Introductions from Writers
 

I figured that once people join the group they might want to show themselves, so I figured I would make this thread. So, introduce yourself! Tell us all what sort of writing you like, what styles and what genres, plus whatever else you may stumble across.
I'll start off.

I'm Sophie, I'm 14 and I write stories.
Well, not necessarily stories, but just a few paragraphs of a scene which has been depicted in my head. I develop them, and then a story is created, though they are generally very, very short.
I occasionally work on a longer piece of writing of mine called 'Bleed Me Dry' , though I find it very hard to keep on writing.
I used to be into poetry as well, but I found most people could not unravel my poems so I stopped. I find it hard to write now, which is a shame.

Well yes. That's me! What about you?

I'm Emma, I'm 14 amd I love to write short stories, poems, and I play with longer writing too.
I have my stuff here- http://elpemmywrote.joshssims.net
though it hasn't been updated since september (woops)
I've set myself a writing target, for a much longer story I'm currently trying to write- 20000 by the end of Feb. So far, I'm on target lol.

:howdy:

I'm Adrienne, and I write short stories, novellas, and journalistic pieces. In my fictional work, I attempt to convey some sort of emotional progression- my favorite themes to revisit are recovery from a loved one's death, seeking revenge confident in necessity but questionable in morality, and role reversal. It takes me months to mentally mull over a plot scheme before it reaches enough emotional potency that I'm able to write it, and I write sporadically because I can't force it. I keep a Word document filled with phrases to be used at a later date. Often a simple sentence is enough to strike a story in me.

As to my style, I'm told that it's very read-between-the-lines, and I would agree; if it's not necessary to the story, it doesn't fall under the realm of my concern. People often ask me, "what happened to [character]?" but I don't have an answer because I just don't think about it. I prefer not to name my characters because, when nameless, they're somehow more human and tangible to me. I strive for my characters to be so emotionally exposed that the piece becames aching and raw. While my weakness is in suspense and plot synthesizing, I feel that my strength is in imagery- I take great pride in my emotional and visual exposition. All I attempt to convey are life, death, and love- nothing more, nothing less. My current project is a novella about role reversal and mental illness called Flowers Die in Summer, but it's nowhere near done.

(I loved your short story over at the Creativity subsection :D)

Hi all, I'm also a writer (I suddenly feel like this is an AA meeting, lol), though currently more of an RPer. I usually come up with really good plots, but emotional expression isn't always my best friend, lol.
I'm more inclined to write plots involving characters with flaws as strong as their strengths and the moral ambiguity involved in said people's lives, whether justification immediately involves pardon - what you do can be understandable, but not necessarily excusable, and external vs. internal guilt, that you feel justified about what you did for self-defence or revenge, but the idea of social conditioning affecting it etc.
Currently, my sims story is on hiatus (because though I have the whole thing written, I don't have time to take screenshots! Though, I am considering posting the whole thing on a blog...), but yeah, that is what I'm looking to explore.

I am PuX-.
I'm a writer and poet.
I'm working on two (mostly one) stories and I have many poems.
I usually have huge Writer's Blocks.
I run out of 'Creativity Juices' for poems, but I can easily regain it...unlike Writer's Block.

I am Panda, Lark, Amy and "Hey you, stupid." (I will answer to any of those, for the record, none are my name.)
I write novel length fiction, but I never finish it (current project is my pre-NaNo, and it is at 30,000 words [~40 pages, single spaced, 12 point font] and just getting into the action)
I also write short stories, its one of my ambitions to get into the SFWA, but every submission I've sent to the required places has been rejected. I did get a personal rejection recently, so I figure I'm moving up in the world!
I don't get writer's block, as in I always know what I want to write, but I can't get motivated to write if I have other obligations, so that means that essentially the whole school year I don't write (except NaNo).
This summer I plan on finishing my NaNo and my current project and getting one of them published before I graduate. My ambition knows no bounds.
As to my style, I like stock charachters in crazy situations.

Moi!
 

Wow, it's wonderful to see young people writing! You go, all of you.

Me, I'm about...er...three times the age of the resident 14-year-olds. Just call me grandma. *sigh*

I write professionally off and on, meaning that when I do it, I get paid for it. I've written everything from print/web marketing materials to tech/user manuals to freelance magazine articles to scripts for nature documentaries. I've even done a spot of grant- and proposal-writing here and there. Writing isn't my main career, though. I'm mostly a musician by trade. I just pick up writing gigs here and there, on the side.

I am also a self-described snooty, snotty, grammar cop. Start running now.

