Writing Hobbyists

[Donald Miller]

I just met an outstanding writer online. She is GOOD!! She has no discernible ego problems, and doesn't seem to think that her writing is going to lead to great things. Well, perhaps not great thing, but reading her story through chapter five has made my day. When I made the group, I never imagined that someone like her would join. It's an honor to know her, and I'll do anything I can for her. I won't say her name, but anyone who can spot talent at a mile away will know who she is when they read her work. Interestingly, I've met her on an amateur writers site I had been away from for a while.

She doesn't get very many reads. I don't know exactly what that means but it sort of confirms my opinion that many of those writers really just interested in having their material read. When I read her work, I laughed, smiled like an idiot for about half an hour, and was thoroughly enthralled and enchanted by her skill and talent.

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[50's Kid]

I suppose writing students should take a class or two in psychiatry. Knowing what drives people you don't understand is important, I think. There's this interesting narcissist -- interesting if you don't have to be around him for very long -- on YouTube who has posts about what its like to be a narcissistic psychopath.

That sounds a little bizarre, doesn't it? I wonder if he is for real or is just putting people on.
It took me a long time to learn to stop and try to see the other person's viewpoint, and to try to have some empathy. Sometimes it is hard, when they are being so anti-social, but that just makes it more of a challenge.
A side benefit is that it does make writing easier, because it is more possible to see the way the bad guys might view the world. I like to show what event(s) made them turn to the dark side, rather than make them one dimensional. It is just more realistic.
Of course, there are those few people that Will Rogers obviously never met. I grew up with a few of them who were beyond redemption.

 

[Mr Nobody]

I suppose writing students should take a class or two in psychiatry. Knowing what drives people you don't understand is important, I think. There's this interesting narcissist -- interesting if you don't have to be around him for very long -- on YouTube who has posts about what its like to be a narcissistic psychopath.

I wouldn't go as far as saying you should take a class, but trying to understand what makes people tick can really only help with characterisation. The obvious pitfall there is, perhaps, a subsequent tendency to stereotype (e.g. the 'We should have known he was going to kill and dismember his wife because as a child he'd drown wasps in the paddling pool' style trope that turns up in too much crime fiction these days).

 

[50's Kid]

I guess I'll just go out on a limb and say that the SKMB is really the best "Writing Group" you will find, with a huge number of members, from many backgrounds, and with many varied opinions. The advice is free, too, with no cover charge required to get in the joint.
As for egos, hey, who said it was bad to have an ego? We’d all be pretty boring and ineffective without one.
Kind of ironic to find something you are looking for, while searching for clues to it somewhere else, but it happens all the time in life.

 

[Walter Oobleck]

I suppose writing students should take a class or two in psychiatry. Knowing what drives people you don't understand is important, I think. There's this interesting narcissist -- interesting if you don't have to be around him for very long -- on YouTube who has posts about what its like to be a narcissistic psychopath.

I took a course when I was working on my undergraduate degree...and another when I tried to become a graduate student...the first looked at what was then and maybe still is known as "Third Force Psychology"...Maslow, someone, and Karen Horney, one of Freud's rebellious daughters. Her Neurosis and Human Growth is both enlightening and baffling and it is truly a treasure when one understands the concepts outlined therein...a treasure in that her theory can be applied to literary criticism, to characters...and more than a few have used the theory outlined by Horney to do just that. Also, when I tried to be a graduate student, I took a course called Third World Literature and those reads are fascinating for the manner in which the writers we read seemed to be displaying Horney's theory at work, but as it would apply to government...neurotic government...and those kept by government...(I wonder if the Stockholm Syndrome applies?) and maybe that was even more so with the metaphors of the jungle they used at times...as does...someone, perhaps it was Horney, perhaps it was the professor who taught the first course. I remember trying to tell the seminar how fascinated I was by what I was discovering...this in that grad school course...and there was this smarmy bastard over in the corner doing all he could do to keep from spraying the hardwood table we were gathered around. The professor seemed genuinely interested. Petals of Blood, The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born, Waiting for the Barbarians, Too Late the Phalarope, Things Fall Apart, In The Castle of My Skin (an excellent story) and to a lesser degree, Mine Boy, Midnight's Children, A House for Mr. Biswas.

Horney...or Bernie Paris reading her work...or both...said that a human could make three decisions regarding life, three courses that are less than healthy, away from people, like the gazelle...toward people, like the rhyme, I love little pussy, her coat is so warm, and if I don't hurt her, she'll do me no harm...or against people, like the lion. Simplified, but a taste. Well worth checking out if you are interested. As I said, enlightening and baffling.

