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Although, the majority of my work is dark and horror-themed, I love the Light of God and I seek His wonders wherever I go. I rid my soul of the horrors of this life as perishable words on a page or pages.
Purging one's spirit and heart of today's modern darkness is as essential as breathing.
And such is the reason why I write, when I write.
Greetings, everyone.
Be well and thrive. |
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billscott:
would you take a script writing class to hone the novel or story writing process?
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 October 6, 2014 at 9:19PM
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| Michaelk: I can see where it might help. Like taking piano lessons to become a better guitar player.
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October 17, 2015 at 10:00AM
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billscott:
What's more important in a story, if you had to choose only one....intrigue or suspense?
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September 8, 2014 at 9:02PM
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| Michaelk: Suspense. It's more powerful.
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September 8, 2014 at 11:31PM
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| michaelcahill: Intrigue. It's more captivating. (just being difficult)
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September 9, 2014 at 12:25AM
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| vapros: Suspense is more important, because all the readers can feel it. Not so with intrigue, which would have to be tailored for the most basic readers.
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September 9, 2014 at 12:33AM
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billscott:
If faced with a choice to write a novel or blog for fun, which would it be? Why?
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September 6, 2014 at 11:01AM
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| michaelcahill: I always get more satisfaction when I do something difficult and have to stretch for it. Things that come easy to me come without satisfaction.
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September 6, 2014 at 4:03PM
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billscott:
What inspires your word art?
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September 1, 2014 at 5:55PM
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| Michaelk: Music. I write some of my best stuff while listening to Metallica.
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September 2, 2014 at 9:23AM
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billscott:
Germany is considering returning to the typewriter.
Good or bad idea?
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July 20, 2014 at 9:54PM
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| Imogen JH: Good Idea.
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July 21, 2014 at 7:06AM
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billscott:
If computers were rendered useless, would you still be a writer?
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July 11, 2014 at 9:56AM
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| Imogen JH: Only when writing a cheque.
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July 11, 2014 at 9:58AM
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| Linda Engel: oh yes, I wrote for years without one. love being creative
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July 11, 2014 at 10:16AM
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| Kingsland: Absolutely. I have many books full of hand written poems and I still write them down on paper to this very day...
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July 11, 2014 at 12:40PM
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| Michaelk: I'll stop writing when they pry the pen out of my cold, dead, hand.
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July 11, 2014 at 3:18PM
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nor84: Sure. I also own several electric typewriters. If electricity ceases to exist, I also have a portable manual typewriter in a closet somewhere. Before I owned one, I used pencil and paper.
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July 11, 2014 at 4:35PM
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| billscott: Germany is considering going back to typewriters...interesting.
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July 20, 2014 at 5:00PM
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billscott:
Do you use feather and ink writing tools?
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July 9, 2014 at 2:20PM
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| adewpearl: The only feather and ink writing tools I ever owned was a souvenir from Independence Hall :-)
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July 9, 2014 at 2:24PM
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| Cumbrianlass: In my little village school (in the sixties) we first learned to write with chalk on slate, and after that with nib pens and ink. We all had white porcelain inkwells in our desks, and were supplied with blotting paper. An ink blot on your work was frowned upon. I can remember when the blue and yellow Bic pens came out, and we began to write with those instead. That little village school is still operating, btw.
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July 9, 2014 at 7:32PM
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| billscott: Cumbrianlass, what village is this?
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July 9, 2014 at 9:36PM
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Cumbrianlass: Allithwaite, in Cumbria. (Allithwaite C of E Primary School) :)
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July 10, 2014 at 8:28AM
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| billscott: Cumbrianlass, I will look that up. It sounds fascinating.
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July 10, 2014 at 12:11PM
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billscott:
Scenario: A topic intrigues you for a story, its characters are full and lush in your mind, the storyline is fairly clear, you pen a partial outline. While all of it is fresh in your mind:
do you check to see if the story is a Big Concept against today's news and hot headlines to see if its worth writing?
or
do you write it anyway, regardless of its overall appeal (or lack-there-of)?
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July 8, 2014 at 9:34AM
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| vapros: Bill, you might have to decide whether you would rather be a writer or a reporter. Relevance to current events doesn't mean a thing, unless you are trying to sell it. Write it, man, and post it here. If we like it, we will give you two good reviews. This is why we are here - including you. Don't by shy. Write and post.
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July 8, 2014 at 10:56AM
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| William Walz: Lord, no. If the idea intrigues you that should be enough in and of itself.
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July 8, 2014 at 1:18PM
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| Michaelk: When an idea strikes I start writing as fast as I can. The theme doesn't really matter. Something is always going to be hot and something is always going to be not. What's in the headlines now might not be by the time you finish your writing.
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July 8, 2014 at 9:23PM
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| Aiona: If we all wrote what was popular, there'd be nothing but vampires, zombies, and werewolves for the next century. PLEASE write something different! :)
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July 9, 2014 at 2:18PM
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| Aiona: I think the main idea of Big Concept is lost on most people. People think Twilight is popular because of vampires. No, it's popular because of unrequited love. An everlasting concept that people never tire of hearing about, because real life doesn't let up either.
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July 9, 2014 at 2:20PM
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| billscott: Aiona, creativity is boiling over on this site. There is so much talent here it's mind-boggling. What I wish to write is something amazing and memorable, like any writer on and off FS.
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July 10, 2014 at 10:13PM
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billscott:
Scenario: you have two plotlines from which to choose.
One plot resembles a "hot topic", which might challenge your friendships
OR
the other topic is a bit toned down and you know will get "some" mild attention at best.
Which one do you choose?
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July 7, 2014 at 9:16AM
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| Kingsland: You choose which ever one you want to write. Most authors write for themselves first and the reads come second. It has to be that way. It's the only way writing will ever work...
