Thank You AW! Share your praises...

Status
Not open for further replies.

nitaworm

AW Addict
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 8, 2009
Messages
1,872
Reaction score
125
Well, this place has been like having a big brother to go to for advice. I have very few writing peers, and this place was a gold nugget for me. Some time ago I started here on AW after writing my first novel. I was pondering over whether to complete the series or to write something else. I got excellent advice here to write something else and it served me well. It allowed me to explore other aspects of my writing. Also, it was fun, and it gave me a different product to sell.

That was just a tip of the awesome advice, guidance and support I have received here...

Tell me what you have gained from being apart of AW...
 

Darzian

To-to-to-ron-to
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Aug 15, 2008
Messages
2,070
Reaction score
1,123
Location
Canada
I would likely never have started writing if not for AW. After a year and a half, my first novel is almost perfected. Querying next! AW deserves a large chunk of any potential success.
 

thethinker42

Abnormal Romance Author
Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Dec 30, 2006
Messages
20,733
Reaction score
2,669
Location
Pittsburgh, PA
Website
www.gallagherwitt.com
Tell me what you have gained from being apart of AW...

Oh good lord...where to start?

I've learned so much about conflict, pacing, character development, the query/publishing processes, etc., I couldn't even begin to list it all individually. I cringe at the thought of where my writing would be today if I'd never stumbled across this site way back in 2006. I sure as hell wouldn't have 2 book contracts or be working on my 12th book in as many months. I owe AW at least part of my writing career.

I've also made some great friends, and a lot of people here have been uber-supportive during some shitty times in my life, not to mention the invaluable beta readers (Adzmodeus, this means you!).

And, of course, I can't forget that AW brought me into contact with the person to whom I owe a significant portion of my writing career. I have blogged about our unholy alliance (as she calls it) here, so I won't reiterate the whole thing here, but suffice it to say, I owe scarletpeaches BIG TIME.

Without AW, I would still be a floundering, procrastinating, crappy writer, and I never would have "met" scarletpeaches.

That's right, AW...it's YOUR FAULT SP and I know each other. I hope you're proud of yourself...
 

MsGneiss

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Aug 26, 2008
Messages
1,595
Reaction score
262
Location
New York City
This has been a great resource for me too. I learned a lot about agents, and got really excellent advice and support while trying to find one. The community here is really great, and there is a lot of encouragement and motivation. It's also nice to know that there are lots of people in the same boat, trying to get published, trying to reconcile a not-yet-existent writing career with real life. And, it's a ton of fun debating back and forth on all the off-topic threads. Really a great place. If it weren't for AW, I'd be sleeping right now!
 

Elidibus

Over 9000!!!!!!!
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 19, 2007
Messages
328
Reaction score
56
Location
No. I can't come out to play. My muse won't let me
What as AW done for me?

AW taught me to be a writer. Not a guy that sits behind a computer and laments about writing stories. But a guy that actually does write stories. And ones that will sell at that. And how to go about selling them. And techniques to boost my chances of seeing my stories in the hands of another person.

AW rocks! Let the world know!
 

Nivarion

Brony level >9000
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Sep 6, 2008
Messages
1,679
Reaction score
151
Location
texas
Nearly everything but how to actually sit down and write.

My stuff before I found AW was so bad. In fact, I remember that I caused a lot of friction on here because I was so bad at expressing thoughts and feelings through words that everyone thought I was being a total prick. However, AW taught me the skills I needed to express myself.

Seriously, In like a year here I've learned more about the English language than I did in 12 years of public school. The first time I ever even saw or heard the word syntax was when MacAllister told me mine was awful. I had to go look it up!

I'm still No where near perfected (maybe not even proficient), but I know where to go now.
 

barnicus

I can't do nothin for you
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Aug 14, 2006
Messages
381
Reaction score
62
AW has told me everything that I was doing wrong.

- I learned to not have your main character look at himself in a mirror and describe for five sentences what he looks like.

- Backstory shouldn't come up front in paragraph after paragraph. Sprinkle it throughout and weave it in to the story.

- 'said' is all right to use and 'said' should be used.

- Pacing and rhythm of sentences matter.

That's just breaking the ice of what I've learned.
 
Last edited:

Mr Flibble

They've been very bad, Mr Flibble
Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jan 6, 2008
Messages
18,889
Reaction score
5,029
Location
We couldn't possibly do that. Who'd clear up the m
Website
francisknightbooks.co.uk
AW showed me the light :D

Without AW I wouldn't have known half the different markets for my stuff
I wouldn't have known what those markets require
I wouldn't have known how to write a query letter
I wouldn't have discovered what passive voice is, or that I shouldn't head hop
I wouldn't have found my writers' group
I wouldn't have found some seriously awesome betas
I wouldn't have found my publisher


This is why several AWers are in my acknowledgements. Thanks guys!
 

Adam

Not dead.
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Nov 24, 2008
Messages
7,640
Reaction score
2,900
Too many things to list. You rock, AW.
 

Wayne K

Banned
Joined
Dec 3, 2008
Messages
21,564
Reaction score
8,082
My first book started off as a suicide note. The doctor told me I'd never work again, my insurance company denied treatment that would take away the pain, and my landlord (who was liable) illegally evicted me.

