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Original poster

Writer's Forum Introductions

59 replies

AussieSim · 14/04/2004 17:58

So far 16 MNers have expressed interest in participating in a Writer's Forum and I think we will get a lot more interest once we get going. In particular I want to make the exercises short and fun - and let's face it everyone is a writer on here and isn't shy about sharing their writing.

Anyway, first of all intros.

I'm 35, married, DS 14mths, in Germany. Have been journalling on and off for about 8 years. I did the first semester of a writing course in Australia but had to drop out to move here. During the course I wrote a short story (4000 words), it was set in a mining town near the coast of Western Australia during a tropical cylcone with two stranded women as the main characters. I've never been published, but I'd like to have a go at all kinds of writing - fiction, non-fiction, poetry, lyrics, screenwriting but I guess my greatest fantasy is to publish a novel. I want to make a go of this forum mainly to keep me motivated.

Your turn ...

OP posts:
Jimjams · 15/04/2004 12:19

Can I join as well. Have toyed on and off with writing. Bought the writer's bureau course when ds1 was about a year old. Started it (it's quite good) then got distracted by the old autism etc.

Won 2nd prize in a travel writing competition once (first prize was a trip to Japan, 2nd a Japanese meal ) )

Now am putting together a website, and have started work as a freelance CV writer. Kind of. It's early days.

Would like to write fiction, but I'm not very good at it. I find factual writing far easier. I can't write poetry at all.

How will this work- do we set ourseleves pieces to write?

lemonice · 15/04/2004 12:37

Just being nosey what sort of website Jimjams?

Got majorly distracted by how to describe yourself thread

Jimjams · 15/04/2004 13:22

It's aimed at mums but not competition for mumsnet (no forums/noticeboards etc for starters). It'll be quite different from mumsnet. Not sure how much I'm allowed to say on here though.

Heathcliffscathy · 15/04/2004 14:14

I'd like to join if that's ok with everyone. I've loved writing since I was at school. Now I write to get clear about things or when inspired. I wrote some things whilst pregnant that I'm surprised I don't cringe at when I read them now (not that I wouldn't be mortified if anyone else read them). I've always wanted to be a journalist (think pieces rather than reportage).

I am 31, married with one five month old ds. Ironically, it's my dh who is the writer (or at least has been most vocal about this aspirations; he writes very well). Perhaps me doing this will mobilise him too. I'm training to be a psychotherapist, but not going back to college until January, so I'd love to use that opportunity of the (little) time I get as a SAHM to do some writing. I am finding being a new mother has made me feel more creative than I have for years.

p.s. This being a writers' forum, do we have to be really careful about syntax when posting on this thread? I've just read back what I've written and the grammar is terrible, but when I post I write as I speak if that makes any sense.

papillon · 15/04/2004 14:31

I thought that too Sophable. But isn´t that what editors are for LOL - main objective is too be creative. the links spacemonkey posted made sense even without buying the books. I don´t think I will be thinking about grammar much - I still don´t understand and maybe never will!

Original poster
AussieSim · 15/04/2004 17:02

I am really tickled at the response to this thread!

What I thought we might do is have one thread where we can get support for our own private writing projects. And another thread where the first post is an exercise and then everyone shares their writing exercise. We will start off with short light-hearted pieces I think.

Posters on the first thread can provide as little or as much detail as they are comfy with. It might be like: I wrote a thousand words today, or I wrote a poem today, or I have written in my journal every day this week or whatever. Or people who are stuck and looking for support to get going again - or even how to find ideas to write about.

I think Janstar suggested that if a poster strikes up a relationship with another poster then they might want to share work through the 'contact another talker' function if they don't want to do it online.

How does that sound? I have an idea for the first exercise and will try to post it later today.

OP posts:
Janstar · 15/04/2004 17:07

That sounds great, Aussiesim. Thank you so much for organising it all

popsycal · 15/04/2004 18:24

waiting with baited breath for the first exercise....

juniper68 · 15/04/2004 18:31

Can I give it a go Aussiemum? Only ever wrote poetry in the past but got one published even though I was 11

expatkat · 15/04/2004 19:03

I'm 33 with a ds of 4.5 and a dd of 18mos. Though based in London, I'm in the US for 7 mos on a "writing fellowship" given to 5 "emerging" fiction writers and 5 poets. This fellowship is a kind of bursary whereby your only responsibility is to live in a sort of colony with other artists & writers who also won the busary. (Very reality TV!) No requirementsyou don't have to teach or take classesyou just read & write & walk by the beach, get stoned, get pissed, whatever. . .and you're actually paid (not very much!) for this. But to get this bursary you have to be pretty serious, so most use the time well. (Except me when I'm on mumsnet )

I would love to write fiction, but can only write poetry , which I've been doing in some form since I was 6. I was fortunate to be encouraged by teachers along the way & was further encouraged by a poetry award at Uni. Then got an MFA in creative writing (Americans do this much more than the Brits) & started to win further awards + various fellowships like this & had a bit of luck publishing poems in some good US literary mags. (Not the New Yorker, though grrrrrrr--though the poetry editor there has offered to take me for a drink, so maybe I'm close. . .?)

Unfortunately, having been emeshed in the NYC literary scene in my 20's, I moved to London at age 28 for dh's work, had 2 kids and was pretty much forgotten in the US. This sacrifice has not been great for the marriage in some ways, especially because dh (who's Dutch) has not made any friends himself through work, and I myself am friends with just a few mums, none of whom are writers . . .so I often REALLY miss my life in NYC.

