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 Posted: Mon Jul 19, 2010 5:02 pm
*~PHADE RANTS~*
Where I let loose with all my frustrations at being a writer. And there are many, I assure you.
But how about some pleasantness, first?
I am Phade.
I come from a small hick town in New England where the ears of corn outnumber the people. I used to be a very quiet person, but that changed in the past few years. I tend to be a bit of a loner, but that doesn't mean I don't like company now and then.
I've been writing for as long as I can remember. Since I never kept a journal or a diary, it was my vent. I was also very unpopular in grade school, so my characters were some of my best friends. They'd never believe that now, though--I've tortured and killed a few dozen too many. whee
I primarily write fantasy, but I play around with science-fiction, cyberpunk, paranormal and realistic fiction. I prefer to write commercial fiction with a literary bend, as I find purely commercial fiction to be flat and un-engaging.
I am also a musician. My primary instrument is the flute, which I've been playing for... Holy crap, ten years. I have a Pearl brand flute, if anyone cares, and a Hardy piccolo. I also play alto, tenor, and baritone sax, as well as a bit of oboe and bass guitar. I also love to compose. I have Sibelius and Finale software
I am presently a Geography-Anthropology major with a focus in Archaeology. I have a completed minor in Music and am pursuing one in Environmental Science, as well as a certificate in Geographic Information Systems Applications.
Sounds real fancy, don't it? It will impress at fancy social functions! Muahahaha!
Yes, I'm a bit insane. Sporadic nonsense is so much fun.
Other Random Facts
I am a Sagittarius.
I was born in the year of the Snake.
My personality type is INTP--a Rational Architect.
I love sushi. Especially Sweet Potato Rolls.
I despise chick-flicks. GIVE ME MY BLOOD AND GORE!
I'm agnostic.
I'm sarcastic.
My favorite color is blue.
I prefer Night to Day, moonlight to sunlight. Twilight is pretty, too.
I prefer the quiet beauty of winter to the noisiness of summer.
I work in a toy store.
I have a cat.
I like to stargaze.
I like spiders.
I like snakes.
I wear ribbons in my hair.
I sing in the car, but not the shower.
I have the family crest of the main character of my biggest series tattooed on my back.
I am a gamer.
I love the Metal Gear Solid Series. With a passion.
I WAS a huge fan of the Final Fantasy Series, until they started producing craptacular graphic-oriented games, but Nobuo Uematsu is still a composition god.
I'm slightly evil.
Well, I guess that will do for now. Let the ranting begin!
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Posted: Mon Jul 19, 2010 6:39 pm
Hey Phade, it's nice to meet you! We actually have a lot in common. We are both writers (duh), and musicians. I play the clarinet, but I dabble on the bass (like you) and I'm learning the flute (which you play). I am also from New England, although from a city, not a hick town, lol. I write sci-fi, but dabble in fantasy. I'm agnostic and I'm very sarcastic. I have a feeling the two of us are going to be very good friend. mrgreen Anyway, welcome the the forums.
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DesertRoseFallen Vice Captain
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Posted: Tue Jul 20, 2010 7:28 am
Haha we writer's tend to have a lot in common with each other. I put it all down to the fact we tend to look past reality and grow a slightly more cynical outlook on life.
I just love the fact you have your character's family crest tattooed onto your back. Also, completely agree on the Final Fantasy front, my favourites are VII and IX.
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Posted: Tue Jul 20, 2010 8:03 am
KaNugget Hey Phade, it's nice to meet you! We actually have a lot in common. We are both writers (duh), and musicians. I play the clarinet, but I dabble on the bass (like you) and I'm learning the flute (which you play). I am also from New England, although from a city, not a hick town, lol. I write sci-fi, but dabble in fantasy. I'm agnostic and I'm very sarcastic. I have a feeling the two of us are going to be very good friend. mrgreen Anyway, welcome the the forums. Thank you muchly, dear! DesertRoseFallen Haha we writer's tend to have a lot in common with each other. I put it all down to the fact we tend to look past reality and grow a slightly more cynical outlook on life.
I just love the fact you have your character's family crest tattooed onto your back. Also, completely agree on the Final Fantasy front, my favourites are VII and IX. Cynisism is Win. It's a sexy tatt--I am forever branded. It was done by a tattoo artist who works out of his house about three hours from where I live. At the time, though, it was only about an hour from campus. He's a bit sketchy, but he's a lot of fun and his artwork was brilliant. I gave him some free range with the idea, but he seemed to like it and holy crap when I saw the stencil. Two hours of noisy buzzing bleeding goodness and lots of pain on the spine. Something weird came up, though, and I had to pay him in cash instead of a check, so I ended up leaving two of my friends behind as collateral while the third brought me to an ATM. X3 And while I think VII is a great game, I have to say that VI owns. It might be 8-bit, but it had great character, story, gameplay and a killer soundtrack. IV was good, too, as were VIII, IX, and X. Crisis Core made me happy, and Dirge of Cerberus wasn't so bad. It just didn't really have the whole FF vibe to it. I haven't played/beaten I, II, III, or XI. V was crap, as was X-2, and I didn't know I'd beaten the game when I got to the end of XII (though I will admit the hunts are a nice challenge--effing Yiazmat...) XIII was just... Ugh. And what the hell was up with Dissidia?
