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Righters' Club
Free Republic discussion ^

Posted on 03/23/2007 11:44:31 AM PDT by Eleutheria5

Squarebarb:

There were some of us including GOPpoet who were thinking of starting a writer's thread here on FR. There's a horse thread, a football thread, a Hobbit Hole thread, so why not a thread for us writers?

And mainly sticking to fiction otherwise the discussion tends toward politicsa iinstead of the craft of writing.

Okay Eleutheria5, YOU start the thread."

Eleutheria5:

On it. Could use some help from someone who knows how to do HTTP and other techy stuff, though. Tried to learn, but drat that right hemisphere dominance we creative folks have. I've actually been running a board on the aol writers' club since 1996 called Conservative Writers' Club. Mostly it simply fights flame wars with liberal writers, though, and all the conservative contributors, including me, burn out. It'd be great to get away from that and just swap ideas with people who DON'T wish every one of us a flaming death.

(Excerpt) Read more at freerepublic.com ...


TOPICS: Books/Literature
KEYWORDS: conservativewriters; creativecommunity; righters
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To: Oberon

You gave it to me... but no worries.


101 posted on 03/23/2007 2:19:53 PM PDT by carton253 (Not enough space to express how I truly feel.)
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To: Oberon

"Hemingway's writing has a particular style, a particular flavor. If I deliberately tried to write something like it, it would be derivative from the very start. Who wants to go there?
Write like yourself. If you want to write differently, be different."

I find I learn more from reading terrible writers, because I can avoid their mistakes, especially when they repeat them over and over because they think they're doing something clever. Try Harry Turtledove or Piers Anthony for some really bad prose and story structure/execution. Especially Turtledove for bad structure and prose; Anthony for inept dialogue and execution. The masters, I just enjoy for their own sakes. Wouldn't dream of imitating them.


102 posted on 03/23/2007 3:40:06 PM PDT by Eleutheria5
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To: JamesP81; Eleutheria5

Please add me to your ping list. Thanks for doing that and for doing this. ; )


103 posted on 03/23/2007 5:26:35 PM PDT by socialismisinsidious ( The socialist income tax system turns US citizens into beggars or quitters!)
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To: Eleutheria5

NEW THREAD SATURDAY MORNING

I guess that's a way to start a new thread...? New day?

Whatever. I willl be here mostly on Wednesdays and Saturday mornings.
E5 is right about Piers Anthony. Terrible writing. I suppose he gets published because he fills a niche --has the right plot and content. I don't know who publishes him. I could look on Amazon.

But as far imitating your favorite writers, I will say again, you can certainly learn from them. Take note of what they do and how they do it.

For instance I learned a lot from Dickens as far as description goes.

He nevetrs describes anything but what it is in movement. It makes description lively.

If he describes someone entering an inn, for instance. There is an old woman and a cat in front of the fire, and a kettle on the fire.

The old woman is always mumbling, the cat is lashing its tail, the kettle is boiling over.


104 posted on 03/24/2007 7:38:51 AM PDT by squarebarb
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To: squarebarb
Good Morning,

You are right about Dickens. Movement in the description. I never noticed it before.

105 posted on 03/24/2007 10:31:47 AM PDT by carton253 (Not enough space to express how I truly feel.)
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To: Corin Stormhands; JenB; RosieCotton
Would you and other Hobbit Hole residents that have dreams of writing a novel like to join us in this new Righters Club thread. We are here to help each other with our writing.

Jenb, I would like to invite you as well.

Rosie Cotton, I know that you would have some great things to add.

If I have forgotten anyone else, please extend them an invitation on my behalf.

106 posted on 03/24/2007 10:33:53 AM PDT by carton253 (Not enough space to express how I truly feel.)
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To: squarebarb
I like Dickens for his characters as well. Sidney Carton is my favorite of all literary characters. Dickens is one of my favorite authors.

I have been reading Tom Clancy lately. He's a guy who is in desperate need of an editor. If I am told that Pat Foley is a cowgirl one more time I am going to scream. Not just once in each novel (that I can see) but everytime she is introduced (practically).