 

[Donald Miller]

I guess I'll just go out on a limb and say that the SKMB is really the best "Writing Group" you will find, with a huge number of members, from many backgrounds, and with many varied opinions. The advice is free, too, with no cover charge required to get in the joint.
As for egos, hey, who said it was bad to have an ego? We’d all be pretty boring and ineffective without one.
Kind of ironic to find something you are looking for, while searching for clues to it somewhere else, but it happens all the time in life.View attachment 5776

I wouldn't go as far as saying you should take a class, but trying to understand what makes people tick can really only help with characterisation. The obvious pitfall there is, perhaps, a subsequent tendency to stereotype (e.g. the 'We should have known he was going to kill and dismember his wife because as a child he'd drown wasps in the paddling pool' style trope that turns up in too much crime fiction these days).

There are free online courses that you can go through at your own pace. Yale University has one and so does MIT. I haven't seen MIT's, but Yale's is good.

 

[Donald Miller]

I'm taking the writing challenge, and I invite other writing students to join me. The Writing Challenge is based on the advice of two prominent writers, Stephen King and Ray Bradbury. In his book "On Writing" Mr. King mentions having a specific writing goal in terms of word count. Mr. Bradbury has an additional excellent idea for writing students, write one short story a week. Give it a year or two to develop your skills. He defies anyone to write 52 stories and not have one good one in the batch.

Reach for your personal best, along with a few other friendly writing students. The site and everything related to it is, of course, completely free. I welcome traveling companions on my journey. Perhaps together, we will get to where we want to be quicker.

Write On | Creative Writing Study Group

 

[Scratch]

... and Karen Horney, one of Freud's rebellious daughters.

Okay I know this is a serious discussion but do you suppose it was a Freudian slip to create this name? I can hear the next line- "No sir, we didn't ask what you wanted in a female. We asked what you wanted to name this one."

 

[Walter Oobleck]

Okay I know this is a serious discussion but do you suppose it was a Freudian slip to create this name? I can hear the next line- "No sir, we didn't ask what you wanted in a female. We asked what you wanted to name this one."

Could be...don't recall if this daughter was the one who wrote about penis envy. For some reason I'm reminded of those two old farmers in the photo painting pitchfork...why so glum, chum? I'm trying to listen to how memory tells me the various professors pronounced her name...but I got nothing. Horn-nay? Horn-ee!

 

[Donald Miller]

Yesterday, I started a short story called, "The Writing." I'm really excited about it. The main character in it is, of course, given the theme of this thread, similar in attitude to the author of "On Writing." At first, just the beginning of the story occurred to me. But it wasn't long before the entire story came to me. Now all I gotta do is write it. It's going to be fun!

It's a story about a happy life, following your dreams, envy, malice. Essentially it's a thriller/horror story. I don't think it's going to take long to write. We'll see.

 

[Donald Miller]

Just finished the first chapter of "The Writing"

Chapter One The Smell of Victory in The Morning

I followed Stephen King's advice to writers: write for yourself and have fun. That I did. I hope anyone who cares to read it will enjoy it half as much as I did writing it. Here's the link--

The Writing Chapter One | Creative Writing Study Group

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[Donald Miller]

Chapter Two A Cup of Coffee and a Box of Rejection Slips

The Writing Chapter Two | Creative Writing Study Group

 

[Donald Miller]

New Link To The Writing
I decided to place it on my own page on the Creative Writing Community, instead of the posts pages where the Homework Challenges are. If you are a writing student, check it out. It's a free fully developed site that I made from scratch for anyone who wants to have free resources at hand and the moral support of other writing students.
The Link
The Writing | Creative Writing Study Group
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[Donald Miller]

Normally, I wouldn't want to place a spoiler about anyone's work, but especially my own. Therefore, under the circumstances I must point out that Edwind is the hero of the story. The intention of the story is to show the virtue in doing what you love, following your dreams, and how envious people can and will try to sabotage you if they can. Edwin triumphs in the end.

I have this most of this story in my head. Now, the trick is putting it in words. One 4,000 word chapter that I am personally satisfied with. So far, so good. Got inspired by Mr. King's original challenge -- and I'm still planning on doing that on my site. But this story arose, and I want to run with it.

