I'm a 30-year-old stay-at-home-dad of three who knew he wanted to write since the sixth grade but only recently has attained the maturity and discipline needed to write seriously. I don't write science fiction, but I do write fantasy (not medieval, but, well, I guess it's called contemporary), horror, and literary fiction. Though I'm not a huge Dan Simmons fan, I find myself aspiring to be the kind of writer he is--one who writes in multiple genres.

I suppose this intro wouldn't be complete if I didn't list some the writer's who have influenced me. Here they are, in no discernable order: Asimov, Heinlein, St. Augustine, Jacque Maritain, Flannery O'Connor, Tolstoy, Hemingway, Faulkner, Dickens, OSC, Stephen King, Robert Jordan, Tolkien, Ron Hansen, John Gardner, Stephen Koch, C.S. Lewis, Walker Percy, Tobias Wolff. I'm sure there's others, but these are the ones who've made lasting impressions on how I write and how I understand what fiction is.

[This message has been edited by Balthasar (edited September 07, 2004).]
 

My writing is all over the place, from mysteries to main stream to SF, though my first and main love is the contemporary fantasy, the kind of thing you might expect to see were the (real) Twilight Zone still on TV.

I've published a bunch of stories (maybe 15 or so in the last two years) in small press magazines - the kind that pay $10 and a copy of the magazine - though I have also won a contest that netted me a few dollars more than that. The biggest magazine to publish my stuff is Futures Mysterious Anthology. They have a circulation of about 5,000, and they've published three of my stories.

Come on down to Fragments and Feedback and visit sometime.

[This message has been edited by Edmund (edited September 07, 2004).]
 

I have published in science journals, but not elsewhere. I have written a dozen songs, and sold one. I have presented to heads of state in various languages, but find it difficult to present my work to you.

But hey, ya gotta start somewhere, sometime!

[This message has been edited by mikemunsil (edited September 07, 2004).]
 

Hey Ed! I know you. If your kids ever need any tutoring, try A+ Tutoring.

[This message has been edited by rickfisher (edited September 08, 2004).]
 

I'm a self employed and empowered entertainment entrepreneur. Currently most of my titles are music and now I am beginning audio book development.

I've had a plethora of unfinished stories, unfinished mostly because I couldn't believe in the road to financial success but have figured out an almost full proof way of getting sales from my audio books once complete.

So the chicken scratch mead notepads full of alot of stuff only I can understand are becoming full fledged stories in ms word files now

Thanks,
Muogin
 

Cheers to all you at-home-dads from a very grateful-to-be-at-home-mom.

I'm 37, mother of three, married to a wonderfully supportive man. I started writing seriously nearly two years ago as a quirky self-challenge that started with my impatience at waiting for JK Rowling to finish TOOTP (which was disappointing IMO), and ended with my having written a 69,000 word story just to prove to myself that I could. And it was pretty good, if I do say so myself. So I started a new adventure that has taken me on a sometimes terrifying, discouraging, invigorating ride ever since. I have yet to submit, though I have a manuscript nearly ready and am researching possible markets.

Influences? I have to point right to Ray Bradbury as my most enduring influence. It was he who made me aware of writing as an art form, and something I wanted to do someday--Dandelion Wine particularly. That book enchants me still. It's one of a handful of books I've read more than once.

I've very much enjoyed and valued the people I've encountered here on Hatrack. You're a great bunch of Joes (and Jills).

 

Uh, I'm 20, I write whatever nonsense comes into my head (which is mostly--but not limited to--fantasy), and I hope to publish before I die. I think publishing posthumously would be a somewhat empty experience.

I love comedy, and try to infuse some into my stories (and usually fail, ha ha), but I also like to write things that would make one think.

I hate politics. I just do.

My biggest influences (i.e. the only people I remember reading, not counting comic books, which, if you don't read, I really think you're missing out on) are Bruce Coville (a grown man who remembers what it was like to be a kid; an aspect I try to emulate), Christopher Pike, Stephen King, and Orson Scott Card.

In the past, I've also enjoyed J.K. Rowling, Terry Goodkind, Jean M. Auel (as a man who shies away from research like a rat from a snake (and I do apologize for the bad analogy), I admire the tenacity with which she's researched her Earth's Children books. They're very in-depth. Though a little too much so, at times), and Dean Koontz(sp?).

I have a few short stories on the back-burner, one this close to completion, and I'm working (and constantly re-working) on a novel-length fantasy tale. It's a perpetually fluid concept that refuses to coagulate into a solid state. It would be my first completed novel, and as such, is my Everest. The Sado-Masochist in me is thinking of shortening the life-span of the protagonist (from immortal to, uh...not) and expanding the one story into three, detailing the three most important experiences of my character's life.

I'm a Scorpio, I have brown hair, I weigh around 240-something, and I wear glasses for genetically bad eyesight (is my theory. That, or I sit too close to the TV...) ...of which I watch too much. I'm a compulsive eater, and possibly bi-polar. And I tend to swear when I'm not around my Christian family, a problem that bleeds into my fiction sometimes.

