Who's A Writer?

[TesoroSena]

Well at least we can all commiserate here!

What if we try to encourage one another by sharing writing tips we picked up along the way?
OP, does that sound okay, within your vision for this thread?

If it's okay, I'll start...
From How to Write Dazzling Dialogue by James Bell:

This is genius. I have probably none, but will gladly consume what yall put down!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

That is really neat! What would you say is your favorite piece to have worked on?

I have written lots of essays on environmental issues. One that always comes to mind I remember was for a writing class and there were a lot of landslides in the news due to torrential rainfalls. My essay described how deforestation removed the protective cover from soil and that each raindrop is like a little sledgehammer breaking down soil particles into ever smaller orts of silt that work their way through channels in substrate plugging avenues for natural distribution of runoff. My professor gave me an A+ and constantly referred to it.
My essay that won the contest was about UN day. It was open to all students, but mostly English and Political Science students entered, prompted by the $1000 prize money (a significant sum at the time). The exercise was to explain what UN Day means to you, what could you do to promote UN day and how could that emphasis promote world peace. The entries were handled anonymously by removing the cover pages with our names so the Political Science and English professors who judged the contest wouldn't know who authored the pieces. Days after my name was announced, a photographer came to the house for a picture of my children and I which was printed on the front page of the University newspaper. One of the World Politics professors stopped me as I was walking across campus. He said all the judges came to the unanimous decision that mine was hands down the best essay.
That said, there were many from all sorts of disciplines. Over the years, I wrote and/or rewrote all the technical training manuals for robotics and a variety of industrial automation at a Ford Manufacturing facility. I've also put together the lesson plans for those classes. There were many other technical training manuals I did for them. Our technical training program received a RISE award.
With chickens, I've written some training guides for chicken keeping we distribute at the college where I'm an adjunct professor teaching various chicken classes.
I'm writing a book on incubation.
I'm writing a book of ghost stories from my childhood.
I did training manuals in the Army about the Soviet Military Liaison Mission.
That's all that comes to mind right now.

 

[CloneFly]

Well at least we can all commiserate here!

What if we try to encourage one another by sharing writing tips we picked up along the way?
OP, does that sound okay, within your vision for this thread?

If it's okay, I'll start...
From How to Write Dazzling Dialogue by James Bell:

Absolutely! That was my original vision for this thread! (Besides finding other writers)

 

[Somewhere_In_The_Clouds]

I'd love to see some of your work someday if you're ever open to sharing

There's a few of my short stories floating around on here I'm not one to share but sometimes when pushed...

I went digging and this is probably the most recent writing I shared on BYC. My writing level is pretty low but I only do it for my own enjoyment. I'm hoping I can improve my skills this year

Spoiler

The sound was echoing through the dim light.

The slow consistent drip of water onto stone.

I closed my eyes tightly and there was not much difference, but the only sound that was in this cave with me filled my mind. Adding a kind of rhythm to the fear within.

How do I get out of here? I cried internally. I breathed in the damp air and focused on the sound, hoping to hear something, anything, else that would hint at a way out.

Then there was. Or at least I thought there was. The quietest sound that I almost doubted was there. A soft noise that sounded almost like something dragging along the ground.

I opened my eyes quickly. What if something is in here with me? I scanned the cave and the tunnels leading in various directions. Searching, straining my eyes for signs of some kind of movement.

Something moved in the opening of one of the tunnels. A shadow. Or what seemed like one.

It was black. Blending into the gaping passage that it seemed to be emerging from.

Panic started to fill me and I scrambled to my feet, pressing my back to the cold stone I had been leaning against. I glanced across the closest tunnels wondering which would be the best to flee down.

And get even more lost.

My gaze darted back to the shadow and my heart thumped as I realized it was now inside this cave with me. And was coming right toward me.

As it got closer and my eyes strained, its form began to take shape. It wasn’t a shadow. It was a real… creature. Just the darkest black in colour I had ever seen.

Suddenly my panic started to fade. I started taking in the creature with almost an interest. A small, dragon-like thing. A softly rounded face, eyes that seemed blacker than it’s skin, if that was even possible, small white lights seemed to sparkle from within the blackness. There was certainly no light to be reflected in here. It had two unreasonably small wings and a thick tail that was the source of the sound.

A sound that was still barely audible. I watched its approach, and it moved in near complete silence.

I realized I was no longer scared. Not even about the fact I was hopelessly lost in this cave. The creature was staring directly at me and already halfway across the cave by now. But all fear was gone.

I relaxed and stared right back. I lowered to a crouching position and looked directly into its deep, seemingly endless eyes. “What are you?” I whispered, adding a foreign sound to the silent cave.

No response. Its approach did not even falter or slow.

