How Many Writers At This Party?

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Walter Oobleck

keeps coming back...or going, and going, and going
Mar 6, 2013
11,749
34,805
Radio commercials count? I've "written" a bunch of my own radio commercials over the past four five years...and I've had some positive feedback...as well as one anonymous hate letter. Heh! I wrote one based on the Heikki Lunta Snow Dance Song...only it was a window-man song. Had many people comment on that...a few laughed at me but that's okay as they remembered it. Was in a parking lot this once and some guy sees my truck, comes over, and says he was singing the window-man song, couldn't get it out of his head. I've also had at least one copycat...as another took the "superhero" theme I began to use and applied it to his business. 30-seconds of air-time is a real eye-opener when it comes to words and what can and cannot be "said" in 30-seconds...too, the way they edit a tape at the station is amazing...getting rid of those regional pauses, gasps...seems like that in itself is an art...looking at this squiggly line, highlighting a section, removing that...fitting what wants to be said in 30-seconds.
 

kingricefan

All-being, keeper of Space, Time & Dimension.
Jul 11, 2006
30,011
127,446
Spokane, WA
I wanna read it!

"Does that count"?! I wanna read it, too!!!
It's called 'The Exit' and it's in the February 1987 issue. Gawd, has it really been that long ago!!!!! For those of you out there who may have read it or will read it, just remember it's the first (and only) story I've ever sent out for consideration of publication, and I was very young, so be nice. Please. :biggrin-new:
 

Shasta

On his shell he holds the earth.
It's called 'The Exit' and it's in the February 1987 issue. Gawd, has it really been that long ago!!!!! For those of you out there who may have read it or will read it, just remember it's the first (and only) story I've ever sent out for consideration of publication, and I was very young, so be nice. Please. :biggrin-new:
Dang, you're gonna make me work for it. It's on.
 

kingricefan

All-being, keeper of Space, Time & Dimension.
Jul 11, 2006
30,011
127,446
Spokane, WA
Dang, you're gonna make me work for it. It's on.
Yep and good luck! I see 'Castle Rock' issues pop up on ebay every once in a while. I wish I knew how to put stuff like this on disc because they're just made out of the same paper as newspapers are and won't last forever. There is alot of really cool things within those pages- original version of Dolan's Cadillac, original version of King's 'The Dreaded X' essay, advance chapters to Drawing Of The Three, the winning story that King picked from a contest, etc. One time I tried to use my scanner and scan the pages but it didn't work very well.
 

FireGurl26

Deleted User
Dec 20, 2011
93
458
Michigan
As a child writer who grew into an adult one I would say three things were most important to me a little encouragement, a library card and freedom. The most detrimental was being told I was "gifted" or had "natural talent" as a writer. You tell your son "your stories are so good because you work so hard on them. Your stories are so good because you take your time with them. You think them through. Looks like you really have fun writing your stories. You work really hard at your creative ideas. If you work really hard on your writing you will get better and better each day" Let your son know that it is because of HIS actions and choices that his "talent" for writing is being developed not some whispy hand from the writing gods. Because I was never told it was ME and my actions and choices of reading a ton of books and writing story after story but some untouchable "specialness" I felt I had the golden touch and never had to work hard at my writing--never developed the ability to handle the rigors of the craft. I just floated on this "talent" that everyone said I had--and therefore never developed the discipline that real writing requires.

That's what I love about Mr. King's attitude about his "gift" he doesn't acknowledge he has one. "I'm just a guy. And I'm successful because I read a lot and I write a lot" and he gives us that encouragement that we can be successful too.

