/lit/ - Literature

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Anonymous Sun Apr 3 19:43:29 2011 No.1677765 [Reply] [Original]

/lit/ I want to become an author. I'm fairly well read and I once wrote proficiently as a *chantard but, that is no longer good enough. My muse left me a while ago and I want to do everything I can to become a better writer because of it. I don't really care about fortune, fame, or becoming an underwear moistening wordsmith; I want to do something I care for and am passionate about. What advice do you have, if any? Practice ad nauseam is implied.

>>	Anonymous Sun Apr 3 19:46:29 2011 No.1677777 File: 15 KB, 350x264, 1140125873spaceghost.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google] >underwear moistening wordsmith

>>	Anonymous Sun Apr 3 19:49:29 2011 No.1677783 >>1677777 HORY SHEET QUINTS! Banhammer time. Also, 'underwear moistening wordsmith.' Lol.

>>	Anonymous Sun Apr 3 20:08:29 2011 No.1677849 shameless self bump.

Brynjar !!rSaloUbhLV6 Sun Apr 3 20:36:29 2011 No.1677921

Make a point of observing what you read. Look at what writers you like do. Think about what kind of writer you want to be. Show what you have written for others and make it clear that you want honest, brutal, critique to help you become better. Learn to (if you haven't already) take criticism.

But most importantly;

Write.

>>	Anonymous Sun Apr 3 22:24:29 2011 No.1678280 I desire to become an underwear moistening wordsmith. Wat do?

>>	Anonymous Sun Apr 3 22:39:29 2011 No.1678312 File: 251 KB, 400x264, 13293897.Grin.gif [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google] >underwear moistening wordsmith

>>	Anonymous Sun Apr 3 23:11:29 2011 No.1678365 File: 110 KB, 487x525, 1300232223902.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google] Simply get people to read and criticise your work (preferrably people who are better then you). Also, >underwear moistening wordsmith

>>	mcgregor Sun Apr 3 23:16:29 2011 No.1678371 File: 63 KB, 360x270, underwear-moistening-wordsmith.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google] ITT: cool guise

>>	Anonymous Sun Apr 3 23:21:29 2011 No.1678381 >>1678371 Needs a cheesier-looking guy. Something like the Cunt Destroyer.jpg

>>	mcgregor Sun Apr 3 23:22:29 2011 No.1678384 >>1678381 Do it up, brah

Anonymous Sun Apr 3 23:31:29 2011 No.1678408
File: 77 KB, 360x269, Underwear-Moistening-Wordsmith.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]

OP here:

Holy shit this is still on the front page? I'd still like some actual help, as in places to share literature, classes to take, etc. I'm currently in university. Otherwise, have this macro image.

>>	Anonymous Sun Apr 3 23:32:29 2011 No.1678412 File: 33 KB, 515x385, OP.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google] >>1678384 Thar we go.

>>	Anonymous Sun Apr 3 23:34:29 2011 No.1678416 >>1678412 No fucking way. Sucks to be you dawg, mine looks better, but none the less, what the fuck.

mcgregor Sun Apr 3 23:34:29 2011 No.1678417

>>1678408
If you want to be a writer, then there's no better advice than this >>1677921

The only thing I would add to this is rewrite rewrite rewrite rewrite. Editing is one of the most important skills of a writer. You gotta know what to cut and what to keep

>>	Anonymous Sun Apr 3 23:35:29 2011 No.1678419 >>1678416 Lawls Acnenerdmind.

>>	Anonymous Sun Apr 3 23:38:29 2011 No.1678423 >>1678408 This is a good place to share snippets of something, if you're into brutal honesty, and as a writer, you should be.

Anonymous Sun Apr 3 23:40:29 2011 No.1678431

>>1678417
And where would a lonely *chantard, such as my self find any reasonable editors? My peers are, by majority, useless. I know writing is the most crucial part to success as an author, but I need a little more than that. I feel as though I've plateaued and now I'm stuck in a stagnant, swampy hell. All my friends provide soulless commentary, and 4chan is not a particularly productive place to post literature.

>>	Anonymous Sun Apr 3 23:45:29 2011 No.1678442 >>1678431 Well... if you end up trusting somebody on /lit/ that isn't an idea, I'm sure they'd be more than happy to help review. That is, if they're not assholes, or idiots, or foaming at the mouth zealots for a philosopher who shan't be named

>>	Anonymous Sun Apr 3 23:45:29 2011 No.1678441 >>1678423 I've posted a few things on /lit/ some months ago. I occasionally drop in and see how things are going. 4chan can provide criticism, but not necessarily constructive criticism.

