You're very welcome.

I think it's important for writers to have avenues in which to communicate with other writers. Writing is rarely done in a complete vacuum (and those endeavors tend to be rather brief, depending on how long you can hold your breath), and there really is a lot to learn.

While I can understand someone being too busy -- at the moment -- to offer a well-thought-out reply, I can't imagine the mindset of someone not bothering to respond at all, or to blow you off with a brief dismissal.

Because, as a writer, I'm also a reader. And when people come to me with questions, when they want me to look over something they wrote, when they want to compare notes, whatever -- hey, this is someone who might just end up putting something out there that I (and maybe millions of others!) will want to read!

I'm not interested in discouraging talent. On the contrary -- we NEED more good writers out there. Why would I not want to help someone who has already displayed a considerable talent?

The paint actually came from a paint-by-number kit she got from her grandmother as a birthday gift. While she was doing the painting (it happened to be a horse, which incorporates another ongoing subplot), there was a massive accident in front of her house. She ran downstairs to see what happened, the paint cups were jostled, several of them spilled, ran together, and formed a small pool on a piece of newspaper she was using to place the cups on.

Perhaps some of them might be concerned about " competition "???

Then again, some of them may just be exceptionally arrogant and think they have gone above the level of being helpful.

All I really know is that, if there comes a point where I am asked a question by someone, I won't hesitate to lend whatever help I can. My advice may not wind up being worth much, but it will definitely be freely given if someone asks for it.

I've heard the "competition" argument before and I can't really see it. How many writers are there in the world, how many books in the bookstores and on booksites? Millions, right? If I encourage a few more to make their way to those places, what is that? A drop in the metaphorical bucket?

More to the point, I'm not "competing" with all of those writers in terms of genre, targeted demographic readership, etc. I'm not competing with Dan Brown or John Grisham or Jonathan Kellerman. Maybe I am if someone says "I can only buy one book this month, and I have to choose between this one and that one," but that's all speculative and I'll never know about it, anyway, so why worry about it?

As for the "arrogance" thing, well, I'm still at the level where I admittedly find it flattering that someone thinks enough of my opinion to ask me about these things. While I do believe that a good author (or any creative type, really) needs to have a little bit of the narcissist in him/her (i.e., "I KNOW my stuff is worth people's attention, I don't care what anyone else thinks!"), I think you can still be gracious and courteous and helpful along with the narcissism.

I totally agree.

It's not like I am going to try to compete with Terry Brooks or Piers Anthony or any of the other Fantasy writers.

Especially since I am going against " tradition " with what my characters' roles are going to be.

The one thing I have thought about most is that Fantasy readers are either going to love the story, or hate it.

I don't think there will be much of a gray area. So I am going to have to hope the General public will like it.

But, hey. Turning traditional ideas upside down is turning out to be a lot of fun. lol

Time to bring this thread back up to the top again.

Come on, Writers. We know you are out there. :-)

Hey JustAGuy...

I was just wondering...how many books are you working on right now?

How many are completed?

I am currently writing my first.

I have had a couple of other ideas pop up, but I am sticking with one project at a time.

But the idea that I started this project with had been rattling around for a while and I have a sense of " urgency " to get it done. Not hurrying it, but definitely wanting to get it done.

I just put the other ideas in a notebook until I can get to them later on.

You are a very organized and disciplined writer!

I have at least three different ideas for three different books ALL being written simultaneously!

As a matter of fact, I would be writing on one....get an idea for the others....and start on those while the idea is FRESH in my mind

I need to get myself as organized as possible with my writing, but when the creative juices start to FLOW...I guess I just go with it!

My friend, Mindy does/did that too.

The problem with it, that I can see, is that she would be writing a LOT, but not getting anything finished.

I talked to her about it and explained why I thought that wasn't a good idea, and she has started concentrating on getting one project done. She is actually happier now because she is seeing progress.

That doesn't mean it will work for everyone.