I will tell you about a study they did with kids your son's age. They gave easy word puzzles to two groups of 5th graders. The first group they said to the kids as they were working on the puzzles, "Wow you are really good at doing puzzles." With the second group they said "Wow, you really worked on that puzzle." Then they offered each group either the same kind of "easy puzzle" or a harder one. Most of the kids in the first group chose to stay with the easy type puzzle but those kids that were told that they were successful because they "worked hard" chose the next harder puzzle. This study is from a fantastic book every one should read called The Genius In All of Us: how everything we've been told about genetics, talent and giftedness is wrong by David Shenk : Amazon.com: The Genius in All of Us: Why Everything You've Been Told about Genetics, Talent and IQ is Wrong (Audible Audio Edition): David Shenk, Mark Deakins: Books This book finally, after forty years unshackled me from the idea that I wrote well because I was "gifted" and made me see that it was because since I was little kid I read a lot and I wrote a lot because I had opportunity (basically I had no friends lol) so I had a lot of alone time to develop. It is the most freeing thing not to be burdened by my "gift from God" anymore and now at 51, I am starting over to see if it isn't too late for me to develop the work ethic required to be a successful writer.

You tell your son it is the action that leads to the gift not the other way around--I wish someone had told me that when I was 10. Okay I'm getting down off my soapbox now.
wow! Amazing info! Yes, I give him accolades, but i def. tell him that he works his patooy off! Thanks for all the insight!
 

GNTLGNT

The idiot is IN
Jun 15, 2007
87,651
358,754
62
Cambridge, Ohio
Radio commercials count? I've "written" a bunch of my own radio commercials over the past four five years...and I've had some positive feedback...as well as one anonymous hate letter. Heh! I wrote one based on the Heikki Lunta Snow Dance Song...only it was a window-man song. Had many people comment on that...a few laughed at me but that's okay as they remembered it. Was in a parking lot this once and some guy sees my truck, comes over, and says he was singing the window-man song, couldn't get it out of his head. I've also had at least one copycat...as another took the "superhero" theme I began to use and applied it to his business. 30-seconds of air-time is a real eye-opener when it comes to words and what can and cannot be "said" in 30-seconds...too, the way they edit a tape at the station is amazing...getting rid of those regional pauses, gasps...seems like that in itself is an art...looking at this squiggly line, highlighting a section, removing that...fitting what wants to be said in 30-seconds.
...now you're talking MY language....
 

DiO'Bolic

Not completely obtuse
Nov 14, 2013
22,864
129,998
Poconos, PA
I dunno. Could you describe it for me? I need to compare it to my 20 other pullovers. :rofl:


LOL, lets see:

The perfect blend of classic ease and comfort
with fashion forward styling. Whether your
tastes run towards casual wear, a day at the
office, or a night on the town, this stylish
pullover is sure to be your first choice, and
will relegate all your other tops to the back
of the closet.



(Translation: We just got in a boat-load of women’s pullover tops for $4 a piece from Bangladesh. We’ll list them at $39.95 and put them on sale for $25.00. So make them appealing in just about every wearing condition, because we really need to move them out!)

:rolleyes:
 

Moderator

Ms. Mod
Administrator
Jul 10, 2006
52,243
157,324
Maine
LOL, lets see:

The perfect blend of classic ease and comfort
with fashion forward styling. Whether your
tastes run towards casual wear, a day at the
office, or a night on the town, this stylish
pullover is sure to be your first choice, and
will relegate all your other tops to the back
of the closet.



(Translation: We just got in a boat-load of women’s pullover tops for $4 a piece from Bangladesh. We’ll list them at $39.95 and put them on sale for $25.00. So make them appealing in just about every wearing condition, because we really need to move them out!)

:rolleyes:

Good start but if doesn't say it's machine wash/dry, it doesn't make the cut. ;) First look at picture and if it makes that cut, I go to care instructions so no matter how much you spin the description, it's not going anywhere near my closet. :p
 

DiO'Bolic

Not completely obtuse
Nov 14, 2013
22,864
129,998
Poconos, PA
Good start but if doesn't say it's machine wash/dry, it doesn't make the cut. ;) First look at picture and if it makes that cut, I go to care instructions so no matter how much you spin the description, it's not going anywhere near my closet. :p


Particulars - schmarticulars! Smart and educated consumers... ARGGGH! The bane of my existence. :eek: