Quote from: Cathy C on December 24, 2017, 09:49:53 AM
Oh, now there's a man who may have another story to tell.  ;D

Darn it. Now that's another character screaming to be heard.

For Cathy, re Tumelty.

What I do with people like that - because for we writers they are people, not just characters - is give them a folder of their own and just chuck odd thoughts in there as and when they surface.  That way I can go back to whatever I'm trying to do with a clear conscience and no cross-wired thoughts to annoy/disturb me.

Sometimes they're quite happy to have a drip feed for a year or two.  Sometimes I realise they aren't front page material.  Sometimes they stick in your mind, but you know they were a one-use character.  Stardust Penhaligon the randy Hippy Hitchhiker was like that.  No backstory and no future.  And sometimes they just get more and more insistent until I give in, pull them out into the daylight, and give them some more serious thought.

Then there's the ones you try to kill, because you know it's the right ending for that particular story, but they won't bloody die and you rewrite the end to leave it slightly open.

Gyppo

I like the idea of a folder for Tumilty. Thanks, Gyppo.

As for characters who refuse to die...I've had a few of them in my time. Maybe I should open a 'Death Scene' folder. I could murder those pesky characters as many times as I want. (Need an evil smilie here.)

Many of you are more advanced than I am in the writing profession.   

I spent the bulk of the last 45 years writing computer programs, and all the attendant forms and documentation that goes with that sort of job.  In my off times I drew cartoons and wrote short stories for people on request.  I never submitted my works for publication except for my very first cartoon. 

I was twelve years old back in the 1960's, and created a cartoon for Playboy magazine.   They published it!  Of course, my name and my Dad's name are quite similar, and when the check arrived, there was a bit of a kerfuffle.   

Lately, I have been entering writing contests, and looking to see if my style of writing might be worth a bit of payment.  I am retired, and have lots of time on my hands, and writing is fun.   

I have one project that is sort of taking off.  It is a website for middle school kids.   The main story is about a house with a turret room with 360 degrees of windows.  It is called the "Universe Room".  The house belongs to Grandma, and her twin grandchildren visit regularly.  With a bit of underhanded coaching, the twins discover the key to the attic of the Universe Room, and they explore it.  They find a door just hanging there in the air.  They open it and are instantly transported to another place and time in history, where they watch an historical event take place before their eyes.  When the event is done, the door beckons.  Sometimes a monitor is there, sometimes not.   After several doors, the twins are returned to the Universe Room, where they realize that Grandma is actually a Door Master, and she wants the twins to take over her spot.   

The interesting part is that I want the kids to craft their own door stories.  Take some moment from history and make it real.  When a class submits a story, it may have to be edited, but when it is accepted, it gets its own door number, and the story is expanded for everyone.   So the website grows, and the kids see their own work, and the works of others.   

I joined a few writer's websites, and am mulling over the advice. 
One of the websites advised me to start a blog.   A what?   

I followed the instructions and created one, but have no clue what I am supposed to say.  I can't imagine any of my words being so important that they need to be spread to the far reaches of the globe.   

I have the world's stupidest cell phone, which does not even know what an "app" is, so have never tweeted or grammed or whatevered.   

I suppose as I move along I will find the right place for a slightly sarcastic, but helpful story teller. 

Suggestions are always welcome.   

I've had a few rejects on #1 so I'm going to have another look at it with the view to quite possibly a major rewrite.

Barry, I have the twin of your phone, and it does me fine.  I want it to make phone-calls and exchange texts, and that's it.  I don't want to write my next novel on it, or book plane-tickets on it, or have it go off and develop a better social life than I have.  I just want a phone.

I don't get the blog thing either.  If people are uninteresting face-to-face, why would they suddenly become more interesting for putting their lives into badly-written text?  Were the words Get A Life ever more applicable?

Jewel, rejections are the name of the game.  Sometimes they point you in the direction of a better book, and are thus part of the growing process.  But sometimes they just reflect the fact that a publisher's list is full, or pointing in a different direction, or he's just bought something a bit similar. 

Use rejections as a reason to review your material, particularly if any specific point is raised.  But don't assume that failure to find a publisher means it's crap and needs a root-and-branch excision.  Trust your instinct.  If the book says what you wanted it to say, and you can't see what's wrong with it, there's a good chance that nothing is.  And if it's not broken, don't fix it.  Publishers who didn't want a good book won't be tempted by a cut-and-paste one.

Maybe it's time to start work on something else, and have two books to offer.  Good luck.

I used to get lots and lots of hits on my history blog because it wasn't about me. When I wrote a lot about CrossFit on my other blog, I got hits from others on the same path.

I think the most hits/comments on any blog post came when my son became a Probationary Firefighter and I wrote something about first responders and the life and death challenges those in that position face.

