Who Writes?

[crosscountry]

any writers here?



I've been writing stories about my travels and want to put them all together. Has anyone here done that before?


What other kinds of writers do we have on this board?

[mike alexander]

I've written scientific papers. I do short essays and have had a couple published. I'm finishing marking up the first draft of a novel.

[Tog_]

I do short stories. At the moment I'm doing a fan fiction set based on my characters in the game City of Heroes as a test to see what sort of styles I can do and which I only think I can do.

I've also done a few mysteries and some *ahem* adult stories by request.

Edit: Almost forgot some non fiction stuff as well. Some how to stuff on martial arts, and a new players guide to City that runs some 250 pages (Website).

[Gillianren]

Leaving aside my about-to-be 692 journal entries, I've written several books, quite a lot of short stories, untold numbers of poems, and a bunch of non-movie related essays.

[Fazor]

I write short stories, and I also am a master of the one-to-three chapter unfinished novel.

If I had to pick a genre, I'd say I model myself after Ray Bradbury's (non-scifi) work...like to write stories that are insights into why people do the things they do, and stories that invoke a strong sense of imagry and memory.

But I haven't really written anything worthwhile in ages. I have an idea for a children's series, just haven't found the time to sit and actually put forth the effort. My favorite audience is the young-adult crowd, because I still remember how books like Where the Red Fern Grows and Hatchet made me feel.

[crosscountry]

I remember those too. Man, what memories just hearing that brings back. Quite a gift you could give just telling stories of you childhood.


Finding time for me is often a concern, but even more so is focus. I often lack the focus to write more than a story at at time, and even that seldom. Instead I type on BAUT or another forum all day. It isn't conducive to writing!

[Fazor]

Finding time for me is often a concern, but even more so is focus. I often lack the focus to write more than a story at at time, and even that seldom. Instead I type on BAUT or another forum all day. It isn't conducive to writing!

A-men to that! I think it's a motivation issue for me. I mean, I'll joke that it's ADHD, but I've spent so much time playing World of Warcraft that if I actually had an attention disorder, my brain would have imploded by now.

My dream is to not have a day job, and spend my days on the shores of some quiet, peacefull lake or beach and write. (Like Herman Melville states in the intro to a certian story, I think all men are drawn to the water).

Unfortunately, that would require me to have money. I do not. After working, even though it's just your standard 8 hour day, I find I'm much to exhausted mentally to put any serious effort into writing.

Though even that it's only a half-truth, half excuses. I guess it's just easier to say you're a writer, and not write than it is to be a writer. Maybe I'll work on fixing that...most likely I will not.

[crosscountry]

yea, I have high hopes and great intentions, but actually getting myself sat down to write is difficult. Plus I use a computer, and the internet is always there..... waiting.... maybe someone replied to my writing thread!!!

[Neverfly]

yea, I have high hopes and great intentions, but actually getting myself sat down to write is difficult. Plus I use a computer, and the internet is always there..... waiting.... maybe someone replied to my writing thread!!!

Well, you have written a cookbook on here...

[jrkeller]

I've written several dozen technical papers, a Dissertation and a Master's Thesis. At work I've probably written over 200 technical reports.

I do write reviews of books and DVDs on amazon, but I haven't done anything in six months.

[laurele]

I'm a staff writer for a weekly newspaper in NJ. Mostly I cover municipal and school board meetings but occasionally I do longer feature stories, and over the last year or so, I've covered quite a few astronomy-related lectures and events. I am interested in doing more writing about astronomy in the near future. I also run two blogs, one on local politics in my hometown from the opposition point of view and another advocating the reinstatement of Pluto's planetary status, something I have written about extensively since the controversial IAU decision. I'm just now completing a full length play, the first I've ever written, a fantasy-drama likely to be highly controversial (it's big on the subjects prohibited in this forum such as religion and politics), as it is from a very anti-establishment point of view.

[SeanF]

I write checks.


Fiction, mostly.





(Yes, I stole that.)

[Paul Beardsley]

I write science fiction, mostly. I've had about 9 short stories and a Doctor Who spin-off novel published.

I used to write reviews of books, audio plays and things for SFX magazine and Interzone. SFX actually payed for these, but they also made stupid changes, like inserting an apostrophe into the possessive form of "its" or removing the word "no" from "There are no clever twists in this book."

I started a serious fantasy novel called England Dreams in 2006. It got put on hold when I started a teaching course, but now that's nearly finished so I'll be getting back to it soon.

[crosscountry]

cool. some other people interested in writing. That's great.

[geonuc]

I write technical stuff, which doesn't really count.

But lately - in the last couple of years or so - I've been writing short essays about events in my past. It's more of a way to stimulate my memory than chronicle my life, but it does that to.

[Romanus]

I write short SF, though none have been published (and I've submitted). At the current rate, I don't see myself getting my name in print for some years--but hey, anything's possible.

[crosscountry]

I write technical stuff, which doesn't really count.

But lately - in the last couple of years or so - I've been writing short essays about events in my past. It's more of a way to stimulate my memory than chronicle my life, but it does that to.


that's great. kind of what I do too. Everyone has something interesting to share, and I think the written word is as good as any other way and often the best.

[closetgeek]

The only thing I have ever had published were a few poems, locally. I want to write a book. Everyone tells me I need to write a book, but it would have to be journal style because I can't seem to find a comfortable format.