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Posted: Tue Jul 20, 2010 8:26 am
PHADE RANT #1
July 20, 2010
Why Having to Work at 6am Sucks... Aside From the Fact That You're Working at 6am
Like many writers out there, I have a specific time of day where all the creative juices are not just flowing, but boiling over and running rampant inside my head. For me, this time of day happens to be between the hours of 11pm and 4am.
So last night I was in a super-rare mode where I was almost completely focused on the work in front of me. I'm trying to finish editing my completed work for the umpteenth time before I query the next agent. It's about 7pm. I'm reading I'm reading I'm typing I'm reading it's 11:30. Okay. Thirty more minutes, and I'll stop for the night. I'm reading I'm reading I'm typing I'm reading I'm--when the hell did it get to be 3am? I have to go to work in three hours!
So, let me just say that I wasn't upset that I worked so long. I was pissed off that I had to stop working to... well, go to work. Damn you, Toys R Us! You threw off my groove!
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Posted: Tue Jul 20, 2010 4:40 pm
Bring on your torture, your bullets, your pains
Welcome, and Hello. My frustrations with writing are as follows:
I hate when people walk in and you're talking to yourself, saying everything you're typing. They seem to think you're crazy.
I hate the sudden impulse to drop everything and write. I get this in school all the time. It bugs the s**t out of me.
I hate the fact that I can't hold still. I have some strange thing to where I need to move.
I hate not knowing how to spell a word, and my spell check gives me every word but the one I'm trying to spell. Am I really that bad?
I hate when people look over my shoulder when I read my works over... Just because I'm doing it does not give out an automated invitation for people to clump around me.
I hate when people say I'm a bit nasty when I write, because I don't want to be bothered. No one wants to talk to me when I'm not writing.
Did I miss any?
And in my heart, things aren't the same.
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Posted: Tue Jul 20, 2010 4:45 pm
General Phade *~PHADE RANTS~*
Where I let loose with all my frustrations at being a writer. And there are many, I assure you.
But how about some pleasantness, first?
I am Phade.
I come from a small hick town in New England where the ears of corn outnumber the people. I used to be a very quiet person, but that changed in the past few years. I tend to be a bit of a loner, but that doesn't mean I don't like company now and then.
I've been writing for as long as I can remember. Since I never kept a journal or a diary, it was my vent. I was also very unpopular in grade school, so my characters were some of my best friends. They'd never believe that now, though--I've tortured and killed a few dozen too many. whee
I primarily write fantasy, but I play around with science-fiction, cyberpunk, paranormal and realistic fiction. I prefer to write commercial fiction with a literary bend, as I find purely commercial fiction to be flat and un-engaging.
I am also a musician. My primary instrument is the flute, which I've been playing for... Holy crap, ten years. I have a Pearl brand flute, if anyone cares, and a Hardy piccolo. I also play alto, tenor, and baritone sax, as well as a bit of oboe and bass guitar. I also love to compose. I have Sibelius and Finale software
I am presently a Geography-Anthropology major with a focus in Archaeology. I have a completed minor in Music and am pursuing one in Environmental Science, as well as a certificate in Geographic Information Systems Applications.
Sounds real fancy, don't it? It will impress at fancy social functions! Muahahaha!
Yes, I'm a bit insane. Sporadic nonsense is so much fun.
Other Random Facts
I am a Sagittarius.
I was born in the year of the Snake.
My personality type is INTP--a Rational Architect.
I love sushi. Especially Sweet Potato Rolls.
I despise chick-flicks. GIVE ME MY BLOOD AND GORE!
I'm agnostic.
I'm sarcastic.
My favorite color is blue.
I prefer Night to Day, moonlight to sunlight. Twilight is pretty, too.
I prefer the quiet beauty of winter to the noisiness of summer.
I work in a toy store.
I have a cat.
I like to stargaze.
I like spiders.
I like snakes.
I wear ribbons in my hair.
I sing in the car, but not the shower.
I have the family crest of the main character of my biggest series tattooed on my back.
I am a gamer.
I love the Metal Gear Solid Series. With a passion.
I WAS a huge fan of the Final Fantasy Series, until they started producing craptacular graphic-oriented games, but Nobuo Uematsu is still a composition god.
I'm slightly evil.
Well, I guess that will do for now. Let the ranting begin! Bring on your torture, your bullets, your pains
I am going to bold everything that applies to me.
And in my heart, things aren't the same.
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Posted: Tue Jul 20, 2010 6:41 pm
Thanks for the welcome, Undesired. Glad to see there are people who share quite a few of my views.
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Posted: Tue Jul 20, 2010 10:51 pm
General Phade Thanks for the welcome, Undesired. Glad to see there are people who share quite a few of my views. Bring on your torture, your bullets, your pains
Just call me Desire, and you're welcome. ^.^
And in my heart, things aren't the same.
