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Aminar

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I do listen to writing excuses and sometimes make notes, but I have yet to do any of the exercises or writing prompts yet. I have also watched Sanderson's 2014 lectures on YouTube which were really helpful.

At the moment I have ~8500 word written in extremely rough draft of which I would say 1500 is ready to be read at this point. So i should be able to submit something this week.

Cheers  

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Hello, I'm new here from Quebec, Canada.

I write Fantasy, Science Fiction, and Horror, and read mostly the same (best I've read recently being The Dervish House by Ian MacDonald, all-time favourites are Neil Gaiman, Guy Gavriel Kay, and Terry Pratchett), plus a lot of comics and graphic novels (best I've read recently being Locke & Key, all-time favourites are more or less anything by Neil Gaiman, Warren Ellis, and Alan Moore).

I'm hoping to read some submissions and provide some useful criticism, before maybe throwing some of my own stuff into the mix.

Cheers!

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Hello, I'm Kashimir from Finland. I'm a person who likes to have a boring job so that I have the energy to have interesting hobbies, and lately the most important of these hobbies has been writing. I have written on and off for about four years.

 

I have attempted to write a novel multiple times, but as I have learned and started to use basic tools like in-late-out-early, all of these novels have shrivelled into short stories or novelettes. I do revise these stories from time to time, but I have also started working on a novel (again). I owe all of my progress as a writer to Writing Excuses and the Brandon Sanderson's creative writing classes on Youtube, as I have had no formal education in it.

 

I don't read much. Instead I listen to audiobooks, as I can listen to them at work. Eight hours of listening every day gets one through a mind boggling amount of books. I love science-fiction and fantasy, but I have been forced to explore many different genres, as I get through five books in a week on average. 

 

When I'm in a period of intensive writing I tend to put the audiobooks on a break. Instead, I make an "audiobook", using text-to-speech software, of whatever I've written so far on what I'm working on and listen to it, on repeat, for the whole day at work. This allows me to hit the page running once I get home. 

 

A favorite book or even author is a hard question to answer, but something that I've found myself recommending the most to everyone around me is The Baroque Cycle by Neal Stephenson.

 

 

I'm looking forward to participating in the critique group. Writing in English while living in Finland hasn't given me many opportunities to give or get critique.

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Welcome to Reading Excuses!

 

 

 

I don't read much. Instead I listen to audiobooks, as I can listen to them at work. Eight hours of listening every day gets one through a mind boggling amount of books. I love science-fiction and fantasy, but I have been forced to explore many different genres, as I get through five books in a week on average. 
 
When I'm in a period of intensive writing I tend to put the audiobooks on a break. Instead, I make an "audiobook", using text-to-speech software, of whatever I've written so far on what I'm working on and listen to it, on repeat, for the whole day at work. This allows me to hit the page running once I get home. 

 

Wish I could listen to audiobooks at work!  Unfortunately, I have to focus too much on my job and I lose track of the audiobook.

 

Cool technique on listening to what you wrote.  Does that let you pick out parts to edit or just get you back into the writing flow?  I always start writing by reading what I wrote the time before.

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listening to what you wrote.  Does that let you pick out parts to edit or just get you back into the writing flow?

That would drive me completely mental! Listening to what I wrote and not being able to edit it for hours!! I'm in the re-reading camp like you (and Dan), but I can only go back a page or I'll get bogged down in line editing.

Welcome to Reading Excuses, Kashimir, looking forward to reading your stuff.

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Does that let you pick out parts to edit or just get you back into the writing flow?

 

It is really great for picking out problems that can be hard to notice when reading, like small missing words or silly typos.

Also works well for dialog, as it's almost like having someone else reading your dialog out loud.

 

That would drive me completely mental! Listening to what I wrote and not being able to edit it for hours!!

 

Oh, it does drive me mental as well. :D  So I do quick edits on my phone at work. That does sound like a bad work ethic, but we're talking about few seconds here and there.

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Don't start me on work ethic, I've got 8 people in my section. Not aware that any are writers mind you.

 

I'm a great fan of reading out loud for editing. Recording it is something I've never considered, but it sounds like an interesting technique, forcing you to listen to the whole thing rather than reading a couple of lines then stopping to fix something. Hmm, I will try this for a chapter, I think.

 

Nice one!

Edited by Robinski
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  • 5 months later...

Hello! *waves*

 

My name is Marci. I'm 37, a child of the 80's/90's, a Marylander-turned-Hoosier, a Sanderson fan, and longtime listener of the Writing Excuses podcast. I readily admit I joined the forums so I could participate in Reading Excuses. I've been a member for awhile, flying under the radar and feeling out the group, and reading the wonderful submissions. I think I'm ready to participate, and am scheduled to send out my firt submission next Monday. I'm nervous, but also looking forward to it.

