Why does everyone think writing is so easy?

[Mhari]

Mmmhari, I would never inslut, uh, unsult you.

Then thank you...I think...

*peers at Perdita suspiciously*

 

[The_Fool]

...Except for the person who told me she's not good a punctuation and that's why she writes poetry...

Nope. Wrong Answer. Punctuation is important there too. I have seen some major hits on the Poetry Board for improper punctuation. No Punctuation? It works, but that gets into another "What is poetry?" discussion.

 

[LorriLove]

hiya

you get them in all walks of life nikki love, know it all's.

hello what do you do?

I fly airplanes.

Oh i could have done that it's easy but i'm too short to reach the pedals.

same with your would be authors, just challenge them to do it, you'll see a change of attitude and a million excuses then. jealousy and 'won't be outdone' attitude with most of them.

when i told the guys and girls at work i'd written a story they were speechless for a few seconds then laughed and thought it all a joke, barring one, he trusted me to be that crazy so i gave them the site address and told them to read it if they didn't believe me.

reaction varied last monday from, "bloody hell lorri nice one how the hell did you think that up you old tart" and patting of the back, then thro two proposals of marriage and one guy who touches his dick every time he sees me now, finishing with two people who haven't spoken since they read it.

my hubby has been known to scribe the odd line or two as well, and he gets similar reaction from his mates and our family who are in the know. they all think it a bloody miracle we can actually have the guts to write something and let people read it.

like our gauche a lot of it is to do with the class thingie, we're working class non uni educated commoners, so are all our friends and work colleagues. thus they become in awe of we educated buggers who write stuff, any stuff, most of them dropped out of school in primary stage i think, giggle

must go kettles boiling. lorri xxxxxxx

 

[TheEarl]

Earl: Of course you can write one novel!

Thanks Pure. That brought a smile to my face, although I wasn't fishing for compliments. I don't have the necessary skills to develop a novel at the moment. Maybe I'll develop them in the future, but I couldn't write one now.

The Earl

 

[snooper]

PS: Here's a question: How many of you/us go over and re-draft/ revise a ms more than say, 10 times? Since so few of us, unless unusually experienced and talented can just 'cough up' a quality story and have it 'flow out' in excellent shape, one mark of a writer is this extensive revision, and in fact, 10 is a low number.

Recently I finally did this, actually taking a month to do about 20 drafts. Very instructive, though the results at lit. were not stellar-- one mustn't expect quality to produce praise or even awareness.

Yes - my current novel is at version 34 and I hope to have it finished before the New Year (Christian calendar). As to the Lit results, they do not depend on quality, but on the appreciation of the "left hand mouse" brigade.

 

[oggbashan]

Some of my unfinished stories are at version 57 but that is a cheat. The first figure is the major revision; the second is minor amendments to that revision like typos or tense errors.

I might go from version 14 to version 21.

Any story that gets to 6* is usually beyond salvage.

Og

 

[fiery_jack]

Yes - my current novel is at version 34 and I hope to have it finished before the New Year (Christian calendar). As to the Lit results, they do not depend on quality, but on the appreciation of the "left hand mouse" brigade.

"left hand mouse" brigade? For those of us who are left handed, that would kind of get in the way.

 

[Quasimodem]

"left hand mouse" brigade? For those of us who are left handed, that would kind of get in the way.

Few are finicky enough to bother with the LHMB. Most join the much less exclusive SMA.

For those who don't get out much, that's the STICKY MOUSE ASSOCIATION.

For writers of affecting literature, Micro$oft already supplies the software bundled in their operating system. Just look under "Sticky Key Setting."

 

[whispering_surrender]

"left hand mouse" brigade? For those of us who are left handed, that would kind of get in the way.

It just means we can hide it easier....*wink*....."Yes, my mouse is in my right hand." *innocent smile*

Whisper

 

[dr_mabeuse]

I don't understand what people mean by X "revisions". If you change one line in a novel, does that count as a revision? Or does a revision mean a complete read-through from beginning to end while making changes?

Because I can change and tinker with things forever, and in fact I do. Whenever I go to send a story or access it for some reason, I invariably end up making a few changes. Nothing's ever done.

Do those count as "revisions"?

---dr.M.

 

[Boxlicker101]

Revisions

I don't know how many revisions I make. If I start a new story and finish the first paragraph, then look back and say "Oh, that's not right" and change it, is that a revision. Probably not but if I write a couple of pages,m then come back the next day and make changes, that would be a revision. I'm never completely satisfied and I am now in the process of editing all my stories and reposting them. Considering the fact that what I write is 100% smut with no redeeming social value, I don't know why I concern myself.


http://www.literotica.com/stories/memberpage.php?uid=207952MySmut

 

[fiery_jack]

Few are finicky enough to bother with the LHMB. Most join the much less exclusive SMA.