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July 7, 2014 at 9:20AM
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shelley kaye: whichever one YOU are most interested in.
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July 7, 2014 at 9:35AM
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| michaelcahill: Hot Topic. That is what you really want to write about, correct?
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July 7, 2014 at 3:42PM
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| nor84: What does it matter how much 'attention' a piece gets, as long as it pleases its author? Some poets and novelists on the site could do equally well with either plot, gaining attention with both.
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July 7, 2014 at 4:37PM
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billscott:
Self publishing or conventional publishing? Which one is better in your opinion?
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July 4, 2014 at 12:04PM
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| Kingsland: I think it's just a matter of choice, as long as you find a reputable publisher and not some rip off scheme. Be careful, as there are some bad ones out there...
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July 4, 2014 at 12:08PM
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billscott: xlibris and authorhouse are quite questionable, fyi
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July 4, 2014 at 1:11PM
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| vapros: When you say 'conventional publishing', are you still referring to a publisher you hire to publish your work?
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July 4, 2014 at 6:28PM
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| billscott: vapros, yes, that's what I mean
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July 5, 2014 at 8:41AM
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billscott:
if writing was your only way to make money...seriously, your only way...would you work for someone or yourself? And in what capacity?
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July 2, 2014 at 7:59AM
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| michaelcahill: I'd work for myself. I'd be my flunky.
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July 2, 2014 at 1:56PM
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billscott:
When do you think your story, poem or novel is good enough for publishing?
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July 1, 2014 at 10:53PM
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shelley kaye: umm.... when it's published?
;-)
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July 1, 2014 at 11:11PM
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| michaelcahill: That's a good question. I'm guessing that a consensus from writer's opinions that you respect. I find it hard to judge my own work. Sometimes I think it's the greatest, other times I want to set it all on fire!
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July 1, 2014 at 11:31PM
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Michaelk: I agree with Mr. Cahill, it's extremely difficult to judge your own work. I had people rave over my stories, but I would send them to magazines only to be rejected over and over. The answer is it's ready when it's ready. When you're satisfied with it, send it out.
If you really want to see your work in a different light, get it edited. I never knew how many mistakes I was making until I started getting my novel edited.
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July 1, 2014 at 11:59PM
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humpwhistle: When you're re-read it for the 200th time, and you finally decide to make no changes.
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July 2, 2014 at 10:32AM
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billscott:
How do you thoroughly plan your story?
Is it in your head or on paper or on computer before you write it?
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July 1, 2014 at 5:38PM
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| michaelcahill: I just start writing and see where it goes with no idea at all. Sounds insane doesn't it!
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July 1, 2014 at 5:56PM
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nor84: There are three types of prose writers:
Those who write an extensive outline and know the tale from beginning to end before they start, and those who write a minimal outline as they go -- as ideas come to them. And then there are the "pantsers" who think of a situation, choose their characters, start and the beginning and work through to the end without an outline.
I fall somewhere in the middle group, sometimes outlining a bit, but mostly not.
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July 1, 2014 at 5:59PM
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Michaelk: I'm a 'pantser'. I get an idea and start writing. Sometimes in the middle of a story I will have an idea about the end, so I jot it down. Getting the end solidified helps me put more detail in the beginning. Back and forth it goes like some hellish see saw. When I feel like I have a complete story, I start sanding down the rough edges.
My best stories are ones where my muse hits me upside the head with a two by four, and I have to rush to write it all down.
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July 1, 2014 at 6:48PM
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vapros: Nor, I must confess that many of my stories begin with the punch line, or the crescendo, or the death, or the surprise news. If I think I have a good ending - maybe a guy up shit creek with a nun and a goat, but no paddle - man, there is a story. It is great fun to write the rest of it, and you can make it as long or as short as you like.
I see members here calling for help with the end of a story. That's shit creek. You should have thought of that before you left the dock!
Hmmm - I think I will sponsor a contest that will have to end with my direction. How about that?
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July 1, 2014 at 8:26PM
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nor84: Sounds interesting.
Some people, by the way, write the end first, or they write the main scenes and then go back and fill in dialogue and more detail.
Some love outlining, because if they wake up and feel like writing a fight scene (or a love scene) they know right where it goes in the story, and they skip ahead, write it, and polish later.
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July 1, 2014 at 10:22PM
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billscott: All of you are incredibly interesting!
Thank you for talking about this topic.
Awesome tips in there too.
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July 1, 2014 at 10:52PM
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| Michaelk: vapros, I would sign up for that contest.
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July 2, 2014 at 12:03AM
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billscott:
Who inspires you to write?
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June 30, 2014 at 8:21AM
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shelley kaye: my imaginary friends....
;-)
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June 30, 2014 at 10:25AM
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| humpwhistle: Folkish folks, like Mark Twain and Larry McMurtry.
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June 30, 2014 at 2:43PM
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| michaelcahill: All these fibbers that say I can!!
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June 30, 2014 at 5:23PM
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| Michaelk: Mike Battaglia, Dean Kuch, Edgar Allan Poe, and Metallica.
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July 2, 2014 at 12:08AM
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billscott:
Offering up prayers, thoughts and respectful meditations for Gungalo...we will miss you!
I miss her
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June 26, 2014 at 9:53PM
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| Shirley B: I will miss her too.
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June 27, 2014 at 1:22AM
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 | Calm Mist reached "All Time Best" status. | July 31 at 5:25AM
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 | Calm Mist reached "Recognized" status. | July 30 at 10:08AM
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| Dawn reached "Recognized" status. | July 14 at 2:09AM
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| TRAP reached "All Time Best" status. | June 27 at 5:25AM
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| TRAP reached "Recognized" status. | June 26 at 2:08AM
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