A blog doesn't have to be about you. Gary Vee (Vanerchek?) write to help other entrepreneurs. A blog can be about a topic other than yourself. It can be a resource for others.

Quote from: Mr. Barry on December 28, 2017, 07:44:06 AM
I was twelve years old back in the 1960's, and created a cartoon for Playboy magazine.   They published it!  Of course, my name and my Dad's name are quite similar, and when the check arrived, there was a bit of a kerfuffle.
   
It is called the "Universe Room".  The house belongs to Grandma, and her twin grandchildren visit regularly.  With a bit of underhanded coaching, the twins discover the key to the attic of the Universe Room, and they explore it.  They find a door just hanging there in the air.  They open it and are instantly transported to another place and time in history, where they watch an historical event take place before their eyes.  When the event is done, the door beckons.  Sometimes a monitor is there, sometimes not.   After several doors, the twins are returned to the Universe Room, where they realize that Grandma is actually a Door Master, and she wants the twins to take over her spot.   

I have the world's stupidest cell phone, which does not even know what an "app" is, so have never tweeted or grammed or whatevered.   

1)  Do you still have the cartoon?

2)  I like the idea behind the Universe Room.  Lots of potential there.  Stories about portals to other times, universes, etc, are as old as history and still popular.

3)  Our old school phones aren't stupid.  They are just unspoiled.  Uncluttered with crap which is supposed to make life easier or more interesting.  My life is quite interesting enough already, thankyou.

Re technology:  I use a fairly large font on my Kindle e-reader, so I set it to landscape mode instead of portrait to keep a reasonable length of reading line.  Twice so far I've had a young lady ask me how I did it.  I've noticed men looking askance at it, but they never ask how.  Maybe it's true that men don't read instructions.  Or don't like to ask for directions ;-)

But who would have guessed that a Kindle could encourage a wide-eyed young lady to swap seats on the bus, sit next to a somewhat wild-looking older man, and ask, 'How?"

Gyppo 

The cartoon was so very long ago I don't have any traces of it any more, but I can paint it to your "inner eye".   

Think back to the 1960's (I know you can do it, you spilled the age beans.) 

There was a TV commercial where a man would open his medicine cabinet only to find someone else looking back at him.  The cabinet man was explaining the benefits of some deodorant.  When he finished his spiel, the first man called out to his wife, "Mona!".

So my cartoon was set in the icy tundra of Northern Alaska.  An igloo was set center stage.  A set of male footprints came from the left, and went into the igloo entrance.  A set of female (high heel) footprints came from the right, again leading to the igloo entrance.  The igloo was steaming and beginning to melt.   

A lonely looking little man in a furry parka stood outside the igloo, and was forlornly calling out, "Mona!".

I'm not sure I'm working on anything yet - though I started a story today, I feel a bit undecided about where to go.  The only thing I've been consistent with in writing is my blog. Been doing that since 2006!

Cathy - have you decided how to spell Tumulty now for sure then? Heheh...

Do read Where's There's Smoke if you can - it's a cracking story folks.

Quote from: carriesheppard on December 28, 2017, 09:22:52 PM
I'm not sure I'm working on anything yet - though I started a story today, I feel a bit undecided about where to go.  The only thing I've been consistent with in writing is my blog. Been doing that since 2006!

Good luck with the new story, Carrie.

Quote from: carriesheppard on December 28, 2017, 09:22:52 PMCathy - have you decided how to spell Tumulty now for sure then? Heheh...

LOL. I still get it wrong. Worst name ever. Why he insisted on being called Tumilty I'll never know. Ghrr

Quote from: carriesheppard on December 28, 2017, 09:22:52 PMDo read Where's There's Smoke if you can - it's a cracking story folks.

Aw, Shucks. Thanks, Carrie. :-*

I've been using work as an excuse not to write (or do much anything else) for quite some time now, so that's what I'm trying to change come New Year's. We'll see how it goes.

On the plus side, my ideas notebook has filled up a lot over that time. I'm currently trying to decide whether to pick up my novel where I left off (probably the sensible thing to do) or do a complete rewrite again (probably what I'll end up doing).
...I think I may have a problem...

Quote from: carriesheppard on December 28, 2017, 09:22:52 PM
I'm not sure I'm working on anything yet - though I started a story today, I feel a bit undecided about where to go.  The only thing I've been consistent with in writing is my blog. Been doing that since 2006!

Cathy - have you decided how to spell Tumulty now for sure then? Heheh...

Do read Where's There's Smoke if you can - it's a cracking story folks.

Carrie was the bane of my existence for a while. My MC was Cassie (Cassiopeia or Cassandra) and then I would be talking to Carrie and my MC's name would change. I finally had to use auto correct to turn Carrie into Cassie so I had the right person in my writing. :)