Treasures in the Old Filing Cabinet

Susan Coffin · Aug 3, 2010

Catchy title, huh?

Okay, forum buddies, it's time to clean out the filing cabinet (or the desk drawer, or the messy bookshelf, or that box you've pushed under the futon in the office). Writing wise--please tell me what long-forgotten treasures you found?

A few months back, did clean my filing cabinet. I found a novella I would like to revise, several short stories I never sent out, just put away and a bunch of rejections slips AND some acceptance slips.

Oshodisa · Aug 4, 2010

I once managed to find a tenner - lain out flat - underneath a wooden pencil case. I had no recollection of when I put it there!!

Does that count.

More recently than that I found a few of the very first storys that I wrote (and forgot about) when I was first starting to consider writing - maybe stuff about 7-8 yrs ago.

That was quite a shock, just at how different my stuff is now to then (although not neccessarily better!)

Susan Coffin · Aug 4, 2010

Thank you, Oshodisa! I wondered if anyone was going to engage here.

I have an entire folder of stuff I wrote while I took a 1 /2 year writing workshop with a published author almost 20 years ago. While I did well in the class, I see all of those stories as practice. It was really fun.

You found a ten dollar bill too? Wow!

Jamesaritchie · Aug 4, 2010

I don't keep old manuscripts, but I did find a package of carbon paper a while back. Must have been twenty-five years old. Carbon papers is what we used to make a copy of our stories when writing on a typewriter. Lay down a sheet of paper, place a piece of carbon paper on top, and then another sheet of paper on that. Roll all three into the typewriter and bang away.

It only went wrong when you goofed and placed the carbon sheet wrong side down, so the copy you made was on the back sdie of your story.

I suspect I should have cleaned out my file cabinet several years ago.

Susan Coffin · Aug 4, 2010

James, I remember carbon paper!! Sometimes it got kind of messy, especially if I accidentally rubbed the top, or tried to erase. I also used to use that old erasable paper when I typed.

When I was gong through a chest of childhood things, I found a booklet of poetry that I had written when I was ten through about sixteen, and a short story I submitted as extra credit for goofing off in a drama class, I believe. Still have them--those are old treasures that bring back many memories.

Eddyz Aquila · Aug 4, 2010

A poem I wrote when I was 8. It was actually touching, it was about a kid and God.

Phaeal · Aug 4, 2010

I found some dramatic monologues I'd written, then translated into German for a class. Heh, I used to get away with writing dramatic monologues instead of critical papers all the time. I did three of them for a Romantic poetry class, another for a Shakespeare class, another for a music history seminar, and another for my Coleridge thesis.

Guess who hated writing critical essays. I guess the profs were just as bored with reading them, and so okayed the DMs.

Cyia · Aug 4, 2010

I found some stuff I wrote in high school that wasn't too awful (just need to get rid of that "and then it was all fake" ending... dangit.)

And then there was "Hawaiian Bob" from when I was about five. Apparently I was so proud of myself for learning to spell Hawaiian, it required a story. There's pinapples! And spaceships!

Shakesbear · Aug 4, 2010

When sorting through my dads papers after he died - does that count? A photo of my dad taken in a few days before the Battle of El Alamein, October 1942 (?). The date is on the back, but the year has faded. He is with twelve other men in his platoon - all young, all early/mid-twenties. I look at the photo and want to know what happened to the other guys. I want to write their stories - but they will have to be fiction. One chapter per man. I've done a rough plan - but it gets hard sometimes. Dad was so skinny back then!

LilliCray · Aug 4, 2010

Every so often, when I go through old stuff, I find a story bit or whatever that I'd completely forgotten about. Invariably, I look at it and think, "Huh. This isn't nearly as bad as I'd expect."

Right now, I have an old novel-bit sitting on my hard drive that I'd like to revive someday. Also other chunks elsewhere, but none I could find without some serious computer search-fu.

Susan Coffin · Aug 4, 2010

Eddyz Aquila said:
A poem I wrote when I was 8. It was actually touching, it was about a kid and God.

Precious! In my old poems, I had written one for my brother, who is 6 1/2 years younger than me. I was about 14 or 15 at the time. It was all about how he was growing up and didn't to hang out with his old sis anymore.

Susan Coffin · Aug 4, 2010

Phaeal said:
I found some dramatic monologues I'd written, then translated into German for a class. Heh, I used to get away with writing dramatic monologues instead of critical papers all the time. I did three of them for a Romantic poetry class, another for a Shakespeare class, another for a music history seminar, and another for my Coleridge thesis.

Guess who hated writing critical essays. I guess the profs were just as bored with reading them, and so okayed the DMs.

