The No News is No News Purgatory Thread, Volume 8

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Calla Lily

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I didn't know anything about Russian, or cleansing a room with sage, or police procedure, or Holocaust museums and site tours, or so much other stuff, and all you lovely Purgies helped me out.

:heart:
 

Blondchen

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my fears - I'm in general, completely unqualified to write anything I've ever written, so I suppose my fear is people figuring that out. Although I usually end up getting praised on that stuff and rejected for other reasons, so hah :tongue

I'm completely unqualified to write...anything. :)

And some days I feel like, no matter how hard I work at this, it isn't hard enough.
 

mayqueen

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Jo and others, I'm on the exact opposite end of the spectrum. I doubt I will ever write anything contemporary because I can't imagine myself being a talented or interesting enough story-teller to not need all of the historical details and people to fill it out. I love the fact-checking. I don't think I could ever write speculative fiction or fantasy that was not in some way historical, either, because I just don't think I have it in me. I look at the fantasy writers just around Purgie alone, not to mention my Serious All-Time Idols, and I don't think I'm that creative. Or at least, not creative like that.

Para, Sunna, absolutely! I don't know much about anything outside my super-narrow academic expertise and my weird, crazy life, but that doesn't stop me. My lack of faith in my skill and my doubts that anyone besides me would ever find it compelling, however...
 

xiaotien

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may, i think that's what makes it
unique and interesting. just look at purgatory
alone. i don't think any of us write anything
remotely similar in topics or prose or voice
like another--and it is a good thing!

blondie, i think the teens who stood up
to talk TEN as one of their favorite YA reads
of 2012 would DISAGREE. 8)
 

JoNightshade

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Jo and others, I'm on the exact opposite end of the spectrum. I doubt I will ever write anything contemporary because I can't imagine myself being a talented or interesting enough story-teller to not need all of the historical details and people to fill it out. I love the fact-checking. I don't think I could ever write speculative fiction or fantasy that was not in some way historical, either, because I just don't think I have it in me. I look at the fantasy writers just around Purgie alone, not to mention my Serious All-Time Idols, and I don't think I'm that creative. Or at least, not creative like that.

Is it just me, or are our preferred genres all defined by our insecurities? Ah, writers... ;)
 

Dragonstar

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Hmmm...Jo, I wonder what that says about me and my Urban Fantasy? On second thought, I probably don't want to know.

I love the freedom of being able to create whatever I want to. Through this series, I'm slowly creating a world I think would be fun to live in. Assuming I survived the changes. :)
 

Cricket18

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My hair is ridiculously long. I wish I could wear it short, but I look like a boy and I'm not in the mood these days to be mistaken as such.

It's also dyed. I do my roots and then get highlights a couple of times a year, for kicks. And WIN--my hair color is back after being gone from all three stores near my house. Weird.

On writing...well, I love research. But I also love making things up, which is why I love writing SFF. :)
 

raburrell

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Becky, I didn't know a thing about PIs, stalking, phone tracing, modern surveillance, pipe bombs, guns, etc. etc. when I started my mystery series. I researched like crazy and tapped into AW's experts--and some meatspace experts too.

Go for it!

Yeah, it hasn't stopped me - just gives me something to be paranoid about :tongue. The funny thing is that I once got really glowing comments from a big six editor about how 'right' I'd gotten Israeli life & culture in the book I'd set there (she travels there frequently, has lived there, etc).

Of course, this is also the editor who said 'Yes! Yes! I love this book and want to buy it! ... and then spent the next 3 months dodging my agent... So... yeah. :rolleyes:
 

xiaotien

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rab, that novel sounds fascinating!

i haven't known an editor to say they'd
love to buy something and not actually
love to acquire it. but it's tough pushing
through editorial board then acquisitions.
(most of us puglets know that first hand.)

as i said, now in this industry, especially
big six (or is it 4 now?) everyone and their
chihuahua and the mother in law of the janitor
has to be on board.
 

raburrell

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Lol. I'd love to say I'm over it, but it still bugs me. Agent says this particular editor has a rep for doing that, unfortunately. I do still love the story though - it's my fave of the ones I have written. I keep telling myself I should SP it, but I'm not convinced it's right for either me or the book :(
 

WritingDemons

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Haven't taken time to catch up, but wanted to let y'all know that I'm safely back from Phoenix. My sister and I got front row seats for the Q&A, and K1m H@rrison answered my "question" and gave us the extended elevator pitch for the next book. I'm so stinkin' excited for it. Is it 2014 yet?
 

vfury

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Evening, Purgatory! Repped as I got up, but still ended up with a huge catch up post anyway. Erm, oops?

