Heya, cool place you got here.

pandna

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Hey, just wanted to introduce myself.

My names Tyler, 24 years old, and I've been interested in writing about since leaving high school. I haven't had much success figuring out exactly what I like writing about, but I've mostly committed myself to fiction. In my life I've found the most amazing emotional and spiritual moments have come from stories, and the messages laid within characters and plots. Guardians of the Galaxy 2 is the latest one of those moving experiences I've had, with Starkiller destroying "Ego", and choosing to save his family over an eternity being god. None of my friends found that movie quite as inspiring as I did, but man it was cool to see such an amazing idea wrapped within a Marvel movie. It's that feeling, the philosophical and inexpressible ideas, and the I want to capture and explore in writing. It's a way for me to express and develop ideas I have no other way of expressing, and come to understand parts of myself that aren't consciously observable.

I sometimes feel the muse leading me through some really great ideas, but mostly feel like my writing is lackluster. I haven't committed enough time to it in the past to develop some sense of prose or style, and I find it hard to really observe my own writing objectively. My goal in joining this forum is to meet people who share the same passion for stories themselves, and to discuss what the hell we're doing writing things out onto a keyboard for. I'd also love to see what people think of stories I've written, so I can learn from them as well as more about my strengths and weaknesses.

I've always wanted to call myself a writer. Some people say, hey do you write? Well you're a writer! For me, I've always considered it more of a journey to take, and after a certain point on that journey you pass a threshold where you no longer feel like an imposter taking on that title. Part of that journey is escaping from the solitude of writing just to the blank page. I'd like to see someone on the other side of that, and hopefully find a bit more purpose in doing so.

Anywhoosle, thanks for being one of those someones, and I hope to get to know you!
 

Enlightened

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:welcome:

Have you chosen what you will focus on (short stories, novelettes, novellas, or novels)? You definitely found a wonderful community of extremely friendly and supportive people. Start by checking out the sticky notes in each subforum. You will get to learn a lot of this place in no time using those resources. Regdog will soon paste a bunch of great info in this thread for you. Look at those. Writing is very expansive, and there is a lot to learn of each type in the forum and from others.
 

CameronJohnston

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It definitely helps to find a community who are also passionate about writing and stories and fiction. It's so hard to improve your writing without feedback from other people, you look at the page and know it's not quite right, but what to do... Once you reach 50 posts you can post in the Share Your Work forum and get some really useful feedback, but just as much if not more can be learned from giving constructive critique to other people as well. I think you have hit the nail on the head with not having committed enough time in the past to develop some sense of prose or style - after a while I certainly noticed a distinctive style developing and it really pulled everything together.
 

Highwayman

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Definitely know what you're talking about when you said that find that reading gives you the most amazing emotional and spiritual moments. I myself have felt plenty of shivers when reading well-written stuff. Welcome to the forums (even though I'm new myself), and I hope you find what you're looking for!
 

regdog

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:welcome:


Take some time and read the Newbie Guide and the Stickies found
at the top of Forum pages. They are your best guide to learning about
Absolute Write.


Stop by the Weekend Progress Report each week to brag about your weekly writing accomplishments.
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Try stopping by Writing Exercises, Prompts & Whimsical Pursuits and give the Flash Fiction Challenge a try.
 

pandna

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Thanks for the replies everyone. Right now I'm having fun exploring short stories. Being able to distill an idea without dealing with as much world building, and focusing more on making each sentence impactful to the overall meaning of the work is a nice challenge. I've been working on a five part short story, which I guess might just turn into like a five part novel.

Cameron yeah I am really curious about that process. For instance the easiest to identify writer I know is Hunter S. Thompson. One of my favorite books is Rum Diaries. You get this consistent voice from from him throughout the whole book, and anything he else he writes has that same feel. For me, I have so many different ways I want to approach things, go more poetic in this spot, go more descriptive in this spot, ect. Also the quality of my metaphors and what not aren't consistent while I'm writing, so it all feels like a roller coaster.
 

