Showing posts with label The Doorway. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Doorway. Show all posts
The Doorway : Where Do All Those Ideas Go?
The New Year's here and while most are already back to the grind, some of you are getting ready to make some new habits, routine changes and incorporate some more willingness to achieve. The start of the year tends to do that. But what are we going to really do about it?
The Doorway : All Trapped In Your Mind
The most interesting thing about the written word is that it originates from running thought – uncontrollable, unforced – and often un-trigger-able at the time of intent. While we may choose to lose out on writing down that something that seems to be formulating in our heads - fact remains that the words are still being thought. And you may do all you want to try and hold onto them for later, but we all know how that ends.
How many times have you found yourself waking up from a dream and thinking “Wow, that would be an awesome story!” or how many perfect moments have you visualized while staring into space? There is no paper to scribble on, no rock to carve – just another piece of visual you hope you can store in your pensieve to reproduce at a later time. But can you find it that easily? The perfect paragraph : word for word?
So how about reversing the process of thoughts being lost? What can you do to hold onto the sand that keeps flowing through your eyes – and you don’t find yourself motivated enough to move the pen to paper, forget finger to keyboard to stop it from running through you?! Of course you think you can save a text in your drafts and it'll solve all your problems...but will it really?
A few minutes and a couple of really funny jokes later, your potent thought remains all but buried under all that fun - then the phone dies.What if you forced yourself to prevent the feeling that causes this mind freeze - nothing short of the glory following a hard disk wipe out?
What if , every time you thought of something, you decided you were not going to let it flow away – you do something about it - you run and load an application, or grab a post-it and scribble out your idea and stick it right there – on your screen to force yourself to come back to the idea at a later point. Who knows what that scene you create can expand into? a premise for a whodunit? or the climax point of a story you think you’ve always wanted to write but needed a moment to bring it all together?
Think about it..
And while you're reading read this piece, silhouettes of your previous ideas have started to come to you- hazy and blurred- you’ve remembered things you wished you’d made note of – and you want to kick yourself, since you remember the key frame and can’t for the life of you remember how you reached that scene or what it’s plot point was.
You know what would really work right now? Fire up that word processor and write about all that you think.
Then do that Everytime you have an idea or a thought.
Everytime. Every single time.
You’ll thank yourself later!
-The Ed
How many times have you found yourself waking up from a dream and thinking “Wow, that would be an awesome story!” or how many perfect moments have you visualized while staring into space? There is no paper to scribble on, no rock to carve – just another piece of visual you hope you can store in your pensieve to reproduce at a later time. But can you find it that easily? The perfect paragraph : word for word?
So how about reversing the process of thoughts being lost? What can you do to hold onto the sand that keeps flowing through your eyes – and you don’t find yourself motivated enough to move the pen to paper, forget finger to keyboard to stop it from running through you?! Of course you think you can save a text in your drafts and it'll solve all your problems...but will it really?
A few minutes and a couple of really funny jokes later, your potent thought remains all but buried under all that fun - then the phone dies.What if you forced yourself to prevent the feeling that causes this mind freeze - nothing short of the glory following a hard disk wipe out?
What if , every time you thought of something, you decided you were not going to let it flow away – you do something about it - you run and load an application, or grab a post-it and scribble out your idea and stick it right there – on your screen to force yourself to come back to the idea at a later point. Who knows what that scene you create can expand into? a premise for a whodunit? or the climax point of a story you think you’ve always wanted to write but needed a moment to bring it all together?
Think about it..
And while you're reading read this piece, silhouettes of your previous ideas have started to come to you- hazy and blurred- you’ve remembered things you wished you’d made note of – and you want to kick yourself, since you remember the key frame and can’t for the life of you remember how you reached that scene or what it’s plot point was.
You know what would really work right now? Fire up that word processor and write about all that you think.
Then do that Everytime you have an idea or a thought.
Everytime. Every single time.
You’ll thank yourself later!
-The Ed
The Doorway: Did Someone Say Issue?
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| Click to Jump to the Inagural Issue |
The Inaugural Issue of Downright Fiction is Finally Here.
We made it. With just a few ideas, a couple of writers who believe in themselves- and the space to express your mind - we've finally got something competent for you to sit back and read. It took a while, but I hope the wait was worth it.
I'd like to say special thanks to all the Column Writers, Submitters, Subscribers and ofcourse -Readers for helping us get here. I hope you have a great time reading all the pieces, rants and tips ! We have some really interesting stuff in there.
I'd also like to thank Yestyn Griffiths of Glass Pear for the Exclusive Interview and a Sneak Peek into the upcoming album! Find out how you can win a copy of the Glass Pear EP in the contest section of the issue!