(((sunna))) I'm so sorry.

(((Kia))) I'm so sorry your co-workers are responding that way. Please don't hesitate in reporting to someone about this, workplace bullying should never be tolerated.

To go briefly back to the hair length/grey topic:
My maternal grandmother had lovely grey-silver hair that she curled every week up to when she was in hospital. My mother and aunt both started going grey in their thirties and forties, but my dad's red hair is just gradually going a paler shade of orange. So my sister and I aren't sure which way we're going.

And to go briefly back to the age/being 23 topic:
My last serious girlfriend broke up with me the night before my 23rd birthday. Well, kind of. I ended up doing the for-real breaking up two weeks later. So being 23 was an emotional trainwreck from hell for me. :D

...yes, since everyone knows what age I currently am, I admit my dating luck hasn't been great.

I also wear patterned socks to work, much to my family's dismay. They still can't believe my dress habits and lack of make-up haven't been mentioned in an annual review.

i also believe in the gut
and am intuitive as a writer.
always like to challenge myself
but know when something is beyond my reach
as a writer at the moment. i think i can expand
Blue Skies to a full novel length. i'm not sure
if or when i'll ever be ready for the pre cultural
revolution historical set in china i'd love to write
inspired by my maternal grandparents' romance.

I wrote the first draft of the Alice book I'm currently revising back in 2007. And quickly realised I wasn't good enough to make it work the way I wanted. So I saved it in a zillion places and went off and wrote the wolves. In the wolves' Big Mammoth Neverending R&R of Doom, I discovered a lot of my weaknesses. So I'm approaching the Alice book feeling (and hoping) that I've improved.

And now I feel that I can not only tackle it the way I wanted to, but I've made significant adjustments to it that I don't think I could have back in 2007.

Actually, you can find the original Alice query in QLH back when I thought I could revise and query it. I want to pet my almost-22-year-old self and go, "Awww, bless." :tongue

Every time I get a contemporary idea, twenty minutes later a ghost shows up, or a vampire, or magic of some kind... The last time I had a contemporary roadtrip idea, it snowballed into including time travel and a serial killer.

Mostly, I fear not being good enough and more to take on as a client/give a contract to/etc. All I can do is keep writing and hope I improve and luck will meet the right MS. (Or so I keep telling myself.)
 
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lwalker

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Hey guys!

*Pops early champagne*

I've been going a little nuts today, but I wanted to say hello.

Becky, didn't I read part of that one once? It WAS good. And I assumed you had been there. Very real.

Blondie, you are amazing. But it makes me feel a little better to know everyone is insecure. I'm both excited about and terrified of tomorrow. :eek:

I did get the SWEETEST gift from my marketing guy and my editor this afternoon, which really made me smile.

I'm with Cricket: I like to research, but I also like to have the freedom to make stuff up. :)

Love you guys. I'm on a couple of blogs tomorrow, if anyone has time to stop by. I'll put links on FB and twitter in the morning. :heart:
 

FruitTree

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I love writing historical fiction. But sometimes I wonder why I make a rod for my own back. The WIP is set in a place and time where there's not a great deal of solid information.

Here here. I write about the Neolithic of Western Europe. "Sketchy" is a kind way to describe the data.
 

dystophil

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Hi Purgs! Lurky drive-by hi from me, since I currently can't keep my eyes open long enough to rep.

Had a pretty great teaching day though. One of those kind of warm and fuzzy ones. Good start of the week, even with the snow. :)

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to pass out on the couch...
 

kellion92

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I've written historical and contemporary and lots about stuff I know nothing about. When I read things back, sometimes details surprise me because I don't know how I knew those things and I don't know them anymore.