But a year ago I got a job at a British poetry journal as one of the editors & life started to improve a little. I now interview poets and write book reviews and essays on poetry for various small magazines, with the hope that this low-key nonfiction work will eventually lead to bigger assignments for bigger publications.

I can't promise I'll do all the exercises, especially the fiction-type ones, but I do like the idea of peeking in & helping to motivate others. Also, if I'm able to (humbly) offer any practical suggestionsas someone who's been out there a little I'd be delighted to do that.

A million apologies if I've bored you!!!

coppertop · 15/04/2004 19:11

Can I join too? My life is pretty boring compared to the rest of you. I've been married for nearly 5 years and have 2 ds's. My 3yr-old is autistic and my 14mth-old rarely sleeps so I don't get a lot of spare time - but I'll do my best!

Original poster
AussieSim · 19/04/2004 20:43

Welcome All - Have you seen we now have our very own Topic entitled: Creative Writing Club - see you there!

OP posts:
ponygirl · 20/04/2004 21:52

Hell, can I join too? What a wonderful idea! I'm 35, married, ds1 is 5, dd is 3 and ds2 is 14 mths. I have always wanted to write but have struggled with the fear of being rubbish. Have reached the point now though where I really want to try and achieve something before I turn around and realise I'm 70 and haven't written a thing. I'd love to write crime fiction (PD James is my style) but would also be interested in writing children's, which is a new idea for me. Funny how I wasn't interested before I had children of my own, but now that I do I love the idea of imagining for them. My life is busy enough to given me plenty of excuses not to do anything constructive, but I hope this forum will give me some motivation and courage.

ponygirl · 20/04/2004 21:53

That should have been a 'hello'? Would you believe that in my previous existence I was an editor? Now I'm a full time mother.

goosey · 20/04/2004 22:01

I suppose I'd better be polite and introduce myself - seeing as though I've only gate-crashed until now. I'm 37 and quite like writing. Haven't read a whole book for years due to demanding work/kids/dh/dog but got an A at 'A' level English a long, long time ago. My brain doesn't seem to manage to finish my spoken sentences any more (probably an age and wine thing), but I love to concentrate on creating things with written words.

baldrick · 20/04/2004 22:09

Would love to join also. Has always been my dream to write a book, but just never seem to put pen to paper as family stuff seems to take first priority, before mumsnet of course....keep making up plots of children stories with ds and dd, and kind of think that's what I would love to do..

My made up story yesterday was about 10 minutes long and was "The mice and the church bells" (son has a toy mouse), local vicar asked mousey to ring the bell, as it was so early 5 o'clock, he hired in some mouse friends, they wrecked it as it crashed to ground on the first pull...so mousey had to call in a few favours from his mouse friends...trouble is they are all over the world...150 of the fu- are sunning themselves at some swanky hotel in Tenerife, and getting the best pool locations, some in Australia, and some in the vicars fridge checking out the gorganzola...they cause mayhem to the local town, but the cats do not dare leave their bedrooms!...

Original poster
AussieSim · 21/04/2004 12:24

Welcome, Baldrick, ponygirl and goosey! The more the merrier!

OP posts:
Cavy · 21/04/2004 13:43

Is it ok if I join in, too? Just for fun.
I used to want to be a writer, but have never felt like I had much to say.

celandine · 22/04/2004 10:20

Bit late but can I join in too? Not enough time to write introductions at the mo but will do ittomorrow hopefully. I have always loved to write but need constant inspiration to keep me at it. Have done a writer's distance course but still unfinished.

Anyway, have to dash but am pretty excited at discovering this new creative writing club on MN!

ambergirl · 22/04/2004 10:41

Hi, I'm new too. Married, ds (age 11, flourishing in Y6), dd (nearly 9, beginning to be moody - tears over nothing, that sort of thing, needs buckets of encouragement).
I'm 41, work part time, and used to go to a creative writing class when ds was a baby (my escape!) I even had a short story (700 words) published in a magazine, for which I earned £12.
I know that I need to make space for writing, if I am to get back in the habit. This could be the motivation I need

Original poster
AussieSim · 22/04/2004 12:09

Welcome Celadine, Ambergirl and Cavy. I hope you will like it. Any suggestions about what you would like to do on here gratefully received!

OP posts:
spykid · 23/04/2004 15:42

Hi, hope its not too late to join??!!
I'm 30,married with ds1 age5 and ds2 age3. I live in the West Midlands and have just started to venture back into the world of work...supply teaching.
Ilove writing for pleasure and started a creative writing course whilst at home full time, I would love the motivation of sharing my work with others, what a great idea!!

whymummy · 23/04/2004 16:02

can i join too?i wrote and illustrated a children's book two years ago but i haven't done anything about it yet,i need to get my act together soon

LIZS · 23/04/2004 16:09

Can I come in too ? Did a degree in English lit but never actually got to write. Am 37, married, have ds (6) and dd (3 in August), SAHM in Switzerland.

Easy · 23/04/2004 16:49

I'm 43, one son aged 4 & 1/2. Have always enjoyed writing, was always praised at school for my fiction, but left it behind when I did my degree, Business Studies.

Through my career I became a technical author, writing training manuals and user handbooks for computer applications.

Over the last year I have considered starting my novel (we're all supposed to have one aren't we?). Trouble is I lack the confidence to push on with it. Would love to write something which inspired someone.