For those who don't get out much, that's the STICKY MOUSE ASSOCIATION.

For writers of affecting literature, Micro$oft already supplies the software bundled in their operating system. Just look under "Sticky Key Setting."

The last sticky mouse in my place was when the cat brought a bloodied and battered one in and dropped it on the carpet.

It just means we can hide it easier....*wink*....."Yes, my mouse is in my right hand." *innocent smile*

Whisper

While clumsily trying to minimise the window and stuff my erection back in my pants?

 

[sweetnpetite]

A couple of thoughts.

1. Some people might be thinking the same thing of you when you *dare* to tell them that you are a writer. YOu never know. I don't like to tell people who are writers, cuz I figure that's what they will think.

2. Writing *is* easy for some people. My bf wrote two stories off the top of his head and posted them here and they both scored H's. (and I will reluctanly admit that they are good, if possibly a bit over-written) I have been writing since 5th grade and it took me several tries to get a little H by one of mine.

Has anyone ever seen that National Lampoon were Chevy's wife writes this book about a squirel in her spare time and sells it with ease? Meanwhile he's been a struggling writer for how ever long.

In HS we had a writing contest for the yearbook. I spent all of this time writing something- who knows what. Then I turned it in, grabbed a piece of paper and scribbled furiously as the words popped into my head. The two were not related, it was not a second draft or anything. My paper won *and* the valedictorian used it in her speach. So I know I can write good without any re-write! But I can't *always* do that. It's hit or miss. Sometimes it's easy, sometimes it's not.

3. I think that I could build a house. I think that I could learn to play the drums. I could probably make it to the NFL if I set my mind to it (hey there's a first time for everything) I have no reason to believe that I am incapable of learning something that people learn everyday. I'm not so sure what's so terrible about that. I wouldn't presume that you would just give me a hammer and I could build that house- but I see no reason why I coudn't either find a teacher or a book and figure it out. I think just about anybody *can* build a house, write a book, fix a shower head, even paint or draw. If it's a learned skill, you can learn it. I think pride and maybe some illitest attitude makes us want to say, "not everybody can do what I do" but I think for the most part we can. If underfed slaves could build the piramids of egypt, pretty much anything is possible

 

[TheEarl]

3. I think that I could build a house. I think that I could learn to play the drums. I could probably make it to the NFL if I set my mind to it (hey there's a first time for everything) I have no reason to believe that I am incapable of learning something that people learn everyday. I'm not so sure what's so terrible about that. I wouldn't presume that you would just give me a hammer and I could build that house- but I see no reason why I coudn't either find a teacher or a book and figure it out. I think just about anybody *can* build a house, write a book, fix a shower head, even paint or draw. If it's a learned skill, you can learn it. I think pride and maybe some illitest attitude makes us want to say, "not everybody can do what I do" but I think for the most part we can. If underfed slaves could build the piramids of egypt, pretty much anything is possible

I wouldn't say writing was a learned skill. I think a hell of a lot of it depends on natural talent. You can learn a lot about writing (and God know I have since I started), which can make you better, but learning things can't put a gift in where it isn't there. You can't turn a writer without talent into a good writer. Maybe into an average one, but the lack of talent will always hinder.

The (elitist) Earl

 

[sweetnpetite]

I wouldn't say writing was a learned skill. I think a hell of a lot of it depends on natural talent. You can learn a lot about writing (and God know I have since I started), which can make you better, but learning things can't put a gift in where it isn't there. You can't turn a writer without talent into a good writer. Maybe into an average one, but the lack of talent will always hinder.

The (elitist) Earl

I figured someone would bring up talent. Talent is important. SKill can take you pretty far. I think most poeple are more artistic (and more talented) than they give themselves credit for. I don't think tallent is in such short supply that only a select few have it

that being said, as you said, without tallent, one could be an average writer- but a writer none-the-less. Of course not everybody can be one of the greats- but there is still room for those who are adequate and compitent and maybe nothing more. Every architect isn't Frank Lloyd Write, every architect doesnt' have to be. Just because you can't be great- doesn't mean you can't write. I don't think most people who say, "I could write a book" or whatever have it in there head that they are ever going to be the next William Shakespear or Toni Morrison or Hemingway. Look at it this way, should every kid who doens't have Mozart's tallent be discouraged from taking piano lessons? I think that it's perfectly ok to have a range of tallent and ability in the world. Some will rise to the top and some will just play christmas carols at Grandma's house. the one who just accompanies singing relatives has every right to answer yes when someone askes, "do you play?"

ps. I didnt' mean to insult anybody with the 'elitest' comment. I apologize if I did. I just think that those of us in the arts tend to want to be set apart from the rest of the world in certain ways. I don't think it came out quite how I meant it.

