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Caitlin Black

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Hmm. My whole family knows I write and play guitar (but not that I sing - I'm very secretive about that!) but as far as I know, here's a rundown of who has read my first book (the only one I've made available to them).

Dad and step-mum. They both read it and said they loved it. They almost always bring up my writing every time I speak to them. Dad is probably my biggest supporter so far, but this happens to be about the only thing we have in common to talk about, so it might just seem that way...

Grandad. He read it first. About 4 days after I finished the first draft and printed it out (smiling giddily) it was his birthday. So along with his actual present, I gave him the first ever printed copy, in a folder, and this is when I told my family I had been writing. Before then it was a secret, as they hadn't been very supportive when I announced my intentions years earlier to be a musician. Anyway, Grandad's only comment on the book seems to be, "You certainly have an imagination!" I'm taking that to mean he didn't like it. But he doesn't read fantasy, ever, so I'm not too surprised.

Sister. She read about 1/3 of it in one sitting, told me it was quite good, gave one piece of negative feedback, then never touched it again. Again, it's not really her thing.

Brother has never read it, as he's never seen a copy.

Nanna and mum have had a copy at their disposal, but have never once said to me anything even remotely resembling, "Oh, I read some of your book. I liked X." Or whatever. So I'm assuming they just haven't bothered to read it.

The women in my family are the biggest readers, along with myself, and only 1 has read the whole thing, and she isn't even technically related to me (step-mum). Sis read 1/3, and the other 2 probably haven't even read a single line.

So I'm kind of disappointed...

Strangely enough, my mum is the only other person in the family who reads a little fantasy (occasionally, compared to my almost-constantly), and she hasn't read my book.

*sigh*

I've never pushed the issue though. I can't be bothered.
 

LunaFancy

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Don't worry Cliff - mys sister is a prolific reader and was very enthusiastic about wanting to read my first novel - until I sent it to her, that is.

She read a couple of pages, said how great it was then never read a word more lol!

she did, however take it upon herself to be a font of ideas I would never touch for the next one- even though I already had G&I gnawing away at my brain.

Then - she had the gall to try to get me to give her this one to read! I ignored that request lol!

Family, hey? *shakes head*
 

MissMacchiato

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well, that's the thing.

I don't want to look like I'm shoving it in their faces, but by the same token, my mum reads a HEAP of books like this. So I actually think her opinion could really count for something... or for nothing. She might be too close to see, and try and be a bit harder on me, to build me up, when in reality it'd probably make me give up and never bother picking up a pen again, type thing, LOL.

So I'm not sure what to do. It's disappointing, isn't it? Well, I shan't put them down as a dedication, so ner ner nerner ner. :p
 

LunaFancy

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The fact that you mention never picking up a pen again says it all to me MM.

Don't do it.

Once your published you can thumb your nose at her - it'll be a sweet moment.

I think life is too short to put yourself in danger when it comes to chasing your dreams. There are enough times when it's inevitable that we don't have to go courting the avoidable ones.

If she wants to read it - she'll ask you for it, and that's when you know she's wanting to support you.

There's my bit of wisdom for the week. ;)

Need a lie down now lol!
 

x_Kathy_x

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My mum never seemed too interested in my writing... until I got requests. Then she wanted to read it.
 

x_Kathy_x

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Do you have a crit group/writer's group, Miss M? You're in Sydney, right? I've been trying to find one, but unsuccessfully!
 

tarkine

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Miss M - it doesn't matter what your parents think of your writing - keep writing, keep on moving towards being published.

My MIL spent 20 years trying to get published - ended up self-publishing. It's not because she can't write, it's because her books are a great read, but just aren't commercial.

Since I came out of the closet, she's been my biggest advocate - and I thought she'd get all weird about me writing.
 

MissMacchiato

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Nawww, thanks guys. Very uplifting advice :)

Kathy, yup, I'm in Sydney. Im part of the AW crit group for oz, but I haven't seen anything that meets in person.
 

LunaFancy

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Just got back with mum. All is well on that front.

Was having a shower and a major plotgasm struck - had to leap from the shower and hit the whiteboard before it left me.

G&I book 2 is now officially on the drawing board before G&I is completely finished...God help me, this is how the first one started.

I had fantasized about a week off or some such rubbish...:rolleyes:
 

Caitlin Black

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I'm kind of getting sick of music for the time being. I just want to write novels and scripts right now.

I miss the endless hours of writing. Writing a set of lyrics doesn't take all that long, unless you agonise over every word - it's how you turn it into music that is the hard part (something I'll admit I'm not all that good at...).

Writing is just different. In a good way.

