I signed up to ask for some advice

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sunnykid

Member
Apr 23, 2016
7
21
67
My post is going to be a little different. Not in a bad way. I simply want to ask for some advice.

But first, I just want to say some of the threads in this forum touched my heart. People are caring and respectful to each other. It's very nice compared to a lot of social media websites.

Last summer I went through a terrible experience. I think it could become a movie script or a book. I'm not sure which yet.

I am not a seasoned writer like some of you, so I feel inadequate to write my story. Plus I was so traumatized, it is hard to imagine writing it by myself. I can't even write this without crying. It was horrible thing to go through.

One of my neighbors who was an oddball character got mad at me. She decided to take revenge on me. She found a legal way to physically hurt me because I had a vulnerability she used against me. And she was quite successful in causing me to live in a horrific way for months until she moved.

What she did was injurious to my health, but not against the law because of the way she did it. I contacted the police, an attorney, and social agencies. And there was no stopping her. I suffered daily and recorded my crying and agony into a tape recorder. That was one way I survived. I wish I could say what it was, because then it would make perfect sense. This is very cryptic. It can't begin to explain how personal and horrifying this was. But I don't want to give my story away.

The stress has caused me chest pains for months. I am now on heart medication. The helplessness and horror was as bad as the Shining or Misery. That's why I thought of this website. Nobody could make this up. It is one of those things that you can't create in your imagination. And what I had to do to survive was sub human at times. I'm really glad my friends were there to support me.

She decimated my life. I didn't have a lot of money to begin with. I lost my savings trying to ameliorate the situation. This is the first time I have written anything about it online.

So, how do you tell your story and not have someone walk off and make a cheap version of it? Should I write it out and mail it to myself first? I would appreciate any help. Thank you so much.
 

GNTLGNT

The idiot is IN
Jun 15, 2007
87,651
358,754
62
Cambridge, Ohio
My post is going to be a little different. Not in a bad way. I simply want to ask for some advice.

But first, I just want to say some of the threads in this forum touched my heart. People are caring and respectful to each other. It's very nice compared to a lot of social media websites.

Last summer I went through a terrible experience. I think it could become a movie script or a book. I'm not sure which yet.

I am not a seasoned writer like some of you, so I feel inadequate to write my story. Plus I was so traumatized, it is hard to imagine writing it by myself. I can't even write this without crying. It was horrible thing to go through.

One of my neighbors who was an oddball character got mad at me. She decided to take revenge on me. She found a legal way to physically hurt me because I had a vulnerability she used against me. And she was quite successful in causing me to live in a horrific way for months until she moved.

What she did was injurious to my health, but not against the law because of the way she did it. I contacted the police, an attorney, and social agencies. And there was no stopping her. I suffered daily and recorded my crying and agony into a tape recorder. That was one way I survived. I wish I could say what it was, because then it would make perfect sense. This is very cryptic. It can't begin to explain how personal and horrifying this was. But I don't want to give my story away.

The stress has caused me chest pains for months. I am now on heart medication. The helplessness and horror was as bad as the Shining or Misery. That's why I thought of this website. Nobody could make this up. It is one of those things that you can't create in your imagination. And what I had to do to survive was sub human at times. I'm really glad my friends were there to support me.

She decimated my life. I didn't have a lot of money to begin with. I lost my savings trying to ameliorate the situation. This is the first time I have written anything about it online.

So, how do you tell your story and not have someone walk off and make a cheap version of it? Should I write it out and mail it to myself first? I would appreciate any help. Thank you so much.
.....this sounds horrendous!....write it as it happened....you will be amazed at the cathartic value......and no-one will take anything from your story you don't wish taken, legally anyway....you copyright the material, someone heists it-you sue the dog crap out of them.....
 

not_nadine

Comfortably Roont
Nov 19, 2011
29,655
139,785
Behind you
My post is going to be a little different. Not in a bad way. I simply want to ask for some advice.

But first, I just want to say some of the threads in this forum touched my heart. People are caring and respectful to each other. It's very nice compared to a lot of social media websites.