What are you waiting for ? Head over to the issue now! Stories, Rants, Music and Downloads await !
Oh - and don't forget to spread the word!
-The Ed
P.S.: Submissions are now open for the next issue.
The Doorway : Finding The Core
Among the many things I've said in the past, the one that I always talk about is ridding yourself of the biggest holder of your written work: "What will they Think?"
So then you think, you start to falter, you construct, deconstruct, start to reconstruct - you bring out the danger signs and you begin to try walking backward with your eyes closed, on a slimy road.
Don't do it.
Write as you please. Two times a day. Two times a week. Two times a Month. Maybe all the time. Just don't think about the outcome - don't think about where the piece should be going. Write, and keep on going until you find yourself coming to a place in your story that you never imagined you'd find.
You might find your story actually beginning where you stumble upon its turning point. And suddenly you'll have uncovered a whole new level.
Take a Character, place him/her somewhere and write. Take them places, build a core, define nuances - you'll find yourself walking down some very strong conflicts to empower.
You don't always have to force it.
Once you have your core, nothing can stop you from going back and bringing out some core elements of the story, while continuing to build on some more. Just Start to Write and watch it happen !
Try it.
So then you think, you start to falter, you construct, deconstruct, start to reconstruct - you bring out the danger signs and you begin to try walking backward with your eyes closed, on a slimy road.
Don't do it.
Write as you please. Two times a day. Two times a week. Two times a Month. Maybe all the time. Just don't think about the outcome - don't think about where the piece should be going. Write, and keep on going until you find yourself coming to a place in your story that you never imagined you'd find.
You might find your story actually beginning where you stumble upon its turning point. And suddenly you'll have uncovered a whole new level.
Take a Character, place him/her somewhere and write. Take them places, build a core, define nuances - you'll find yourself walking down some very strong conflicts to empower.
You don't always have to force it.
Once you have your core, nothing can stop you from going back and bringing out some core elements of the story, while continuing to build on some more. Just Start to Write and watch it happen !
Try it.
The Doorway : Peeping Through the Eyehole
I've been at this project from it's foundation, a base, chiseling away at it's core foundation - the belief that this is the place where your voice means something.
Downright Fiction is going to open its doors soon - and we're very happy to show you what your belief in us has led us to. It's been interesting... bringing together some writers who believed, some others who didn't and more importantly those of you who come back here every time a new post is up - to see if something worthy can be extracted from these snippets of communication.
We're pressing again, to call you in to send in your writings, fiction, pieces you believe in and pieces you'd like to test the waters with. We want you to come into this with an open mind - you write with an open mind and the rest will work out for you.
I'm going to greet you into our new phase soon, and I'm hoping eagerly for you to step in through the door.
Just that much closer.
- The Ed,
Downright Fiction
Downright Fiction is going to open its doors soon - and we're very happy to show you what your belief in us has led us to. It's been interesting... bringing together some writers who believed, some others who didn't and more importantly those of you who come back here every time a new post is up - to see if something worthy can be extracted from these snippets of communication.
We're pressing again, to call you in to send in your writings, fiction, pieces you believe in and pieces you'd like to test the waters with. We want you to come into this with an open mind - you write with an open mind and the rest will work out for you.
I'm going to greet you into our new phase soon, and I'm hoping eagerly for you to step in through the door.
Just that much closer.
- The Ed,
Downright Fiction
The Doorway : Why Stop Now?
In the last couple of weeks that Downright Fiction has been alive, it’s very very exciting to see where we’re going with this. And I’m writing on, because I know you guys are all with me, supporting us to see us to our next big leap. Downright Fiction wants to be there for you. And we are sincerely grateful to have you, with us.
People, as I heard someone say earlier today, need to learn to hold on to some of their values, to wake up and realize when to stop being flaky and think about what they really stand for. We often tread into paths that push us onto currents leading us to take stock of some changes that have happened, and we think that that’s okay that we have evolved, that its okay every once a while, but we control ourselves when we overstep those lines we told ourselves we never would. Writing is like that. Wordy, limitless and not necessarily constrained. Why should you be?
Downright Fiction is the platform to help you express your honest thoughts and writings, but honest to who? To you.
I’ve mentioned in the past how we don’t push on remoulding your work or revising it, for the simple reason that sometimes we like that certain piece to maintain its raw, unframed quality. Like a feather just scribbled across the screen a bunch of thoughts, extractions of emotion or memory, but more importantly young, frail, simple words. Not trying too hard. Not forcibly thesaurus-izing. Maybe a little more constrained, maybe a little more controlled. But as true as it can be to what you really really want to say. Sometimes less is more. Sometimes more words tell more. We tell things and we tell things so brilliantly that when we look at them we just tread across those words stealthily like they were written yesterday. Or maybe they're still happening?