The one I'm trying to write is multicultural alt history, I guess. Luckily it has fantasy elements, but there are four different cultures I can completely get wrong.

And whew! My agent loved my latest revision and sent it out. Just in tme! My work situation is very grim -- some kind of Manchurian Candidate thing where agression-inducing gas is being piped through the air ducts. Now, I have no illusion that a PB could ever be "take this job and shove it" money, but I need a little bit of hope that something good might happen.
 

mayqueen

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Here here. I write about the Neolithic of Western Europe. "Sketchy" is a kind way to describe the data.
Sometimes it's just vastly more fun to write HF in the sketchy times. That's why I'm attracted to writing in the early middle ages. No written record? No problem. Preliterate societies have great stories to tell, too.

Although all the research would be a bitch if I didn't have my university library affiliation.
 

JoNightshade

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Okay, I need to get this gripe out: I am seriously counting the days of my pregnancy one by one. I am 13 weeks and 5 days. AUGH. I just want this to be OVER. Please, time, pass quickly. Baby, grow big. Then come out alive. Then we will all go home and everything will be fine and I can find other things to worry about.

Also, does anyone else do their craziest worrying at FOUR IN THE MORNING? Gah. I dunno why my brain chooses that, of all times, to drag me over the coals. I'm laying there like, "Brain. Shut up. I just need some more sleep. Whatever you want, we will discuss this in the morning. Now SHUT UP!"

There. Now I shall go back to useful things. Carry on. ;)
 

FruitTree

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Sometimes it's just vastly more fun to write HF in the sketchy times. That's why I'm attracted to writing in the early middle ages. No written record? No problem. Preliterate societies have great stories to tell, too.

Although all the research would be a bitch if I didn't have my university library affiliation.

This. I don't think I could do this, either, if I weren't an archaeologist. The Neolithic isn't my area of expertise, but the archaeological sources would be pretty hard to understand if I didn't have the methodological background. (How Jean Auel did it - she *does* write in my period - I don't know. Well, actually, I do: she traveled all over Europe meeting with lots of archaeologists, including some of my mentors. She really did a graduate degree's worth of research - and even so, new evidence came out after she published Clan of the Cave Bear that made one of her central plot points really problematic.Such problems are sure to happen with HF set in early times...no way around it. Maybe that makes it easier?)

But I agree - for me it's more fun. Most people really don't know anything about preliterate periods (see: sketchy information and data that's hard to interpret for the layperson), so illuminating that record through fiction is exciting.
 

xiaotien

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kell, wow, that wip sounds complex!
good luck! also, /bootay shake! that
your agent liked revision and sent it
off. fantastic!

vfury, it's a journey, right?
i couldn't have written Fury when i had
written SP.

jo, hang in there.
 

mayqueen

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This. I don't think I could do this, either, if I weren't an archaeologist. The Neolithic isn't my area of expertise, but the archaeological sources would be pretty hard to understand if I didn't have the methodological background.
Can I hit you up with archeological questions? :p I feel like I find HF interesting to write because of my training as a sociologist. I'm used to thinking about how cultural forms influence personal experiences. Do you think that helps as well, since our fields are sort of like the cousins at family reunions everyone thinks are the same person but really don't get along?

I found myself reading an article on queering archeological finds the other day for my Shiny New Idea, and it was very challenging to get through because I don't understand how archeologists work.


Also, does anyone else do their craziest worrying at FOUR IN THE MORNING? Gah. I dunno why my brain chooses that, of all times, to drag me over the coals. I'm laying there like, "Brain. Shut up. I just need some more sleep. Whatever you want, we will discuss this in the morning. Now SHUT UP!"
And what is it about how everything seems 100x WORSE at four in the morning? I wake up and start worrying, and suddenly the pipe that's kind of rusty in my basement is going to explode, flood my basement, and require my house to be condemned. Stuff that if I was fully awake, wouldn't be a big deal.

It sucks.
 

copperbeeches

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My best is from midnight to four, which is of course the time I'm supposed to be asleep. Agreed, fantastic.
 

Smiley0501

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yes, everything at 4 AM seems much much much worse!!!!! *tears hair out in consensus*
 
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