And...well, that's it. Other than my shoe size (12 1/2), I have nothing else to say.

If I've over-shared, please don't hesitate to say so.

CVG

Edit: I've misused the word "tenacious". My mistake. I meant I admired Auel's adequacy, not tenacity. Looking back, I don't see how I could have mixed the two, other than because they sound somewhat alike.

But I like to believe I'm not that boorish.

I could be wrong.

[This message has been edited by cvgurau (edited September 08, 2004).]
 

Not had anything published yetm but then I haven't tried that hard to be published. I'd prefer to perfect my craft first. I still have that dreaded Comma Syndrome.

Anyway, I'm writing and learning... and I have just started to develop some short story skills... so there's hope for y'all yet.
 

I write mainly science fiction, although I have a few fantasy stories in the pipeline. My only publication to date is a co-authored article in a local newspaper, which (if you include research time) earned substantially less than minimum wage. I don't think a career in journalism is for me -- I like to be able to afford to eat.

 

And it may be 3 cats soon -- our 14-year old cat, Shadow, is at the vet as I type this. We thought it might be an abscess in her mouth, but the vet thinks it could be a malignant growth. This cat spends all of her considerable free time on my lap, usually while I'm writing. Anyway... we don't know for sure what's what. Sorry for that... I'm a bit worried.

Primarily, I am a musician and far better at that than I will ever be as a writer. Writing songs and lyrics is rather easy compared to writing a coherent storyline. HSO stands for "Hard Sync Oscillator", which is a method for producing a distinct synthesizer timbre (think of "Let's Go" by The Cars).

I'm a Leo, but I don't believe in Astrology because we Leos tend to not go for that sort of thing. (hopefully, you'll get the joke here.)

I enjoy reading and writing nearly every genre (except romance), but I have a particular aversion to first person stories. I am forcing myself to overcome that though.

At the moment, I'm simply trying to learn the craft of writing, hone it and do my best at avoiding becoming rich and famous someday, which might be rather easy.

[This message has been edited by HSO (edited September 08, 2004).]
 

I try hard to write serious, hard core science fiction. Somehow, it doesn’t come out the way I intend. I can destroy entire worlds, and people will still tell me it was a funny story. It must be true that pain is funny when it happens to someone else.

I feel for you HSO, it’s rotten when a pet is sick. I had to put one of the goats down last week and we’re still sick about it. We bottle raise these babies and keep them in the house for the first three weeks after birth. (Not as bad as it sounds). You get real attached. Hope your cat is okay.
 

I'm also a software developer and have a love/hate relationship with my job (Well, I'd love to leave it and write full time!!!)

I write fantasy, mostly novel length but with the occassional short story. Its what I have always wanted to do, for as long as I can remember. I've two novels completed - one currently with a publisher, the other facing iminent rewrite for the upteenth time. I've a bitty WIP which I hope to have a full draft of before the end of October (because I'm not likely to get much done after that for a while). I also have a fair amount of a sequel (and for you softwareheads out there - I did try to type that as sql the first time) to my first novel written.

I'm also currently waiting to hear back on a short story that has been on submission to a magazine for a year (I kid you not - they've asked for it 3 times now due to server crashes and missing mails). So I'm on the edge of my seat and checking my mail pretty constantly.

I tend to be an erratic crit'er as I run out of time very easily, so if I have a piece you've written (Keeley, I'm blushing) I will get around to it when I can sneak a day off.

I can't really tell you what I love and hate as currently it seems to change on a daily basis!

Thats me. R
 

I work as a web programmer, but I've recently started calling that my "day job."

I've made three professional short story sales, the first of which should be on bookstore shelves next week in L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future, Volume XX, and the second by the end of the month in All the Rage This Year, the third Phobos contest winners' anthology.

I've been making slow progress on a fantasy novel for a bit over two years, but after getting back from a recent writers' workshop, I resolved to finish the first draft of the novel before the World Fantasy Convention at the end of October. You can follow my progress on my blog.

[This message has been edited by EricJamesStone (edited September 08, 2004).]
 

I began my career working in medical journalism. I started as an editorial assistant, and worked up to Managing Editor of a small, medical journal. When the journal went to a new publishing company out-of-state, I worked as a public relations coordinator for a few years before deciding to go back to school to get my teacher licensure. While in school, I worked at a hospital, got a lot of great, scary writing material from that. Now, I’m student teaching to finish my licensure requirements.

A life-long love of writing is the reason I got into journalism, but it was boring. I needed a more creative outlet. Hence, teaching and writing spec fiction. I’ve been seriously working on writing spec fiction for about 2-3 years now. Just started submitting stuff recently. Not published yet, but have my fingers crossed for luck.

In my free time (which I actually have now), I earned a black belt in Tang Soo Do, and got my instructor’s licensure to teach it. I’m going for 2nd degree in the spring. I also started my own martial arts school a few months ago.

I stumbled upon Orson Scott Card about 3 years ago and have read everything I can get my hands on. I bought several copies of Ender’s Game, Enchantment and Sarah for Christmas gifts last year and everyone loved them. Now, all of my friends are hooked too. Card’s “how to” books inspired me to get serious about writing fiction.

