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 Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2008 4:44 pm
Well, if you don't know, I want to be an LDS author. I've written a book and I'm having my high school English teacher read it. I was just wondering if anyone has a similar dream or any advice toward how I can make my book better so I don't get rejected when I submit it to a company biggrin (I know you haven't read it, but just hearing a few general suggestions and commentary could help).
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Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 11:37 am
Well, I'll tell you one thing about reality. YOu will be rejected. The thing is, don't give up. JK Rowling, David Eddings, Patricia C Wreede, Vivian Vanda Veld, Christopher Powlini, even CS Lewis and JRR Tolking were rejected at one point or another, but they're out there because they didn't give up. So don't give up. One rejection isn't the end of the world, neither is 5 or 10 or 100. Just keep going and eventually it'll make it out there.
if you want to try self publishing, here's a site to help you out. www.lulu.com I'm planning on getting published too(book on DA page) and I know how hard it is to be a writter. Giving up is the worst deal, so always remember to keep going.
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Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 2:27 pm
i'm sorry hun, i have no help for you there. i write but i don't base it on our religion or any religion for that matter. if you tell us the basic outline we might be able to give more advice on it.
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Posted: Sat Apr 26, 2008 7:48 am
My #1 rule for writing lately: show, don't tell. If characters don't get along, don't tell the reader. Allow their dialog and behavior to illustrate the issues.
My Uber-#1-Forever rule: Use proper grammar, spelling and word-usage! You'd think it's basic but I've seen so many professionally edited and published books that have completely forgotten the past perfect tense. Or done bone-headed things like in my copy of "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" where they swap "ancestors" for "descendants."
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Posted: Sat Apr 26, 2008 11:21 am
Itesa My #1 rule for writing lately: show, don't tell. If characters don't get along, don't tell the reader. Allow their dialog and behavior to illustrate the issues. My Uber-#1-Forever rule: Use proper grammar, spelling and word-usage! You'd think it's basic but I've seen so many professionally edited and published books that have completely forgotten the past perfect tense. Or done bone-headed things like in my copy of "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" where they swap "ancestors" for "descendants." JK Rowling did need a lot of help with that Uber #1 rule.
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Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008 7:43 pm
Alright, here is a basic outline: Fifteen year-old non-member Cameron Jane Larson feels that life is over. Two years ago, her mom was hit and killed by a drunk driver. This book is about her struggle to find forgiveness as she comes face-to-face with her mother's killer who has just been released on parole. Thrown into the mix is an abused horse, her dad's new girlfriend, her best friend's terrible secret, and a new friend's terrifying struggles.
Could all of Cameron's life questions be answered in a worn copy of the Book of Mormon she discovered in the attic?
There is a lot more to it, but I don't want to give too much away. If it doesn't make sense, tell me and I will edit the post to make it clearer. biggrin
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Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2008 11:39 am
Krego-sama Itesa My #1 rule for writing lately: show, don't tell. If characters don't get along, don't tell the reader. Allow their dialog and behavior to illustrate the issues. My Uber-#1-Forever rule: Use proper grammar, spelling and word-usage! You'd think it's basic but I've seen so many professionally edited and published books that have completely forgotten the past perfect tense. Or done bone-headed things like in my copy of "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" where they swap "ancestors" for "descendants." JK Rowling did need a lot of help with that Uber #1 rule. No kidding. So should all us writers come out and give a sum up of our stories here or what?
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Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2008 5:05 pm
Glimare Krego-sama Itesa My #1 rule for writing lately: show, don't tell. If characters don't get along, don't tell the reader. Allow their dialog and behavior to illustrate the issues. My Uber-#1-Forever rule: Use proper grammar, spelling and word-usage! You'd think it's basic but I've seen so many professionally edited and published books that have completely forgotten the past perfect tense. Or done bone-headed things like in my copy of "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" where they swap "ancestors" for "descendants." JK Rowling did need a lot of help with that Uber #1 rule. No kidding. So should all us writers come out and give a sum up of our stories here or what? Sure. Feel free, even if it isn't a based on religion.
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Posted: Sat May 03, 2008 6:50 am
Alright, I've finished the book mentioned above and have started another one, but I am getting writer's block during some of the slower parts. Does anyone have any advice on how to overcome writer's block and make even the slower parts seem interesting?
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Posted: Sat May 10, 2008 6:03 am
My advice: ask yourself if the slow part is absolutely necessary. If so, what makes it so necessary? Focus on that. Be willing to keep it short or skip it entirely if necessary. I tend to get suck on "gee, what'd they do next?" and have found it very helpful to just move on to the next scene that I want to write. That way I've discovered that I didn't need to tell every single step the characters made and also found out which steps I still need to show.
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Posted: Sat May 10, 2008 2:38 pm
For writer's block or just not wanting to write, I just drop the story for a while until I feel up to writing it again. For instance, I have this one book series in my head that I haven't worked on in ages because I haven't felt like writing any more for it. Wrote the first book in highschool and really, it's very badly written, highly chique(sp) and the character's personallities keep floping around. My defence is being a highschool student adn towards the end I didn't want to write any more. So I droped the story for a bit, didn't even think of it. Occationally I pick it up again but really, my heart isn't into it. Without that, the story isn't good. I wrote a wonderful fanfic in three months that ran about 200 pages and another 100+ pages for a sequal once because the story kept me going with an unbeatable drive for that long. near the end of the sequal, I was sick of it and just wanted to get it done. the end isn't near as nice adn sounds really rushed because of that, just like my regular book. Frankly I should have droped it and never bothered with a third one(which was only 40 pages. really lame too).