I am now going to check out my manuscrip and see how much movement I can put in my descriptions without going overboard.

107 posted on 03/24/2007 10:39:11 AM PDT by carton253 (Not enough space to express how I truly feel.)
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To: carton253

Thanks. I'll read along for a while.

I'm not sure I can keep up with another thread/group.


108 posted on 03/24/2007 10:44:02 AM PDT by Corin Stormhands (http://www.virginiaisforrudy.com * http://wardsmythe.com * http://www.rudyblogs.com)
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To: Corin Stormhands

Totally understand. I know you are extremely busy but just wanted to let you know that this thread was here. Have a great day!


109 posted on 03/24/2007 10:48:34 AM PDT by carton253 (Not enough space to express how I truly feel.)
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To: carton253

You too.

If there's a ping list developed, put me on it.


110 posted on 03/24/2007 10:51:24 AM PDT by Corin Stormhands (http://www.virginiaisforrudy.com * http://wardsmythe.com * http://www.rudyblogs.com)
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To: JamesP81

Please add Corin Stormhands to the ping list. Thanks.


111 posted on 03/24/2007 10:58:23 AM PDT by carton253 (Not enough space to express how I truly feel.)
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To: Eleutheria5

Please add me to any writing ping list you may put together.

Thank you.


112 posted on 03/24/2007 11:01:47 AM PDT by Dr.Zoidberg (Mohammedanism - Bringing you only the best of the 6th century for fourteen hundred years.)
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To: Dr.Zoidberg

I checked out your page, good quotes.

The upside down flag reminds me that when I was a kid in a little town of 100, the guy who worked at the feed/general store came in very hungover one morning and mistakenly ran the flag up upside down.

Before 8:30 about four truckers had stopped and run into the store to see what was the matter.

So they ran it back down and got it right.


113 posted on 03/24/2007 11:09:18 AM PDT by squarebarb
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To: carton253

Thanks...I'll read through, in any case.


114 posted on 03/24/2007 11:35:28 AM PDT by RosieCotton
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To: Eleutheria5
You can always rewrite bad work, but you can't rewrite nothing.

Very true, and very edifying!

I tend to get frustrated because everything I attempt is so imperfect, so I just stop. JenB got a group of us into doing NaNoWriMo every year, which is a help. Teaches you to bind your internal editor in a dark corner with duct tape and just *write*. But it can be hard to continue throughout the year with that same attitude.

I'm also one of those irritating folks who obsess about the material side of writing: I like nice pens and nice paper, old typewriters, writing gadgetry and all that. I can spend hours surfing the net reading about the tools instead of actually using 'em. It's a fun way to procrastinate, admittedly, but...

115 posted on 03/24/2007 11:42:54 AM PDT by RosieCotton
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To: Al Gator
You may surprise yourself and become Hemmingway style writer.

*shudder*

(With apologies to Hemingway's Ghost...)

116 posted on 03/24/2007 11:44:16 AM PDT by RosieCotton
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To: carton253

I also love Tale Of Two Cities.

I have it on audio tape, the reader is excellent and there are even a few sound effects.

My own writing is very spare, not at all florid like Dickens, but I still learned from him how to write a lively description.


117 posted on 03/24/2007 12:33:05 PM PDT by squarebarb
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To: squarebarb
Thank you for the kind words.

The shopkeeps mistake had to be embarrassing as was the explanation that followed. Heh.

You have to wonder how many ordinary people these days know what an upside down flag means, let alone care enough to check it out.
118 posted on 03/24/2007 1:56:25 PM PDT by Dr.Zoidberg (Mohammedanism - Bringing you only the best of the 6th century for fourteen hundred years.)
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To: squarebarb

Can I join? I not a writer but I think I could be, if I knew how:')


119 posted on 03/24/2007 3:02:51 PM PDT by CindyDawg (Thank you, Lord.)
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To: CindyDawg

Hey Dawg!

Sure you can join.

I just posted some pics over there on the horse thread.

It's easy. Just start "...once upon a time..."


120 posted on 03/24/2007 3:39:54 PM PDT by squarebarb
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