 

I've been writing almost as long as I've been able to read. Back in the day, I was a representative for my elementary school in Indiana's "Young Authors" program, and am a bit embarrassed to admit my submissions for that were technically fanfiction. Some of the fandoms I unwittingly participated before the age of the internet were TMNT, Pern, Disney Afternoon, Spaceballs (I'm not going to discuss this, so don't even), and Catcher in the Rye. I was a regular contributor on the Prodigy network for awhile, mostly RP type stuff. After discovering the internet in the late 90's, I participated in the following fandoms: Xena, Harry Potter, Firefly, Dead Like Me, Iron Man, Riddick, Phantom of the Opera, Silver Metal Lover, and Barbara Hambly's Dog Wizard series (even though they frown on that type of thing (Sorry, Ms. Lee & Ms. Hambly.)).

 

In between all the fanfic stuff, I wrote original fiction. When I was still on Prodigy, I made friends with a girl my age, and we became pen pals, doing a round robin type of thing for years where we sent chapters of a fantasy novel back and forth. The submissions I plan to make are a reimagining of that story. So, technically, the novel I'm submitting has been in the works since 1989....

 

Holy crap.

 

Anyhow, I'm very pleased to be here. Next Monday I'm scheduled to make my first submission on my 30-years-in-the-making novel, and I'm nervous. I've belonged to two other workshop groups in the last year, but they didn't really work for me because of the genre (sci-fi/fantasy). The novel I'm submitting here is what I refer to as rural fantasy, as I'm setting it in my neck of the woods (northeast Indiana). I know the industry is flush with urban fantasy, but I hope you'll give my submission a chance. 

 

I'm so pleased to be here. Thank you for your time. :)

Edited by Marci
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...we sent chapters of a fantasy novel back and forth. The submissions I plan to make are a reimagining of that story. So, technically, the novel I'm submitting has been in the works since 1989....

 

...what I refer to as rural fantasy, as I'm setting it in my neck of the woods (northeast Indiana)...

 

This sounds very interesting. I'm very much looking forward to reading your submission, sounds like something a bit different, which is always welcome! :)

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I didn't realize this thread existed, otherwise I'd have already posted, because I love talking about myself.

 

Well, aside from my profile info and introduction my real name is Elyes (Tell me if you don't know how to pronounce that) and I'm an engineering student. I have recently come to love reading and writing, and I'm actually thinking about ditching my engineering studies (which I really hate) and instead majoring in English (if the system ever lets me).

I aspire to be a published author, and I think I'm on the right path for the moment.

I don't know if you've noticed this about me (or maybe I'm just too self-aware), but I tend to sound like a rude person when I'm giving critiques. Perhaps because I express my impressions and feelings too freely. I think I need to work on that and polish the way I say things in the future. Sorry if I hurt anybody's feelings. But, please do just that when you're critiquing me. Be brutal about it. Personally, I like to hear the raw and unpolished impressions of the readers.

 

I haven't read much, but my favorite book (other than Brandon Sanderson) is The Alchemist, by Paulo Coelho.

Edited by king007
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Anyhow, I'm very pleased to be here. Next Monday I'm scheduled to make my first submission on my 30-years-in-the-making novel, and I'm nervous. I've belonged to two other workshop groups in the last year, but they didn't really work for me because of the genre (sci-fi/fantasy). The novel I'm submitting here is what I refer to as rural fantasy, as I'm setting it in my neck of the woods (northeast Indiana). I know the industry is flush with urban fantasy, but I hope you'll give my submission a chance. 

 

I'm so pleased to be here. Thank you for your time. :)

 

Nice to meet you, and looking forward to reading your stuff.

Also, I LOVED Dead Like Me. Another show gone too soon :(

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I don't know if you've noticed this about me (or maybe I'm just too self-aware), but I tend to sound like a rude person when I'm giving critiques. Perhaps because I express my impressions and feelings too freely. I think I need to work on that and polish the way I say things in the future. Sorry if I hurt anybody's feelings. But, please do just that when you're critiquing me. Be brutal about it. Personally, I like to hear the raw and unpolished impressions of the readers.

 

I didn't notice. It's a critique group, you're supposed to be honest about why you disliked something so the author can improve where they're currently weak. Some people may have their feelings hurt by this, but I wouldn't say that's the same as being rude.

That being said, I do try (and often fail) to point out the things I did like, so it's not all doom and gloom. I've noticed you also highlight the good with the bad, so I think you're doing just fine here.

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Well, I suppose I haven't introduced myself here yet.  I'm 26.  I read a lot.  I have a part time job, but I'm actively working on publishing and moving to writing as a full time job when I can.  I've got 9 short stories good enough to submit making the rounds, and I'm polishing a fantasy novel (secondary world, fairies, trauma).  I came here because writing excuses has really helped me think about the craft and because I couldn't find an in-person writing group near me. 

 

I want to be a wizard (or failing that, Neil Gaiman) when I grow up.

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I didn't notice. It's a critique group, you're supposed to be honest about why you disliked something so the author can improve where they're currently weak. Some people may have their feelings hurt by this, but I wouldn't say that's the same as being rude.

That being said, I do try (and often fail) to point out the things I did like, so it's not all doom and gloom. I've noticed you also highlight the good with the bad, so I think you're doing just fine here.

