Secret Author Stories Contest 2024 Talking Topic

[Jason Rimbaud]

4 minutes ago, BentedWreath said:

By sneak peeks I meant that I snuck peeks at some of your older work since I haven't fully read them all yet. 

Will you stop giving me compliments, I only accept compliments on my cooking and on one other activity, writing is neither.  😇

J

[BendtedWreath]

39 minutes ago, Cia said:

The Price of Honor. 

That one's a premium story, so I can't read it yet. Let's see... Bonds Unbroken, chapter 1...

Edited August 15, 2024 by BentedWreath

[Bill W]

The first story I wrote was in response to the murder of Matthew Shepard, as my way of venting my anger.  After that, the next several stories were in response to young men I spoke with who'd shared specific problems they were having, so I wrote a story that I thought might help them cope with their situation. 

Now, I'm retired and merely write for something to do that will keep my mind occupied and hopefully not let the old brain deteriorate too badly.  I know my stories are too slow paced, too wordy, and gives way too much detail about side issues, so I have a great deal of pity for those that read them, since I'm far from being a polished author and only barely passable as a writer.   

Edited August 15, 2024 by Bill W

[Jason Rimbaud]

5 minutes ago, Bill W said:

The first story I wrote was in response to the murder of Matthew Shepard, as my way of venting my anger.  After that, the next several stories were in response to young men I spoke with who'd shared specific problems they were having, so I wrote a story that I thought might help them cope with their situation. 

Now, I'm retired and merely write for something to do that will keep my mind occupied and hopefully not let the old brain deteriorate too badly.  I know my stories are too slow paced, too wordy, and gives way too much detail about side issues, so I have a great deal of pity for those that read them, since I'm far from being a polished author and only barely passable writer.   

I can understand, I write for me first, if anyone likes my babbling, that just shows what kind of person they are.  

I go overboard with describing cars, (I actually only think about cars as tools, I have no romantic feelings for them), overly descriptive about houses, and whats is inside the rooms, sometimes rooms you only see once and the scene doesn't even take place there. But at the end of the day, I considered myself a constructor of tales that only I want to read.  

[Jason Rimbaud]

Oh snap, I just realized I got two right. Hide & Seek, and For Ever Young, I knew because the same format and song lyric's were used in their other story. I am literally the best ever !!

J

[BendtedWreath]

25 minutes ago, Bill W said:

The first story I wrote was in response to the murder of Matthew Shepard, as my way of venting my anger.  After that, the next several stories were in response to young men I spoke with who'd shared specific problems they were having, so I wrote a story that I thought might help them cope with their situation. 

That's as great a reason as any!

[Mikiesboy]

1 hour ago, BentedWreath said:

No, the two of us are spreadsheet kind of people. Rewriting's totally going to happen as I try to keep track. I already confused one character name twice already and I was the one that named him. 🤣 My subconscious keeps trying to change Orion to Oscar. Also, I highly object that 'not a good writer.' Yours was one of my favorite stories of this event and the sneak peeks I read in your author profile while guessing were all excellent. 

My subconscious keeps trying to change Orion to Oscar.

That's what Find and Replace are for. Just write, don't over edit.  You'll find an editor when you need one.   

[Jason Rimbaud]

23 minutes ago, Mikiesboy said:

My subconscious keeps trying to change Orion to Oscar.

That's what Find and Replace are for. Just write, don't over edit.  You'll find an editor when you need one.   

Just another example on how I am a bad writer and everyone else isn't. Find and replace? WTF, that's a thing?

[Mancunian]

1 minute ago, Jason Rimbaud said:

Just another example on how I am a bad writer and everyone else isn't. Find and replace? WTF, that's a thing?

I just keep copious notes and constantly refer back to them.

[Jason Rimbaud]

3 minutes ago, Mancunian said:

I just keep copious notes and constantly refer back to them.

I have a spread sheet, that lists all the characters, the addresses of each location, what kind of cars they drive, relationships to others, jobs, and any other thing I think is helpful. 

[Mikiesboy]

28 minutes ago, Jason Rimbaud said:

Just another example on how I am a bad writer and everyone else isn't. Find and replace? WTF, that's a thing?

You are not a bad writer, you just don't like Word or Docs. I've forgotten...what do you use to write your stories on?

Edited August 15, 2024 by Mikiesboy

[Lee Wilson]

3 minutes ago, Mikiesboy said:

You are not a bad writer, you just don't like Word or Docs. I've forgotten...what do you use to write your stories on?

Not directed at me, I know, but adding my 2 cents. Damn phone, no cents symbol.