I have already had another idea for a Radik book come to mind that won't fit into the one I am doing now. But, for me, if I started allowing myself to get distracted from the current one, it would take something away from what I am trying to accomplish.

Besides. I have to know if I can finish one before I decide on writing another...lol

The other thing about writing the ideas down is that it will give them a chance to " simmer " a bit in my mind and I can run them around a bit and see if they actually have legs.

I have written down somewhere in the neighborhood of 40 other ideas. Only two of them wound up, after more thinking about them, to be any good.

had I started writing something else based on those 38 or so that weren't any good, I would have wound up wasting a lot of time that would have been better spent on the current project.

Keep in mind that the writing process has managed to bring out the Virgo ( analytical ) part of me....lol

The bottom line is that writing is a lot like golf in that you have to do what works for you.

GREAT POINTS!

I was also wondering if there are any writers out there (Besides authors of children's books), who uses pictures or illustrations in their stories.

Absolutely.

I was actually considering having a couple done for my book.

The only drawback I can see with them ( for me ) is that using illustrations " locks " the reader into the vision of the author or artist rather than allowing them to picture things for themselves.

A good example of that is when I read one of the Shannara books from Terry Brooks. I can't remember which it was, but there were 3 or four illustrations in it.

I saw an illustration that showed the Druid Allanon and the artists idea of how he looked was nothing at all how I had mentally pictured him.

I would much rather have an author leave a characters look ( other than a few minor details ) to MY imagination.

Just tell me the story and let me picture it the way I want it to be.

I agree...readers ARE very imaginative when it comes to "Characters" in a book and should have the right to use their own imagination as far as what that character look like....

But I must say that a LONG TIME ago, I read a few "Fantasy/Medieval" books.....AND the illustrations were absolutely beautiful back then!

There were creatures with wings, fire breathing lizards, Two-headed lions, three-headed pagan horses...just AWESOME!

I just didn't think that authors wrote that way anymore because it's kinda old-fashioned.

In the case of creatures, especially fantasy creatures, I think it's fine to have someone illustrate their appearance.

The only time I really disagree with using illustrations is when they are pictures of characters.

I just think it's much better to let the reader imagine the character in their own way.

Is my approach the right one?? I have no idea.

I guess I'll find out because I am leaving a lot to the reader to imagine for him/herself. LOL

Yes, your approach is the right one!

My characters are described very briefly in my books...which may, very well indeed, be a disadvantage to an author

Exactly how much of the character's description do you give without boring the reader with information that is of no interest to them?

(THEN...there are readers who really does WANT to know what the character looks like from head to toe)

How much is too much....(eyes, hair, stature)?

How much is NOT enough?

I am, in all likelihood, going to fall on the " not enough " side of things.

I have yet ( 40 thousand words in ) to describe my main characters appearance. People know how old he is..but I have yet to tell them much of anything else.

Oddly enough, though, Lex has seen almost everything I have written and not mentioned that. Neither has anyone else that has read what I have in the forums here.

I will eventually do a little more description of the main character ( maybe ), but for now, the story itself has made it seem relatively unimportant.

THEN....I'm on the right track TOO

The only description I gave about my main character in my book is her name, her profession and the fact that she is a widow...(Maybe too much huh)?

LMAO

Please don't take my word as gospel as far as the " right track ". Keep in ind I really have NO idea what I am doing.

So far, I have looked at several writing websites and they ALL tell me that I am breaking just about every writing rule known to mankind....lmao

Too late...you and Lex are already GOSPEL for potential authors!

Well, that's pretty much the way I do it, too. I may comment on a particular character's clothing on a given day, or if he/she is tall or overweight or young or old, but that's about it.

As a reader, I always preferred to imagine a book's characters "on my own," without overly much description from the author.

There are exceptions: If I'm using an alien character, I want to be a little more precise and explicit about what this guy looks like. But these, inevitably, are not human.