Other writer’s that have inspired me are - Frank Herbert, Robert Heinlein, Ray Bradbury, Raymond Chandler (so stylish), Stephen King (really love his short stories), Sir Arthur Cohen Doyle, Jack London, Richard Matheson (his short stories rock), Edgar Allen Poe, Frank Peretti and many others. I tend to like sci-fi and horror more than fantasy, but am starting to appreciate it more.

HSO –
Sorry to hear about your cat. I know how you feel. I had some bad news about my dog a couple of weeks ago. He had a weird swelling on his elbow and the vet said he had bone cancer, and 2 months to live.
I took him to another vet and they had a cancer specialist on staff. The specialist says he does not have cancer, just a bad infection in the joint. They gave him antibiotics and he is doing better now.
There was a lot of praying going on at our house the past few weeks and a lot of tension. I worked through the full spectrum of disbelief, anger, grief, etc. before we got the second opinion. Thank God it turned out OK. I hope things work out for you too.

[This message has been edited by NewsBys (edited September 08, 2004).]
 

I've always loved to write and I used to look for any excuse to do it. I went through a dry spell for a few years when I barely wrote anything besides school related essays and articles. I've worked as a reporter and while I enjoyed some of it, I got tired of writing inverted pyramids of information.

Since coming to Hatrack, I have written three short stories and started a handful of others. One of wich I had published by an on-line mag. I have a novel that I have been working on since I was 15. Someday it will be worthy of a publisher, but that day is nowhere to be seen for now.

I love reading Shakespeare and a variety of 19th century authors including: Alexandre Dumas, pére, Alexandre Dumas, fils, James Fenimore Cooper, Robert Luis Stevenson, Victor Hugo, and the list goes on and on . A couple of my more modern favs include C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkein.

Although I haven't read a lot of sci-fi or fantasy (yes I know, sacrilege! ), I love watching action/adventure movies and a lot of sci-fi and fantasy.

[This message has been edited by Robyn_Hood (edited September 08, 2004).]
 

I started out hating to read and refused to learn until nearly age 8. My dad wrote me a letter and my mom wouldn't read it to me. They tell me I sat at the kitchen table all afternoon until I could read that letter. It was about how fun reading was and a list of good books. The next day I started Charlotte's Web, and the day after that finished it and moved on to The Hobbit, followed by Hamlet. I haven't looked back, or stopped reading, since.

My desire to write grew because I respected and looked up to anyone who could create a world that way. To me authors were almost mini-gods. I envied them their ability, and started trying to write myself. My first "novel" was twenty-six pages handwritten at the age of eight. Since then I've gone on to win several contests and awards for short stories in high school, but the problem is now I'm out of school I don't have anyone making me sit down and write. I'm very lazy, and hate doing today what I can put off beyond tomorrow. Deadlines are wonderful things, though.

I am currently trying very hard to seriously work on the novel I got the basic idea for at age thirteen. Since then I have fleshed it out quite a bit, mostly in the last six months. I'm still struggling with plot, though, which makes me a bit hesitant to write pages and pages which I will not be able to use. I'm considering doing NaNoWriMo to write my first draft, but don't know if I'm up to the level of commitment.

I'd like to say a special THANK YOU to you all: since joining this forum at the beginning of August I have written three complete shorts (though I'm still revising them) and have started three more. Whenever I need to get in the mood I come here, then get cracking.

Authors who have permanently imprinted on my life, in jumbled up order: OSC, Stephen King, Dave Barry, Anne McCaffrey, C. S. Lewis, Erma Bombeck, Kage Baker, Zenna Henderson, J.K. Rowling, L.M. Montgomery, Jane Austen, Robin McKinley and many many more.

I prefer to write very hard-core SF (I have too many brilliant scientists in my family to not write hard-core), and I sometimes get bored with normal fantasy, though I deeply love re-written fairy tales. I also enjoy good thrillers and horror, though Robin Cook is as predictable as a Nancy Drew mystery and even more boring. I write in a variety of genres.

Non-fiction-wise I have written in-depth study guides for several classic novels, and have plans to write more.

I love acting and teaching almost as much as writing. To relieve stress I cuddle up with a cross-stitch project and a cat, and listen to audiobooks.

I know that was long-winded, but I'm the annoying one in your class who would turn in 12 page reports when the assignment was for 3. (If I turned one in at all. I hate homework and am an all-or-nothing type person: I either give 200% or I do nothing.)
 

She's currently very happy to be home, on my lap, and her appetite has been good, but it's always been good -- this cat is four legs and a belly. The growth was lopped off and sent to the lab for tests and we won't know for a few days. However, the vet seemed to think he was able to remove all of it, as well as offer some small glimmer of hope that all will be okay. We're keeping our fingers crossed, but being pragmatic, too.

And that's all there is for now. Thanks again.
 