But, its not so wrong if you find that the new voice you've found suits you better. Those pieces you wrote yesterday suddenly don't sound 'as right' as the new ones do and you're caught up in the "how true am I to my real self" of the moment. It's really upto you, Writer, because you are evolving slowly and steadily and that you find your voice developing by itself. When you read a piece in Downright Fiction's upcoming issue, it might inspire you to toy with your own style. Not imitate. But experiment. Maybe a certain voice you find appealing might enhance the way your fancy character expresses their sarcasm. Character traits can change with writing style changes. You're in control of more than you think, my friend.
And I'm not one to know it all, I'm just telling you things I've learned along the way.
As I hope more of you have the opportunity to read our editorial, I also hope some of you feel more confident in your voices. Sometimes you might think that you want to experiment with your style, with your persona, with that mind-voice your caricatures seem to possess but aren’t able to characterize. Maybe its time you decided to let loose and play around a little bit.
Just close your eyes, take a deep breath and fire up the word processor, Don’t stop writing until you have to go to the bathroom, or until the baby cries. Write as If you were tied to your machine, as if you are going to forget what it is you had to tell yourself today.
It’s important, this story. It’s already jumping through your screen and you’re beginning to see new hope.
Let’s read your masterpiece.
You’re doing a great job! Thank you for being with Downright Fiction.
Write to us, share our page or simply keep coming back.
You're in for a real treat ;)!
The Ed
People, as I heard someone say earlier today, need to learn to hold on to some of their values, to wake up and realize when to stop being flaky and think about what they really stand for. We often tread into paths that push us onto currents leading us to take stock of some changes that have happened, and we think that that’s okay that we have evolved, that its okay every once a while, but we control ourselves when we overstep those lines we told ourselves we never would. Writing is like that. Wordy, limitless and not necessarily constrained. Why should you be?
Downright Fiction is the platform to help you express your honest thoughts and writings, but honest to who? To you.
I’ve mentioned in the past how we don’t push on remoulding your work or revising it, for the simple reason that sometimes we like that certain piece to maintain its raw, unframed quality. Like a feather just scribbled across the screen a bunch of thoughts, extractions of emotion or memory, but more importantly young, frail, simple words. Not trying too hard. Not forcibly thesaurus-izing. Maybe a little more constrained, maybe a little more controlled. But as true as it can be to what you really really want to say. Sometimes less is more. Sometimes more words tell more. We tell things and we tell things so brilliantly that when we look at them we just tread across those words stealthily like they were written yesterday. Or maybe they're still happening?
But, its not so wrong if you find that the new voice you've found suits you better. Those pieces you wrote yesterday suddenly don't sound 'as right' as the new ones do and you're caught up in the "how true am I to my real self" of the moment. It's really upto you, Writer, because you are evolving slowly and steadily and that you find your voice developing by itself. When you read a piece in Downright Fiction's upcoming issue, it might inspire you to toy with your own style. Not imitate. But experiment. Maybe a certain voice you find appealing might enhance the way your fancy character expresses their sarcasm. Character traits can change with writing style changes. You're in control of more than you think, my friend.
And I'm not one to know it all, I'm just telling you things I've learned along the way.
As I hope more of you have the opportunity to read our editorial, I also hope some of you feel more confident in your voices. Sometimes you might think that you want to experiment with your style, with your persona, with that mind-voice your caricatures seem to possess but aren’t able to characterize. Maybe its time you decided to let loose and play around a little bit.
Just close your eyes, take a deep breath and fire up the word processor, Don’t stop writing until you have to go to the bathroom, or until the baby cries. Write as If you were tied to your machine, as if you are going to forget what it is you had to tell yourself today.
It’s important, this story. It’s already jumping through your screen and you’re beginning to see new hope.
Let’s read your masterpiece.
You’re doing a great job! Thank you for being with Downright Fiction.
Write to us, share our page or simply keep coming back.
You're in for a real treat ;)!
The Ed
The Doorway : What's Your Story ?
Just a quick note today....it's pretty interesting, this contest thing, no?
By that I mean, I'm just here to quietly remind you that the entries are due soon. Not to rush you or anything, just to tell you that I'm looking forward to see pieces from those of you that are giving this project a shot ! Those just swinging by to track us - you'll probably have something interesting to read when we have all of this come together !
Downright Fiction is also on facebook now, so find us and add us to your friend list !
Hope the summer's treating you all well !!
Watch out for those interesting people on the street you encounter everyday !
Stories are waiting to be told....