Last summer I went through a terrible experience. I think it could become a movie script or a book. I'm not sure which yet.

I am not a seasoned writer like some of you, so I feel inadequate to write my story. Plus I was so traumatized, it is hard to imagine writing it by myself. I can't even write this without crying. It was horrible thing to go through.

One of my neighbors who was an oddball character got mad at me. She decided to take revenge on me. She found a legal way to physically hurt me because I had a vulnerability she used against me. And she was quite successful in causing me to live in a horrific way for months until she moved.

What she did was injurious to my health, but not against the law because of the way she did it. I contacted the police, an attorney, and social agencies. And there was no stopping her. I suffered daily and recorded my crying and agony into a tape recorder. That was one way I survived. I wish I could say what it was, because then it would make perfect sense. This is very cryptic. It can't begin to explain how personal and horrifying this was. But I don't want to give my story away.

The stress has caused me chest pains for months. I am now on heart medication. The helplessness and horror was as bad as the Shining or Misery. That's why I thought of this website. Nobody could make this up. It is one of those things that you can't create in your imagination. And what I had to do to survive was sub human at times. I'm really glad my friends were there to support me.

She decimated my life. I didn't have a lot of money to begin with. I lost my savings trying to ameliorate the situation. This is the first time I have written anything about it online.

So, how do you tell your story and not have someone walk off and make a cheap version of it? Should I write it out and mail it to myself first? I would appreciate any help. Thank you so much.

Welcome to the boards. You will find friends here. We are Ka-tet.

Join in.
 

Walter Oobleck

keeps coming back...or going, and going, and going
Mar 6, 2013
11,749
34,805
You survived, sunnykid! That is something that no one, ever, can take away from you. You survived. I like what King writes in Danse Macabre, that horror and humor lie side by side and to deny the one is to deny the other. Michael Perry writes some memorable memoirs. Might be worth your while to check those kinds of writers out. There are others. I'm only aware of a small portion of writers who use memoir as a tool to tell a story. And really that's about all the advice I feel capable of providing you. I'm sorry. I wish I knew more of what to say or do.
 

sunnykid

Member
Apr 23, 2016
7
21
67
Thank you, thank you so much everyone! How can it happen that you feel like you are alone and drifting, and them a few words from kind people bring you back again? Maybe it's because I had an emergency heart catheter procedure last weekend to figure out why the chest pains after all this stress. I think I will try to write it. Nobody else is going to understand it. I think it isn't just the facts, but all the ways I had to adjust things we take for granted to cope with this. And nobody can understand that but me.

I really appreciate you guys.

If it is published sometime I will come back and tell you. Blessings on you.

Sunny
 

GNTLGNT

The idiot is IN
Jun 15, 2007
87,651
358,754
62
Cambridge, Ohio
Thank you, thank you so much everyone! How can it happen that you feel like you are alone and drifting, and them a few words from kind people bring you back again? Maybe it's because I had an emergency heart catheter procedure last weekend to figure out why the chest pains after all this stress. I think I will try to write it. Nobody else is going to understand it. I think it isn't just the facts, but all the ways I had to adjust things we take for granted to cope with this. And nobody can understand that but me.

I really appreciate you guys.

If it is published sometime I will come back and tell you. Blessings on you.

Sunny
...who cares if it's published though?...first and foremost, this is your life and a dark, dark portion thereof, that you're trying to gain perspective on... You do you, and let your mind and heart be at peace....
 

kingricefan

All-being, keeper of Space, Time & Dimension.
Jul 11, 2006
30,011
127,446
Spokane, WA
Welcome! We are a pretty good bunch here. Happy to have you on board. I have to say this: write everything down. Everything, not just the 'facts' but also how you felt and/or feel. Write everything down!!!!!! As we grow older, we tend to forget things and start to disremember. Write it all down. Even if no one ever reads it, it is a good way for you to get it out of your system and therefore move onto a happier place within yourself. As stated above- you survived!!!!! You made it through the darkness, now it's time to release the lingering shadows within. Best of luck.
 
