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Re: The Introduction Thread

Posted: December 18th, 2010, 1:21 pm
by r louis scott
Hi all!

I'm not exactly a new member but I have been away for so long that I thought I should take a moment to re-introduce myself.

I'm a writer of historical fiction. I've completed my first novel and have FINALLY begun my query process. So far I've managed to get five whole queries out! Yay Me!

Now to explain my sloth in querying and my recent prolonged absence, I should like to describe for you my current volunteer gig. I have been a member of the Historical Novel Society for years now. Every other year they hold a North American conference and I have attended the previous three. They have helped me tremendously in learning the publishing industry, gaining me the Best Critique Partner Ever, and forming a network of like minded writers and enthusiasts in my genre.

At the last conference in Chicago one of the organizers approached me and asked if I thought that my adopted hometown of San Diego California might be a good location for the next conference. I replied that I had no idea and offered to look into the feasibility of such a thing. To make a long story short I now find myself the program chair for the fourth North American conference. The last few months have been a relentless consumer of my spare time, culminating in finalizing our program and a few hundred emails to speakers, fielding questions, and negotiating our conference location. Now registration has opened for our June 2011 event and I get a little breather before I have to dash out and do my Christmas shopping.

I'll just leave this:

http://hns-conference.org/

here because some of you might be interested and I'm just so dang proud of it!

At any rate, I hope to once again become a productive and contributing member to the Bransford Forums even though I did have to scratch him off my submission list.

Re: The Introduction Thread

Posted: December 18th, 2010, 1:30 pm
by MichelleWarren
Hello Everyone,

I'm a full time illustrator/designer in Maryland who somehow found herself writing a fantasy YA novel. I've been a little timid about coming out of the closet here since I've never considered myself a writer. But now that I'm regularly stalking Nathan's blog, have read The Forest for the Trees, edited my 7th draft, started writing queries and started outlines for my next three novels, I better own up to it.

I am a writer!
*whew*
that felt good.

Michelle :)

Re: The Introduction Thread

Posted: December 18th, 2010, 1:45 pm
by r louis scott
Welcome, Michelle! I'm getting caught up a bit myself here but you will find lots of help and advice on these forums. Good luck with our stories!

Re: The Introduction Thread

Posted: December 18th, 2010, 5:02 pm
by Watcher55
r louis scott wrote:Hi all!

I'm not exactly a new member but I have been away for so long that I thought I should take a moment to re-introduce myself.

I'm a writer of historical fiction. I've completed my first novel and have FINALLY begun my query process. So far I've managed to get five whole queries out! Yay Me!

Now to explain my sloth in querying and my recent prolonged absence, I should like to describe for you my current volunteer gig. I have been a member of the Historical Novel Society for years now. Every other year they hold a North American conference and I have attended the previous three. They have helped me tremendously in learning the publishing industry, gaining me the Best Critique Partner Ever, and forming a network of like minded writers and enthusiasts in my genre.

At the last conference in Chicago one of the organizers approached me and asked if I thought that my adopted hometown of San Diego California might be a good location for the next conference. I replied that I had no idea and offered to look into the feasibility of such a thing. To make a long story short I now find myself the program chair for the fourth North American conference. The last few months have been a relentless consumer of my spare time, culminating in finalizing our program and a few hundred emails to speakers, fielding questions, and negotiating our conference location. Now registration has opened for our June 2011 event and I get a little breather before I have to dash out and do my Christmas shopping.

I'll just leave this:

http://hns-conference.org/

here because some of you might be interested and I'm just so dang proud of it!

At any rate, I hope to once again become a productive and contributing member to the Bransford Forums even though I did have to scratch him off my submission list.
I checked out the link. Very cool, but it looks like none of the agents profiled consider historical science fiction. I'd be tempted to dig into the couch cusions if I thought it'd do me any good.

Re: The Introduction Thread

Posted: December 20th, 2010, 8:42 am
by joshuef
Hello, EVERYONE.

My name is Josh and I'm just joining as I found this site while I was searching about what the hell you need to do to make a book exist with your name on it.

It appears that the site and forums are full of usefulness so I'm looking forward to getting involved and asking for help and all of that lovely stuff.

I don't know what I write yet. I love writing but I find the whole 'novel' and 'story' things a bit daunting. I have started writing something but I'm struggling with the making it go anywhere part, so ideas on how to plan things are probably my first port of call. I stick short things I write here: http://www.somethingididntdo.com , Though that isn't really novel based.

SO YES. Hello, hello and I hope to have some fun and learn some things on here!

Bisous.

josh

Re: The Introduction Thread

Posted: December 20th, 2010, 9:20 am
by Watcher55
Good Morning Josh. Glad to have ya.

Re: The Introduction Thread

Posted: December 23rd, 2010, 10:25 am
by AveryMarsh
Hi everyone,

My name is Avery and I am a n00b to writing... well, real writing. I've had the idea in my head but it was only this November that I actually sat down and wrote out the whole 'novel'. I just happened to stumble upon this forum and found that all my current questions and concerns are already being discussed, so I have to join in.