Anonymous Sun Apr 3 23:46:29 2011 No.1678445

>>1678431
>4chan is not a particularly productive place to post literature
If by particularly productive you mean polite, then I guess I agree with you. Why not just snag some glassy-eyed 19 year old English major off campus, feed her valiums and have her look at your shit?

>>	Anonymous Sun Apr 3 23:56:29 2011 No.1678474 >>1678445 If I really wanted my ass kissed, I'd try and build up flexibility in my core until I could do so myself. That being said, I'd prefer somewhere with a balance between Hiroshima-esque negativity, and a tsunami of praise.

>>	Anonymous Mon Apr 4 00:11:29 2011 No.1678507 Get drunk, do shit, fuck girls, don't pay taxes, avoid credit cards and sleep till noon.

>>	Anonymous Mon Apr 4 00:17:29 2011 No.1678522 >>1678507 If those are the prerequisites, I should be motherfucking john milton. Ever heard that expression any port in a storm? Yup, written about me my friend.

>>	Anonymous Mon Apr 4 00:20:29 2011 No.1678526 >>1678522 not prerequisites, but things you should be constantly doing

Anonymous Mon Apr 4 00:23:29 2011 No.1678535

As has been stated, you'll need to rewrite a lot, especially just starting out. When you write something, rewrite it. When you read something, rewrite the sentence in your mind.

Read some popular books - Dune, A Song of Ice and Fire, the Name of the Wind (personal favorite) and examine the writing styles. Break down exactly what each word services.

You'll have to be your harshest critic, always criticize everything you write, find as little positives about it as you can. Cut out words that aren't needed or aren't essential to the narrative. Word count doesn't mean much if you're writing like Ms. Meyer. Use words ending in -ly as little as possible, they shouldn't exist in a book with very few exceptions. Often you aren't describing anything when you use them.

The biggest piece of advice I can give without text to criticize is just to rewrite and cut out unnecessary words. If you can rewrite something into less words while retaining the same effect, you should.

>>	Anonymous Mon Apr 4 00:32:29 2011 No.1678550 >>1678445 4chan negativity is more Serbia than Hiroshima

Anonymous Mon Apr 4 00:35:29 2011 No.1678558

>>1678442
>or foaming at the mouth zealots for a philosopher who shan't be named

What? I feel like I come here often enough, but I can't even think of one philosopher to whom this might apply. /lit/ seems to be pretty evenly split when it comes to hero worship.

>>	Stagolee !0Pey/QLK3E Mon Apr 4 00:39:29 2011 No.1678565 File: 28 KB, 360x480, sg.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google] >>1678558 you literally cannot say her name

>>	Anonymous Mon Apr 4 00:43:29 2011 No.1678575 >>1678565 Why does /lit/ care so much if this whore took some photos holding a beginner book of philosophy? Why? Who cares?

>>	Anonymous Mon Apr 4 00:47:29 2011 No.1678586 >>1678550 But then it wouldn't be a japanese joke, you know, with the weeaboos and such.

>>	Stagolee !0Pey/QLK3E Mon Apr 4 00:48:29 2011 No.1678588 >>1678575 >this whore took some photos holding a beginner book of philosophy? because they can't see how a woman can be both a pornstar and a well-cultured human being

>>	Anonymous Mon Apr 4 00:48:29 2011 No.1678590 What's wrong with Sasha?

>>	Anonymous Mon Apr 4 00:49:29 2011 No.1678593 >>1678586 Is someone angry their misogynistic theories are being proved wrong by a young promiscuous woman understanding the intricacies of existentialism while you can't handle getting dressed by yourself in the mornings?

>>	Anonymous Mon Apr 4 00:52:29 2011 No.1678597 >>1678593 No? Not at all to be frank.

>>	Anonymous Mon Apr 4 01:00:29 2011 No.1678613 >>1678565 I have watched that woman suck 35 cocks in a single sitting.

>>	Anonymous Mon Apr 4 01:14:29 2011 No.1678642 >>1678597 Then what's the problem?

>>	Anonymous Mon Apr 4 02:18:29 2011 No.1678776 >>1678565 Does it start with an "A" and end with a "D"?

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