I've been writing and fantazising about SF since a kid, but 4 years ago decided to get into it seriously. Right now working on four WIP novels each about 100k words. I have several short stories but an unfortunate tendency to go "Hey, that's a great intro/1st chapter/concept for a novel" and novels turn to trilogies, and one trilogy is now an insane 6-novel long story.

My inspiration is across the board, Huxley, Bradbury, Asimov, Heinlein, Zahn, Hamilton just in SF. But I will read anything that has words on it.

Glad to hear about your cat. I miss my dog.

[This message has been edited by babylonfreek (edited September 08, 2004).]
 

I love to travel, and am very proud of being a "book-larnin'" polyglot. I love music, languages and alternative juggling (diabolo and poi), as well as fencing. (I'm a foilist.)

I've always loved good stories, and I've been a voracious reader all my life. I'm particularly drawn to science fiction, but I'll read absolutely anything. Currently, my favorite authors are Stephen King, Neil Gaiman, Ray Bradbury, Tom Stoppard, Oscar Wilde, and Gallileo. I know one of these authors is not like the others, but you should read some of Gallileo's work. It's stunning! One of my best friends is trying to get me to appreciate the fantasy genre, and I'm doing the best I can with that.

As some of you may remember, I've only just found the guts to start writing. I have a novel-length WIP (47 pgs!!! ), as well as a few short stories in the works. You wouldn't believe how helpful this forum has been for me, for both technical information and confidence-building. Special thanks to everyone who has helped me along thus far, and thanks to everyone who participates!
 

I was in the military (served 3 1/2 years), worked on the AH-64 Apache weapon systems. Uh, I don't know what else to say.

I really enjoy the feeling of friendship that I get when I visit here, and I am glad that I found this site, and it has helped me to learn how to write better and more effectively, and so many of you have helped me polish some of the things that I have done wrong, and what to do to get things going.

Sorry, I'm rambling. Now, we return you to your current thread.

-BHJr-
 

I live in Tasmania, (which was where the British sent their convicts once America refused to take any more in 1776). I have three children and work in a Botanical Gardens and, until recently, wrote consistently for a Wildlife magazine.

I used to run a design and illustration business in sunny Queensland but decided to make a change and simplify -- or die.

Got off my backside and lost more then 30 kilograms, (about 70 lbs) -- Like I said, I thought I was going to die, hypoglycaemia, head spins, adult onset diabetes was pretty-much onsett-ing.

But now I am physically the best I've ever been. But what to do with this spare time and energy?

I started writing creatively only about a year ago, these forums (Go Group GT!) are the first to read those stories.

HSO! I have trouble reading first person stories too ( Like L E Moddesssitttt Magii of Cyador (spelling?). Can't get past the first few pages. I have trouble with suspending my belief or animation or whatever it is I'm supposed to suspend. ( Hey another tool for the hatrack Utility Belt, Disbelief Suspenders!)

When I go to a gallery it makes me want to paint, (Patrick Woodroffe -- what an illustrator, Ron Cobb...), when I read a good story it makes me want to write, and writers who do that to me are: Ray Bradbury (heard his name a few times -- Driving Blind short stories and Something Wicked) MR James and ROBERT HOLDSTOCK.

Peace, and good luck with the cat.

[This message has been edited by hoptoad (edited September 08, 2004).]
 

Sorry this is so terse!

Susan
 

HSO, glad to hear things are going better with Shadow. May she live another 14, healthy years.

I don't like putting a lot of personal info on public forums, so I'll keep it short and sweet. I'm a mom. I stay home. Home is in North Texas, USA. Every now and then I find time to write. It's mostly fantasy. Hopefully, I improve every day. I'm a Virgo. And since no one's mentioned Chinese astrology, I'll be the first. I was born in the Year of the Dragon.

I love reading all kinds of books. Favorite authors include: Stephen King, Orson Scott Card, Isaac Asimov, Peter S. Beagle, Frank Herbert, Ray Bradbury, and George Orwell.
 

I'm a recent college grad and definitely not a stay-at-home anything-- I work in the environmental sector and travel a heck of a lot. Since hotels and an increasing number of airports have internet, I've been seeing an increasing fraction of my life migrate to the internet lately. When I'm not on the road, home's in Boston.

I write mainly urban fantasy, with some hard science fiction and genre messiness thrown in when I work on short stories. I recently finished a novel, which I'm letting sit until it's no longer crap; I'm still rather neurotic about it (although I'll always be neurotic about writing... *sigh*). I'm doing NaNoWriMo. I blog (including guest-blogging from WorldCon this year). I try to hang out around Fragments & Feedback, but I have to be in the right mood for it, so I tend to go in for two weeks or so and do a lot of crits and then go another few months without doing more than looking in from time to time.
 

I'm Richard Zeller and I WISH I was a stay at home dad. While I'll be the first to admit that my wife's role of raising two little kids (with a third on the way in Feb!!) is considerably more work than my real "day job", I still envy her. If I could spend the entire day with those two little guys life would be perfect.