I use Notepad++ on the laptop. Easier to edit in dropbox on the phone to transfer back and forth. 

[Lee Wilson]

26 minutes ago, Jason Rimbaud said:

I have a spread sheet, that lists all the characters, the addresses of each location, what kind of cars they drive, relationships to others, jobs, and any other thing I think is helpful. 

I usually have an extra doc that I keep the timeline and key moments in.

[Jason Rimbaud]

5 minutes ago, Mikiesboy said:

You are not a bad writer, you just don't like Word or Docs. I've forgotten...what do you use to write your stories on?

I use Google docs

[W_L]

Originally, I was going to write an historical fiction story about Walt Whitman and Peter Doyle, but I mentioned it in Status last month and realized I couldn't use it for Hidden as it was too obvious  

No one writes this kind of fantasy story on GA and I don't use this style here, so I thought why not   Sorry for throwing a major twist that scrambled your sense of reality  

[Mikiesboy]

31 minutes ago, Jason Rimbaud said:

I use Google docs

ok Find and Replace is under Edit for Google Docs.

[Mikiesboy]

32 minutes ago, Lee Wilson said:

I usually have an extra doc that I keep the timeline and key moments in.

I like One Note.. it looks like this so i can have a tab for each story and i can set up a page for each chapter.  It works well for me.

[Lee Wilson]

2 minutes ago, Mikiesboy said:

I like One Note.. it looks like this so i can have a tab for each story and i can set up a page for each chapter.  It works well for me.

Never heard of that, but since I write a decent percentage of the story on my phone, I need to stick to the KISS method. In this case, plain text mode.

It might be worthwhile on my laptop though.

[Mikiesboy]

3 minutes ago, Lee Wilson said:

Never heard of that, but since I write a decent percentage of the story on my phone, I need to stick to the KISS method. In this case, plain text mode.

It might be worthwhile on my laptop though.

Yeah i dont write on my phone.. i'd likely kill myself...  I write on my laptop. It would be hard to use OneNote on a phone, you're right.

[BendtedWreath]

1 hour ago, Mikiesboy said:

My subconscious keeps trying to change Orion to Oscar.

That's what Find and Replace are for. Just write, don't over edit.  You'll find an editor when you need one.   

You're so right. I need to keep that in mind, to just check for any "Oscars" I missed with Find and Replace whenever I'm editing. I do have a beta and an editor. The beta gives me their honest thoughts, and if I reveal who the editor is, I might cause an unintentional riot. I'm grateful for both. 

[Mikiesboy]

2 minutes ago, BentedWreath said:

I reveal who the editor is, I might cause an unintentional riot.

I highly doubt that.  They show up eventually but there's no need to reveal them.

[Jason Rimbaud]

4 minutes ago, BentedWreath said:

You're so right. I need to keep that in mind, to just check for any "Oscars" I missed with Find and Replace whenever I'm editing. I do have a beta and an editor. The beta gives me their honest thoughts, and if I reveal who the editor is, I might cause an unintentional riot. I'm grateful for both. 

Is it a giraffe? A manatee? My second cousin twice removed from my college roommate Fred? Why would I riot unless it's a skin diver named Yoko with only one leg?

Come on, I haven't been to a good riot for about ten years now. Not since I caused a semi-riot in front of San Francisco City Hall when I demanded justice for all the dandelions the city murdered while mowing the grass in the parks. True Story.

J 

[Mikiesboy]

4 minutes ago, Jason Rimbaud said:

Is it a giraffe? A manatee? My second cousin twice removed from my college roommate Fred? Why would I riot unless it's a skin diver named Yoko with only one leg?

Come on, I haven't been to a good riot for about ten years now. Not since I caused a semi-riot in front of San Francisco City Hall when I demanded justice for all the dandelions the city murdered while mowing the grass in the parks. True Story.

J 

Time for you to start another then, Jason.    ☮️

[BendtedWreath]

9 minutes ago, Mikiesboy said:

I highly doubt that.  They show up eventually but there's no need to reveal them.

They'll definitely be credited of course, whenever I finish the story and am able to brave the story posting system and figure out how.

[Lee Wilson]

6 minutes ago, Jason Rimbaud said:

Is it a giraffe? A manatee? My second cousin twice removed from my college roommate Fred? Why would I riot unless it's a skin diver named Yoko with only one leg?

Come on, I haven't been to a good riot for about ten years now. Not since I caused a semi-riot in front of San Francisco City Hall when I demanded justice for all the dandelions the city murdered while mowing the grass in the parks. True Story.

J 

If it happens on here, it would have to be a Quiet Riot.