For some years now I have been a member of The Novel Workshop, a place I stumbled across by pure accident after being advised to join an online forum by a friend. I had just spent the last two years of my life writing what became the first two novels in my middle grade fantasy series, Truth Teller and The Wrath of Siren.
This was a very exciting time for me, but I was in for a shock. I was introduced to the Young Adult Novel Workshop and I made it my second home. Wow! I was talking with other writers for the first time and it was fantastic! Full of pride, I uploaded my story and presented it to the writing world. I was sure they would love it as much as I did. It was my baby. I had literally put my heart and sole into it. It was the most important thing in my world.
Then came the reviews. Man! These people really knew their stuff. They took my story and completely destroyed it. Completely and utterly! There wasn’t a single word in it that wasn’t wrong in some way. They started telling me I needed to know all this stuff...rules, and more rules. They used words I didn’t understand ...lol... I slumped back in my chair, crushed. My story was rubbish. How was I ever going to get my head around all these stupid rules, it’s impossible!
After the initial shock, I peeled myself off the floor and set to work putting things right. My story wasn’t really rubbish, and all my new found friends were quick to point that out. In fact, they made me feel as though I really had what it takes to become a writer, despite how terrible my first draft was. I had never met people like them. They put hours of their own personal time into helping me, a complete stranger, and asked for nothing in return. To say I was blown away is an understatement. The friends I made will be my friends for life.
That was how I was introduced to the writing community. Without them my dreams could never have come true. With them, anything is possible. This is my tribute to EVERYONE out there with a passion to write, and who put themselves out to help so many people simply because they share an interest. You know who you are! I thank you all.
My advice to any up-and-coming writers out there. Join a forum. Talk to other writers. Don’t just lurk in the background, become part of this awesome community. You will never look back.
The writing community ROCKS!
Monday, July 6, 2009
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23 comments:
Ah. Shucks! *blush* This was the reason The Novel Workshop was created. You should have seen all the thought processes behind the rules for the reviews and the review format and...how to stay on the boards and the blue, the red and the writing list. (Though, for some reason YA doesn't have a writing list anymore).
It just...it was a LOT of hard work to get started and reading this. Wow! It just makes it all feel very worth it. Thanks, Kurt. I've said a thousand times and I'll say it again. You rock!
There are always rough diamonds in a story that just need polishing.
Frankie, The Novel Workshop is the most amazing thing I've ever seen. You should be very, very proud of yourself :) You're a legand!
That's very true, Barbara. Mine was more like a rock than a diamond to start with...lol...but it polished up beautifully :)
yay for the writer's forum!
and Kurt, maybe you should write comedy.
I'd wish to rejoin, but somehow my email was lost :(
Which group were you in? I'll get you reinstated.
lol...I have thought about it, Tamara. I do try to add my strange, child-like sense of humour in my stories :)
Miguel was with us in the YA forum. Hey, Miguel, the passport I made you is still on our board :)
So right, Kurt. Til I got to the group, I knew how to tell a story. I didn't know how to show it. I knew mechanics based on some writing courses, but I didn't know the rules. But even beyond the rules, you share experiences, you learn, you read, you laugh.
Like you, Kurt, I take my hat off to this group and to all the writing groups out there. To its members and to its founders (yeahhhhh Frankie).
Oh gods, Kurt! You were the one who got on my butt about ADVERBS!!! SHEESH!! Every review you gave me mentioned SOMETHING about adverbs!! I was on the verge of despairing until I found that handy little SYNONYM tool on my word program! LOL
Okay, so I'm not the only one who feels like her baby is being sacrificed to the gods of critique. Yet without them my writing would really be worse than bad.
I remember panicing, Stephanie, and sending Frankie an email, "My story has been edited to DEATH!"...lol...Yep, we all feel the same way at some point :)
Apparently, I'm an adjective and adverb queeen...*sigh* And I repeat. Sighs and looks and expressions and eyebrow wiggles and smiles. *nods* Yup...those are my little fo-pah's.
Lol--I'm constantly doing hip-cocks, and eyebrow twitches. Shooting glances, smirks...oh geez the number of SMIRKS Lily has had to put up with!! ACK!
*snort* You said hip-cock.
*giggles* I'm in a mood today. It's my foreman's fault. He's being ornary and it's rubbing off on me. *eye roll*
*giggles* Darn it, I reworded that so it WOULDN'T sound dirty!! LOL
I'm in a great mood. I haven't had to deal with stressing people--only people who make me laugh and feel good. =)
Girls! Girls!...Come on! Keep the dirty posts to your own articles! :D
We were just being ornary, Dad! *rasberry*
Okay. We were being a little...well...*biting lip* Yeah, okay. We'll be good now.
Frankie, is 'being ornary' some kind of code or something? Have you been drinking? :D
Dad!...lol...Are you having a pop at my age again? :)
Wait....wait...we're gonna be good?! But...*pouts* I like being bad!
If I have to be good, can it be at being bad?
Only if you tell us why your mum grounded you for being bad that time...lol...Come on girl, spill the beans and I may let you :)
Mireyah, I still have a poem I wrote (well, coverted) for you in my port...lol...'Twas the Night Before Christmas--YA style'
uhm..........*blink*
I don't remember.
Yeah..that's right. I don't remember.
*Gasp* Mireyah! Was it THAT bad?...lol...
Why, Kurt, are you suggesting that I was ever in TROUBLE???
*smiles angelically, halo gleaming*
I'm afraid I have no clue as to what you're mentioning...perhaps your mind is going?
Poor dear...better make reservations at the "home." *winks*
roflmfao
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