But I do keep busy. I play and teach trumpet, and perform in numerous jazz and concert bands, as well as performing at weddings, church gigs, etc. While I was out of work in 2002-2003, I pretty much got by on income from teaching lessons and paid gigs.

But now I'm back to work as a support analyst for a web analytics product.

I'm 32 years old, though I'm still a teen at heart. I've dabbled in poetry and non-fiction at times--appearing in the local news rag several times for my political opinions--and have worked on a couple short stories. I completed a novel last year, received a couple form but personally commented rejections, and then gave it the Steven King 6-month abandonment. Now when I go back to it, I see a need to almost completely rewrite it. While many would argue I should leave well enough alone, I see too much room for improvement.

But for now, I'm wrapping up work on a fantasy novel I had started in the interim. Nedless to say, with my numerous musical endeavors, progress is slow. But I'll get there....

~Z.

Oh yeah! One more thing -- big sports fan am I. GO BUCKEYES!!!!!!!!!!!!

[This message has been edited by rjzeller (edited September 10, 2004).]
 

just a quick note to say our thoughts and prayers are with you.

R
 

Too bad it looks like we're going to suck this year. Opening game was NOT impressive.
 

[This message has been edited by dspellweaver (edited September 25, 2004).]
 

The bulk of my heart and soul goes into my writing, which never ceases. I take a spiral notebook and pen everywhere…to church, to the grocery store, and there’s not a place in the house my notebook has never been. I’ve even been known to camp out in the laundry room when the house gets hectic. I am an aspiring writer with a finished novelette and a few short stories in the works. I've been writing all my life, journals, poems, essays, a few dozen autobiographies, various forms of fiction.

But I never really got into writing until about a few years ago when I began having fun with the written word instead of letting myself get bogged down with all the rules. You know them: Always use complete sentences. Each paragraph must have 4-5 sentences. All paragraphs must have introductory sentences, a body, and a conclusion sentence. You must have an introductory paragraph, a body, and a conclusion paragraph. Say what you’re going to say, say it, then say what you just said. If you raise any questions, answer them all and in depth. Never use your imagination when a photograph would be much better. Write from your life, from memory, and what you don’t remember, research. (Phooey on that one, especially. I made up a ton of stuff for my “Memoirs” in Creative Writing and Composition, and the teacher never caught on.)

Bleh. Give me a fresh page, a pen, and that quiet time before the morning goes to the birds. I’ll show you what I think about the rules! Because in the end, the only rules that must be followed are the ones that require a manuscript to be typed, double-spaced, black ink, one side of the paper, with your name at the top of each page, and always include the SASE.

So I mostly write fantasy for the freedom of making my own rules. My influences are K. A. Applegate, Asimov, Avi, Orson Scott Card, Agatha Christie, Diane Duane, Ursula K. LeGuin, C. S. Lewis, E. L. Koningsburg, Anne McCaffrey, Frank Peretti, Willow Davis Roberts, Tolkein, (who’s a tad overrated, I think.) But mostly I read anything. Like Autumnmuse, I’m all-or-nothing. I love having an audience…my speeches in Speech class always had points off for going over the time limit, never under. Like Muogen I write first in long hand, in chicken scratch that not even I can read sometimes. But I'm pretty handy with a word processor. I'm looking forward to learning all I can from you guys-- I'm already inundated with helpful hints and ideas gleaned from the great topics here. From what I've seen, you guys are brilliant. I hope it rubs off.

-DD

[This message has been edited by DeepDreamer (edited September 10, 2004).]
 

Steve
 

I started writing for reasons everyone would say are the wrong reasons. I wanted to find something I could do from home (other than selling cosmetics or food storage containers), so I could continue to be a stay-at-home mom (though I have not rejected the thought of going back to teaching, which I love). My mom was home for us - it was great, and I'd love the opportunity to give that to my children (who took 6 years and several medical interventions to have).

I grew up loving reading. I would get so deeply involved in my books my mom (or whoever) would yell "Earth to Lee - come in Lee!" Small wonder I read sf/f I went from Greek and Roman myths to Nancy Drew to Hitchcock to Andre Norton's YA books and Tolkein and Le Guin, to McCaffrey, Heinlein, Herbert, Bradley, Anthony, oh gosh, the list goes on and on. I read "You Will Go To The Moon" when very young, over and over - I wanted to be an astronaut. It didn't happen (!).

However, I grew to hate/resist writing. That is, writing papers. I'm good at it, but little by little I got burned out writing for teachers and professors (that's what working for three college degrees will do to you, sometimes). I tried writing journals, but never kept them up. I've written some song lyrics (I love to play my guitars), but not much.

So why write? Well, writing fiction is different from writing a paper about the former Soviet economy, or the international law of the sea! I've loved reading so much, I decided to try writing what I love. I didn't need to continue if I didn't like it, or didn't think I could do it. So I started reading about writing, and writing, in May, 2003. And I haven't stopped since.

I enjoy my writing magazines, my books on writing, and my on-line writing classes. I enjoy reading others' stories and giving critiques, feeling I have a valid background to do so. I find I come up with ideas and have to write them down, and I think about my stories a lot (I have about 15 in various stages of progress, and I've submitted to and been rejected by Analog and Asimov's). I love doing research to build my stories. I spend my free time doing some sort of writing.

