I Love to Write

This is fun though, having someone else input sections can completely change it, which is wonderful. I am not being lazy, I just want to enjoy writing the short parts and not get into the grind of an entire story. I am not sure this passage warrants a complete story at this point, but it could morph into something. We shall see.

It seems you have your mind made up on this. But although you admit to it "being fun"you also admit to "want to enjoy writing the short parts and not get into the grind of an entire story."

This is "author laziness".You want someone to do the hard work and you take the kudos and the credit.

Writing is not just for "fun". Writing is hard work - long,sometimes boring work, lonely hours or checking facts or researching. Writers have this need, this compulsion, to put words down on paper or computer screens. It's something that drives the individual doing the work involved. You, Teen Wonder, don't have that drive.

What you probably have is "author freeze" which all writers get. I have had it and gotten over it periodically. And don't let anyone tell you there us "no such thing". There IS.

If you are temporarily stuck, put it away for a little while (maybe a number of days) and forget about it. Suddenly, the morph will clear and you'll go back at it again, two-forty,with a head full of ideas.

Don't ask others to do your work. This, too, shall pass. If you sincerely want to be a writer and get published, concentrate on your own work. Not everyone is cut out to be a writer.

That is great advice Mary thank you.

You're welcome. I don't tell anyone anything on this subject (Writing) which I haven't done myself or tried and find it works.

Keep this in mind. Margaret Mitchell and Harper Lee had their problems. But they put their works away and went back to them. I'm sure John Steinbeck and John Jakes did, too.

@MaryJanine: The purpose of writing someone isn't so much to flesh out your own story but enjoy the ride. I have done both, written my own, and shared the journey with others, and both have their benefits.

I do not understand why you are criticizing co-authorship. Surely, any form of writing should be promoted. Writing is, after all, one of the greatest art forms and one of the most important forms of communication developed by humanity.

To find such passion, especially in one so young, should be encouraged. Regardless of how she chooses to explore that passion.

I am not criticizing ANYONE for ANYTHING. Please re-read my comments if you think that. This young person has a story begun, and now is asking someone else to finish it for them. Coming in to the middle of a movie, so to speak, is awkward. She has painted herself into a corner and is affected with "author freeze". If she gets away from it for a couple, three days, her original train of thought may pick up and she'll attack it again with a fresh state of mind.

I've done that myself. It works for me and has for other writers.

Co-writers are fine. But, they should be with you in the beginning of a project, not in the middle. But this young lady wants someone to finish any research that has to be done or fact checking. That is why I say to DIY. Writing, as I explained before, is hard work...lonely at times and requires much work. Not every one is cutout to be a writer. I have three siblings and not a one of these shares my passion for writing or composing, They would rather NOT do it and don't understand my need to write stories or articles.

If she truly wishes to explore being a writer, then she has to polish her skills and have something she has already written published. Then, when she begins a new project, she is ready to share her skills with a co-writer...not bring a stranger on in the middle.

But, did you co-write from the BEGINNING? Agree on the story line and theme and details?Sometimes, authors will begin a story and it doesn't "work well". Rather than give it up, they dream of the Great American Novel and ask someone to finish it.

Margaret Mitchell, so I understand, threw away several begun stories that she never finished. Harper Lee rewrote her recent sequel "Go Set A Wachman" into "To Kill A Mockingbird" because her publishers felt it would be better from the viewpoint of a young child rather than flashback. John Jakes, while writing his "American Bicentennial Series" (8 novels) had to stop in the middle of a couple of these to rewrite the adventures of a hero or heroine. None of these authors asked others to rewrite anything for them or take up where they left off. There are less famous authors who are asked by their publishers to redo something they wrote. Would you want to redo someone else's words? I wouldn't.

@MaryJanine: I think the difference here is the premise. When she says she has the first part what she means is she has a page, an intro, a jumping off point. The idea isn't to write a beautiful novel or a masterpiece of literature. The point is to tell each other a story in turns for the fun of the pure creativity. In this type of writing there are no predetermined goals or plot points, it rather unravels in a confusing mystery.

No one said what she had or has. "First part", true, can be anything - but picking up someone else's ideas is not a good idea. Begin with a co-writer, if you desire, but begin, stay with, and finish with that person, and give that person equal credit.

Did you ever read the did-she-get-him-back-of-course Gone with the Wind sequel? I did - and Margaret Mitchell must have been spinning in her grave. The sequel made no sense. Especially since she paid so much attention to her two older, surviving children as they grew up. When they were born, she pushed them (literally) onto others to care for.

@MaryJanine: "You know where you want it to go, and asking this question with your qualifications is pure laziness on your part."

that sounds like a criticism to me. and a pretty harsh one at that. a criticism that you've repeated.

"but picking up someone else's ideas is not a good idea."

that also sounds like a criticism.

clearly we have a different understanding of what constitutes criticism.

People who want to write - and I mean REALLY write - work and work hard at their "literary child". It is the same as someone who makes their living in the performing arts - it is their interpretation of a character or a role - and no one does what another person does with that story or script.

