Um. You guys? We were not expecting 300+ comments on our first community post... But THANK YOU all for jumping in and saying hi and sharing your wonderful thoughts and words and ideas with each other.
Clearly we can't reply to everyone but HOLY WOW, WE LOVE YOU ALL!
Hello, I am Lea. I’m currently writing a body swap novel involving two very different sisters, which started just the beginning of the year after having a thought experiment on what it would be like swapping bodies and lives with dating reality stars. This would be also my first novel since writing fanfiction and poetry. Also I have been writing since I was 7 and published online since 10 (I published on StoryJumper). I would love to see what your thoughts are as I am currently looking for beta readers for my ongoing novel.
Hi - I'm new to Substack and trying to navigate this wonderful platform. I created The Fringe 999 Poetry Forum in Sept 2024 to create an online poetry journal. The first issue was published in Oct 2024, and the second is due in Apr 2025. Next up, I'd like to learn about uploading audio recordings and podcasting. Any recommendations on how to go about starting are much appreciated.
Hello! I'm Shay. I'm on-and-off working on a second draft of a medieval fantasy novel, and more recently have been fiddling with a novelette set in 1970s San Fransisco (two very different styles and genres! Fun!). I LOVE description with all of my heart and despair over dialogue--trying my best with the novelette to really focus on getting better at it.
I love speculative fiction. I have written one and a half drafts. I started off writing about sentient plants which provide portals to parallel universes (because they have been around Mühe longer than animals) and communicate by setting soulflowers in the brains of creative people. I finished the first draft.
Then I figured that is too weird, so I tried my hand at more conventional speculative fiction. Not a Big Deal is about Sorana and neural nanoswarms following their agendas to survive in a splintered, stormridden world. I finished that one, edited it, but desperately need Beta readers and don't know where to find them.
Help? Where does one even start finding writing groups with this kind of weird interests?
Would be pathetically grateful for a pointer in the right direction.
I’m late to this party but happy to be here still!! I’m working on a few different projects, but the big ones I’m most invested in (at the moment) are a poetry collection & the first book in a fantasy triology! I have a few short stories & essays also sitting on my desk somewhere. Mostly, I’m just always trying to fold writing more into my daily life alongside working full time!
Hi! I'm Sam. I'm a junior in college majoring in English and Creative Writing, and I desperately want to get better at the "creative" part of writing. I'm a strong writer in many other places, but I get stuck when I try to write creatively. It's not that I don't have the words to write, it's more that I can't seem to solidify my plots and come up with ideas that feel fresh and new. I have two 2000-4000 word short stories to write this semester, and I want to create something I'm proud of. Here to learn!
I'm Aditi. I work as a freelance journalist, but spent much of my 20s aiming towards a career in directing and screenwriting. I'm currently dipping my toes into novel writing, and am (very slowly) working on a speculative fiction set in a future where the earth has become actively hostile against humanity. It's been a few years since I threw myself into creative writing (outside of fanfiction 🤪) and these workshops have helped me get back into the swing of things. Hoping to keep chipping away at my novel over the course of the year.
I've just discovered The Forever Workshop, and why not, I'll add to the comments too! I'm El and it took my 10 years to get the end of the first draft of my first novel. On the second novel now, 5 years in BUT there was definitely too much worldbuilding in the beginning. Now I'm halfway through, working hard to go at my own pace, (life, work, etc) resisting the invisible pressure to go faster, while also wanting to get to the end of the draft this year.
I'm Paula. 13 months ago, I took a 6 month gap year from teaching to finish my novel. It started as a short story in 2017, one of the people in the workshop didn't get any of it so I had to write more. I wrote about 20 000 words in 2019 but then the Pandemmy hit and my creative juices dried up for two+ years. The novel is not finished. I have written about 20 000 more words and a shit load of spoken word poetry. I perform at open mics a lot which might be why I'm so tired all the time. I write in English and in Dutch and think I suck for different reasons in each.
Amiwrong, or just ignant. But nobody is talking 'How to Talk to Other Writers'. Are y'all breaking out in groups that I'm just stupid about? I'm perfectly willing and able to admit that I don't know how this all is supposed to work. Same as such, it all feels to me, we're just talking AT one another, when we ought to be talking TO each other. Or is thread dead. And where do we go from here.
Hey! I’m Britt, a writer and reader of fiction and speculative things. Last year I finished my first long-ish form work, a horror novella, and through that realized I have a LOT to learn about making characters that can carry long form stories. My main priorities are to dive deep into characters and let a few of them loose in a novel draft by the end of the year, and keep on with short works and submitting them. Glad to be here!
My favorite - my go to - is thus, 'Fine, I'll do it myself.'
Any ringydingies? It encompasses much more than I originally could conceive. Confession - I stopped reading a decade ago. I told myself I wanted to hear my own voice for a change. And I do. I don't recommend it to others though. I know I'm missing out, but I hope you'll try to understand.
'I'll do it myself' runs all the way through my work because it's strength and weakness amalgamated, it's also natural in the sense of self, it's the boy who wants to tell a story all his own, it's the character who builds her own prosthetic from scratch, and ultimately because it's the same character who eventually takes her own life.
Um. You guys? We were not expecting 300+ comments on our first community post... But THANK YOU all for jumping in and saying hi and sharing your wonderful thoughts and words and ideas with each other.
Clearly we can't reply to everyone but HOLY WOW, WE LOVE YOU ALL!