I know I'm not supposed to think about publishing or money - I'm supposed to do it for the love of writing, I'm supposed to have a passion for it. Well, the thought of doing it for money came first - a hope for passion and ability, knowing there are no guarantees and precious little chance of making a living, much less selling a story. I don't know if I have a passion for it yet - just because I seem to be doing something with my writing every day, just because it is always in my thoughts, just because I get excited when I think of something in the shower, and have to write it down quickly, doesn't mean I feel the passion that everyone else seems to have.

I'm hoping I'm not doomed because I haven't been writing since I was knee-high to a menehune (a hawaiian leprechaun, sort of)! I'm encouraged to see that many people come to writing late, or are publishing their first books in their early 40's (Anne McCaffrey was 41 - I have a couple of years!). I have a grandmother and two aunts who were published writers (one with a publishing company for which I did editing, now gone - sorry!). I'm hoping it's in my blood.

I think, though I came at it the 'wrong' way, that I'm discovering something I never thought I could do - was never encouraged to do by a single teacher. Maybe, just maybe, I like to write fiction. But I'll have to keep writing, just a little more, to be sure.

Kind of like needing another taste of fresh-baked brownies - need to make sure they are ok for others to eat, right? Then, somehow, the pan is mostly empty - but I'm very full.

Lee

(Susan - I know I e-mailed, but am repeating here that my thoughts are with you and your husband. I'm hoping that no news is good news.)

I can't really remember why I started writing. I just know I've been doing it since early high school, and somewhere along the line I decided it is my calling in life. Books are my first passion, and music is a relatively close second.

Here's my deep, dark confession: I'm not really a f/sf writer. I usually don't even like reading f/sf. I read it almost exclusively as a teen-ager, but now rarely. What am I doing here, you ask? I came here because OSC is one of my favorite writers ever, and stuck around for the good company, expert advice, and stimulating conversation. Also, I heard they're getting a lazer gun on the HUB pretty soon, and I don't want to miss out on that crap. That would be freaking sweet.

Major influences: OSC (of course), Henry James (who was the man, I don't care what anybody says), William Golding, Poe, Anime (sorry if that one's not very literary, but it has had a pretty big influence on my writing), Stephen King (even though I don't like a lot of what he's written, the good stuff has been REALLY good--Shawshank Redemption is just a great work of art) and probably pretty much every writer I've ever read to some degree.

I plan on being the best writer in the history of existence. Either I'm not there yet, or publishers aren't very good at recognizing the best literature ever. aI choose to believe the second, but have a sneaking suspicion that the first might be true.
 

And Cricket, that game when once you're out, you're out and you don't throw your helmet on the ground, cuss and holler, kick the plate and spit at the umpire...

Joke BTW

[This message has been edited by hoptoad (edited September 12, 2004).]
 

I'm female, 21, a student in an engineering school somewhere near Paris in France. I'm French, but I've lived several years in London when I was a teenager.

I've always loved reading, but it was not until I borrowed OSC's How To Write F and SF that I really thought I could try my hand at writing. Since then, I've completed one novel, am revising the first draft of another, and planning a third. I've also written a couple of short stories. None of which have been published, but I keep on trying.

I write fantasy. For some reason, even though I love science, I'm not a great fan of SF. I love mythologies and history, particularly non-Western stuff, and so I try to work some of the things I read about into my stories. My biggest influences are OSC, Ursula Le Guin, Patricia McKillip, and Georges R R Martin.
 

I am recently 38 yrs. of age, married and no children. I don't see any on the horizon either and I'm OK with that. I think I am having too much fun right now anyway. I really don't know where they would fit in.
I have a 110lb. husky named Juno to keep me company. My wife has two cats that I try to stay away from. We live in West Jordan UT, but would like to move and build another house, maybe in Oregon or Northern California. Hopefully within the next five years.

I love writing, motorcycles, gardening and building things. I finally finished landscaping my backyard this year. I put in a gazebo, a pond, trellis, and terraced my yard with as many perrenials as I could fit in. Anybody want any starts? I think I may have overdone it.

I write fantasy (mostly) but I have been known to write other types of fiction too, whatever catches my fancy at the moment. At the monment, nothing seems to be catching my fancy. I started out procrastinating for a week, now I'm having trouble getting back into it. It has been that way for about two almost three weeks now. I guess I just need a boot in the butt or something. Anybody out there with a size 12 who can lend a foot?

Anyway, my favorite authors that have inspired me are: Terry Brooks (for characters and world building). Margaret Weiss and Tracy Hickman (world building and description). Robert Jordan (expansive writing and characters. If I can ever keep that much info in my head at one time I will feel like I have arrived). Terry Goodkind (characters and description. Very good description, the kind of stuff that makes you go Ewwww! love it!). J.K. Rowling(characters and for resurrecting my childlike love for all things fantastical). Of course I can't leave out J.R.R. Tolkein, where would we fantasy writers be today without him. There are several others, but that is all for now.