....and some, just waiting to be written.
By that I mean, I'm just here to quietly remind you that the entries are due soon. Not to rush you or anything, just to tell you that I'm looking forward to see pieces from those of you that are giving this project a shot ! Those just swinging by to track us - you'll probably have something interesting to read when we have all of this come together !
Downright Fiction is also on facebook now, so find us and add us to your friend list !
Hope the summer's treating you all well !!
Watch out for those interesting people on the street you encounter everyday !
Stories are waiting to be told....
....and some, just waiting to be written.
The Doorway : One Foot In / Your Story Contest
Okay.
So just to make things a little fun at Downright Fiction, we’re announcing a writing contest that will get your mind ticking and hopefully (to those of you who think you'd like a subject to write about) this is something to help you make a move toward experimenting in writing.
C’mon ! You can do this ! We’re beginning to get the magazine together very very soon.
Let’s see what you can do. Let’s hear your voice. Let’s hear your story.
This writing contest has simple rules:
1. Start or finish the story with the excerpt given below. You can even use the excerpt as a mid-section to your story.
2. The piece must be a minimum of 1500 words and has no upper limit.
3. You may choose to change the tone of the piece given below in accordance with your written voice, as long as the content is similar. Tense may be altered.
4. The final story is due by the 20th of May, 2010.
5. The entry must have the subject line : " Your Story Contest "
I cannot stress enough how excited I am that you are with us, continually, and since we are still at start-up stage there is unfortunately no fancy ‘prize’ offered; but we will do a feature of the chosen story entry – I’m hoping that is fair bargain?! If not, this is still a piece of writing that you will have in your repertoire?
And as for you as a writer, you’re almost in that place where you’re getting confident in your writing abilities, so what better time than the upcoming summer to try and come up with some amazing fiction (or not!)? Not? ....If you want to weave a non-fiction angle into this whole piece, go right ahead. The magic is waiting to happen. There are no major restricitions in this contest!
The excerpt:
“ Your Story “ – Short Story Writing Contest.
Tip: If you would like to involve your friends and send out this contest to a couple of them, it might give you something to work on together, almost to see interestingly how each person has a different story to tell. Also, we'll be beginning to involve a serious group of writing folk who will have the pleasure of having received the published Innaugural issue.
To reassure you all : All entries will be published. The contest will have a featured winner, but every story will be heard.
I hope you're as excited as I am.
Maybe I’ll participate too ?!
Good Luck!
-The Ed
Inquiries/Questions can be sent in at : downright (dot) fiction (at) gmail.com
Subscription and Submission Information is available in the toolbar above.
So just to make things a little fun at Downright Fiction, we’re announcing a writing contest that will get your mind ticking and hopefully (to those of you who think you'd like a subject to write about) this is something to help you make a move toward experimenting in writing.
C’mon ! You can do this ! We’re beginning to get the magazine together very very soon.
Let’s see what you can do. Let’s hear your voice. Let’s hear your story.
This writing contest has simple rules:
1. Start or finish the story with the excerpt given below. You can even use the excerpt as a mid-section to your story.
2. The piece must be a minimum of 1500 words and has no upper limit.
3. You may choose to change the tone of the piece given below in accordance with your written voice, as long as the content is similar. Tense may be altered.
4. The final story is due by the 20th of May, 2010.
5. The entry must have the subject line : " Your Story Contest "
I cannot stress enough how excited I am that you are with us, continually, and since we are still at start-up stage there is unfortunately no fancy ‘prize’ offered; but we will do a feature of the chosen story entry – I’m hoping that is fair bargain?! If not, this is still a piece of writing that you will have in your repertoire?
And as for you as a writer, you’re almost in that place where you’re getting confident in your writing abilities, so what better time than the upcoming summer to try and come up with some amazing fiction (or not!)? Not? ....If you want to weave a non-fiction angle into this whole piece, go right ahead. The magic is waiting to happen. There are no major restricitions in this contest!
The excerpt:
“ Your Story “ – Short Story Writing Contest.
….If I had known that this was what really happened, I wouldn’t have done
what I did. But I did it. And I had to pay the consequences.
I was in bed that night and wondered for every passing second, if this is how
things would always be. I tried to count sheep, or the number of stars in the
sky that I saw through my window, but I couldn’t get my mind off of it.
To tell you the truth, had I done this with a feeling of real hatred, I wouldn't have minded so much. You deserved it. But I was doing things I had no control over.
I don't know why I listened to any of this bullshit.
And that is what really didn’t let me go to bed that night. I wished you didn't deserve it. The fact is, you always did.