I have another series I pick up adn drop all the time as well, and because I only do a few chunks of it at a time, the story's great adn I haven't lost interest. the book I'm working on now I started in high school adn am now reworking it and typing it up for hopeful publication. Lost interest in it lately adn one of the chapters was really lame. So, drop it and pray to get back to it after a while.
Before droping it though, write ou a sum up of what you want to say in the story. KEEP IT BREIF! 4 pages max if it's a long story. That way you have a timeline, a few names, sequence of events and you'll be able to get back to writing it without any problems later. I have alot of started stories, some ideas written down adn others not. The ones with the ideas are easier to pick up than those without, and I can still play with it. When you figure out what to do next, it'll flow out like before. dont' stress over it adn just keep moving on.
Never had writer's block-just lost interest. =P
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Posted: Sun May 11, 2008 1:11 pm
I apologize in advance if any prospective LDS Writers are offended by my opinion.
I would like to be a writer and I am also LDS, but I never want to be an 'LDS Writer'.
Why?
Because every LDS Writer out there these days is just re-writing the same old books. Authors try to make their stories different with plot twists, new characters, and unusual circumstances (abused horse for example), but it's all been done and re-done.
The only way I would even consider becoming an LDS Writer is if I had a great story that is also a TRUE story. If it really happened then it actually means something. Writing a fictional 'LDS Novel' would be like making dinner with what I ate the day before.
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Posted: Sun May 11, 2008 8:37 pm
Is that the definition of an LDS Writer? huh... Funny. I thought it was just saying "I'm LDS and I'm a writer." *shrugs* oh well.
As for my stories... heh heh... twisted let's keep it simple.
Have one series that's a revolution witn lots of death, blood adn gore, a legend adn nearly everybody dying. Scifi, love hate romances, interplaitary travel, adn frankly badly written at them moment.
Have another series that's a superhero/comic book one with fantasy/scifi themes, lots of love hate romace, brother-sister relationships/fighting, light beats dark and hopefully gets fed, very comedic anti human death. Oh, and save the world and dragons while trying to end up with the one you love kind of stuff. It's my pick up and drop all the time one I mention before. Much fun.
Let's see... there's this series of single books that are all reworked fairytales on the same planet as the first series mentioned, where the princes are not so dumb and people trick everyone into believing the original version. Very funny really. So far I've got Beauty and the beast, cinderella, rumplestiltskin, sleeping beauty, adn several shorter tails all featuring the same witch who pops up in all the other tales, then her own life story.
Another one that's post ragnarock, featuring Loki with a sex change. still sketchy really, reincarnations and all that jazz.
Then there's my three stories featuring summoners, alchemist and mages. mistaken identities and prejudices there.
Then there's a girl sliping through dimentions taking the place of her double. Haven't worked on it in years, still a good idea.
Then there's the one with a few people fighting the western zodiac monsters and one being virgo who keeps changing from male to female. Very confusing, idea from a dream.
then there's a girl who got all her dreams to come true and is now being hunted by vampires. She gets a cellphone and that helps her become her dream self and save the world, or her part of hollywood, from vamps.
Then theres the girl who was forced into being a witch and now has to save the world from a magical war that's been going on for years.
Then there's another girl taken from our world into another one her ancestor came from and is forced to be an emesary for a 'god' she doesn't really like all that much. Eventually she becomes queen.
then there's the mage girl forced to live in the wizarding world while trying to evade the maguses. Oh, and they all hate her.
then there's the two alien invasion stories I've got where the greatest warrior there has issues with everything, especially killing.
and one of my favorite latests, a fangirl getting to be a superhero and hits on her bigest crush while saving her best friend from being an evil badguy. Ends up dying, twice, adn being brought back, twice. Lucky duck gets the guy too.
Then there's another short series where a girl gets draged through several worlds to solve problems and beat the same badguy over and over again.
Then there's the modern day, ordinary girl story who's trying to defeat her family rep adn get the guy she likes only tohave her cousin with him instead.
There's also a ninja story I've got, but haven't thought of it for a while. I wonder if I've missed anything.....
And if you think that's alot, you should see my sisters' lists. And they have more done than me, and are way better. Any agent need a tresure trove? I've got writers for siblings.
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Posted: Sun May 11, 2008 10:53 pm
Glimare Is that the definition of an LDS Writer? huh... Funny. I thought it was just saying "I'm LDS and I'm a writer." *shrugs* oh well. That's kinda what I was explaining when I said "I would like to be a writer and I am also LDS, but I never want to be an 'LDS Writer'." There are a lot of writers that are LDS, but are never called LDS Writers, because what they write doesn't have a whole lot to do with LDS. Those who are called LDS Writers generally write inspirational novels that also generally revolve around LDS beliefs.
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Posted: Mon May 12, 2008 3:38 pm
I think there's place for both in the world. Sometimes it's nice to have a simple, faith-affirming story even if it is kinda cheesy.
I've always lived in areas where there aren't many members and sometimes I feel like an island. I wish there were more books out there that featured believing LDS characters and plots.
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