I am glad that I could pull another person into the Terry Brooks camp. It really makes for some good bedside reading. Your welcome Kickle! I just bought the latest book in the series. I think it just came out about a week or so ago. I will start it next. I just finished reading David Farland's, Runelords. I recommend it highly!
 

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Keeley, I'm also a Virgo born in the year of the dragon. (And I even lived in Texas--though in the south, near the coast--for a couple of years.)

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Cool. Close to Houston? Or were you further south than that?

I wonder if this means I'll become a moderator someday.

Ah. The smell of impending power is sweet.
 

Mundane name: Rachel (Used to do SCA, but no more-- some old habits just never die!)

Age: Just turned 30 (Thought about becoming a red-head, but decided that the dark brown hairs still outnumber the gray. )

Career: Mother *7* times over-- that is not a typo-- and I, too, am a home-body. I'm Snow White to my little dwarves, you know. (I even have a Prince Charming, to boot! ) I used to be an actress and singer, and hope to do it again someday.

Genre: I can't get enough of Classic literature. I read "Little Women" when I was 10, and love to read the fluid language of times past. I also adore Fairy Tales, and am-- guess what?-- a fantasy writer. (When I find the time to write...)

{Actually I'm not "really" a writer-- I just dabble in it now and then.)

Authors of Influence: C.Bronte, L.M. Alcott, Shakespeare, Madeleine L'Engle, Ms.Rowling, And, of course, Lewis and Tolkien.

Lee said:

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I think, though I came at it the 'wrong' way, that I'm discovering something I never thought I could do - was never encouraged to do by a single teacher. Maybe, just maybe, I like to write fiction. But I'll have to keep writing, just a little more, to be sure.

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I could not have put it better; those are my exact feelings.

(Now retreating back into the Shadows of Lurk-dom...)

~LL

[This message has been edited by Lullaby Lady (edited September 14, 2004).]
 

Dakota
 

7 kids.

I have 2.

You're insane.

But I like you anyway!
 

Ok - babies sleeping - must write.

And you have seven - bless you for that! I haven't convinced my husband to go beyond our twins - of course at the moment our newest insurance won't cover the procedures required. And I haven't won the lottery yet.

Gotta play to lose...
 

Dakota, my kids STILL love your "Doris' Day" story. They always ask me to read it, and start getting the giggles any time they bring it up again. It may as yet be unpublished, but it's a hit around here! Five stars, baby!

Lee: Unfortunately-- or not, depending on your point of view-- I never fought in the SCA. (I'm a NON-athletic, slightly puffy, girly-girl. ) My boys try every once in a while to talk me into going back so THEY can fight, but I haven't given in yet. (Our barony is not real "kid-friendly," if you know what I mean...) I wish you luck in your quest for more progeny! (And I promise not to send you any fertility cooties in the mail...)

Okay, I'm REALLY zipping my lip now.

~LL
 

Any ideas where I might submit such a story?
 

Thou I havn´t participated that much in the discussions, I´ve instead followed the threads every now and then and it has been giving and interesting to read them.

I´m 33 years old writerwannabe and live in Sweden. I´ve allways liked to write but it wasn´t untill for a couple of years ago i finally decided to aim for one day become a full time writer.

I'm also participating in a writing course since September which has given me a tremendous boost in my writing.

Outherwise I´m single and I've no children. That means I'm free as a bird, but sometimes freedom is indeed just another expression for nothing left to lose.

Well, that was a little bit of myself. While I´m prusuiting my goals I also hope that you folks succed with yours.

Best of luck...
 

My name is Christine, just like my handle. The other handle I usually use is not_a_witch, but if I ever get published I rather wanted the people I talked to about writing to know my real name. I write under my maiden name of Amsden, but i get paid under my married name, Morgan. (Remember that name..one day... )

So far in terms of publication, I have a craft writing piece coming out next month at T-Zero and an article on how to give critiques on Kathleen's SciFi & Fantasy workshop.

As of this moment, I have 12 completd short stories in la-la land waiting for rejection slips. (Er, I mean, waiting to be sold. I mean, who wouldn't want *my* stuff? It's pure poetry, full of wisdom and intrigue.) I am a hair over 50K into the second draft of a novel that I am hoping (knock on wood) to have finished by the end of October. Looks like I can have the draft done by the end of this month if I keep shooting for the moon like I have the last couple of weeks, then amonth to nitpick what I wrote, then off to the wolves to have it ripped to shreds! I'm hoping that early next year I will be circulating it to agents and publishers.

I am 27, live in the Kansas City area with my husband and two orange tabby cats, Kosh and Delenn, named after characters on my favorite scifi series, Babylong 5.

Writing is my job. I don't have another one. I graduated from college a few years ago with two bachelor's degrees, one in Computer Science and one in Psychology, but I'm not using either of them and haven't for almost a year now. When I got married, my husband agreed to support my full time efforts to become a writer and I nervously decided to take the chance, despite the backhanded comments from family and friends who think I should get a "real job." My mom is mostly afraid that something going to happen to my husband and I'll be SOL with no skills and no experience. I think my friends think I laze around all day. I long for the day when I sell my first novel as a sort of vindication and justification for all that I'm sacrificing now.