Tip: If you would like to involve your friends and send out this contest to a couple of them, it might give you something to work on together, almost to see interestingly how each person has a different story to tell. Also, we'll be beginning to involve a serious group of writing folk who will have the pleasure of having received the published Innaugural issue.
To reassure you all : All entries will be published. The contest will have a featured winner, but every story will be heard.
I hope you're as excited as I am.
Maybe I’ll participate too ?!
Good Luck!
-The Ed
Inquiries/Questions can be sent in at : downright (dot) fiction (at) gmail.com
Subscription and Submission Information is available in the toolbar above.
The Doorway: You're almost There !
Wow.
I'm happy to see the numerous submissions that come in every week, some from writers excited just to be a part of the project - and some from writers really working on some serious written stuff. Some of you just write in to see how this all really works. And we appreciate it all.
This week's editorial is just a simple Thank You. It's a Thank You for every single writer who has sent in a piece of work to participate. It's a Thank You for every visitor that comes by, sometimes by accident, sometimes by referral. And it's a Thank You to those of you (yes, I'm watching you) who come back ever so often to check up on us to see whats going on , whether something has been announced or to inspect changes made. Thank You.
Each one of you are important to us and I'm soon going to announce a tentative issue release date (Yes!) Also keep your eyes peeled for that contest I mentioned earlier.
Also, those of you who have Subscribed to us will automatically recieve newsletters from now on. Those of you looking out to subscribe, look up in the Menu bar and find out how.
Submissions are continually being accepted. Get in while it's still possible !
Are you writing yet?
Come on. You know you want to.
I'm happy to see the numerous submissions that come in every week, some from writers excited just to be a part of the project - and some from writers really working on some serious written stuff. Some of you just write in to see how this all really works. And we appreciate it all.
This week's editorial is just a simple Thank You. It's a Thank You for every single writer who has sent in a piece of work to participate. It's a Thank You for every visitor that comes by, sometimes by accident, sometimes by referral. And it's a Thank You to those of you (yes, I'm watching you) who come back ever so often to check up on us to see whats going on , whether something has been announced or to inspect changes made. Thank You.
Each one of you are important to us and I'm soon going to announce a tentative issue release date (Yes!) Also keep your eyes peeled for that contest I mentioned earlier.
Also, those of you who have Subscribed to us will automatically recieve newsletters from now on. Those of you looking out to subscribe, look up in the Menu bar and find out how.
Submissions are continually being accepted. Get in while it's still possible !
Are you writing yet?
Come on. You know you want to.
The Doorway: From Mind to Paper (Screen)
An interesting thing about writing stuff down instantly when it comes to mind, is that it’s in its purest form. You make notes, you think thoughts - quotes stick with you, sometimes its just a phrase that someone says that starts to ring true. Downright Fiction is bringing you that very platform: to speak your mind.
After having talked about a bunch of things over the last few weeks, I’m going straight to the core of DF, which is that we don’t really want you to compromise on your work. I say this because we go through bodies of thought that encourage us to write tightly, well punctuated and often easy to read words, lesser syllables that don’t irritate a reader. We hear about pieces making a hell of a difference once they’re revised, edited and de-bulked over a thousand times. And after last week’s discussion – I’m not going to keep drilling that point into your head – but I just want you to know that if its on your sheet of paper, just like you thought it in your mind – Send that in.
I’m not saying revising is a bad idea. You probably have your own method of reading through your work and updating as you go along and/or you decide just before hitting "publish" that there needs to be a more appropriate closure statement.
We want you to believe in what you write, because there's a world of people out there who know how to imitate, and replicate the 'right' way to say things - but not a lot of people who stick to their things when they said them right the first place around.
I’m just saying don’t apologize for your writing.
If you believe that you have your way to say something – then that IS the right way.
Period.
I hope you're thinking something as you read this. Why not write about it?
After having talked about a bunch of things over the last few weeks, I’m going straight to the core of DF, which is that we don’t really want you to compromise on your work. I say this because we go through bodies of thought that encourage us to write tightly, well punctuated and often easy to read words, lesser syllables that don’t irritate a reader. We hear about pieces making a hell of a difference once they’re revised, edited and de-bulked over a thousand times. And after last week’s discussion – I’m not going to keep drilling that point into your head – but I just want you to know that if its on your sheet of paper, just like you thought it in your mind – Send that in.
I’m not saying revising is a bad idea. You probably have your own method of reading through your work and updating as you go along and/or you decide just before hitting "publish" that there needs to be a more appropriate closure statement.
We want you to believe in what you write, because there's a world of people out there who know how to imitate, and replicate the 'right' way to say things - but not a lot of people who stick to their things when they said them right the first place around.
I’m just saying don’t apologize for your writing.