Most of the writing I do is done strictly for fun, as a hobby. Mostly, I write either:
A) Fun, fluffy fanfiction for various things of which I am a fangrandma.
B) Highly detailed, thoroughly researched (I love research!) historical fiction. I have one gigantic complete novel, as yet unsold, which is set in Ancient Egypt and about a half-dozen others in various states of not-completeness. The one I'm currently fiddling with off and on is about England's King Richard I. I have a true passion for the Middle Ages. Oddly enough, I feel absolutely no need to inflict the Middle Ages on my Sims. Strange, that...

You can call me Maeve, and I'm 15. I'm a writer (obviously or I wouldn't be here would I) but I hardly ever finish anything. I generally write snippets and I have the First Page Curse -- where you get up to a really great start and then it kind of... sags. Or you lose the inspiration, or something. Yeah. I have that.
I'm a very character-driven writer -- I write about people and how they relate to each other. I "grew up", so to speak, as a writer, in the Harry Potter fandom, writing fanfiction, and I still do that a little. I mostly write fantasy and I tend toward oneshots in which nothing really happens. People talk. About stuff. THE END.
But I'm practising this thing where I just write and write and write and don't go back to reread. I'm hoping to at least get past five pages and then I'll feel very proud, even if it's crap.
So... yeah. Hi! :D

Maeve Ohmigosh, I totalaly have first page syndrome too. I found it really helpful to do NaNo last year, which is basically: you have one month. Produce 50,000 words, make it kinda cohesive. Go.

Its very good for beating first page syndrome. Since NaNo isn't again until November and there is no force on heaven or on earth that will make me recommend JanNo to anyone (that may be because its littler and I'm still boggled from NaNo, and its the 12 already), my other fairly effective cure for the first page syndrome is Write or Die, which uses operant conditioning to force you to write something. Is shockingly effective.

Write or Die
NaNo

Both are very good for first page syndrome. Highly recommend.

Yeah, no, I've heard of NaNo! I'm bummed that I missed it this year (or I should say last year, in 2008). I love the idea of just kind of churning out crap XD I love the idea of letting go of all that, this sounds so corny, this is so forced and contrived, oh god I have to reread -- and it seems like so much fun with a whole community doing it too!

I have to go to bed in five minutes or so but tomorrow I shall write! OR DIEEE. hehe

Hey everyone My Name is Tasia
I like to write poems, short stories, plays,screenplays,novels basically everything from non fiction to fantasy i like it all.

Hey everyone!

I go by Ranta, and I'm 15 years old. I love both writing and procrastination... unfortunately, that combination doesn't bode well! Someday I want to write a novel, but I fail at coming up with plots. -_- Right now, I mostly write fanfiction and fictional short stories. :]

I'm like iCad-- old enough to be your mommy. My youngest child turns 15 next weekend.
Also, like her, I'm published. On paper. I don't write for free, either, so you won't find my stuff on the net. Most of my work is journalism but I do write fiction. My favorite reject letter came from the editor of Guitar magazine. He loved my story but, as I knew before I submitted, it didn't fit the mag's style. I wrote that little ditty just for fun. I was thinking of turning it into a Sims' story but haven't gotten around to making proper characters for it.
I have not done any stories here since I don't really like making my Sims stage things just so I can get a pic, rather just play them.
I love reading historical fiction (and history books) so I'm interested in your Richard I story, iCad. I love that genre and I'm related to him to boot. I like a good spooky story, too, but it's hard to find a book that actually makes me scared to turn the page anymore.

'Ello, I'm RussaNodrey.
I usually just post at the Debate parts of the forum, but I had to join! I absolutly love writing. I'm 23...pretty old for this side of the forum...I guess....
I'm writing a series of three novels based a single dream that was so vague only the main details where remembered. I also write fanfiction-just finished a piece for Phantom of the Opera and writing another one-more of a parody but a Raoul bashing piece this time.
I only write dark fantasy...thats kind of due to my SPD (Schizoid Personality Disorder) but I am a very pessimestic person so that too contributes.

I remain people your faithful writer,
Rosemarie(for thats my real name).

Hallo everybody!

I'm Rebecca. I come from a family of writers... My grandparents own a publishing company, and my father and my grandfather are both professional novelists.

I've been writing since I was a child, but I wrote my first novel when I was 15. I tried to send it off to be published, but was very disappointed when I didn't get my expected rejection slip from the publishing house I sent it to ;{. I think the manuscript got lost in the mail, but I was disheartened enough to stop writing for awhile. I started up again around 18 and wrote another novel that nothing ever happened to. Now I prefer to write poetry because I suck at plotting anyways!