I spend a lot of time on hatrack and a couple other writer's forums because I enjoy the community of writers. I tend to offer my wisdom (cough) in the form of feedback a couple of times per week as part of the business of writing (you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours) and because I often get a sense for the weaknesses in my own work by studying the weaknesses in others.

I attended OSC's boot camp in 2003 and have spent a great deal of time studying the craft of writing. Now, if only I spent half that much time on research I'd be really good.

I hpe that's enough. Even some of the old foggies around here might learn something new from that bio.
 

As for publications I was in an anthology type thing back when I was very young. (and stunk compared to the others.) I also have a story that a teacher stole from me to put in a memory type binder.

I have been personally influenced by: Bradbury, Tolkein, OSC, Hickman(who most recently really helped me get out of a perfectionist streak.)

(and am at this very moment playing Pokemon.)
 

As hurricane after hurricane bears down on Florida, it's sunny and 80 degrees here in Cleveland.

I just turned 40. None of you came to my birthday party, but I'm not bitter.

I like to write, explore caves, play bridge, win Jeopardy tournaments, and provoke people who express any religious or political beliefs.
 

Husband came home from the hospital yesterday with a stent in his heart. He is weak and tired, but home. He will be going back into the hospital in a few weeks for more stents in his legs.

Thanks, one and all, for keeping us in your prayers. My husband/lover/partner/best friend was sicker than he's ever been in his life, and I more frightened than I'd ever been. I needed all the help I could get!

For a week I would rise every morning before dawn to feed and take care of animals, driving about 85 miles, spending the day worrying about, and helping nurses take care of, my husband, then driving the same 85 miles back home just in time to take care of animals again, then personal business for an hour or so before collapsing and sleeping, though not resting well, until time to do it all over again. [Don't even *think* of telling me everything that's wrong with the previous sentence. *weak grin*]

So that's my official excuse for not writing every day, and not writing still, yet. Okay, okay, it was more that I was too worried sick to be able to write. At this point, though, I need to rest and recoup my senses before I'll be fit to do anything.

Again, thank you all for keeping us in your prayers.

Susan
 

I hope you can get your life back into some form of normalcy soon. Trauma like this doesn't go away quickly, but I would bet it feels great to at least have him back home.

As far as his hospital experience goes, I would also bet that he is VERY glad to be out of there. I spent 2 months in the hospital after a very bad motorcycle accident, and I was never so glad to breathe fresh air and see the world again. The trauma of that experience is still with me today, I try to forget that part of it. But I will never forget the joy of coming. home.

If you still have your smile, that is the main thing, weak or not.
 

Oh, what a relief! I'm so glad things are looking up for your sweetheart! I have been praying for you both.

Love,
~LL
 

Dakota
 

I'm a 28 year old lover of just about any type of speculative fiction (well, maybe horror isn't quite my cup of tea). I have always wanted to be a writer and have put together several beginnings of short stories and novels, but have allowed the inner critic too much sway for too long. I mainly tend towards fantasy, but I can't help having sci-fi flavor some of my writing as well.

My goal is to complete anything before the year is out. Then my next goal is to overcome the inner critic again to actually submit something to a publisher.

My influences - gosh there are so many - Jane Austin, Anne McCaffrey, Shakespeare, Terry Pratchett, Tolkein, Madeline L'Engle, The Brothers Grimm, Charles De Lint, Rod Serling, Frank Herbert, Terry Brooks, and Orson Scott Card.

Glad to be in the club and hope everyone has lots of critiques for me because I'm here to learn and for me, making mistakes is usually the only way I learn to do it the right way.
 

[letting huge breath out] I am SO glad to hear this - hated every day that went by with no clue - thank goodness things are looking up. Big wishes for your dh's continued improvement.

Lee
 

And welcome to the new members who have posted so far!
 

You said

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Glad to be in the club and hope everyone has lots of critiques for me because I'm here to learn and for me, making mistakes is usually the only way I learn to do it the right way.

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One of the best ways to learn in a writing workshop is to give critiques. The feedback you receive on one of your stories may only help you with that particular story, but if you give feedback to someone else on their story, you learn things that you may be able to apply to all of your work.

When it comes to writing groups and workshops, it truly is better to give than to receive. So take advantage of the opportunities in the Fragments and Feedback area to give feedback. I promise that trying to figure out what works and doesn't work in someone else's story and then trying to figure out what might help fix problems will help you more than you can imagine.
 

a great relief to hear from you and to hear that he is home. we'll keep thinking of you both and here's hoping for a speedy recovery.

R
 

Influences include, are not limited to and in no particular order:Robert Heinlein, Terry Brooks, JRR Tolkien, Steven King, Ray Bradbury, Isaac Asimov, Orson Scott Card (his writing books) and Max Lucado.

Rux

Welcome aboard Whitney.