Within no time it had reached me. It stopped and still did not break its gaze. Truthfully it was a small thing, not much bigger than a large dog. Something about it, her, calmed me.

I lifted my hand and reached out to her. She did not flinch. My fingers touched her black smooth head and, to my surprise, it was much warmer than the air around us. As I pressed my palm against her I was flooded with an overwhelming peace.

I was safe.

 

[SourRoses]

This is genius. I have probably none, but will gladly consume what yall put down!

No worries, I'll try to keep sharing. I went on a kick consuming books on writing. While I was busy not writing, I put together a small notebook on Scrivener with quotes from each of the books, well what I considered to be useful or sum up each chapter. Only, I haven't fully organized it yet. And it's probably naughty to have a bunch of quotes in one spot but I reasoned it's just for my own reference... however it should be acceptable to share a quote here and there in this thread, right? If anyone has a topic they particularly want to know about, I may have something in the collection.

 

[CloneFly]

I went digging and this is probably the most recent writing I shared on BYC. My writing level is pretty low but I only do it for my own enjoyment. I'm hoping I can improve my skills this year

Spoiler

The sound was echoing through the dim light.

The slow consistent drip of water onto stone.

I closed my eyes tightly and there was not much difference, but the only sound that was in this cave with me filled my mind. Adding a kind of rhythm to the fear within.

How do I get out of here? I cried internally. I breathed in the damp air and focused on the sound, hoping to hear something, anything, else that would hint at a way out.

Then there was. Or at least I thought there was. The quietest sound that I almost doubted was there. A soft noise that sounded almost like something dragging along the ground.

I opened my eyes quickly. What if something is in here with me? I scanned the cave and the tunnels leading in various directions. Searching, straining my eyes for signs of some kind of movement.

Something moved in the opening of one of the tunnels. A shadow. Or what seemed like one.

It was black. Blending into the gaping passage that it seemed to be emerging from.

Panic started to fill me and I scrambled to my feet, pressing my back to the cold stone I had been leaning against. I glanced across the closest tunnels wondering which would be the best to flee down.

And get even more lost.

My gaze darted back to the shadow and my heart thumped as I realized it was now inside this cave with me. And was coming right toward me.

As it got closer and my eyes strained, its form began to take shape. It wasn’t a shadow. It was a real… creature. Just the darkest black in colour I had ever seen.

Suddenly my panic started to fade. I started taking in the creature with almost an interest. A small, dragon-like thing. A softly rounded face, eyes that seemed blacker than it’s skin, if that was even possible, small white lights seemed to sparkle from within the blackness. There was certainly no light to be reflected in here. It had two unreasonably small wings and a thick tail that was the source of the sound.

A sound that was still barely audible. I watched its approach, and it moved in near complete silence.

I realized I was no longer scared. Not even about the fact I was hopelessly lost in this cave. The creature was staring directly at me and already halfway across the cave by now. But all fear was gone.

I relaxed and stared right back. I lowered to a crouching position and looked directly into its deep, seemingly endless eyes. “What are you?” I whispered, adding a foreign sound to the silent cave.

No response. Its approach did not even falter or slow.

Within no time it had reached me. It stopped and still did not break its gaze. Truthfully it was a small thing, not much bigger than a large dog. Something about it, her, calmed me.

I lifted my hand and reached out to her. She did not flinch. My fingers touched her black smooth head and, to my surprise, it was much warmer than the air around us. As I pressed my palm against her I was flooded with an overwhelming peace.

I was safe.

This is beautiful... though, not going to lie I thought at first the creature was a silkie. (My brother's is pitch black)

The ending is just *chefs kiss*

 

[CloneFly]

No worries, I'll try to keep sharing. I went on a kick consuming books on writing. While I was busy not writing, I put together a small notebook on Scrivener with quotes from each of the books, well what I considered to be useful or sum up each chapter. Only, I haven't fully organized it yet. And it's probably naughty to have a bunch of quotes in one spot but I reasoned it's just for my own reference... however it should be acceptable to share a quote here and there in this thread, right? If anyone has a topic they particularly want to know about, I may have something in the collection.

Heheheh... send all the quotes you like. I'll probably link my Pinterest writing board on here

 

[TesoroSena]

I'll probably link my Pinterest writing board on here

x2

 

[Somewhere_In_The_Clouds]

This is beautiful... though, not going to lie I thought at first the creature was a silkie. (My brother's is pitch black)

The ending is just *chefs kiss*

Thanks, that means a lot

 

[CloneFly]

Alright here it is:
https://pin.it/5bDC9vJGA

WARNING: do not look at the "morbidly helpful" sub-board if you're squeamish/sensitive to blood or violence... one of my main books focuses on bounty hunter, so, uh, yeah...

Also, beware, some pins do have language
(I did not create these.)