Welcome… I’m New Here! Brave New World

[Tony Rao]

Sorry to pinch a title from literary fiction, but thought it would be a suitable segue into introducing myself. I had my novel critiqued yesterday on Pop-Up submissions. I prefer to say critiqued rather than torn to shreds as it the Genius Room tells it like it is.

Although not new to writing - this has been largely as a psychiatrist in public engagement with TV, radio and print around mental health - I am new to creative writing. After 30 years of immersion in patient narratives, I have gone part time to devote more time to the fine art of writing.. As a novice creative writer, I wanted to share what I have learned from yesterday

1) I didn't do my homework before submitting the pitch. It's such an easy trap to all into, calling a book "literary fiction". Mine certainly was not and it's not a good look if you start off on the wrong foot.

2) I was always under the impression that the blurb was powerful but shouldn't give too much away about the plot. Mine was vague to the point of obscurity...

3) When I wrote for the media, I was told to put the most powerful narrative at the very beginning. Instead, my novel - now undergoing extensive repair - read more like biography with a chronological narrative rather than one with an early hook. Thanks to whoever suggested the idea of having a prologue where I can share a "secret" about how and when the protagonist's life was ripped apart by drug addiction

I have always believed in opportunity for those who are committed to an endeavor and have never before seen such a valuable resource as Litopia and the real-time critique of Pop Up Submissions. It is a "family" that nurtures, guides and respects its fellow writers. To all in the Genius Room who gave me a springboard to hope yesterday, a huge thank you. Agent Pete is truly on in a million for setting up such a vibrant and enabling community.

Tony

 

[Vagabond Heart]

Hi and welcome.
Very glad to have you with us.

There were some excellent moments in your submission yesterday, but you succumbed to the pitfalls that pretty much all of us do when we start out (I know I did).

This group has helped me enormously since I joined (my blurb was a pitch, not a blurb; I was writing myself in; too much ‘tell’, not enough ‘show’, POV all over the place - all the common mistakes). I’m sure you’ll find all the help you need here - they are a talented lot.

We have a Forum called Writing Workshop where members post opening chapters/blurbs/synopses etc., and ask for specific feedback or beta readers. Before posting one’s own work, it is advisable to do some critiquing of others’ work first - gets you to understand the process better.
Just popping over there, seeing how we do it, what the common problems are, how they get solved - this will help you spot them more easily in your own work. Is invaluable.

Xxxxx VH

 

[Dorm Ant]

Although not new to writing - this has been largely as a psychiatrist in public engagement with TV, radio and print around mental health - I am new to creative writing.

One of the first things I learned, on attempting my first novel manuscript, is that creative writing is poles apart from any other form of writing. Having cotributed to guide books and theatre scripts and done a little journalism, I thought that creative writing would be an easy transition. No way! It's like comparing painting a gate to full garden landscaping. Different style, different skillset.

Anyway, welcome.

 

[izi 出久]

I missed yesterday's Pop UP, but I'm glad to see you here, Tony. Welcome to the gang

 

[RK Wallis]

Welcome aboard @Tony Rao I'm glad to hear Pop Ups helped you.

 

[Jonny]

A very warm welcome to the colony, @Tony Rao

Nice to have you here. Hope you enjoy Litopia and do get involved as soon as you’re ready to.

This is a good place to check out (How-to guide) to see a lot of what goes on in the colony.

If anything is unclear do please contact me and I’ll be happy to assist if I can.

 

[MattScho]

Welcome. I do hope you took our comments as what they were, an attempt to be helpful and not an attempt to crush your soul. I would echo the advice of Vagabond above, you really do want to dig in and critique what others are doing in the writing workshop, because when we do this we realize what we are doing wrong, what we should be doing more of, etc.
I spent 35 years as a journalist, worked in a lot of war zones, etc, and writing fiction is a new game. It is a thrilling game, but while the basic tools do apply, there is so much to learn. This is a great place for that.

 

[Peyton Stafford]

Welcome!

 

[Pamela Jo]

Sorry to pinch a title from literary fiction, but thought it would be a suitable segue into introducing myself. I had my novel critiqued yesterday on Pop-Up submissions. I prefer to say critiqued rather than torn to shreds as it the Genius Room tells it like it is.