If you believe that you have your way to say something – then that IS the right way.
Period.
I hope you're thinking something as you read this. Why not write about it?
The Doorway: Taking the Next Step
As I'm answering a few more inquiries every week, I've started to understand more that it’s a big step to decide what work you decide to send out - to us at DF - and to the web world.
And I get it. You need some time to think about what you want out there. And that's fair enough.
This week, I dont have much to deliberate upon in the editorial, barring the fact that you should probably take your time, if you think you need it...but maybe you don't really need to think so hard. And I've emphasized this before !
At Downright Fiction, our goal is to help you to be confident with your pieces and not be afraid to show a reader who you are. We don't want you to think about what anyone will think or whether the pieces are fit, follow appropriate paragraph breakage or accurate punctuation marks...! Instead, we're looking to help you establish your voice. If you think that the placing of a single word in a circle of other words makes a literary statement, then we're no-one to tell you that its 'not really writing.'
We're reaching that time of year where vacations are approaching and there's more spare time to spend with your thoughts. So maybe it's time you started wondering if you were really going to give this thing a shot ! If you have the slightest glimmer of an idea that you want to build into a piece, go for it, give us a heads up and let us know that you're working on something you are likely to submit, or just go ahead and pull that overnighter as the words that form infront of your eyes start to capture your attention, bring that dream world into reality and step out of that 'oh no, that's too lame' mentality. You never know what you come up with and where it's going to take you.
I understand that often you come to this page, have a glimpse of what has been said and shirk off the ideas brought to help you think about what you'd like to submit and/or work upon for your own purposes. But this time if you just decided to open that word processor and write down the first thing that's in your mind and see how the first 400 words could actually make sense in a larger context - you'll realise what I'm talking about.
I hope you're as excited about this as I am, because I'm hoping we're going to have a fantastic issue to send to our friends and colleagues - and perhaps have these stories discussed on our site - all helping us to get inspired and put in more time towards doing this because we love it !
I'm looking forward to reading comments, either here or in the DF inbox - let us know how you feel and what you think about what has been said on this page today. Did you actually sit down and write about something? Or will you just close this post out until next week ?
The answer's in your hands.
Hopefully you're going to get straight to writing it.
PS: Lookout for a soon to be announced contest!
And I get it. You need some time to think about what you want out there. And that's fair enough.
This week, I dont have much to deliberate upon in the editorial, barring the fact that you should probably take your time, if you think you need it...but maybe you don't really need to think so hard. And I've emphasized this before !
At Downright Fiction, our goal is to help you to be confident with your pieces and not be afraid to show a reader who you are. We don't want you to think about what anyone will think or whether the pieces are fit, follow appropriate paragraph breakage or accurate punctuation marks...! Instead, we're looking to help you establish your voice. If you think that the placing of a single word in a circle of other words makes a literary statement, then we're no-one to tell you that its 'not really writing.'
We're reaching that time of year where vacations are approaching and there's more spare time to spend with your thoughts. So maybe it's time you started wondering if you were really going to give this thing a shot ! If you have the slightest glimmer of an idea that you want to build into a piece, go for it, give us a heads up and let us know that you're working on something you are likely to submit, or just go ahead and pull that overnighter as the words that form infront of your eyes start to capture your attention, bring that dream world into reality and step out of that 'oh no, that's too lame' mentality. You never know what you come up with and where it's going to take you.
I understand that often you come to this page, have a glimpse of what has been said and shirk off the ideas brought to help you think about what you'd like to submit and/or work upon for your own purposes. But this time if you just decided to open that word processor and write down the first thing that's in your mind and see how the first 400 words could actually make sense in a larger context - you'll realise what I'm talking about.
I hope you're as excited about this as I am, because I'm hoping we're going to have a fantastic issue to send to our friends and colleagues - and perhaps have these stories discussed on our site - all helping us to get inspired and put in more time towards doing this because we love it !
I'm looking forward to reading comments, either here or in the DF inbox - let us know how you feel and what you think about what has been said on this page today. Did you actually sit down and write about something? Or will you just close this post out until next week ?
The answer's in your hands.
Hopefully you're going to get straight to writing it.
PS: Lookout for a soon to be announced contest!
The Doorway: Where are we Now?
I often wonder why I get so lazy to put down things in writing!
And by that I mean: how come the blinking cursor makes me think of impending work to be done, rather than impulsively make me sit down and ease me into the get-go of thoughts-to-type flow. By that I mean , get me into writing something.
Or the other.
To say the least, I’m at the same stage in refining a written voice as you are. And by that I mean, I don’t claim to be no expert and/or some sort of guru. No, I’m not saying I’m any of that.
