Mattie
Bronze Contributor
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LEGACY MEMBER
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The New Beginning in 2021. I kind of took the same path as M.J. and started taking notes back in 2011 and have 150,000 words I finished in 2014. I found M.J.'s book and put it aside because I needed to go the rest of the way of going through a lot of different elements of the process to finish this book from a women's perspective of a writer. I remember when I started the forum M.J. kind of challenged me since he knew I needed to learn a lot more then what my "Ego" claimed to know at the time in thinking I could just be the "Babe Ruth" and not go through the process. He's a smart guy!
I do have to kind of chuckle because if M.J. didn't challenge me in 2014 to go through the process, I probably would have not wrote this novel the way it was intended to be written in 2021. Some people believe you just write a book. And some people do just write a book. I just feel now, I was meant to go through the process first to write a better quality book. I am a prolific writer and could write all day long, but I've learned you can just write all you want, but it has to have some value, quality, substance, structure, form, organization, and improvement every year.
I bought some books I've been reading. Right now I'm on page 274 Revising Your Novel, by Janice Hardy. There's three books in one. Amazingly there's a lot of stuff to remember and I didn't know. Ah, but the process I went through is in there as well.
I do love the book Collaborative Worldbuilding for Writers And Gamers. Absolutely love how it talks in depth about building your society, culture, economics, races, and gets into detail the full dynamics of creating just about everything we do in our own world, but transforming it into fiction or fantasy. I'm on page 82, and is written by Trent Hergenrader. It's very technical though so not like your average writers book.
I also have three books, Creative Writing Student's Handbook by Catherine Hartigan Margaret James
The Short Story Writers Workbook.
The Novelists Workbook
These are all from the U.K.
I have read them, and found them to be quite useful and informative. They even give some references and resources to sell your writing.
Creating Short-Fiction ~ Damon Knight. I would recommend this one as well. Quite detailed.
How to Write Dialogue That Sparkles ~ Jim Driver. Something to be worked on is dialogue, since it is important to make the voice stand out for characters. Although Screen Writing and Scripts gives you a lot of detail with dialogue. I know to read these already.
Mastering Suspense, Structure, & Plot. ~ J.K. Cleland. I really love this one as well, it is very detailed.
The not read yet list pile sitting next to me.
Stephen King On Writing.
Save the Cat Writes a Novel, Jessica Brody
Writing a Killer Thriller, Jodie Renner
Understanding Conflict, Janice Hardy
The RPG Character Backstory Guide
Plotting Your Novel Workbook, Janice Hardy.
I read fast, but I know to slow down, because there's so much information there. Obviously, I need to apply it, practice it, and hone the skills. Which probably will be quite transforming getting into a different niche, writing style, and applying the Psychology skills I already have.
A new process for 2021. I'm sure there will be some growth. I'm sure I need to learn copy writing as well as M.J. says.
Challenges may be switching from non-fiction psychology writing into show and not tell. I'm very descriptive, visual, colorful, and may want to describe too much.
I do need to sharpen up on my grammar and editing. I do have enough to read here first.
I do have to kind of chuckle because if M.J. didn't challenge me in 2014 to go through the process, I probably would have not wrote this novel the way it was intended to be written in 2021. Some people believe you just write a book. And some people do just write a book. I just feel now, I was meant to go through the process first to write a better quality book. I am a prolific writer and could write all day long, but I've learned you can just write all you want, but it has to have some value, quality, substance, structure, form, organization, and improvement every year.
I bought some books I've been reading. Right now I'm on page 274 Revising Your Novel, by Janice Hardy. There's three books in one. Amazingly there's a lot of stuff to remember and I didn't know. Ah, but the process I went through is in there as well.
I do love the book Collaborative Worldbuilding for Writers And Gamers. Absolutely love how it talks in depth about building your society, culture, economics, races, and gets into detail the full dynamics of creating just about everything we do in our own world, but transforming it into fiction or fantasy. I'm on page 82, and is written by Trent Hergenrader. It's very technical though so not like your average writers book.
I also have three books, Creative Writing Student's Handbook by Catherine Hartigan Margaret James
The Short Story Writers Workbook.
The Novelists Workbook
These are all from the U.K.
I have read them, and found them to be quite useful and informative. They even give some references and resources to sell your writing.
Creating Short-Fiction ~ Damon Knight. I would recommend this one as well. Quite detailed.
How to Write Dialogue That Sparkles ~ Jim Driver. Something to be worked on is dialogue, since it is important to make the voice stand out for characters. Although Screen Writing and Scripts gives you a lot of detail with dialogue. I know to read these already.
Mastering Suspense, Structure, & Plot. ~ J.K. Cleland. I really love this one as well, it is very detailed.
The not read yet list pile sitting next to me.
Stephen King On Writing.
Save the Cat Writes a Novel, Jessica Brody
Writing a Killer Thriller, Jodie Renner
Understanding Conflict, Janice Hardy
The RPG Character Backstory Guide
Plotting Your Novel Workbook, Janice Hardy.
I read fast, but I know to slow down, because there's so much information there. Obviously, I need to apply it, practice it, and hone the skills. Which probably will be quite transforming getting into a different niche, writing style, and applying the Psychology skills I already have.
A new process for 2021. I'm sure there will be some growth. I'm sure I need to learn copy writing as well as M.J. says.
Challenges may be switching from non-fiction psychology writing into show and not tell. I'm very descriptive, visual, colorful, and may want to describe too much.
I do need to sharpen up on my grammar and editing. I do have enough to read here first.
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