Seeing as there are a few aspiring fantasy authors in here, I thought I'd moot the idea of starting a project to write these books you're talking about. I'm thinking we could work together through the planning, drafting, editing stages, and give each other support and encouragement. I have practical experience I can share and if we work at it, I think it's not unreasonable to imagine you could have a finished product a year after we begin.

What do you think? Naturally there will be times some won't be able to work at all (exam times or school holidays) but that's a natural part of a writer's life and can be worked around. There would be no expectations on my part, so don't think if you start I'll be disappointed if you stop. I'd just like to offer the benefit of 'been there done that' because sometimes that's all you need to keep going, knowing someone else has been in the same hole and struggled out successfully. Anyway, think about it and let me know what you'd like to do. We could work out some guidelines and get cracking when Timna and Helen are past their exams.

What a generous and inspiring idea Louise.
I for one would love the encouragement of others who are rowing a boat upstream like me! Sometimes I even lose one of my paddles and start floundering in circles.
There would be nothing better than a nurturing support group to hand me a new paddle, or give me a push when I get stuck on a sand bar or two. Knowing you have been there and done that Louise would be a great help in itself.

deb

Ohh....pick me, pick me!
Thats an obvious yes if i ever saw one.....
That is a brill idea. I totally came up with some name for my first book the other day....with thanks to Robin Hobb who set me on the path... Hows "Four Winds" sound.... The intention is to have a trilogy at least...as thats how the story develops...and Four Winds in the name of the main town where the story is set amongst having another role, which i cant really talk about yet (im not sure still thats all)! ... I kind of have this strange feeling about it...it just fits like no other title has. Maybe it should be "The Four Winds Trilogy" ? Interesting...
just thought id share!
Back to that idea of yours Louise...love it! When these stinking exams are out of the way im there! (thats at 11 oclock on the 19th of November i'll be walking out of the church hall[where i have exams] with ideas for my book running though my numbed mind)
Perhaps we should have a special area to go (like another forum) just for the inspiring writers to come, instead of loading up this forum...?

I think Four Winds sounds GREAT....Timna no make that better than GREAT. I got goosebumps just reading it and having it echo around in my mind for a while.
deb

hey thanks...i got that feeling too....love it!
Anyhow, i have gone and written on the top of the draft copy ....i love it even more now....
:) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :)

Hey guys!If you don't mind,I'd love to pitch in!Only I don't have a computer at home,so work hours are kinda it for me,though I do have friends that have the net,it's just getting there and using it!!!!
I'm in the process of TRYING to write a book,but I have all these ideas for stories and when I pick one a new one comes along and makes me doubt what I already know and,well it's hard to explain!!!
I've been doing research on topics that I'd love to write about but can't seem to get it out!!!It's driving me crazy!And when I do pick a storyline to go by,it resembles a mixture of other books I've read and I want some totally unique!

So,in having my winge,if I could help(don't know how though,)then I'd try!!

Take care,Jamie

That is an absolutely superkalafragalisticexpealadoscious idea!!!!!!
I am being a much good editor yes!! ( just joking)

I'll show you mine if you show me yours

That sounds like it's a go to me. I take your point, Timna that it might clog this board, but if we keep to one thread it shouldn't, and I really think that it would be fascinating for readers to see how writers work, to realise that it's not all go-go-go, that you get stalled and you doubt yourself, you lose track of your passion and have to find it again, the outside world intrudes and drags you away just when you found it, etc., etc. Most aspiring writers I meet have little difficulty mastering the practicalities of creating a story/characters, drafting and self-editing, but they can't cope with the psychological aspects of writing. Let's face it, if you put your heart and soul into something, it means a lot to you, and when it goes wrong (as it inevitably will at some point) it hurts. Some people can't cope with that. Writing isn't like a normal job. But if you guys are up for the journey, I'm in it with you. Don't worry that you haven't picked out a story or characters yet, Jamie. It's better to keep thinking about it than to rush into starting something that you're not really passionate about. Just follow your interests and allow yourself plenty of daydreaming time. Helen and Deb, glad you're on board. We'll see if anyone else has a hands-up before we start.

