Welcome… I’m New Here! Hello from central Iowa!

[Lou Brown]

I’m a retired animator turned writer.
My mission this year is to finish my first novel, a YA futuristic graphic fiction.
Looking forward to meeting fellow YA writers!

 

[Vagabond Heart]

Hi back at yer, from a grim and windswept bit of Britain.
Graphic fiction sounds great - looking forward to seeing that. Welcome to the Colony. Xx VH

 

[RK Wallis]

Welcome aboard @Lou Brown Good luck finishing that first novel!

 

[Jonny]

Welcome @Lou Brown . Hope you enjoy Litopia.

It’s extremely friendly here so do feel free to get involved as soon as you’re ready.

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

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

 

[Ancora Imparo]

Hello, Lou, and welcome.

I'm sure you'll manage to finish your YA graphic novel. Once you get to know the place, check out the Workshops. As many members will testify, we learn a lot from critiquing others' work, too. But whether you critique others' work, or ask for advice on your own, I'm sure you'll get a lot out of it. It's a great resource.

You can always submit the first 700 words of your own work to Pop-Ups if you'd like some advice on the beginning. That's on YouTube, Sunday evenings from 5pm (UK time). I'm not sure what time that is in Iowa, but you can always catch up on YouTube whenever suits you.There's excellent advice every week on writing and publishing in general.

I'm one of the Guardians on Litopia. If you have any questions, please get in touch — happy to help any time. Look forward to seeing you around the Colony!

 

[BarbaraUS]

Hey "Lou" - I just noticed you were here! You're going to love it here. You'll fit right in Barbara

 

[MattScho]

I’m a retired animator turned writer.
My mission this year is to finish my first novel, a YA futuristic graphic fiction.
Looking forward to meeting fellow YA writers!

Welcome. A graphic novel in the house? Nice. Berlin here, but former resident of, in order, Wisconsin, Colorado, Kansas and Missouri, so I know next to nothing about Iowa, but have lived kind of nearby.

 

[Rachel Caldecott]

I’m a retired animator turned writer.
My mission this year is to finish my first novel, a YA futuristic graphic fiction.
Looking forward to meeting fellow YA writers!

Hey, Welcome! Looking forward to seeing your graphic novel.

 

[gbhunt]

I’m a retired animator turned writer.
My mission this year is to finish my first novel, a YA futuristic graphic fiction.
Looking forward to meeting fellow YA writers!

Welcome to Litopia, you'll meet lots of other talented and helpful people here

 

[Barbara]

Hi and welcome. I'm a bit late with saying hello, but welcome.

 

[Lou Brown]

Welcome. A graphic novel in the house? Nice. Berlin here, but former resident of, in order, Wisconsin, Colorado, Kansas and Missouri, so I know next to nothing about Iowa, but have lived kind of nearby.

What part of Missouri? I know the northern part of MO is more rolling and lush than central Iowa. There are jokes, you could roll a marble through Iowa, it’s so flat. Maybe along I-80.
Wisconsin is close enough too, climate wise.
Pardon my tardiness in responding. Getting the hang of this website and learning what to do here.
What are you working on?

 

[MattScho]

What part of Missouri? I know the northern part of MO is more rolling and lush than central Iowa. There are jokes, you could roll a marble through Iowa, it’s so flat. Maybe along I-80.
Wisconsin is close enough too, climate wise.
Pardon my tardiness in responding. Getting the hang of this website and learning what to do here.
What are you working on?

I lived in the KC part of Misosuri. I left Wisconsin as a kid. And I've got three finished and in editing stages books I'm working on, and two new efforts I getting started on

 

[Lou Brown]

Wow! I’m impressed you’ve so much work under your belt. Have you used Litopia throughout your writing?

 

[MattScho]

Wow! I’m impressed you’ve so much work under your belt. Have you used Litopia throughout your writing?

I have not. I just found it about 18 months ago. I wish I'd found it a decade earlier.
IMO, one of the biggest advantages of writing fiction is that it's a solitary pursuit, you set the schedule, go where you wish in your mind, research what you want, etc.
At the same time, one of the biggest disadvantages of writing fiction is that it's a solitary pursuit. It's extreme isolation, often not getting outside of your own mind and you can too easily find yourself circling a lot of different drains, all at once, with no real help to pull out (my wife is wonderful and sympathetic, but I write in English and that's her 7th language and while she can write and edit academic papers in all them, it's asking a bit much to devote herself to what I do).
So, for me, Litopia is exactly what it says on the bottom of the page, a good idea, a virtual work/social community. I'm a big fan.
I've produced a lot because 35 years as a journalist kind of drilled into me the discipline of writing every day. whether it's any good or not is an open question.