(By member Javon)
Before I start, I would like to thank Vic for the ability to post my thoughts and ideas. It really is an honor. As this is my first post, I will begin with an important decision that I decided recently. I decided to type small light novels to improve upon my writing skills, become more innovative, and gain knowledge to become a true writer.
When I first became a member of Vic's Lab, I did so with only one objective on my mind: to publish Twins 99. Twins 99 is a light novel that I have been creating for two years. I have typed many chapters, revised many plot-lines, and other crucial details to the story. Do you know the reason why I struggled so much with this novel? It is because I came into the world of writing with no knowledge whatsoever. To make things more difficult, I didn't like reading or writing. I only liked to create ideas and all that doesn't translate well when you're typing chapters. I constantly froze on how to word certain phrases and how I should write specific conversations. It was a different environment for me.
The other writers on Vic's Lab could easily tell that I was inexperienced as their reviews of my old chapters of Twins 99 were long, detailed, and accurate. I kept attempting to force myself to write for the sake of Twins 99 when I should have been writing for myself. What kind of person becomes a writer for the success of one novel? That is not a writer, and that isn't a way to get yourself to enjoy writing. If I am going to devote my career to writing, I need to write more. I need to know what I am writing and what it means. I will also need to read more and understand the author's message while comprehending the setting of the story and mindsets of the characters. Basically, I just need to read and write more.
The day I love writing just to write and reading just to read is the day that I will be ready to continue on with Twins 99. Until that day, I will create small light novels with different genres to test and improve my writing ability as well as my vocabulary usage. I should have at least one chapter released soon. It will be a comedy called Problem Prodigies. So, I will first test my ability at making comedy, amusing characters, and a decent story.
Please look forward to it and thank you for letting me speak my thoughts.
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Javon. We, the 2-Bru Krew are very impressed with your message and your point of view. You show a lot of maturity as a writer just by your comment, “What kind of person becomes a writer for the success of one novel? That is not a writer, and that isn’t a way to get yourself to enjoy writing. If I am going to devote my career to writing, I need to write more. I need to know what I am writing and what it means.”
You’ve just proven yourself as a writer by stating that and accepting that. You see, there’s millions of “Authors” out there, published, famous, with nice 6-figure salaries, who aren’t “WRITERS”. Just like there’s a lot of people “talkin’ shit, but ain’t sayin’ shit”. These Authors went to college, got a degree in English, worked for a while as English Teachers, all the while writing their bland books to appease and appeal to literary authors and paying through the nose to get noticed. They take pictures with their dogs and put their photos on the backs of their drab books and say crap like, “I have a degree from blah-blah, and I’ve wanted to be an author since I was 3 years old, and blah, blah, blah, who gives a shit?!” Those “Authors” who write for novel-mills and put out cookie-cutter stories that are all the same may make a living at being an Author, but they aren’t Writers.
Writers do what you are doing, writing for the sake of writers. Writers are people like Edgar Allan Poe, who couldn’t tame the addiction of writing, even if they die dirt poor because of it. Writing isn’t just an art, it is an obsession. A love. Writing is your wife and your mistress, the warm caress of sanity in an insane world. That is what we know about writing. You are definitely on the right path. Keep writing. Not for one novel, not for a million. But for yourself. You claim you have a lot of ideas bouncing around in your head? Excellent! That’s what you need to start your stories.
The next thing you need is soak up as much life experience as you can. And you can’t do that in a class room. And you don’t need to be a millionaire to do this. All you need is to be observant. Observe, remember, and write. Get out in whatever city you live in, and mingle, you don’t have to even have a conversation w/ anybody. Just get into a crowd and observe people. Listen to them talk, see how they dress and act, then reproduce life into your paper. That’ll give you realistic characters. And the most important advice of all? Be yourself. Write the way you want to write. You’re not trying to get an “A” in an English Class. Use slang, use profanity, break up your sentences with inner-mingled bits of complex description and equal parts abrupt abbreviated statements. Don’t fear running long, or being short. Just tell your story the way you see it in your head. And the more you write, the easier and more naturally it’ll flow. Keep up the good work. We believe in you.
If you want to read an example of some of our work, check out our website at: http://www.2brukrew.com. We have chapter excerpts there from our published Light Novel, “The Keepers of the Gate. KOG 1: Enter The Keepers.”
Much Respect, —The 2 Bru Krew.