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Posted: Wed Jul 21, 2010 6:07 am
General Phade KaNugget Hey Phade, it's nice to meet you! We actually have a lot in common. We are both writers (duh), and musicians. I play the clarinet, but I dabble on the bass (like you) and I'm learning the flute (which you play). I am also from New England, although from a city, not a hick town, lol. I write sci-fi, but dabble in fantasy. I'm agnostic and I'm very sarcastic. I have a feeling the two of us are going to be very good friend. mrgreen Anyway, welcome the the forums. Thank you muchly, dear! DesertRoseFallen Haha we writer's tend to have a lot in common with each other. I put it all down to the fact we tend to look past reality and grow a slightly more cynical outlook on life.
I just love the fact you have your character's family crest tattooed onto your back. Also, completely agree on the Final Fantasy front, my favourites are VII and IX. Cynisism is Win. It's a sexy tatt--I am forever branded. It was done by a tattoo artist who works out of his house about three hours from where I live. At the time, though, it was only about an hour from campus. He's a bit sketchy, but he's a lot of fun and his artwork was brilliant. I gave him some free range with the idea, but he seemed to like it and holy crap when I saw the stencil. Two hours of noisy buzzing bleeding goodness and lots of pain on the spine. Something weird came up, though, and I had to pay him in cash instead of a check, so I ended up leaving two of my friends behind as collateral while the third brought me to an ATM. X3 And while I think VII is a great game, I have to say that VI owns. It might be 8-bit, but it had great character, story, gameplay and a killer soundtrack. IV was good, too, as were VIII, IX, and X. Crisis Core made me happy, and Dirge of Cerberus wasn't so bad. It just didn't really have the whole FF vibe to it. I haven't played/beaten I, II, III, or XI. V was crap, as was X-2, and I didn't know I'd beaten the game when I got to the end of XII (though I will admit the hunts are a nice challenge--effing Yiazmat...) XIII was just... Ugh. And what the hell was up with Dissidia? Haha, I loved Crisis Core as Sephiroth is my ultimate character. FFI was rubbish haha. Dissidia...I got and I liked it the first time but I doubt I would pick it up again...
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DesertRoseFallen Vice Captain
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Posted: Sun Jul 25, 2010 10:38 pm
PHADE RANT #2
July 26, 2010
Query Letters Kick My Butt
I BLOODY HATE QUERY LETTERS! HONESTLY!
I mean, how the hell can you be expected to cram 500+ pages down into a one page synopsis and expect it to cover the entire scope of the story? It's an epic fantasy--there's a lot to it!
My goal is to send one out by the end of this week, and I'm off to a good start, but I mean, I just can't seem to cover everything I want to cover. I can't even do that in a synopsis, either, bloody page restrictions...
And another thing. I get that agents and publishers get swamped with slush, but really, how can you tell if it's a decent story just by a one page synopsis that also has introduce yourself as a writer and give a brief overview of your story, including a word count and mention of the genre you're working in? I don't buy it. You could write a great synopsis and have a shitty story, but it would still get looked at. The same cannot be said of good stories. If the query isn't astounding or eye-catching, then the story itself is considered unworthy.
And what's this crap with having to solicit your work first?
Dear such and such, can I send you a query?
WHAT IS THE POINT? Why not just post somewhere that you're not accepting new queries? It's just another step for everyone if you have to ask if you can send a query first. You wait for the yay or nay and then you have to send the query and wait for the yay or nay on that, too.
Utterly. Pointless.
And with all the crap out there, I'm surprised agents aren't taking the time to read some of the lesser summarized pieces. There could totally be a diamond in the semi-rough, people.
What happened to the good old days where you just sent someone and damn manuscript?
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Posted: Sun Jul 25, 2010 11:12 pm
Query letters are crazy for novelists. Don't you think we wrote a novel because we couldn't stop writing? There's just not enough room in a query letter to expression our ideas. We are novelists for a reason.
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Posted: Mon Jul 26, 2010 12:22 am
It might help if you remember the query doesn't have to cover the entire scope of the story. Think of it more like jacket copy. When you pick up a book in the store, it doesn't tell you everything that happens, just enough to pique your interest.
You may also want to focus on agents who ask for some sample pages with the query. And if they don't but they also don't specifically say "query letter only" it doesn't hurt to include the first 5 pages or so. I think most agents will take a look at the pages even if they think the query stinks.
I've never heard of having to ask if you can send a query first, that does seem silly and a waste of everyone's time.
But, yes... query letters can be a pain in the a**.
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Posted: Mon Jul 26, 2010 12:10 pm
I'm aware that the query has to be similar to a book jacket, but even book jackets will give you (usually) the basic problem and the first climax. I honestly think it's just a matter of me never quite being satisfied with what I've written because I don't feel it does the book justice.
But that's me being a perfectionist.
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Posted: Mon Jul 26, 2010 1:38 pm
Yeah, I just meant they cover the inciting event instead of trying to fit the whole scope of the the book in. I understand being a perfectionist, though.
Honestly, I think a strong voice in a query is one of the most important things. I've seen long queries be revised down to these little tiny blurbs that get right to the point, but they lost something along the way.
Good luck with it. smile I almost miss querying, it kept me busy (and nervous, and a lot of other things, hence the 'almost').
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