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  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

~The Writer's Lounge~

Discussion in 'Archive: The Amphitheatre' started by KnightWriter, Jun 9, 2002.

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  1. KnightWriter

    KnightWriter Administrator Emeritus star 9 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Nov 6, 2001
    Something I've long wanted to see on the JC was a place to put creative writings that don't involve Star Wars. Lord Bane gave approval for such threads in the Amphitheatre, and I thought I would start one.

    Hope to see good writing here in the future :).

    Memo to all users:: To post your actual writing, go to the The Publisher's Desk :).
     
  2. RidingMyCarousel

    RidingMyCarousel Jedi Master star 6

    Registered:
    Feb 20, 2002
    Does anyone else like writing essays and research papers? For some reason, I enjoy it... I like to seek out new topics and learn about them. Then, of course, I like to add my spin on them and write them up into an essay...

    I know most people in my high school english classes hated doing them...

    And of course, I like to write fiction works. I'm currently working on a novel about the adventures of someone who lives in another realm, kind of a fantasy place.
     
  3. Arfour_Peeseventeen

    Arfour_Peeseventeen Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Jun 2, 2002
    For my birthday I want a pet cow.
    Then I can make milk for Mom,
    And I can make steak for Dad.

    :p
     
  4. Jenavira

    Jenavira Jedi Youngling star 1

    Registered:
    Jul 26, 1998
    Essays are fun...only, of course, when it's an interesting topic. High school essays were usually boring because you'd have to write it on a specific topic. I do like researching stuff on my own, though, and writing about it.

    I used to write fiction, but now fanfic is eating my brain...*sigh* Perhaps I'll start up on it again.



    Jenavira
     
  5. Darth_name

    Darth_name Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Aug 14, 2000
    I prefer fiction myself. Mystery, Humor, Epic...it's all good. :cool:
     
  6. RidingMyCarousel

    RidingMyCarousel Jedi Master star 6

    Registered:
    Feb 20, 2002
    My favorite paper that I've written was a research that I'd written about Maynard James Keenan, the singer of Tool/A Perfect Circle. It was for an English 3 exam my 11th grade year in high school. I learned a lot about the man and gained more insight as to what he sings.

    Learning new details about things I already enjoy makes me really happy and excited to learn more :)
     
  7. Radiohead

    Radiohead Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 31, 2002
    Does anyone else like writing essays and research papers? For some reason, I enjoy it...

    I actually enjoy doing this too! I always did well in all my classes that involved writing essays. In fact, I'm planning to become a journalism major for college.

    EDIT:
    A question: is this thread for posting non-SW stories or for sharing writing tips? Thanks.
     
  8. RidingMyCarousel

    RidingMyCarousel Jedi Master star 6

    Registered:
    Feb 20, 2002
    Really, Radiohead!? Wow! I'm joining the Navy to first get my degree in journalism and then possibly branch out to engineering :)
     
  9. Daughter_Of_TheForce

    Daughter_Of_TheForce Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Sep 1, 2001
    Writing essays was always a chore, especially in college. I always seemed to write them only at the last minute. Kept one of them because I thought it was pretty good (and so did my professor). I write essays now, but only to better explain elements of my own work to myself. They act as history lessons.
     
  10. Queenie Amidala

    Queenie Amidala Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    May 7, 2000
    Writing is what I do best. No one understands why I would much rather write an essay or a research paper than take an exam or something likewise.

    I would gladly give up my writing ability in exchange for something more "useful" in the world today, like mathematics.

    But, I am thankful for my talent. I love it. I do wish, however, that I could find something to do with it in my life.
     
  11. Terr_Mys

    Terr_Mys Jedi Grand Master star 6

    Registered:
    May 19, 2002
    Hey folks. I love writing...a lot...but you know, I just really can't get the gist of writing an actual, full-length story. I'm not sure if I'm not descriptive enough, or if I'm not very good with dialogue...or whatever. But for some reason, writing a script seems so much easier and even more fun for me than writing a novel-length story.

    But I have an idea (which I really enjoy) for a fantasy story. I've outlined the entire saga (yeah...kinda like Star Wars) into 9 parts, 3 trilogies. I know this is a massive undertaking, but I would love to write a script for these stories, even if it wasn't an actual book or movie. I just really enjoy the story, the characters...and it has a great twist, too (kind of like Star Wars! :) ). I don't know if this would interest anyone...but if you would like to help me write a script or a story, or just hear my ideas, please PM me. I'm always looking for any advice - so...anyone...I'd greatly appreciate it. ;)
     
  12. Liz Skywalker

    Liz Skywalker Ex-Mod star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Jun 13, 2000
    is this thread for advice/help/whatever on all stages of the writing process?
     
  13. KnightWriter

    KnightWriter Administrator Emeritus star 9 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Nov 6, 2001
    I believe so, Liz, plus posting writing as well :).
     