 

Thank you, that's good to know.

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I suspect being Neil Gaiman pays better ;o)

 

You think? Heh.

 

Being a part of those workshops I mentioned helped thicken up my skin a bit, or at least assisted in my ability to accept criticism without wanting to throw the baby out with the bathwater. It was a near thing, though. I never wanted to share my creative writing with anyone until very recently. Part of my day job involves writing marketing/technical copy, but sharing the creative stuff makes me squirm a little. The creative stuff makes me happy in a way the marketing stuff does not, however. I'd love to be as successful writing creatively full-time as I am as a marketing guru, if that makes sense.

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You think? Heh. - Well, maybe evil wizards get better returns, I suspect good ones are like Rincewind. Doing the right thing seldom seems to pay well.

 

Being a part of those workshops I mentioned helped thicken up my skin a bit, or at least assisted in my ability to accept criticism without wanting to throw the baby out with the bathwater... ...sharing the creative stuff makes me squirm a little. - Interestingly, this folds back in King's question about his commenting style. There are a range of feedback styles on here. I think it's important to remember that all come from the place of wanting to help make a story better. As you will know though, as the WE crew say when talking about critiquing, it's important not to justify, and to only take on the comments that you recognise as being 'true'.

 

Also, King007, I bit my tongue above when you asked about your style of commenting, but I guess I shouldn't have, being honest and open and all! I did feel that some of your comments were over the line when you came on first, BUT now that I know you a bit better, I have a context for that and it's fine by me.

 

Furthermore, Silk, I wonder if you might consider pinning the 'Who Are You?' thread on the RE forum, since few new peeps seem to use it, but would I think if it was more visible?

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BUT now that I know you a bit better, I have a context for that and it's fine by me.

 

Even so, I think I ought to be more careful, otherwise it might feel too personal for the other party and that could ruin their motivation or possibly even ruin the general friendly mood of this writing group.

 

Other than that, I noticed someone talking about text-to-speech software in this subject. I just made their discovery a few days ago, and I'm already using one. I find them very helpful, especially for a non-native speaker like me, to hear the text and see if it really flows well. And it also helps me decide where to put the commas and periods, because the tone of the speaker changes accordingly in the software.

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it might feel too personal for the other party and that could ruin their motivation or possibly even ruin the general friendly mood of this writing group.

 

Mmm, I feel that I sail rather close to the wind myself sometimes - I can be a bit 'enthusiastic' in my comments, perhaps that it why I am sensitive to it.

 

The group is robust, I would say. I can only think of one occasion when someone voted down a negative critique, and I've been here approaching 3 years now.

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Mmm, I feel that I sail rather close to the wind myself sometimes - I can be a bit 'enthusiastic' in my comments, perhaps that it why I am sensitive to it.

 

The group is robust, I would say. I can only think of one occasion when someone voted down a negative critique, and I've been here approaching 3 years now.

 

I'll second that (on the robust group--Robinksi, I think  your comments are fine..).  There was one guy who tended to be very critical, and left a little bit after because several people called him on it.  By interesting to note that it was the reviewer who left, not the writer!

 

In any case, king007 since you're aware of the level of critique going on, I don't think you'll have a problem with it.

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  • 1 month later...

*waves*

 

I just sent a PM to Silk asking to be added to this group. I'm very excited to begin critiquing work... for some reason that helps me in writing my own. Makes me aware. Anyway...

 

I'm new on this site, but I've been interested in writing for decades. I have a smattering of poems, stories, unfinished works, etc sitting on my hard drive begging to be worked on. I lack motivation. Part of it is due to mental illness, and I hope that by adding myself to a talented group of other writers I can help myself overcome this challenge and begin truly writing again.

 

I also love to read. I read mysteries and fantasy mostly. SO many authors I couldn't possibly name them all. I prefer series over standalones because I become truly invested in good characters and can't handle saying goodbye to them. That said, I've read ASOIAF many times and still cheer when people die.... hmmm lol

 

Hmm, this isn't much of an introduction. I am not good at talking about myself. I'll open up eventually. I'm excited to be here though. I've recently dusted off some old story notes and I want to expand on them and work on them some more. It'll be nice to have readers who want to critique instead of trying to shove my stores on friends and family who are too afraid to tell me what they really think about them.

 

So, ok. Uhm, "HI" :D

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It'll be nice to have readers who want to critique instead of trying to shove my stores on friends and family who are too afraid to tell me what they really think about them.

 

Lol, no such fear here! :)  Welcome to RE, I for one am always delighted to read new writers' works, so looking forward to seeing some of your stuff.

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Lol, no such fear here! :)  Welcome to RE, I for one am always delighted to read new writers' works, so looking forward to seeing some of your stuff.

Yay! :D

Sadly it seems I've missed reading this week by one day. That said, if anyone wants to, they can send me this week's submissions (their own, only, of course) and I'll happily review. I'm hoping to have something put together soon, perhaps for Monday. Depends if I get added to the list in time to request to submit.

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