 

[Donald Miller]

I took a course when I was working on my undergraduate degree...and another when I tried to become a graduate student...the first looked at what was then and maybe still is known as "Third Force Psychology"...Maslow, someone, and Karen Horney, one of Freud's rebellious daughters. Her Neurosis and Human Growth is both enlightening and baffling and it is truly a treasure when one understands the concepts outlined therein...a treasure in that her theory can be applied to literary criticism, to characters...and more than a few have used the theory outlined by Horney to do just that. Also, when I tried to be a graduate student, I took a course called Third World Literature and those reads are fascinating for the manner in which the writers we read seemed to be displaying Horney's theory at work, but as it would apply to government...neurotic government...and those kept by government...(I wonder if the Stockholm Syndrome applies?) and maybe that was even more so with the metaphors of the jungle they used at times...as does...someone, perhaps it was Horney, perhaps it was the professor who taught the first course. I remember trying to tell the seminar how fascinated I was by what I was discovering...this in that grad school course...and there was this smarmy bastard over in the corner doing all he could do to keep from spraying the hardwood table we were gathered around. The professor seemed genuinely interested. Petals of Blood, The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born, Waiting for the Barbarians, Too Late the Phalarope, Things Fall Apart, In The Castle of My Skin (an excellent story) and to a lesser degree, Mine Boy, Midnight's Children, A House for Mr. Biswas.

Horney...or Bernie Paris reading her work...or both...said that a human could make three decisions regarding life, three courses that are less than healthy, away from people, like the gazelle...toward people, like the rhyme, I love little pussy, her coat is so warm, and if I don't hurt her, she'll do me no harm...or against people, like the lion. Simplified, but a taste. Well worth checking out if you are interested. As I said, enlightening and baffling.

Haven't heard from you for a couple of days. Any problems?

 

[Walter Oobleck]

Haven't heard from you for a couple of days. Any problems?

Work...and more work. I did comment on...Chapter One I think it was? Only...I guess I was not logged in as my self because after my post was moderated it has appeared as Anonymous. That guy gets a lot of credit, hey? Or should we give him some flack? O western wind, when wilt thou blow! Still contemplating A Rose for Emily...story I've read a number of times now, once or twice for a class no doubt. Silas Marner was a personal read in the Ago. George Eliot is a fine writer, one whose tellings are open to the literary criticism I posted about somewhere...actually, the one you quoted. She's up there with Dosty and Shakepeare...whose bust in the classroom of the Finnish ghetto where I was born and raised makes sense for that reason. But no...no problems I don't guess...other than the typical problems associated with being new to a...media...a form of communicating, finding my way around, that sort of thing.

 

[Donald Miller]

Yeah. You want to watch out for being "Anonymous". There's a few out there. One, and I know it wasn't you, placed a comment on one of my book chapters that I transfered over to the Psycho Mail section of the site.

Well, don't work too hard. Nice to touch base.

 

[Walter Oobleck]

Yeah. You want to watch out for being "Anonymous". There's a few out there. One, and I know it wasn't you, placed a comment on one of my book chapters that I transfered over to the Psycho Mail section of the site.

Well, don't work too hard. Nice to touch base.

Actually...it was two posts as Anonymous, but one could tell that, I think, from the...flow. And whoa, Psycho Mail? Want to say that anyone tells me go blow I'd want to read it...you don't work 25 years self-employed as a carpenter without making a few mistakes and boy, people let you know. Some are more diplomatic about it, so diplomatic that you smile and work for nothing on a weekend and want to take them out to dinner afterward. And you pay! Plus leave a tip! Maybe throw in a back rub. The Psychos...sheesh, what can be done?...all those folk running around looking for someone to be the recipient of their long-anticipated glee.

 

[Donald Miller]

Got a message from Becki where she says, "I'm busier than a one-armed wallpaper hanger." Hahaha

If it's the ones about the cup of coffee and the cliches. If I had known it was use, I might not have responded like I did. That kind of bothered me. I went to bed kind of depressed. I thought it would be something that guy who left the exploding atomic bomb image on this thread, the one that took up half the threads space, and captioned, Killer of hopes destroyer of souls.

BUT whoever left the message about chapter one, it lead to the chapter two which I think it's humorous. I took them and place them as one chapter on my section of the member's area. They're really the first chapter anyway and not two chapters. So, it's a four thousand word chapter. If you press Ctrl and the F key together, you'll get a find box. (Works on all web pages, PDFs, etc.) The cliche inspired section is at A Box of Rejection Slips and a Cup of Coffee.
The Writing | Creative Writing Study Group

 

[Donald Miller]

Sticking with the 2,000 word guideline Stephen gave in his book, "On Writing". I've never set a word count goal for myself. 2,600+ today.

Chapter Two | Creative Writing Study Group

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