If exams finish on the 17th, how does Monday 20th of November sound for a starting date? (let me know if this doesn't suit) We can talk about where we are with plots or actual written work then and each work out a time-plan and goals for the year to get these babies to completion. So if you have time between now and then you could use it get excited, writing little notes in a notebook if you like about ideas for scenes or what you love about certain characters, any little details of their dress or appearance - basically just falling in love with your story before you start. Don't let yourself stress about it, trust me we'll all keep each other on track. The main thing is to love what you're doing because that makes everything else (including problems) seem way less important.

So looking forward to this.

Well, last night at work while working in the books section (moved your books up a shelf too..lol.)
I was wondering if we should have a name to identify the group. Project something would be good...i almost wrote Project Hope actually, as that is what we are, arent we? Anyway, i though it would easier to idnetify the group in a special way...we are after all special!
A another forum dedicated to just this would be ideal Louise...you manage that? Im sure you can. Its not hard as you will see....
So that makes it Helen. Deb, Jamie, Timna and Louise...is that right?

You're right, Timna. We need a name. But although I can see where you're coming from, I'm loathe to use the word 'hope' because that doesn't sound like we're really committed, just hoping it will turn out the way we want. The fact is that we're going to plan and work towards making it happen. Of course, sometimes life intervenes and the best laid plans fall down, but I'm a bit more than 'hopeful' that we'll succeed.

A friend gave me a quote the other day that won't go out of my head so I thought I'd share it with you guys:

Dwell on what you want, not what you don't want.

Sounds too simple, but a lot of people dwell on what could do wrong, rather than what they're planning will go right, so they're all prepared for if they fail, but not prepared to succeed. I can't anticipate anything that will stop committed people writing a book in a year - of course I can't promise it will be published, but if you want to write it, I believe you will.

So lets pick a name that reflects our absolute confidence that this can and will be a done. Either that, or something so whacky people haven't got a clue what we're doing! Court Jester...?

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
I dont know what we should be called... i like Court Jester...very different!!!!! and laughable! (in a good way)
i'll keep thinking...we have a few days yet!

I'm inspired, I'm motivated, and I'm keen. But let's just keep me going til Monday on this vibe - ha! "I think not baby puppy" (sorry I'm stuck on that line from Cat's & Dogs)

I really want to put some of my ideas onto paper, if just for myself for awhile, for practice or whatever, so I'm going to try my hardest to make the most of the opportunity of the team participation.

Louise - is there much difference between writing a short story like Goddess and a novel like Destiny? Is one harder than the other?? I'm out of practice with the creative writing process, and want to set a realistic goal for myself to start with.

As for a name - Team Scribe ? Sorry if it's lame, my brain is on low function mode until I can eat real food. i'll try to think of some more later. Are we setting up a separate message board for this? It might be easier for visitors for Louise's board to not have our literary angst as well.

Fi

I'm excited!!! Just call me BIG DEB! I am so stoked about this writing group. My lid is jingling because my pot is bubbling like mad to get started. This is what I have been looking for...a group that I can relate to and the fact that we can support each other while we write... Thanks so much for the opportunity Louise!

I think we should talk about goals first so we all know each others goals and interests of writing at the beginning.
Fi, it sounded like you thought we were going to share everything about our stories...but we arent. Its more a push in the right direction group...if you get stuck on grammar and structure building etc...its a help group... sorry if this is not what you meant, i just thought i would help you see what we intend to do.
We also are having another forum just for this group.

I have written ever since I can remember. It all started with reading Enid Blyton books. That was it...I was hooked on the fantasy genre. My goal is to get a book out there, see it on the shelves of my local book store! LOL! No point in having a goal if you don't shoot high!

Thats exacly what i want...to see my book put there. I like the fact that some authors have had such an impression on me as a child, and now i want to do the same... funny you should mention Enid...thats where i began!

I loved Enid's books too - they were fantastic - I used to borrow them from my Nan's bookshelf when I went to visit. I'm keeping all my books from childhood so that my kids can read them when they get into reading too (hehe kids are much further down the track)

I still have all my Enid Blyton books...they are a bit tattered about the edges, but they still hold their magic for me.

I was such a book muncher at school, that Mum couldn't afford to keep buying me books, so I used to borrow from Nan, the school library, the local library - anywhere that had some fresh meat (or books in this case).

I think my first wages when I stared working part time (probably a grand totoal of $40!) was ALL spent at the local bookshop.

And it's probably why I look after any book I own now, since they're mine, not borrowed.

Which Enid books did you guys fall in love with?