  14. LianaMara

    LianaMara Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Oct 30, 2000
    I'm working on my 2nd novel right now (I finished the 1st about a year ago, but it really sucks and I have to revise it). If anyone is interested, I can post a basic plot summary and all.

    Carosel- I love essays, but only when they're on subjects I like. I had to write a 10-page paper once on women in the military, and the research for that was more fun than actually composing it.
     
  15. Daughter_Of_TheForce

    Daughter_Of_TheForce Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Sep 1, 2001
    It's always more fun to do the research than actually composing it. For me, anyway. As much as I love writing, the worst part is doing the real grunt work, putting words down on paper. My internal critic is usually out and about at this time, and she doesn't know when to keep quiet sometimes. :D
     
  16. RidingMyCarousel

    RidingMyCarousel Jedi Master star 6

    Registered:
    Feb 20, 2002
    Carosel- I love essays, but only when they're on subjects I like. I had to write a 10-page paper once on women in the military, and the research for that was more fun than actually composing it.
    -- Exactly the same with me, although I can and will write on subjects that I have to, especially if it is going to be for a job or for school (so I can pass). :)

    And if you wouldn't mind, could you post the plot summary of your first novel? I'm really interested in reading it :)
     
  17. KnightWriter

    KnightWriter Administrator Emeritus star 9 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Nov 6, 2001
    Has anyone here read Stephen King's "On Writing"? It's a brilliant book, and goes into detail about the craft of writing, as well as sharing King's experiences in general.
     
  18. Queenie Amidala

    Queenie Amidala Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    May 7, 2000
    Ahh, I'm exactly the opposite. I'm the lazy, "I don't want to have to look all that up" person.

    I would much rather already have all the information and just sit down to write. I could write forever, on just about anything.

    I'm just not a researcher. Although, I wish I were. I would be a much more productive person. :D
     
  19. Terr_Mys

    Terr_Mys Jedi Grand Master star 6

    Registered:
    May 19, 2002
    If anyone's interested...I did come up with a "brief" ;) summary of my fantasy story script a while back. It's just a rough draft. Entitled The Tales of Daichi: A New Adventure -

    We are first introduced to Amanda, a young girl living in a medieval land ravaged by constant floods and ruled by evil suzerains. As the story takes flight, Amanda returns to her home to find her father, a mercenary working for the corrupt Lord Cattivo. He tells Amanda that he has been assigned to help find Lord Cattivo's daughter, who he believes has been kidnapped by a group of rebellious freedom fighters and is being held for ransom. Amanda does not quite understand why her father must leave her, but nevertheless she is deeply saddened. Soon after his depature, Amanda has a terrifying dream in her sleep in which her father is killed by warriors. Amanda awakes in horror. Frightened by her dream, Amanda confronts her mother. Her mother quickly dismisses the idea that Amanda's father is dead, but Amanda knows deep down that her dream was a true event. Amanda begins packing her things, and takes one of her father's prized swords as she adventures away from home. Her first real time away from home, Amanda is dearly frightened every night of her journey, but simply clutches on to her father's sword. She soon comes across a riverside area where she confronts Taylor, a mysterious cleric who forbids passage to the mountains. Amanda, determined to discover what happened to her father, battles Taylor sword against bow. Neither fighter harms the other, but they come to an agreement. Taylor senses the good intentions of Amanda's heart and the two join forces on the journey. As Amanda and Taylor voyage on, over waterfalls and up cliffs, Amanda begins to sense something strange within herself. She discovers that she can actually read Taylor's mind! Not figuratively, Amanda actually discovers that she is learning to control the power of telepathy. Encountering mystical beasts on the way, Amanda and Taylor fight together against the forces of evil. Amanda discovers that it is not only she who posesses supernatural powers - Taylor does as well. Taylor reveals that he has the powers of divination - he can control divine spirits and morph himself into a ghost. At first Amanda becomes afraid of Taylor's revealed powers, but she soon learns to accept them, as Taylor accepts hers. We soon come to a foggy day on the top of a mountain. Taylor, after hiking for hours, decides to fetch some water from a mountain stream. Lost in the fog, Taylor finds himself in a misty grove where he spots a beautiful girl lying unconscious on the ground. He tends to her until Amanda arrives. As the girl regains consciousness, the two discover that her name is Renée. She tells them that she was attacked by warriors - not rebels as Amanda assumes, but Lord Cattivo's soldiers, much like Amanda's father. Renée and Amanda's instant disagreement leads to a subtle competitive disliking throughout the rest of the story. Renée and Taylor, however, become very close. In their next confrontation, Amanda, Taylor, and Renée clash against a a group of Lord Cattivo's soldiers. Amanda demands for the status of her father, but all of the soldiers act oblivious and merely taunt her. As the two groups fight, Amanda and Taylor discover that their new party member has supernatural powers as well. Renée has the power of telekenesis - she can move objects with her mind. After fighting the soldiers, the group realizes that it is not mere coincidence that they have been joined together by fate, it is a calling. Soon the party travels into a small forest town where they discover some strange spirits who give them clues about the true secret behind the story. Amanda also receives an ancient book with an unknown language, known as Daichi. After leaving the mysterious forest town, Amanda, Taylor, and Renée meet up with a group of the rebellion's freedom fighters, warriors against Lord Cattivo. The party tries to find out what happened to Amanda's father, but not even the rebels knew. The
     
  20. Radiohead

    Radiohead Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 31, 2002
    We can share writing tips? OK, cool...

