The urge to create

[Albertosaurus Rex]

Sit down, boys an' girls, and let me tell you a story. Once upon a time there was a young boy who wanted to be a writer. When he learned to write, he wrote his own stories. Of course, at the age of six, the amount of words he could actually write was very limited, so some of the more complicated stories he dictated to his mother. As the years went on and the boy went to high school, the storytelling began to wane, although he did make some comics with his pals. But always there was, in his heart, the desire to become a published author...

That boy was me, and recently I've attempted to write some stories again. I started trying to write a novel, but after 30 pages I gave up. I think the story has potential, but it's a too large undertaking for me now. So I've turned to short stories now and I've written a few. Are they any good? I don't know, I think they have potential, but they need a lot more polish. Anyway, I'll keep on writing and one day soon, I'll try to get a few published...

The most surprising part of it all is how vulnerable I feel when I have people read them. I mean, I wrote a story about friggin' cavemen and I feel like I'm baring my soul when people read it.

Does anyone else here feel this urge to create?

[Nuytsia]

How come I only just saw this? I really should stop watching TV while on the computer (ha as if that's going to happen!)

I feel the urge to create, but not so strongly with writing. I often think it would be a cool thing to do, and I was good at it in school, but I am not DRIVEN to do it like I hear some authors are. It seems more like a chore.... Then again I don't imagine it's EASY for anyone. Maybe I am getting 'satisfying' mixed up with 'easy' !!!

Heh yes I can relate to feeling vulnerable about people reading things I write. Sometimes I feel anxious about writing things even if no-one's read it yet!!!!! I guess all authors must feel at least a bit like that, but it's funny that when I read a story I actually don't often find myself thinking of the author at all. At least not until I get right into a lot of their books and there are a lot of repeated themes/character types, and THEN I might find myself wondering how much of the author's mind is there!

I hear short stories are a great way to go - hang on was that a GRRM piece of advice? Or maybe even Robin Hobb! Maybe both? Either way, it makes sense.

Now you know we are going to ask if we can read any of your stories !!!!!!

['thul]

These beings do feel that urge. They get much of it expelled through roleplay, and the rest just through thinking. They also expel some in 3D drawing and in constructing various things. And through drawing.

They think of themselves as a mediocre storyteller, one that could need some improvement.

[Albertosaurus Rex]

Gee, I lose my connection for a few days, and that's when the thread is finally approved. Well, I'm back in the good old flat Netherlands. Still writing. I've refined an earlier story and I've started a new one, but it turns out to be pretty difficult to write. Maybe I'll need to set it aside until I've had more practice.

So there's now one story - the one about cavemen - that I feel might, just might be good enough to actually submit to someone. There are a few short story magazines in the Netherlands and I'll be taking a look. But it's pretty big step to take...

Meanwhile, I'll keep writing.

[Farseer]

Beyond the Black Stump in Queensland's heart, there stands an age-old homestead which guards the secretive and romantic ramblings of a dreaming adolescent.

Concealed now by a layer of clotted-cream paint, these ramblings once took the form of Nikko-penned verses which catalogued the self-styled pinnacles the innocent youth felt she must attain before she passed from the world.

Though two decades have since slipped by, there are many of these undertakings still left for her to complete, one of which includes 'see a work of my own hand in print, published and on bookshelves' ...

I LOVE words and though it IS a dream of mine to be published one day, I am just as happy getting words down onto a page for my own enjoyment.

Growing up, I read whatever I could get my hands on, and wrote down just as much. I collected dictionaries and encyclopedias and would just pick out one or two words or concepts to base an entire story or poem on.

Throughout my life, I have kept all sorts of journals and notebooks that I have used to jot down sayings, words and observations etc. Sometimes I expand on them, but most times I leave it all for a later time. It's amazing how creativity can find a way out through even the slightest of gaps, even when you're not trying.

I wrote mostly poetry and short stories when I was a teenager (girl + teenager = poetry ...why, it's almost a cliche !), songs as I matured and am now working on a novel that, I believe, could help see my teenage dream come true...and, funnily enough, it is written for teenagers from a teenage perspective!

More importantly, I think it is something fresh. If it isn't seen as that by anyone else, well, that's ok...I'm enjoying the journey and my family is enjoying it with me. While it's still to be ticked off my 'teenage life ambiitions' box, it's really just something I'm working slowly toward at the moment and not a priority by any means.

Does it have magic in it? No, but that, right there, is the entire basis of the storyline...that there is NO magic...other than that, I'm not telling you a thing !

As for vulnerability, I agree, AR. It is rather terrifying to take parts of yourself and place them in print, in a wash of paint, a curve of sculpture, within a melody...and then allow someone else to analyse them. It rather makes me think of Fool's analagy to having his memories rifled through in AQ!

[maulkin]

My job requires me to give lectures, present my research at conferences and publish articles in scientific journals. In all three cases, style is pretty constrained but there is still room to be creative. That is one of the things that makes my job fun! One of the less enjoyable aspects of publishing in scientific journals is anonymous peer review. My work is sent to two or three experts in the field for comments and the editor uses these comments to reach a decision on whether to publish the article. Often, the comments are not expressed constructively and so I have had to develop quite a thick skin!

Like 'thul I have created roleplaying games, some of which I have run at national conventions. This is great way to scratch that creative itch without the effort of writing since my style of storytelling relies more heavily on improvisation than on prepared material.

I have not had time to run roleplaying games since my daughter was born last year, but I am looking forward to creating some interactive stories for her when she is a little older.

[Albertosaurus Rex]

Concealed now by a layer of clotted-cream paint, these ramblings once took the form of Nikko-penned verses which catalogued the self-styled pinnacles the innocent youth felt she must attain before she passed from the world.

Though two decades have since slipped by, there are many of these undertakings still left for her to complete, one of which includes 'see a work of my own hand in print, published and on bookshelves' ...

I used to have a list of about three things I wanted to do later in life, although I never wrote it down:

1. Get married and have kids
2. Do genealogical research
3. Become a published author

Obviously, I can't force the first one, so we'll see about that. Two years ago, I finally started the genealogical research. It's not finished yet, but it gave me confidence that I could do item 3. The thing that finally put me over the edge was reading the Dreamsongs short story collection by GRRM. I rarely read short stories, mostly novels, but like we've said, that's too big to start with. Now I finally saw what short stories can do, and I realized some of my ideas might work better as short stories.

I have just written one of the magazines about submission guidelines. I have settled on the cavemen story, and I'll keep writing in the meantime.

Farseer, I wish you the best of luck too. Be sure to notify us of any major news.

(Of course, if I ever get a story published, it will be in Dutch and you guys won't be able to read it. But that concern is as yet very far off...)

[Albertosaurus Rex]

Well, here it goes. I just submitted my story to the magazine KortVerhaal (ShortStory). Knowing full well the horror stories about how hard it is to break into the business, I am preparing myself for my first rejection, but hoping for the best. Wish me luck.

[Nuytsia]

Geees maybe I should write one of these lists of things to do with my life!

Go all you creative types! So many interesting things happening!

GOOD LUCK Albertosaurus with your story submission. *crosses fingers*

[Chrischa]

Good luck from me too! I really hope something comes of it for you, that would be wonderful.

I'm right in the middle of the third draft of my comic book as well... being a comic book artist is my oldest dream. I'll be going through the song and dance with publishers, too, inside the next couple of months, so here's hoping... .