 

[AngeloMichael]

Death of a Hot Dog Vendor

There's an anecdote I remember hearing about Arthur Miller, it was just after he opened one of his plays, I think it was "Death of a Salesman" and he runs into a childhood friend selling hot dogs with a hot dog cart. They get to talking about old times and the friend asks Miller, "So what are you doing these days?"

Miller replies, "I'm a playwright."

The friend says, "Huh. Play writing, I shoulda gone into that."

 

[reohoko]

DarlingNikki

The reason is simple; writing is easy. Writing something good enough to be published, that's a bitch.

Rumple

I'm with you Rumple!

Though, I do know a ton of people that can't be bothered with any sort of writing or typing, they IM is too much work. They read a lot but forget the writing stuff.

I know lot's of people who write, they all will say in a heartbeat, the writing is easy enough, it's the ideas, the forming coherent thoughts, getting it published, etc. that is hard.

Anyone who thinks they are a writer and doesn't know this, isn't really a writer, and if they do ever manage to get anything publish they should kiss the horseshoe they hung up someplace to get there.



Just my two cents (I am passing them out today while I procrasinate on my paper).

 

[KillerMuffin]

Oh, god. Try doing it for a living, as a copywriter. Every horse's ass who's ever written a postcard to his mom is a writer, when it comes to paying someone else to do it.

I've been asked to estimate freelance jobs with an art director who was being paid $6,000 for the design, and the client balked at $500 for the writing.

The difference is simply that there's a certain amount of mystique to the design and production process, but anybody can fill a space with words. People think, "I can make myself understood when I'm talking; I'll just write it down."

Arggghhhh.... SNARL! >>transforms into werecopywriter and leaps through the open window to go disembowel cheap clients.<<

I you.

 

[dr_mabeuse]

Re: Death of a Hot Dog Vendor

There's an anecdote I remember hearing about Arthur Miller, it was just after he opened one of his plays, I think it was "Death of a Salesman" and he runs into a childhood friend selling hot dogs with a hot dog cart. They get to talking about old times and the friend asks Miller, "So what are you doing these days?"

Miller replies, "I'm a playwright."

The friend says, "Huh. Play writing, I shoulda gone into that."

I love that.

How many times have you been approached by someone who just has an idea for a great book and wants to collaborate? He'll tell you the story and you just write it down and "polish it up a little".

And SNP's talking about mediocrity reminds me of a stoyr about an old senator named Roman Hruska who was known for washing his own paperclips before reusing them and snoring in the senate. They were debating the merits of a candidate up for appointment as a federal judge and the beef was that the man was mediocre.

Hruska voted for him anyhow, and when asked about it he said, "What's wrong? Don't medicore people deserve a little representation too?"

---dr.M.

 

[sweetnpetite]

Re: Re: Death of a Hot Dog Vendor

Hey, I didn't say mediocre, I said *competent*!

No, competent isn't great, but it's not bad either. Lot's of "Great" and talented people are so worried about perfection and brilliance, they never even get the job done. Better I think to learn the skills, and do the best you can.

What's that saying, "Genious is 1% inspiration and 90% persperation."

I like your little anecdote

And SNP's talking about mediocrity reminds me of a stoyr about an old senator named Roman Hruska who was known for washing his own paperclips before reusing them and snoring in the senate. They were debating the merits of a candidate up for appointment as a federal judge and the beef was that the man was mediocre.

Hruska voted for him anyhow, and when asked about it he said, "What's wrong? Don't medicore people deserve a little representation too?"

---dr.M.

 

[snooper]

Inquirer: "How do you find all those words?"

Author: "Finding the words is easy. It's getting the little buggers in the right order that takes the time."

 

[raphy]

Inquirer: "How do you find all those words?"

Author: "Finding the words is easy. It's getting the little buggers in the right order that takes the time."

That's what my bass player used to say at band rehearsals.

Us: "What the fuck was that? Are you playing the right notes?"

Him: "Of course I am. They might not be in the right order though."

 

[cahab]

Re: Re: Re: Death of a Hot Dog Vendor

What's that saying, "Genious is 1% inspiration and 90% persperation."

Then what's the other 9%?

 

[damppanties]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Death of a Hot Dog Vendor

Then what's the other 9%?

The other 9% is a genetic predisposition for being bad at mathematics. Was it Einstein who flunked maths in school? True genius he was.

SnP's got the math part right on target!

 

[oggbashan]

The quotation should read:

"Genius is one per cent. inspiration and ninety-nine per cent. perspiration." Thomas Alva Edison (1847-1931) said in a newspaper interview and written down in his "Life" published 1932.

Og

Or perhaps the other nine percent is the predecessors' work:

In a letter written by Isaac Newton to fellow scientist Robert Hooke on 5th. February 1676, where he very modestly claimed that his success had been built on the achievement of others: "If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants"".
It is possible that Benjamin Franklin said it also, but later!