    In terms of writing critical essays, I'd say there are several criteria to master in order to perfect the work:

    1. The facts - specific examples
    2. Organization
    3. Good knowledge of spelling, grammar, and syntax
    4. A wide vocabulary
    5. Proof-reading skills

    These things have always worked for me and I'll explain why...

    1. Getting the facts straight
    You can't write a paper without having your facts straight. Say you're working on a critical essay on The Great Gatsby. For instance, you can't say that "while Nick Carraway is the reluctant narrator of the story, the reader really sees the events through the eyes of Jay Gatsby"--that's wrong and cannot be corroborated by specific examples in the text. Similarly, writing a report on genetic engineering requires citation of specific experiments and breakthroughs in order for the essay to have any merit.

    2. Organization
    I honestly think that organization is the most important thing when writing a paper. I've gotten away with good grades on mediocre papers simply because it was organized well. Organization involves structuring the paper so that all the pertinent information remains in the paper, while all the extraneous information is deleted. Organizing the facts into coherent "bites" also helps in gathering information that should be bunched together. The best way to organize a paper is the outline. I write an outline for all my papers--trust me, it works.

    3. Good knowledge of grammar, spelling, and syntax
    This criterion is a given when writing papers. It is impossible to get away with bad grammar, spelling, or syntax in the higher levels of education. Your teacher or professor will eat up your essay if you don't have a basic grasp on these issues. Again, this is self-explanatory.

    4. A wide vocabulary
    Big words are useless if (a.) you have no idea what they mean, or (b.) if you're using them simply to sound more intelligent. Words should serve a purpose in the essay; they shouldn't be used to take up space in a sentence. Also, a wide vocabulary helps to cut down on repetitive or unimiginative sentences. How do you get a wide vocabulary? By reading lots of books. It's that simple.

    5. Proof-reading skills
    Proof-reading skills are often overlooked when writing papers. But, proof-reading a paper could mean the difference between an A or a C+. Proof-reading simply requires re-reading the essay and keeping an eye out for mistakes. Spotting mistakes should not be limited to just grammatical or spelling errors, but also factual inconsistencies and organizational mistakes. I've deleted whole paragraphs in papers because I realized that it didn't fit into the essay. Finally, when proof-reading, make sure to answer the question or analyze the problem that is brought up in the assignment.

    There ya go. That's how I write my essays...
     
  21. KnightWriter

    KnightWriter Administrator Emeritus star 9 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Nov 6, 2001
    Just a thought (for all people who post writing here). You might try using the blockquote markup codes when you post, as it makes things a bit easier to read.

    :)
     
  22. Terr_Mys

    Terr_Mys Jedi Grand Master star 6

    Registered:
    May 19, 2002
    Thanks for the tip KnightWriter ;)
     
  23. LianaMara

    LianaMara Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Oct 30, 2000
    I love King's book! I borrowed it from my English teacher once, and it was excellent. It helped me a little when I realized that I should plan my foreshadowings out more.

    Alright, here it is: a little summary of my first novel:
    Prelude to Rebellion

    On a crumbling world full of corruption and deceit, two young pilots have discovered a secret they can no longer hide. Lark Throlln and Ilania Ariadne have 5 weeks to warn Maediena, a neighboring system, that a full scale invasion is imminent. Will the Maedienans listen to them, or will they be rejected as traitors and spies?
     
  24. FiveHorizons

    FiveHorizons Jedi Master star 3

    Registered:
    Mar 19, 2002
    In regards to essays: This is really a very broad topic. In high school you're taught how to write 30 different essay formats on 72 different topics. AP History asks for thorough introductory paragraphs, with facts and analysis, while AP Psych essays ask you to shoot straight from the hip. It's a difficult thing to balance.

    For me, it's either you know the facts or you don't. However, there are ways to write a good essay without knowing the facts. There were one or two books in high school I didn't read at all and still managed to get 8's and 9's (out of 9) on essays. For the most part, it's how to sling accurate bull crap. But good points, nonetheless, Radiohead.
     
  25. DarthLothi

    DarthLothi Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Sep 4, 2001
    KW, I read On Writing, and found it to be a common-sense, "this-is-my-experience" approach to the craft of writing. I keep it by my computer and it's pretty beat-up and dog-eared.

    "But it's writing, damn it, not washing the car or putting on eyeliner. If you can take it seriously, we can do business."
     
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