I don't intend to write professionally, but it is something to do in my spare time. I write a sims story for practice and for fun to make sure that I keep writing.

Anyways, it is nice to meet you all!

And RussaNodrey: Raoul bashing! What fun! ^_^

Hello to everyone. ^_^

I write, and have been writing since I was about 13. I tend to do fantasy-ish stories as that's what I read most, and always draw maps. I like maps, they make the story come to life! :D

For me, it's a nice hobby to get engrossed in, but I have thought about being published, especially now that I haven't got college to take up my spare time. I've naturally begun to write longer pieces too. So far my limit stands at 50,000 words, but I'm hoping to push that a little bit further.

I do still have a few problems - I plagiarise less now though - especially with male characters. I don't tend to have enough. Does anyone else have this problem, a natural and subconscious inclination to write about a certain gender? My stories are overpopulated by women. XD

Anyway, great to meet everyone and keep writing!

@Deatherella:

Hey, my son is 13, so...Yay for teenagers! *rolls eyes* And my eight-year-old daughter might as well be a teenager. (Apologies to the resident teens...but you'll understand when you have your own. )

Oh, the poor Richards! All three of them have been smeared throughout history, so I guess I like to try to write to set the record straight. (Literally so in Richard I's the case, if you know what I mean. Plus, I love that he was poet and musician.) I doubt I can do III better than, say, Sharon Kay Penman did, but I have plans for I and II, indeed. Staying far away from the Tudors, though; they're so overdone now. Plantagenets FTW!

It's cool that you're related to them. I'm Irish, so there is no Plantagenet in me, for all that I adore the whole dynasty. Apparently some of my ancestors were mercenaries for Henry V at Agincourt, though. That's the closest I get to being related to royalty.

Sorry for butting in, but too true.

Actually I'll make one amendment to my statement about the Tudors: Henry VII and his wife Elizabeth of York are interesting characters, particularly Elizabeth. No one really knows anything about them, and I've seen exactly one fiction book recently about Liz of York, which I have yet to read but I certainly will be doing so. But Henry VIII, his wives, and his progeny...GAH! If I see one more book about Anne Boleyn, I'm going to screeeeaaaaam! And no more Mary, Queen of Scots, either, kthnxbai.

Now James I/VI? There's an interesting guy...

*ahem* Thread derailment ahoy!

Hehe, every book I see about Anne Boleyn claims it's the most amazing interpretation yet. Um... XD And about Henry VII - do people not consider him Tudor? :S In The Tudors series, it starts with Henry VIII's first marriage. :-\

There was one book I read about Emma of Normandy, it was a monster novel but it was such a fresh idea to go back that far.

Ahhh, historical fiction. :D

Is true. And unfortunately, to really understand VIII's desperation for a male heir, one has to understand how truly non-legitimate VII's claim to the throne was. He won it by conquest, of course, and his claim to back up his conquest was even less legitimate than The Conqueror's. If this isn't explained/explored, it just makes VIII look like a raving obsessive psycho. (Which in some ways he was, but this particular obsession of his at least has a logical basis, dynastically speaking.) So, I don't get why everyone leaves out Henry VII when they're talking Tudor. The rest of the dynasty, (overinflated) drama aside, makes little sense without him. Of course, everyone forgets poor Arthur, too, who was the posthumous scapegoat of sorts in Henry VIII's Quest for the Holy Divorce.

...It's probably a good thing I've never seen "The Tudors."

As for inflatedly-romantic, revisionist Anne Boleyn stories: Bleh. I hold Philippa Gregory (Or whatever her real name is) entirely responsible.

My favorite "obscure person" histfic of late is a book about Beregaria, poor wife of Richard I. It was called "A Queen Without a Country," I think. Reading it started me on my Richard I kick, actually, other than my life-long admiration for his mother, Eleanor of Aquitaine. Oooh, and a book about Juana, Katherine of Aragon's older sister, dubbed "The Mad Queen."

I'm enjoying the traipse through history so much, I almost hate to interject. My husband is a direct descendant of William the Conqueror. I can make no such lofty claims, as most of the family history of which I am aware involves shady horse thieves pre-emigration from Scotland--I suspect that emigration was a forced one--mad Confederate officers who lost fortunes in the war only to kill themselves or disappear from record entirely, and most recently one severely alcoholic Choctaw grandfather who never really knew his children or grandkids.