I had to look on Amazon to remember the titles! The Enchanted Wood was definitely a favourite, Faraway Tree, Wishing Chair, Secret Seven.... wow! I really was into a lot of fantasy stories about magical worlds as a child - I wanna go back!!!

The first of Enid Blyton's books I read was The Magic Faraway Tree...with Moonface, Silky, the Saucepan man, Dame Washalot and that groovy slide that went right down the centre of the tree. That was it I was hooked. I spent all my pocket money on those books. I loved the Wishing Chair and the Famous Five too, not to mention all the Twenty Minute Tales and various 'coloured books'...The Blue story book, the Yellow story book etc, by Enid Blyton.
I also read all of Laura Ingles Wilder books, and the Narnia books...over and over.
What can I say I love my books.

So glad that you guys loved the Enid Blyton books. I was deprived as a child, I never had them - don't know why - but I bought and read a lot of them to my kids and particularly remember falling in love with the Magic Faraway Tree. I'd quite forgotten about Silky, Deb, until you mentioned her and remember now that I loved her so much, even discovering her as an adult. My all-time favourite book was Alice in Wonderland and that theme of 'stranger in a strange land' is reflected in a lot of what I write. My second favourite book was a Readers Digest anthology of fairy tales which had beautiful illustrations and I would read The Little Mermaid again and again. I had pretty diverse tastes as a child and read whatever I could get my hands onto, however by teenagerhood it was all sci-fi. Funny how what we've read shapes what we write.

On the subject of the book-in-a-year project itself, I don't have a brilliant name either, but wouldn't mind seeing 'Project' in there somewhere if it fits.

Timna, I know you're keen to set up a different forum, but you guys are the major contributors to this forum and if we all switch over to another one to discuss things I'm afraid this one will die an unnatural death from lack of visitors. Would you guys mind it if we kept to this one for a while? If we find we want more privacy to discuss our work, we could set one up then. But by staying here, we can have our own thread to discuss the project, and still be able to comments on other issues that arise outside that on other threads.

Anyway, let me know what you think.

I see your point louise, just as long you dont mind that this is what its going to be used for, so your 'yet to come' fans wont be put off with all our talk.

I loved, repeat Loved, the Faraway Tree series....its a good memory from childhood. Its funny what you remember isnt it?

I have to visit my Nan now, so I can borrow some of those books and reminisce. I wonder what else is on the bookshelf that I have long forgotten.

Looking forward to Monday, but I'll just let you all know now that while I have access to the internet at work, I can't always spend much time in here during the day.... (hehehe I don't want to get fired, do I?!) But I will do my best to keep up to date with everything that's going on. Fi

Okay, tomorrow is the big day guys. And to prepare I think I'd like to ask you all to start by saying where you are up to with your story.

Do you just have a vague idea so far of plot, or characters but you don't know what they'll do? Or have you actually begun to write the story?

And what do you feel you need help with? Do you want a structured plot before you begin (Kim Wilkins works this way) or would you rather just 'wing it' and see what the characters do (Traci Harding and Ian Irvine work this way).

If your book is set in an otherworld, do you need help building that world (landscape, social structure, religion, politics etc) or can you see all that clearly?

Think about weekly goals once you are ready to start writing. I like to plan how many words I'll write in a week (usually 5000 of good draft for me) and I keep track of this by getting an advance planner out of a diary and enlarge-photocopying it to A4 size so I can write my cumulative word count on it each day (easily checked on the computer word count function). When I get to 100,000 words I reward myself by writing my acknowledgements page. If you want to write a novel in a year, you probably need to be writing at least 3000 words a week. Some people are really quick and can write that in a day. Some are slower. You won't know until you start.

So, that's a bit of stuff to think about. And tomorrow (the 19th, not the 20th, sorry guys) we BEGIN!

I wrote about half my book and then tossed it aside and started again with a whole revamped plot. I took alot I found out about my characters with me into this new version.
I have made a rough plot out line but most of the time my characters ignore the structured plot and plunge forward by themselves - they are like willful children!
I do have trouble with politics when world building, I suppose it's because I have never really been interested in political intrigue. It is something I have to struggle through.
Character building seems to come alot more easily.
My biggest trouble is getting started, I put it off and put it off, making lame excuses. But when I finally get going I can write about 2000 words a day, admittedly nothing gets done around the house but hey at least the novel is coming together!!!
Roll on tomorrow!
I am hoping Progect Muse gives me the support and inspiration to get my story finished.

deb