[Jens]

I've written a few posts on BAUT, actually. :)

[Fraser]

I write. :-)

[crosscountry]

The only thing I have ever had published were a few poems, locally. I want to write a book. Everyone tells me I need to write a book, but it would have to be journal style because I can't seem to find a comfortable format.


I know what you mean. My favorite stories were written while reading a book by a very great writer/lyricist. He knew how to describe a scene and make feel as if I were in it. By mimicking him I was able to express myself pretty well.


That doesn't always work, and I didn't even enjoy the book. But his writing inspired me to be better.

[KaiYeves]

I write mystery stories. This is the only post I can make today, because my dad "doesn't want those chat people on my laptop."

[tlbs101]

I write technical reports, too, along with product specification and description documents. I have written several large user manuals (both hardware and software). One of these was translated into Russian, and someday I'd like to see that (not that I can read Russian).

A lot of what I write is for myself, so I don't forget the fine details of my designs.

.

[A.DIM]

any writers here?

I've been writing stories about my travels and want to put them all together. Has anyone here done that before?


What other kinds of writers do we have on this board?

I used to write character sketches thinking I'd put them in a book but found it to be merely a journal of my experiences with all these people, real or imagined.

Most of my writing has been poetry, a stream of conscious bukowski kind akin to kerouac, but I've more recently (the last few years) been writing lyrics.

[Larry Jacks]

I helped a local WWII vet, Holocaust survivor, and mercenary pilot write his autobiography (http://www.juniperbooks.com/cgi-bin/juniper/8989) back in the 1990s. Other than that, I mostly do technical writing at work.

And post online.

[crosscountry]

I think we all post online.


Very interesting. What motivates us?

[geonuc]

Very interesting. What motivates us?
As I indicated earlier in a post, I'm motivated by my failing memory. Even events of the recent past are gone to the point where I sometimes doubt they even occured. But I find when I write up an essay, some details return. Or maybe I'm just making them up. Either way - once recorded, it becomes fact. Right? :shifty:

[Gillianren]

I write because I don't know how not to.

[crosscountry]

I want to remember.

Geonuc, I like to take some time before writing stories to let it "brew" some things aren't completely in memory, and the stories flow better that way. Often my memory is too good, and events that took place 5 years ago still have way too many details for others to find them interesting.

[ToSeek]

I've written a lot of Doctor Who fan fiction, which led to Doctor Who Magazine commissioning me to write a pseudo-biography of the character Sarah Jane Smith from the show, along with a few articles that she might have written in her reporting career. I've written a lot of other stuff, too, but none of it's been published. Yet.

[Cougar]

I should write. I'd like to write a science column for a newspaper, get syndicated, and become rich and famous doing what I enjoy. :)

[jja]

I have written a Doctor Who parody which was published as an adventure for the Paranoia role playing game system. I also had an adventure (based on Fantastic Voyage) that appeared in the Toon second edition rules.

Nowadays, I write occasional essays on the practice of art, and dialogue for my webcomic.

Writing rarely brings riches or fame. It's best if you do it because you enjoy it, or have something to say. Or because you have a colossal ego, which fits most writers. %?)

[HenrikOlsen]

I also had an adventure (based on Fantastic Voyage) that appeared in the Toon second edition rules.
You mean to say you're responsible for the appendix "joke"?

[geonuc]

I want to remember.

Geonuc, I like to take some time before writing stories to let it "brew" some things aren't completely in memory, and the stories flow better that way. Often my memory is too good, and events that took place 5 years ago still have way too many details for others to find them interesting.
Would that I had that problem. :sad:

ETA: I had to come back to this. Your memory is too good? How interesting.

I've found that as time passes, I recall the good more than the bad. The prime example of this is my days on the submarine. I know I was not a happy camper back then, but the only memories I can pull up revolve around feel-good nostalgic stuff. Or sea-stories that I've probably built around fantasy.

Does it work that way for you? As the details of your experiences fade, are you left with more of the good than the bad?

[crosscountry]

I think the painful parts fade more quickly for a lot of people, but I remember things pretty much equally. Maybe I don't recall exactly how cold it was, or just how much being sick affected me, but those things don't go away.


I was discussing traveling I had done with Jessica, my traveling partner, and she had forgotten so many things until I reminded her; and this was only a few months later. Things like which hostel we stayed in, or the foods we ate, people we met. She only remembers things that she photographed. I use those as inspiration for writing and the better of the recorded details to fill in the gaps.

I don't remember what the garlic field smelled like, but I do remember it smelling strongly like garlic. Maybe pain/suffering is more sensory, and those things go are lost. But actual events stay with me a long time. It's like the story I just posted on my blog; I remember that I was exhausted after riding 14 hours, but only because I couldn't stay awake.

[KaiYeves]

I'm writing this Fantastic Four fan fiction (http://www.marvel.com/boards/viewtopic.php?t=114894&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0)on Marvel.com.
I love that first sentence:
"It was a fairly ordinary house, aside from the models of experimental aircraft displayed here and there."

[Maksutov]

any writers here?Yes.I've been writing stories about my travels and want to put them all together. Has anyone here done that before?Yes. What other kinds of writers do we have on this board?Writer of short stories, magazine articles, and many reviews of the performing arts. Published in many different media including Stereo Review (now Sound & Vision), various New York newspapers, and other periodicals.