*sigh* 4 more days of this competition, and then I can stop worrying about music so much.
 

tarkine

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Just got back with mum. All is well on that front.

Was having a shower and a major plotgasm struck - had to leap from the shower and hit the whiteboard before it left me.

G&I book 2 is now officially on the drawing board before G&I is completely finished...God help me, this is how the first one started.

I had fantasized about a week off or some such rubbish...:rolleyes:


Good to hear everything is good with your mum.

MissM - I'm heading your way in early May if you wanna catch up?
 

LunaFancy

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lol! Nice one Cliff!

Argh! i am so over editing, and this being my final one I have to tackle all those 'hmm' bits I kept putting off.

Just went three rounds with an especially tricky sentence. It surrendered just before I used the final option - delete!

It's will to live was stronger than its need to screw me over in the end.:tongue

And now, i fear, i have truly cracked.

Star Gate universe is being particularly awesome right now - squid monster aliens attacking everyone.

Brilliant, but not what you look for in background noise...
 

tarkine

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Who wants coffee? Last one before I go to bed!

*pours 5 cups regardless of who answers* :D


Thanks XD... I'll take one of those, even though I won't sleep.

LF - I hate deleting sentences - you are so brave!
 

LunaFancy

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Lol! Tarkine. :) Not brave-practical. Or is that jaded?

Three strikes and you're out. This is my motto and earnest promise to unwieldy sentences. If they're that hard to wrestle into shape they are fundamentally wrong, I say.

And I am not rewriting anything complicated at this stage!:tongue

ETA - Just carried out the death sentence on particularly stubborn one. As much as I loved the concept behind it - it's death was just and good.

And felt great!
 
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tarkine

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LF - I get all "ohh, I'm sure that's the best sentence I've ever written" or "It's the one that will sell the book." when I edit.

I agree about difficult sentences... I tend to put in more words, which don't make sense.

But then I started thinking "Well I need to explain this" so I'd write chapters about the characters history, and found myself chopping out 20,000 words because I was going off on tangents... which in turn started another book..

Night all.
 

MissMacchiato

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lol, did I end up missing you guys again? Tarkine, I'm debating a move overseas, but if I'm still here in May, we should totally meet up for coffee and book talk!

and no coffee for me, thanks... I need my sleep, snore :)
 

LunaFancy

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Lol! MM- looks like!

I am a heartless cow by this stage Tarkine. I think more like 'this is the sentence that will remind them I am a first timer' when I get to the tricky ones. Makes them dead easy to axe.

I figure any concept that is that hard to get across in one sentence - isn't important to the story. If it was, the rest of the page would support it so well one sentence would be more than enough.

And usually, once I get over the 'darling' aspect and kill it, I discover the sentences on either side combine to convey the concept better than it ever would have.

I don't do tangents. Not ever. Life's too short. :)
 

tarkine

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Good morning!! Here's a coffee and a slice of toast.

LF - I'm getting better at tangents. The good thing was that I was able to put it all down on paper, instead of holding it in my head (which felt like it was going to burst).
 

LunaFancy

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Lol! I know that feeling tarkine - I have a whiteboard for that behaviour. It's a bloody monster of a thing and double sided - and it gets filled up and cleaned off quite a few times during the first draft, I can tell you!

If I really like an idea I'll workshop it to see if it will fit in where I'm headed - if not, it's into the 'next novel notes' folder.:)

Most of them end up in that folder, too. I'm way too anal to change plotlines or characters, once I start.
 

MissMacchiato

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Ah, I do all mine online, in google documents. But basically it's the same idea :) yay coffee!

Mooorning everyone!
 

Caitlin Black

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Morning. Today I'm mildly annoyed.

Last week, I got an SMS saying my Reporting Date for my next Centrelink unemployment form was sometime in May, presumably because I'll be starting study soon.

Then during the week I received *two* copies of a new form, telling me my Reporting Date was today.

I guess the forms outrank the SMS, so today I'm going in to Centrelink.

Ho hum.
 

MissMacchiato

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that's just annoying!

Man, tumblr is SUCH a time suck. You find a site you particularly like and you can be on there until the apocalypse. Quotes, pretty photos... eek. LOL
 

LunaFancy

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February, May not much of a difference.;)

Oh hang on - that's nearly THREE months! Idiots. I hope you have a go at them, Cliff. That's just rude.

Okay, I was cleaning the stables this morning (first day of being back on clean up since my back injury) and OMG! How I have missed that time.

15mins of repetitive, menial, manual labour is the most amazing experience when you are brewing a story. So many great thoughts and new angles came together it wasn't funny.

Can't wait to shovel shit tomorrow. It really is fertiliser. lol!