for 20 minutes about anything you like (even the regular, daily stuff) and find yourself with a notebook full of ideas. I also keep a notebook of things I might use in stories one day--if I hear a name I find intriguing, if I see something like clovers in the rain and think it's beautiful and needs describing sometime, if I learn about Mao Ze Dong's tactics in guerrilla warfare and wonder why anyone would stick to positional warfare...