Apr 14, 2016
17
77
30
Don't worry about writing it on your own. Your personal point of view will do the work.
Secondly, even though it seems (and it surely gonna be) to be a hard thing to re-live the events you were going through, it can relieve most of your pains by writing it down, giving it away on a digital paper. Just write it out of yourself and make sure to copyright the work.

Stay in the sun.
 

GNTLGNT

The idiot is IN
Jun 15, 2007
87,651
358,754
62
Cambridge, Ohio
Welcome! We are a pretty good bunch here. Happy to have you on board. I have to say this: write everything down. Everything, not just the 'facts' but also how you felt and/or feel. Write everything down!!!!!! As we grow older, we tend to forget things and start to disremember. Write it all down. Even if no one ever reads it, it is a good way for you to get it out of your system and therefore move onto a happier place within yourself. As stated above- you survived!!!!! You made it through the darkness, now it's time to release the lingering shadows within. Best of luck.
....and he forgot to tell you...write it down!....Jeez, I gotta do everything around here.....*bitch, grumble, gripe*.........
 

sunnykid

Member
Apr 23, 2016
7
21
67
...who cares if it's published though?...first and foremost, this is your life and a dark, dark portion thereof, that you're trying to gain perspective on... You do you, and let your mind and heart be at peace....
Yes, you are right! That takes pressure off yourself. I really like what you said here. That is very freeing. I read a quote by Stephen King that when he writes he goes into a different mode where he is a bit absent and the writer takes over. Not worrying about publishing, I think, would get you into the zone. Like an athlete who once said there are only a few times in life where you get into the "zone" and you are perfect. By perfect, I am thinking "effortless". After "effortless", you edit.
 

sunnykid

Member
Apr 23, 2016
7
21
67
Welcome! We are a pretty good bunch here. Happy to have you on board. I have to say this: write everything down. Everything, not just the 'facts' but also how you felt and/or feel. Write everything down!!!!!! As we grow older, we tend to forget things and start to disremember. Write it all down. Even if no one ever reads it, it is a good way for you to get it out of your system and therefore move onto a happier place within yourself. As stated above- you survived!!!!! You made it through the darkness, now it's time to release the lingering shadows within. Best of luck.
I've been doing that lately. This terrible experience seems to be pushing me into better things. It's kind of amazing how it is helping me. I used to be an editor of a school paper, and writing was so easy. But I was in a car accident and couldn't write very well after that. It was like being 70 years old in those abilities, and I was just 25. But after decades of recovery, and this pushing me to try again I am finding I can write again. There may be a ten year window here between recovering and senility, so this is a good time to write it down!
 

sunnykid

Member
Apr 23, 2016
7
21
67
Don't worry about writing it on your own. Your personal point of view will do the work.
Secondly, even though it seems (and it surely gonna be) to be a hard thing to re-live the events you were going through, it can relieve most of your pains by writing it down, giving it away on a digital paper. Just write it out of yourself and make sure to copyright the work.

Stay in the sun.
Thank you Chrome Rose. (((hugs)))
 

sunnykid

Member
Apr 23, 2016
7
21
67
....and he forgot to tell you...write it down!....Jeez, I gotta do everything around here.....*bitch, grumble, gripe*.........
Thank you King for doing the heavy lifting. Yes, write, write, write. And I decided to use this experience as material for other stories. What she did to me is something others could do if they wanted to bring harm against a neighbor. And I don't want to let that information out. But it was so vivid, and there was so much psychological gavoting between us in that time that I have a huge wealth of jambalaya to draw from. It's spicy and horrific and edible. As you can tell I like words. Fear is a terrible thing, but only if it keeps you from writing. Otherwise, it's a shot in the arm of goodness. Thanks everyone. I now know what I will do with the awfulness. It can be parsed out into other stories. You all have been very kind and helpful. I want this so bad, and just seeing how much you all love writing inspires me. Take care!