Case in point - MaureenMcCormick (Marcia of the "Brady Bunch" took the role of Rizzo in "Grease" on Broadway. She took over from Rosie O'Donnell, who recommended her. Her interpretation was different from Rosie's (someone I met on SM told me he saw both Rosie and then Maureen perform, but he agreed both had their own "spin' on the role.)

Same thing as with a writer - an editor or publisher looks at your story and doesn't see it the way YOU do. Writers (myself included) are the worst judges of their own work. If they don't think the story will sell, it will never see print.

And, if you think I am just being critical - I am and have been a published author, many, many times in the past. I was interviewed by my Chicago Tribune and have had my name in print. All this was done by me. myself and I - I didn't ask anyone's help in it.

@MaryJanine: i applaud your achievements. however, by your logic vis-a-vis "It is the same as someone who makes their living in the performing arts" are you suggesting that all dancers, musicians and actors must be soloists in order for them to nurture their artistic child?

no, didn't think so.

TeenWonder is a young girl who is trying to expand her writing ability. how is her wishing to collaborate with others any different to say, a song writing duo? ever heard of Lennon and McCartney or Rogers and Hammerstein?

Rogers and Hammerstein - and Lennon and McCartney - were in collaboration FROM THE BEGINNING OF THEIR RELATIONSHIP. And BTW - I am not so very young that I never heard of either duo. I saw enough old movies (several times) and when the Beatles became popular and came to town, I was already 11 or 12 and my stepsister - who I grew up with - was 18 or 19. That was about the time they did their best work. Have YOU heard of Simon and Garfunkel, or Peter, Paul and Mary? My point is they were together FROM THE BEGINNING!

In the performing arts - actors are their own type of artists, and they are as specialized in their craft as writers are. They give their own interpretation to the role they undertake. Maureen certainly didn't do the Rizzo role as Rosie would, but the magic in a good performance was evident. Look at Aretha Franklin in "The Blues Brothers" movie. She worked with an ensemble cast there - but no one could doubt her brilliance as "The Queen of Soul."

You overlook the point I am trying to make - TeenWonder has half a story written, and she wants someone else to finish it for her. This is evident in her replies to people who wrote to her. No one who joins it at this point is going to be able to pick up the thread of her story the way she wants it. She has either gone what writers call "dry" or else is bored with her story, or has written herself into a literary corner and can't figure a way out of it. That is not being a "duo" or "cooperation". Duos are from the start and stay with it. She is asking virtual strangers who she probably doesn't know mess with her inspiration, whatever it may be.

@MaryJanine: i'm sorry but the point that you're trying to make is as invalid as your arguments about the song writers that i mentioned and the work of actors etc.

nowhere does TeenWonder say that she wants somebody else to finish her story. she says that she has written the first part and she wants someone else to write the second. how do you know that the story will end at part 2? there could be ten further chapters, each one alternating from one writer to the other. and that's just one of the many possibilities available in a collaboration.

i'm sorry but, what you consider to be evident is nothing but pure conjecture on your part.

as to the songwriters, what difference does it make if their collaborations were from the start of their careers or not? many of them went on to write solo. so what?

and of course the performance and interpretation of accomplished actors (and musicians, and singers, and dancers) stands out. again, so what?

We are never going to agree on this. Now you are resorting to "so what?" That is what kids tell each other when they dare each other.

You have contrsdicted yourself. Sure, they went solo - but NOT until AFTER they had worked together for awhile TO BEGIN WITH.

@MaryJanine: i said so what because it makes absolutely no difference when a collaboration occurs. it occurs, end of story.

in any event, TeenWonder is also at the start of her writing career is she not. or maybe you think that all of those writing duos we've mentioned never put pen to paper when they were younger or before they sat down with their new writing partners.

we're never going to agree because your arguments simple don't stand up to any kind of close scrutiny. you've taken your stance and you "ain't budging". you've decided that she's a lazy writer, with writers block no less, and that's it for you.

jeez, i hope you don't teach young writers because your lack of encouragement must be soul destroying.

I admit to being stubborn. I admit to writing and re-writing. I have done enough writing and had enough published elsewhere to know what I am doing. As for my arguments, I believe what I believe - end of story.

Don't be so sure and so snide about my "teaching" methods. When I was fifteen, I wrote on my school paper for two years. In that time, I helped others in writing stories that could be published in said paper. No one said "boo".

I never said ANYWHERE that one of the duos didn't write alone. If they did, I didn't know about it. Still don't. just know what they DID do in their careers. That's enough for me.

I will help anyone who asks me. That includes giving my opinon and being critical when it counts. If you consider this "lack of encouragement", that is YOUR opinion - and more power to you.

@MaryJanine: peace out as they say

Thank you everyone for thinking about all of this. I wrote my story with 3 different people, and it was different each time. Nobody went more than twice though, i have this bad habit of making the female characters invulnerable and killing off all the men, my bad. ;)

@TeenWonder: well done you :)

Supergirl and Wonder Woman no longer exist. This is what I meant when I was saying about painting yourself into a literary corner and not able to devise a satisfying (to you) wrapup.

Kill off one character, maybe two. Let the remainders interact with the survivors of the story.