Although not new to writing - this has been largely as a psychiatrist in public engagement with TV, radio and print around mental health - I am new to creative writing. After 30 years of immersion in patient narratives, I have gone part time to devote more time to the fine art of writing.. As a novice creative writer, I wanted to share what I have learned from yesterday

1) I didn't do my homework before submitting the pitch. It's such an easy trap to all into, calling a book "literary fiction". Mine certainly was not and it's not a good look if you start off on the wrong foot.

2) I was always under the impression that the blurb was powerful but shouldn't give too much away about the plot. Mine was vague to the point of obscurity...

3) When I wrote for the media, I was told to put the most powerful narrative at the very beginning. Instead, my novel - now undergoing extensive repair - read more like biography with a chronological narrative rather than one with an early hook. Thanks to whoever suggested the idea of having a prologue where I can share a "secret" about how and when the protagonist's life was ripped apart by drug addiction

I have always believed in opportunity for those who are committed to an endeavor and have never before seen such a valuable resource as Litopia and the real-time critique of Pop Up Submissions. It is a "family" that nurtures, guides and respects its fellow writers. To all in the Genius Room who gave me a springboard to hope yesterday, a huge thank you. Agent Pete is truly on in a million for setting up such a vibrant and enabling community.

Tony

Hi Tony.
You have a huge vein of gold to mine with all your psychiatric experience.
Ah, many of us have come to fiction with some expertise in writing nonfiction only to find it's our storytelling muscles we need, and they've atrophied while we were a slave to reality. My first breakthrough was from Sol Stein's book Solutions for Writers. Stories aren't normal people doing normal things. It is man bites dog taken to the next level. Man bites rabid wolf-dog to defend newborn son when car breaks down on way to hospital during blizzard of the century.

Both my Pop Up submissions failed but I'm now in the finals for two competitions. I took what I learned and applied it, as it sounds you will.

And isn't Pete just the best? The seminar on writing blurbs that he's given us on here is invaluable. A blurb needs to speak directly to your reader. In the end your reader is your North Star.
Nice to meet you.

 

[Dorm Ant]

Man bites rabid wolf-dog to defend newborn son when car breaks down on way to hospital during blizzard of the century.

Then it turns out that the rabid wolf-dog is actually a werewolf. The man transforms and goes on the rampage with the other werewolf, attacking a nearby village. The villagers are snowed in and their phone lines down (it's a mobile signal blackspot), so can't get help. The man's wife manages to crawl from the car in the opposite direction, clutching the unconscious baby, to the forest hut of a witch, who revives the baby. The witch can create a potion using a lock of the baby's hair. Trouble is... the only way to end the werewolves' rampage is to kill them. That means that the distressed new mother must choose... Wait until the full moon is over, risking carnage at the village, or murder her beloved.

 

[Pamela Jo]

Then it turns out that the rabid wolf-dog is actually a werewolf. The man transforms and goes on the rampage with the other werewolf, attacking a nearby village. The villagers are snowed in and their phone lines down (it's a mobile signal blackspot), so can't get help. The man's wife manages to crawl from the car in the opposite direction, clutching the unconscious baby, to the forest hut of a witch, who revives the baby. The witch can create a potion using a lock of the baby's hair. Trouble is... the only way to end the werewolves' rampage is to kill them. That means that the distressed new mother must choose... Wait until the full moon is over, risking carnage at the village, or murder her beloved.

And this is why you are the champion of Litopia FF RG.

 

[Eva Ulian]

Hello and welcome @Tony Rao

 

[PCFrontier]

Welcome to Litopia Tony. Good luck with your revisions.

 

[CarolMS]

So glad you've joined us, Tony. I joined last fall and have found Litopia's community of writers, including @AgentPete, full of people who are generous of spirit as well as steeped in expertise. It's been a much more rewarding experience than other writing groups I've been involved in, and offers multiple avenues for support as well as help in honing our craft. I've been working on my first novel, now in multiple and improving drafts, for longer than I care to admit--thankfully I now understand that's not so unusual--and, like you, began with no knowledge at all about writing fiction. My previous writing involved tons of journaling when young, some writing for business, and a lot of academic papers in clinical psychology. I hadn't even been reading much fiction (very important for developing one's craft). The more I learned through books and courses on writing fiction and in critique groups, the more I realized I still had to learn. That's the process, and Litopia's Colony is a great place in which to pursue it. Fun, too. Lots of delightful people. Enjoy!