I'm on the old-er-ish side, too. However, I have no children, unless you count the four legged, furry kind. I've been writing for 30 years. I've been writing reasonably well for considerably less time than that. I've had minor editing jobs, a few small non-fiction articles and some poetry published, but never any fiction. It would probably help if I'd submit some. I am in the process of building a professional storytelling business and have also hosted a local poetry slam. I love the spoken word as much as the written.

My favorite genres to read are non-fiction history and biographies, horror, and fantasy. My writing doesn't easily fit into one genre. It tends to be character driven and quite often explores various aspects of addiction, failed parental relationships, or at least the perception of such by one or more characters, and rivalry. Many of my main characters have adversaries who wind up being more useful to them in their enmity than a friend might be. I'm fascinated with the concept of a good enemy being as valuable as a good friend and the way such relationships can shape a person's character.

If I remember right, didn't the Tudor's come into power by some weak claim to do with someone's aunt being the sister-in-law of the last legitimate king or something like that? I remember he was an usurper without an actual blood claim to the throne. The fact that the Tudors were Welsh should tell anyone they didn't have a claim on the throne.

Mollypog, my Scottish ancestors didn't start showing up in the United States until after the '45 so I often wonder if they were running for their lives. The Clan history puts them fighting with the English, but we all know our Scots ancestors were smart enough to say one thing and do another in those times.

Deatherella, they very likely could have been, and yes, Scots have always been a very canny lot!

It's...complicated. Henry was indeed Welsh-born-and-raised, but his "claim" arose through his (English) mother Margaret Beaufort, who was a great-granddaughter of John of Gaunt, third son of Edward III, and his mistress, making his a claim based on descent from an illegitimate child of a third son of a king, which is really no claim at all. Plus, Henry IV had controversially disinherited his Beaufort relatives many years before Henry's birth, in order to protect his own claim to the throne. This officially, though very controversially, removed them from the order of succession.

So really, Henry's claim was...nothing, really, in legal terms. (Although it should be noted that the Yorkist kings claimed similar descent through John of Gaunt, so...there we are. ) In reality, it's pretty clear to me that Henry got to be king simply because he was responsible for the death of Richard III, who a very unpopular king. People were willing to swallow everything else. He was aware of his precarious position, of course, shown by the fact that one of his first acts as king was to date his reign retroactively to the day before the battle in which Richard was killed, thus allowing Henry to declare a traitor (and thus attaint, meaning that he could, among other things, claim everything they owned for himself) anyone who fought for Richard at that battle. This of course included pretty much all of the people who had a better claim to the throne than he did. Clever, that Henry.

He was also married to Elizabeth of York, daughter of Edward IV, who was Richard III's brother. Her brothers were the infamous "Princes in the Tower," whom Richard III is usually accused of having had killed in order to clear his own path to the throne, but it may very well have been Henry himself who ordered it done. Richard had had them declared illegitimate via a bill passed through Parliament, so once that was done they weren't a political threat to him at all, other than as symbols for the rabble to rally around, so he had little motive to have them killed. But Henry had had Richard's bill reversed in order for Elizabeth to be declared legitimate again in order to make her his queen. And if SHE was then legit, then her brothers were as well, so if they were alive (There are no reports of anyone having seen them after 1483, two years before Henry's accession, but this doesn't mean that they actually were killed in 1483), they were then a huge threat to his own power. Anyway, Henry's marriage strengthened his claim since his wife was Edward IV's heir...but the marriage didn't take place until 1486, a year after Henry's accession.

So...yeah, complicated. All that aside, Henry VII was actually one of the better, albeit pretty efficiently ruthless, kings of England. He picked up the pieces of the War of the Roses, uniting the warring sides with his marriage (He was Lancastrian, his wife Yorkist). He was not wastefully conquest-minded as were his Plantagenet predecessors, and instead made strong treaties with rulers who directly threatened the war-weakened England. Notably he did this with the newly-unified and very powerful Spain, by arranging the marriage of Katherine of Aragon to (first) his son and heir Arthur and then, upon Arthur's death at the age of 15, Henry went to great lengths to convince the Pope allow the marriage of Katherine and his second son Henry, who became Henry VIII. Finally, he was legal-minded and very frugal, a rarity in a monarch. His policies restored England's economy, which had been destroyed by the civil war, while at the same time amassing a great deal of wealth for himself...which the "great" Henry VIII, then frittered away, but that's a whole 'nother story. Like I said, he's an interesting character and it's a shame that he's ignored by the Tudor-obsessed hordes.

@Mollypog: I also tend to focus on adversarial relationships in my writing. Like you said, friends shape and influence a person, but I agree with you in that enemies can be an even more powerful influence. So, it's an interesting angle to explore, and different from what most other writers explore.