Click below to Read More..
The pure reason for Downright’s existence has been an honesty-driven force. I know I seem to speak in a lot of metaphysical terms - and that’s possibly the clearest statement I’ve gotten on here so far – the idea is to just spread the written work without having any of that ‘what do they like to read?’ mindset.
If that doesn’t make any sense, I’d like to stress on the fact, that the message behind Downright Fiction’s existence is to serve the work “as is” – no edits, re-writes, ‘sounds wrong’s and ‘too wordy’s ! It’s about getting the raw written work straight from your head-to-the reader without having to go through the shivers of the “what will they think about this?” nonsense.
I’m sure there are many of you out there thinking that works need to be written, refined, re-read and reworked until it sounds, reads and looks like a “complete” piece of work… my argument to that is that sometimes pieces lose their charm, their essence in all that re-working. All that stripping down makes it a little less personal, a little less individualistic and possibly a lot less original.
Is editing work a bad thing?
I’ll say probably not. And I’ll say probably is worse than you think it is.
I’m saying this because, once you get into some sort of writing habit and/or have a voice you think you completely stand by, slowly and steadily, you might have a personal sense of refinery, nitpicking and anal point of view of the work. Until then, you should have the freedom to write as you think you want to.
But until you know what you sound like, and until you’re not happy with the way you do, why not test the waters and see , what the work – in virtual print – looks like all completed and finished?
Maybe this will help you think, “ did I really write that? “ or perhaps make you go, “ Next time, I should avoid that!”
Again, I’m stressing on the fact that I’m no big-shot whose got some big list of books selling out there – I’m at a similar basic level as you are – I’m just trying to find us a way to play around with our work , see what it looks like – have some of our friends read it, have some lovers of writing read it – Maybe your raw, honest voice seems to hit a chord and needs just a little sharpening.
Maybe you’ll discover something new about your writing that you never noticed before !
Maybe you thought you sounded amazing in your head…. But on paper (well, virtual space) it sounds even better?
Have you considered that?
And by that I mean: how come the blinking cursor makes me think of impending work to be done, rather than impulsively make me sit down and ease me into the get-go of thoughts-to-type flow. By that I mean , get me into writing something.
Or the other.
To say the least, I’m at the same stage in refining a written voice as you are. And by that I mean, I don’t claim to be no expert and/or some sort of guru. No, I’m not saying I’m any of that.
Click below to Read More..
The pure reason for Downright’s existence has been an honesty-driven force. I know I seem to speak in a lot of metaphysical terms - and that’s possibly the clearest statement I’ve gotten on here so far – the idea is to just spread the written work without having any of that ‘what do they like to read?’ mindset.
If that doesn’t make any sense, I’d like to stress on the fact, that the message behind Downright Fiction’s existence is to serve the work “as is” – no edits, re-writes, ‘sounds wrong’s and ‘too wordy’s ! It’s about getting the raw written work straight from your head-to-the reader without having to go through the shivers of the “what will they think about this?” nonsense.
I’m sure there are many of you out there thinking that works need to be written, refined, re-read and reworked until it sounds, reads and looks like a “complete” piece of work… my argument to that is that sometimes pieces lose their charm, their essence in all that re-working. All that stripping down makes it a little less personal, a little less individualistic and possibly a lot less original.
Is editing work a bad thing?
I’ll say probably not. And I’ll say probably is worse than you think it is.
I’m saying this because, once you get into some sort of writing habit and/or have a voice you think you completely stand by, slowly and steadily, you might have a personal sense of refinery, nitpicking and anal point of view of the work. Until then, you should have the freedom to write as you think you want to.
But until you know what you sound like, and until you’re not happy with the way you do, why not test the waters and see , what the work – in virtual print – looks like all completed and finished?
Maybe this will help you think, “ did I really write that? “ or perhaps make you go, “ Next time, I should avoid that!”
Again, I’m stressing on the fact that I’m no big-shot whose got some big list of books selling out there – I’m at a similar basic level as you are – I’m just trying to find us a way to play around with our work , see what it looks like – have some of our friends read it, have some lovers of writing read it – Maybe your raw, honest voice seems to hit a chord and needs just a little sharpening.
Maybe you’ll discover something new about your writing that you never noticed before !
Maybe you thought you sounded amazing in your head…. But on paper (well, virtual space) it sounds even better?
Have you considered that?
The Doorway : From Reading to Writing
Alright.
This is one of those days where we just sit back and wonder, with you.
We look back at all the things and all the moments , and all those diary entries ago, when we used to believe in ourselves in a way that didn't revolve around how we looked or behaved, and steered from the heights of the career paths we climbed.