Just curious- are dramatic monologues along the same lines as screenplays? Do you write screenplays now?

Susan Coffin · Aug 4, 2010

Cyia said:
I found some stuff I wrote in high school that wasn't too awful (just need to get rid of that "and then it was all fake" ending... dangit.)

And then there was "Hawaiian Bob" from when I was about five. Apparently I was so proud of myself for learning to spell Hawaiian, it required a story. There's pinapples! And spaceships!

Fun! I have always held onto writing from my childhood. Imagine this- my oldest poem I've written is about 37 years old! Paper is yellowed...folder not in the best of shape.

Susan Coffin · Aug 4, 2010

Shakesbear said:
When sorting through my dads papers after he died - does that count? A photo of my dad taken in a few days before the Battle of El Alamein, October 1942 (?). The date is on the back, but the year has faded. He is with twelve other men in his platoon - all young, all early/mid-twenties. I look at the photo and want to know what happened to the other guys. I want to write their stories - but they will have to be fiction. One chapter per man. I've done a rough plan - but it gets hard sometimes. Dad was so skinny back then!

Oh my gosh, of course this counts! I can't wait to read the stories you create from that photograph. I bet your dad would be proud of you.

Susan Coffin · Aug 4, 2010

LilliCray said:
Every so often, when I go through old stuff, I find a story bit or whatever that I'd completely forgotten about. Invariably, I look at it and think, "Huh. This isn't nearly as bad as I'd expect."

Right now, I have an old novel-bit sitting on my hard drive that I'd like to revive someday. Also other chunks elsewhere, but none I could find without some serious computer search-fu.

My friend found an old novel she had written, in hopes of reviving it. She ended up chucking the entire thing except for one part (chapter or scene, not sure)--she wrote an entire new novel around the small part she kept. It sold.

It's good to revive old stuff and make it better.

Chris P · Aug 4, 2010

I recently discovered that I wrote a surprising amount of erotica/porn (think Penthouse Letters) while bored in class during grad school. How did I ever get decent grades being so distracted all the time?

Susan Coffin · Aug 4, 2010

Chris P said:
I recently discovered that I wrote a surprising amount of erotica/porn (think Penthouse Letters) while bored in class during grad school. How did I ever get decent grades being so distracted all the time?

Just curious- do you write erotica now?

Chris P · Aug 4, 2010

SusanL said:
Just curious- do you write erotica now?

Nope. I shy away from it because I've not been able to do it in a way I like; it's either too clinical or too locker-room. My main characters are usually asexual (in the sense that they never have "encounters" and romance is not their motivation).

Susan Coffin · Aug 4, 2010

Chris, it's interesting how we evolve as writers. I don't write poetry or lyrics anymore, and my writing style has improved dramatically since way back when.

semmie · Aug 4, 2010

I recently found a 3.5" floppy in some old high school papers. It was labeled "My Story." I've no idea what is on it.

Bartholomew · Aug 5, 2010

Oh, God.

The Adventures of Paula Purehart.

Parts of it are even kinda good. But I can't believe I liked that name.

Bartholomew · Aug 5, 2010

Jamesaritchie said:
I don't keep old manuscripts, but I did find a package of carbon paper a while back. Must have been twenty-five years old. Carbon papers is what we used to make a copy of our stories when writing on a typewriter. Lay down a sheet of paper, place a piece of carbon paper on top, and then another sheet of paper on that. Roll all three into the typewriter and bang away.

It only went wrong when you goofed and placed the carbon sheet wrong side down, so the copy you made was on the back sdie of your story.

Thank you, O Writing Gods, for the magic of the modern computer.

Susan Coffin · Aug 5, 2010

semmie said:
I recently found a 3.5" floppy in some old high school papers. It was labeled "My Story." I've no idea what is on it.

I almost forgot about floppy discs! Does any computer even use those anymore? I have an entire box filled with those.

Susan Coffin · Aug 5, 2010

Bartholomew said:
Oh, God.

The Adventures of Paula Purehart.

Parts of it are even kinda good. But I can't believe I liked that name.

How is Ms. Paula Purheart these days? Have you revived her? Or, is she still lying in her coffin?

Jamesaritchie · Aug 5, 2010

Bartholomew said:
Thank you, O Writing Gods, for the magic of the modern computer.

Magic in many ways, but often they're black magic, and I'm still rather fond of my old typewriter. Except for changing the ribbons. That was not fun.

Treasures in the Old Filing Cabinet

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Noob Writers United

Whatever I did, I didn't do it.

Rewriting My Destiny

knows a hawk from a handsaw

Plot? What plot?

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Likes metaphors mixed, not stirred

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barefooted

Comic guy

Comic guy

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Tell it like it Is