And counting :)
Hello, I am Lea. I’m currently writing a body swap novel involving two very different sisters, which started just the beginning of the year after having a thought experiment on what it would be like swapping bodies and lives with dating reality stars. This would be also my first novel since writing fanfiction and poetry. Also I have been writing since I was 7 and published online since 10 (I published on StoryJumper). I would love to see what your thoughts are as I am currently looking for beta readers for my ongoing novel.
Hi - I'm new to Substack and trying to navigate this wonderful platform. I created The Fringe 999 Poetry Forum in Sept 2024 to create an online poetry journal. The first issue was published in Oct 2024, and the second is due in Apr 2025. Next up, I'd like to learn about uploading audio recordings and podcasting. Any recommendations on how to go about starting are much appreciated.
Hello! I'm Shay. I'm on-and-off working on a second draft of a medieval fantasy novel, and more recently have been fiddling with a novelette set in 1970s San Fransisco (two very different styles and genres! Fun!). I LOVE description with all of my heart and despair over dialogue--trying my best with the novelette to really focus on getting better at it.
Hi everyone,
I love speculative fiction. I have written one and a half drafts. I started off writing about sentient plants which provide portals to parallel universes (because they have been around Mühe longer than animals) and communicate by setting soulflowers in the brains of creative people. I finished the first draft.
Then I figured that is too weird, so I tried my hand at more conventional speculative fiction. Not a Big Deal is about Sorana and neural nanoswarms following their agendas to survive in a splintered, stormridden world. I finished that one, edited it, but desperately need Beta readers and don't know where to find them.
Help? Where does one even start finding writing groups with this kind of weird interests?
Would be pathetically grateful for a pointer in the right direction.
I’m late to this party but happy to be here still!! I’m working on a few different projects, but the big ones I’m most invested in (at the moment) are a poetry collection & the first book in a fantasy triology! I have a few short stories & essays also sitting on my desk somewhere. Mostly, I’m just always trying to fold writing more into my daily life alongside working full time!
Hi! I'm Sam. I'm a junior in college majoring in English and Creative Writing, and I desperately want to get better at the "creative" part of writing. I'm a strong writer in many other places, but I get stuck when I try to write creatively. It's not that I don't have the words to write, it's more that I can't seem to solidify my plots and come up with ideas that feel fresh and new. I have two 2000-4000 word short stories to write this semester, and I want to create something I'm proud of. Here to learn!
I'm Aditi. I work as a freelance journalist, but spent much of my 20s aiming towards a career in directing and screenwriting. I'm currently dipping my toes into novel writing, and am (very slowly) working on a speculative fiction set in a future where the earth has become actively hostile against humanity. It's been a few years since I threw myself into creative writing (outside of fanfiction 🤪) and these workshops have helped me get back into the swing of things. Hoping to keep chipping away at my novel over the course of the year.
I've just discovered The Forever Workshop, and why not, I'll add to the comments too! I'm El and it took my 10 years to get the end of the first draft of my first novel. On the second novel now, 5 years in BUT there was definitely too much worldbuilding in the beginning. Now I'm halfway through, working hard to go at my own pace, (life, work, etc) resisting the invisible pressure to go faster, while also wanting to get to the end of the draft this year.
"Who said what, where? Why?"
I'm Paula. 13 months ago, I took a 6 month gap year from teaching to finish my novel. It started as a short story in 2017, one of the people in the workshop didn't get any of it so I had to write more. I wrote about 20 000 words in 2019 but then the Pandemmy hit and my creative juices dried up for two+ years. The novel is not finished. I have written about 20 000 more words and a shit load of spoken word poetry. I perform at open mics a lot which might be why I'm so tired all the time. I write in English and in Dutch and think I suck for different reasons in each.
I'm new to these groups on Substack. Where is the content? I don't know how to navigate there. thanks!
I’ll leave you with a second theme, more important - ‘Instinct vs. Algorithm. Who you got?’.’
In my construction, we as a species choose instinct. And that choice prevents our extinction. But if only that were the end of it…
Dear Jo, and the rest of my people -
Amiwrong, or just ignant. But nobody is talking 'How to Talk to Other Writers'. Are y'all breaking out in groups that I'm just stupid about? I'm perfectly willing and able to admit that I don't know how this all is supposed to work. Same as such, it all feels to me, we're just talking AT one another, when we ought to be talking TO each other. Or is thread dead. And where do we go from here.
Hey! I’m Britt, a writer and reader of fiction and speculative things. Last year I finished my first long-ish form work, a horror novella, and through that realized I have a LOT to learn about making characters that can carry long form stories. My main priorities are to dive deep into characters and let a few of them loose in a novel draft by the end of the year, and keep on with short works and submitting them. Glad to be here!
I dig a good character study, or deep dive as you say. And yeah man - turn 'em loose on the world.
Themes.
My favorite - my go to - is thus, 'Fine, I'll do it myself.'
Any ringydingies? It encompasses much more than I originally could conceive. Confession - I stopped reading a decade ago. I told myself I wanted to hear my own voice for a change. And I do. I don't recommend it to others though. I know I'm missing out, but I hope you'll try to understand.
'I'll do it myself' runs all the way through my work because it's strength and weakness amalgamated, it's also natural in the sense of self, it's the boy who wants to tell a story all his own, it's the character who builds her own prosthetic from scratch, and ultimately because it's the same character who eventually takes her own life.
What's yours? What sustains you...