We used to be able to imagine all those things that we would once achieve. That one day we would show those who doubted us, show those who didn't know what they were talking about, those who knew we would become something someday- show them the real world.
But then something happened and we got trapped.
Click "Read more" to read the rest of this article !
We stepped into others' wants, others' needs, others' ideas, their philosophies and were so busy fulfilling the requirements of others, that we often forgot that we lay way beyond the ceiling everyone else was trying to match up to.
We forgot the things we loved and those little things we really enjoyed, because we didn't have the life to do our own things, we were always on the get go ! Move, move, move.
Art lessons that we really enjoyed, skateboarding in the park that was once our freedom sport, dancing in the rain, and reading under the tree by the beach was something that we looked forward to doing in the summer. And then we forgot everything.
All those things that set us free.
Dreams, thoughts, ideas, questions, answers, worries, and doubt.
Doubt?
Have you ever wondered how easy it is just to read something that triggers a string of thoughts and emotions inside of you? A sense of Deja Vu, if you will, from these words that unravel something that you did not have on your mind in the first place? We are reminded of people, events and thoughts and dreams that we once had , but now can't seem to associate with, connect to or think of !
Words have the power to teach us what we need to learn. We find the most direct messages in places we least expect. But we must be willing to learn from them !
Every other day, we read books, online material, ideas, opinions, we discuss things with our friends, sometimes we empathize with, and sometimes refuse to accept these ideas that are brought out.
We let our minds create pictures for us. Characters are visualized, worlds created and we thoroughly enjoy going through the remote experience of being there, doing that and perhaps living that. Things stir up inside us that make the existence of magic almost a hidden truth.
But why are we immensely petrified when looking at a blinking word processor screen ?
Why do we scare of what we're about to put down on the written word?
It's just words !
Sometimes we bring together worlds that others gather messages from, sometimes we bring together words to release, to let go of those things we wished we had said, wished we had done.
We might revisit , or run into thoughts we didn't even know we were thinking ! We mould characters and events to reflect some of our idealistic events, that we perhaps might not ever go through.... or perhaps went through, a lot more differently.
We have the power to inspire, to trigger someone else's solution.
Words can create worlds. Words can let us live even after.
Then, Why won't we?
This is one of those days where we just sit back and wonder, with you.
We look back at all the things and all the moments , and all those diary entries ago, when we used to believe in ourselves in a way that didn't revolve around how we looked or behaved, and steered from the heights of the career paths we climbed.
We used to be able to imagine all those things that we would once achieve. That one day we would show those who doubted us, show those who didn't know what they were talking about, those who knew we would become something someday- show them the real world.
But then something happened and we got trapped.
Click "Read more" to read the rest of this article !
We stepped into others' wants, others' needs, others' ideas, their philosophies and were so busy fulfilling the requirements of others, that we often forgot that we lay way beyond the ceiling everyone else was trying to match up to.
We forgot the things we loved and those little things we really enjoyed, because we didn't have the life to do our own things, we were always on the get go ! Move, move, move.
Art lessons that we really enjoyed, skateboarding in the park that was once our freedom sport, dancing in the rain, and reading under the tree by the beach was something that we looked forward to doing in the summer. And then we forgot everything.
All those things that set us free.
Dreams, thoughts, ideas, questions, answers, worries, and doubt.
Doubt?
Have you ever wondered how easy it is just to read something that triggers a string of thoughts and emotions inside of you? A sense of Deja Vu, if you will, from these words that unravel something that you did not have on your mind in the first place? We are reminded of people, events and thoughts and dreams that we once had , but now can't seem to associate with, connect to or think of !
Words have the power to teach us what we need to learn. We find the most direct messages in places we least expect. But we must be willing to learn from them !
Every other day, we read books, online material, ideas, opinions, we discuss things with our friends, sometimes we empathize with, and sometimes refuse to accept these ideas that are brought out.
We let our minds create pictures for us. Characters are visualized, worlds created and we thoroughly enjoy going through the remote experience of being there, doing that and perhaps living that. Things stir up inside us that make the existence of magic almost a hidden truth.
But why are we immensely petrified when looking at a blinking word processor screen ?
Why do we scare of what we're about to put down on the written word?
It's just words !
Sometimes we bring together worlds that others gather messages from, sometimes we bring together words to release, to let go of those things we wished we had said, wished we had done.
We might revisit , or run into thoughts we didn't even know we were thinking ! We mould characters and events to reflect some of our idealistic events, that we perhaps might not ever go through.... or perhaps went through, a lot more differently.
We have the power to inspire, to trigger someone else's solution.
Words can create worlds. Words can let us live even after.
Then, Why won't we?
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