You're much appreciated.

Hey everyone. I haven't been up here for awhile on the novels thread. When I came here awhile ago, I felt I was on the cusp of a literary masterpiece.

Well, I found out that my writing sucked. But I still had a great story. And so I said to myself, "You really better stop writing, or else you'd better stop sucking!"

Well, it's easier to stop writing than to stop sucking. And, after awhile, you just hate it when everyone asks how the novel is coming. Of course I'd written an Epic and seemed to learn everything I needed to do after the fact.

Fortunately, I had a bunch of delusional - well- not really- beta readers who were telling me this was better than all these different published novels. And so I decided to take the - "I have to stop sucking" route.

In all this time of trying to stop sucking, I became a published poet, a features writer, features editor...blah, blah, blah. It looks far more impressive on paper- trust me! Lol- even my son is employed full time in the business, editing, writing, and even doing layouts for real money.

Still, I think I'm almost done sucking now. But I won't make any bold prognostications, because it doesn't really matter if this or that person sees, kinda likes, knows this or that person. It only matters when the book is sitting in Barnes & Nobles or Borders, and in someone's hands while sipping a hot chocolate.

So, I won't tell you quite how close I am to someone else thinking I don't suck, someone that really matters. But what I will say is that I've gleaned so much wisdom and insight from the writers here, and those who have basically been offering a wealth of knowledge about writing and publishing, sharing your riches with us who came here impoverished.

Even today I was browsing around on threads written by hopeful writers, and I learned some really important tips.

Now, if I finally get called into the big leagues, and I'm about ready to take my first swing at the ball, I may come out with tons of new questions for those who've been there and done that.

In the meantime, I figured I'd tell you all how much I appreciate, Jenna, Jim, Absolute Write, and all of you for asking the most stupid questions in the world, so I could just read over your shoulders and learn all about those stupid things I never knew.

Thanks,
Hopefully done sucking, Nate

lfraser said:

Stick around, then. I'm likely to ask a few more stupid questions.

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Thanks. Those are always the best questions, the ones the rest of us are afraid to ask!

kristie911 said:

The first step is admitting you suck...

Oh wait, wrong support group.

Welcome back! Nice to see you again. Congrats on getting published.

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Thanks Kristie. Lol- I've got the perfect support group here!

The funny thing is that so many of my AW "Freshman Class" went on to get their novels published rather quickly. I was so excited for them, Liam and Ray and so many others.

I can't complain when all these wonderful things were and are happening. Doors opened that I never expected, and they continue to open.

SinkFulloDishes said:

I, too, am on the road to less suckiness, and have loved this forum and its members for helping my stories to not be squelched under my pen. Uh, keyboard.

Great post .

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SFD, I look forward to reading your novel. I love this forum too, and found many great friends here, who are still friends. The impressive thing to me is how great so many of these writers are. They're such giving and supportive people in general.

Nate

Pila said:

Whenever I'm on the boards I can just feel all of my suckiness being sucked away from the collective amount of pure AWESOME on here. Everybody here is pretty amazing =)

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Hi Pila. That's wonderful. It's taken longer for my suckiness to abate because I'd written a huge body of work. When I came here, I didn't have a WIP, I had an Epic Fantasy needing critical care, a frontal lobotomy, and a heart transplant. So instead, I wrote the prequel.

LOL- I was so frustrated I wanted to give the whole thing to a surgeon who would fix it, or send it to the morgue to be put to rest, but the truth is that I had to fix it.

Soccer Mom said:

Nate! So glad to see you back here, buddy.

I hope the person reviewing your work recognizes your lack of suckitude!

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Thanks Soccer Mom. Gee, how did you know someone was reviewing my work? You're insightful. Well, that's a story for another thread, but only if my dreams come true.

Maryn said:

Nate, I'm glad all over again I steered you here (and away from a less-supportive writing site where nobody's welcome is very warm). You, and every aspiring writer, deserve better. In fact, you deserve AW.