Until I hit page twenty or thirty, I had never considered trying to get published. I never considered calling myself a writer.

I quoted the movie Lethal Weapon last week
: Martin Riggs:Well, what do you wanna hear, man? Do you wanna hear that sometimes I think about eatin' a bullet? Huh? Well, I do! I even got a special bullet for the occasion with a hollow point, look! Make sure it blows the back of my goddamned head out and do the job right! Every single day I wake up and I think of a reason not to do it! Every single day! You know why I don't do it? This is gonna make you laugh! You know why I don't do it? The job! Doin' the job! Now that's the reason!

My job is writing, whether I get published or not, and every day I find it easier to not go let my head go there because of AW.

So thank you.
 
Last edited:

Tiz_Mee

iz bossy . . .
Super Member
Registered
Joined
May 18, 2009
Messages
5,796
Reaction score
1,433
Location
Wrong Turn
My writing pretty much sucked massive monkey butt before I found this place.

Everyone here is super awesome and has excellent advice. Whenever I need encouragement, this is the first place I think of.

I love you guys!!!
 

Ken Schneider

Absolute sagebrush
Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Mar 27, 2005
Messages
1,977
Reaction score
414
Location
location,location.
Oh gosh, I've been slogging around here since '05, and can't list all the great things that I've learned about being a professional writer.

A couple of items that I've learned that I cherish, is not to get all in a hurry about rushing my work to publication, and not getting mad about rejections.
Facing the truth about ones writing self.

If I get several rejections on a piece, guess what, my writing isn't good enough to get paid. It's that simple.

Suck it up. You wanted to be a writer, now pay the price and get back to work.
 

dgiharris

Disgruntled Scientist
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Aug 24, 2006
Messages
6,735
Reaction score
1,833
Location
Limbo
The saying "At first I was blind, but now I see"

could be changed to "At first I was blind, but now with AW I see"

AW has given me a 'mindset' of what it takes to be a successful author as well as the skill set.

Plus, the writing friends i've made on here.

One day, I will walk into Barnes and Nobles and pull my book from its shelf and that moment will have been made possible because of AW.

Without AW, I don't know what would/will happen but I do know that I could have easily gone the next 3 - 5 yrs repeating the same mistakes ad nauseum.

Mel...
 
Joined
Aug 7, 2005
Messages
47,985
Reaction score
13,245
Without AW, I would still be a floundering, procrastinating, crappy writer, and I never would have "met" scarletpeaches.

That's right, AW...it's YOUR FAULT SP and I know each other. I hope you're proud of yourself...

YES MAC I HOPE YOU'RE PROUD OF YOURSELF.
 

thethinker42

Abnormal Romance Author
Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Dec 30, 2006
Messages
20,733
Reaction score
2,669
Location
Pittsburgh, PA
Website
www.gallagherwitt.com
I would also like to hereby reiterate a vow I made a few months ago:

Should I ever hit the NYT bestseller list, I will have the AW logo tattooed somewhere on my person.

That is all.
 

HelloKiddo

bemused observer
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jun 25, 2008
Messages
777
Reaction score
151
Should I ever hit the NYT bestseller list, I will have the AW logo tattooed somewhere on my person.

How many people make the bestseller list every year? I don't think it's too far fetched that it could happen...

As for what AW offered me--a lot, but mostly support. Coming here reminds me that I want to write, and that if I want to be a writer I have to write. Before AW I dithered about more, dreaming of writing but not having the encouragement to push on.

And that there's a world of people out there with the same dream, struggling too.
 

Alan Yee

Still Here!
Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
May 16, 2005
Messages
6,026
Reaction score
1,440
Tell me what you have gained from being apart of AW...

Oh boy, I might get misty-eyed now.

Not only did I gain a clearer insight into the craft and business of writing, I met and made a lot of friends, some of whom I feel like I know better than most of the people I know in meatspace. My writing has greatly improved since I joined, and I probably never would have managed to start and complete my first novel if it hadn't been for the support, advice, and cheerleading I've received from AW members. AW's given me a place where I can talk about certain subjects with other people who have the same interests.

AW is definitely going in the acknowledgements page of my first published book if/when I sell a novel. A few AWers will probably get specifically mentioned, but AW as a whole is also going in there.

Thank you, AW.
 
Last edited:

dgiharris

Disgruntled Scientist
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Aug 24, 2006
Messages
6,735
Reaction score
1,833
Location
Limbo
AW is definitely going in the acknowledgements page of my first published book if/when I sell a novel. A few AWers will probably get specifically mentioned, but AW as a whole is also going in there.

Ditto

Mel...
 
Joined
Aug 7, 2005
Messages
47,985
Reaction score
13,245
I'll mention a few people by name as well. Naturally, because my book will be a bestseller, the publicity inherent in that for AW will be worth its weight in gold. Membership will go through the roof and the internetz will break.
 

AnonymousWriter

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Nov 23, 2008
Messages
1,380
Reaction score
258
Location
Scotland, UK
I'll mention a few people by name as well. Naturally, because my book will be a bestseller, the publicity inherent in that for AW will be worth its weight in gold. Membership will go through the roof and the internetz will break.

Nooo....then we won't be able to get on AW. And we shall all die. :(
 
Status
Not open for further replies.