The Urban Spaceman

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Welcome! I wasn't a massive fan of GoTG2, what with them diverging so wildly from the comic canon of who Quill's father was (went into the cinema expecting one story arc, ended up watching another—but at least I have the promise of ADAM in the future... they can't mess that up... right?!) but to each their own!
 

Enlightened

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Thanks for the replies everyone. Right now I'm having fun exploring short stories. Being able to distill an idea without dealing with as much world building, and focusing more on making each sentence impactful to the overall meaning of the work is a nice challenge. I've been working on a five part short story, which I guess might just turn into like a five part novel.

That would make an interesting novel, if the stories inter-relate. Fantastic!
 

pandna

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I was never a comic book reader growing up, so in the case of the Marvel movies sometimes ignorance is bliss. I hate when movies take too much liberty with the plot, sometimes it's impossible not to hate a movie for it, but I like to give it a shot. I highly recommend giving Guardians another shot next time you watch it.

What did you think of Ragnarok?
 

pandna

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That would make an interesting novel, if the stories inter-relate. Fantastic!

That's what the plan is! I'm basing the stories on the Phantom on the Horizon album by the Fall of Troy, so sort of wanting to make the short stories follow the feel of the music, and hopefully add another dimension to the album. Sometimes when I'm lying in bed listening to an album I enter a sort of narrative music video dream state, and I'm wanting to write what I see in that.
 

Klope3

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Feeling that passion for stories, and struggling to match the standards of your favorite ones--sounds a lot like me. I often wonder how much of the passion I feel while writing certain passages will actually be able to make others feel something. I suppose critique is the only way to find out.

Looking forward to reading your work!
 

Steph Dubs

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Years ago I took an expository writing course and I happened to mention to my professor that I wanted to be a writer. He asked if I ever wrote outside of class. When I said, "constantly", he shrugged and replied, "Well, you're a writer." Like you, I was unsure for a long time if that was true. It didn't seem like something I got to decide. It was only recently that I realized that if I don't call myself a writer, and believe it, then no one else is going to. Anyway, I just wanted to share that I identified, as I'm sure many people would.

Also, welcome! I'm new to the community, too. I hope you continue to enjoy that journey to finding your "voice."
 

xenylic

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Welcome, Tyler!
Writing is always an evolving process for everyone, and you can really find yourself in certain communities. I totally get what your inspiration means to you. I was the same way, except instead, while I was growing up, my idol was the Avatar TV show. I wrote a full freakin' book (62k words!) of fan-fiction in deference to that hallmark of my childhood before I even considered myself a writer, or moving on to projects of my own creation. The best thing about writing is making all the little tidbits in your mind culminate into something beautiful on paper. I wish you the best of luck and hope you enjoy the Absolute Write forums!
 

carrie_ann

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...after a certain point on that journey you pass a threshold where you no longer feel like an imposter taking on that title.

It didn't seem like something I got to decide. It was only recently that I realized that if I don't call myself a writer, and believe it, then no one else is going to. Anyway, I just wanted to share that I identified, as I'm sure many people would.

Welcome and best wishes on your journey! I'm new here too and also suffering from imposter syndrome. It seems it is a popular afflicition around here. I am also of the opinion I don't get to decide. Seems a title one must earn.

That part I put in blue is profound though. I need to work on this. I know it's key. It's amazing how we project our own realities.

When changing industries I wanted to change the way I was addressed. For entirely personal reasons, I wanted to be called by my full name, Carrie Ann, as opposed to the grade school shortened version, Carrie. My new company honored the request to put my full name on my business card and I thought it would be that simple. However I continued to introduce myself as Carrie and the change never stuck.

Seven years later, another job/industry change, I encountered another Carrie. There was imminent confusion should we be referred to the same and as she'd been there longer she requested I make a moniker adjustment. I was happy to comply. Amazingly, when I started introducing myself as Carrie Ann it finally stuck.

Yet still, when someone says to me "What do you do?" I say, "Well, I, um... I, um... well I, um...it's complicated." *nervous giggles*

From another imposter, I hope you both find as much value on this forum as I have. I'm finding the best thing about being a writing imposter is it seems we are in very good company!

ps. This forum is also a procrastinators dream come true!