Looking forward to getting to know you all,
Avery

Re: The Introduction Thread

Posted: December 28th, 2010, 4:40 pm
by akaria_z
Hello fellow writers and book junkies!

I've been lurking on the blog for about two months. Lots of good stuff there! This year I finally got serious about writing and finished a bare bones MS. It's gonna need a lot of work but I hope to learn lots from the good people around here. Happy New Year everyone!

Re: The Introduction Thread

Posted: January 1st, 2011, 8:21 am
by Lindsey
Hello :) I'm new to the forums and thrilled to find them. I am a an aspiring YA author who thought I was trying to get serious about writing in 2010. I started blogging, started a new WiP... and then spent most of the year just learning, learning, learning about all things writing when I wasn't at work teaching or after work being Mom. I didn't get as much of my own writing done as hoped. Not even close. But I learned incredible amounts and have met lots of wonderful writer bloggers and am still learning and meeting and discovering, but hopefully in 2011 with a whole lot more writing thrown in.

I'm resolving word counts and will be restructuring my blog to focus more and keep myself on track. I know all of the info here will be helpful. It's great to "meet" everyone!

Lindsey

Re: The Introduction Thread

Posted: January 1st, 2011, 2:31 pm
by CBridges
Hello!

My name is Caroline, and I'm a write-o-holic. Don't ask me to reform. I have twelve steps to thwart such a thing.

I was that dreamy, vague kid in school who was always writing in a journal, writing a short story, something. On the outside, I was Luna Lovegood. On the inside, I was Stephen King, writing incredibly gory horror stories that made my friends howl with laughter (the good kind, luckily).

Time went on. My boyfriend/first husband told me that fiction was a pipe dream, whimsy that one could not afford. He told me my writing was lacking and tried to rewrite my college papers for me. I lost confidence.

More time elapsed, and first husband became ex-husband. I lost confidence in his opinions, wrote fabulous college theses, and went on to become a paid writer. Well...a technical writer, but still -- paid! Unfortunately, writing software manuals smothered any other writing I might have done.

I burned out. I got a second husband. I had kids and got post-partum depression. My husband lost his job, I lost my father, my husband lost his job again, and we watched our four-year-old son go through melanoma treatment. In short, life was miserable.

In late 2008, I thought what the heck, I should just dive in and try to write a story. Life's short.

My world changed forever. I felt like I'd found home. Superpowers! I wept over Kermit the Frog's "Rainbow Connection" and Willy Wonka's "Pure Imagination" because I totally knew what they meant. Ah, new love. How better to annoy one's friends and family?

Two years later, I'm still working on that first novel, but, in my defense, it's served as guinea pig as I study the fine art of fiction writing. It's gone from humiliating levels of cliche and corniness to something I enjoy reading and sharing with friends.

Nathan's blog and forums have been invaluable in my education. Every comment adds new depth to my understanding. Plus, I love being around my fellow writers. Looking forward to participating more in the community.

Now if I could only curb my long-windedness.

-Caroline
www.untitlement.com

Re: The Introduction Thread

Posted: January 1st, 2011, 3:25 pm
by Watcher55
Haven't you noticed? There's no shortage of wind around here - the more the merrier. :}

Re: The Introduction Thread

Posted: January 5th, 2011, 9:45 pm
by allegedauthor
Hi all! I'm just getting started on this forum. I've already critiqued quite a few things and am enjoying reading everyone's hard work! I'll be posting my query for all of you to rip into once I'm done with my MG novel. Until then don't be surprised to find me haunting your posts. Happy New Year!

Re: The Introduction Thread

Posted: January 6th, 2011, 11:46 am
by Margo
allegedauthor wrote:Hi all! I'm just getting started on this forum. I've already critiqued quite a few things and am enjoying reading everyone's hard work! I'll be posting my query for all of you to rip into once I'm done with my MG novel. Until then don't be surprised to find me haunting your posts. Happy New Year!
allegedauthor? What a fabulous user name! Welcome.

Re: The Introduction Thread

Posted: January 6th, 2011, 1:45 pm
by Mike Dickson
AveryMarsh wrote:Hi everyone,

My name is Avery and I am a n00b to writing... well, real writing. I've had the idea in my head but it was only this November that I actually sat down and wrote out the whole 'novel'. I just happened to stumble upon this forum and found that all my current questions and concerns are already being discussed, so I have to join in.

Looking forward to getting to know you all,
Avery
Welcome Avery, you'll find this site to answer just about everything when it comes to writing.

Good luck to you!

Re: The Introduction Thread

Posted: January 10th, 2011, 5:14 pm
by lukeraftl
Hi guys!

Brand new to the forum. I'm an Australian living in Canada; I just finished my first novel and I don't really know what the next step should be. Thus i'm new to publishing and new to blogging, and I was drawn to Nathan's blog and this community in an attempt to make sense of it all ..!