I feel a plaque, or at least a message taped to my monitor, coming on:

You really better stop writing, or else you'd better stop sucking!​

Maryn, who just loved that line

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Thanks Maryn!!!! Great steer!
I'll put a banner up here. I'm a published poet because of Absolute Write, a member of international poetry societies, published in several continents because of Absolute Write. I'm a journalist now because of Absolute write. I'm an editor because of Absolute Write. I have photos and art published because of Absolute Write. My son is being trained by a publisher to take over his (boss's) job because of Absolute Write.

I didn't seek any of these things. And should my novels get published and turned into movies, I will have more than a few AW friends to thank for it. Even the rebukes- Nate, what the **** did you go and do that for!!! have helped the process.

AW is in my mind the best writers' site on the internet. LOL- Everyone remind me to reserve a space for Jenna when I get invited to Oprah.

Turkey Lurkey said:

I haven't decided if I suck or not, but I love your post! It is nice to have such a positive statement here in the novel's section. Congratulations on overcoming suckitude!

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Lurkey. The real question is do you have a dream? In my life I've come to realize that our dreams are far more real than our doubts. That doesn't mean dreams come true without a great deal of effort, which is why we need those dreams to carry us through the hard times.

Nate

lfraser said:

Nate, it's very heartening to learn that you've come so far. I'm where you were a while back, understanding that my WIP stinks and having to decide whether to go on or forget about writing altogether.

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Fraser, there are ways to test your WIP. A few years ago, I ran into a few agents at a writer's conference. I asked Norman Lear's agent if she'd like to see my WIP. She asked me, "What's it about?" LOL- nobody had ever asked me to summerise my WIP, and I froze. I could tell her the Genre, but I'd never been forced to capsulize my story in a few sentences.

The next year I was invited by a friend to a school with a writer's masters, to sit in on a "Meet the agent" night. I came to this room with round tables, and all the students sat together. I saw one table with a lone guy sitting there, who I didn't know. We started talking and I learned he was an entertainment attorney that represented the Tolkien Estate for the LOTR movies. In a few seconds the table was filled with agents and little old me. One of them asked me "What's your story about", and I had two agents handing me their cards.

Well, only one responded, looked at my MS, said I needed a faster opening. Well, I wrote one in a few days. She finally decided it wasn't right. But she was so kind to tell me she liked this and that, and thought it needed certain changes. Well, she was so right. The problem was that when I made the initial changes she asked for, I rushed right through and didn't put it aside long enough to read it objectively. When I did, I almost puked, wondering how I could have written such horrible drivel. The idea was great, but the execution was poor. It was like having the greatest prom date, the girl I'd always loved in High School said yes, but I showed up with a broken zipper and a stain on my shirt.

The key to knowing if you have a story worth saving is if Beta Readers like it. (Those people who like a certain Genre and will read it for free and give you feedback) and the other way to know is whether when people ask you what the story is about, they don't fall asleep when you're telling them.

Ultimately, there is such a difference between not being a story teller and not being able to execute a story. One is mechanics, the other is creativity. If you have the creativity and are willing to listen and learn, it may take time, but it may well be worth learning.

Nate

kimmi said:

Nate, welcome home!!!!

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Hi Kimmi. It's great to be here!

Nate

stormie said:

Hey, Nate! I haven't seen you in awhile around here and wondered. Welcome back! (And I remember when you were just a newbie here....) I like your metaphor about the prom date. Right on target. I've been writing for over seven years, and I still have a lot to learn and far to go. You sound like you're on the right track, knowing that there's so much info out there, so much to take in, but you're perservering (sp?). I'm still reminding myself--every day, every minute--not to give up. And to read as many posts and questions on AW. Best boards around! Congrats on all that you have accomplished.

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Thanks Stormie. I haven't been around for a while, except to poke my head in a time or two. I've missed the banter of friends. But there's also this thing where I don't want to appear like "Poor old pathetic nate..." still trying to get published- lol. That's how I feel when the librarian asks how the book is coming along whenever I pass by...

I never gave up on the dream, but I realized there was so much work to do, and that it was best to avoid the subject, lest I look like John Nash in a Beautiful Mind, with a gragage filled with scattered papers and unwound string twisted about. (Oh, poor lad still thinks he's going to get published)

Smiles- I feel I hardly know me!

Danger Jane said:

Nateskaaaaaate!



I feel that I hardly know you.

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