ISBW #79 - Feedback Episode
This week I talk feedback! Your questions and comments!
November 09, 2007 | Mur Lafferty | Comments 9
Entry Information
Filed Under: Podcast
I Should Be Writing 2.0
The podcast for wanna-be fiction writers by a writer who’s still learning. Writer Mur Lafferty discusses rejection, cover letters and getting the oomph to keep going.
CSS | Nov 9, 2007 | Reply
I really enjoy your podcast and am actually reviewing it for my blog today. In today’s episode, you mentioned wanting reviews for writing software. I use JDarkRoom, which is a minimalist, fullscreen word processor. I did a review of it here: http://www.heretocreate.com/2007/11/08/writing-in-the-dark-using-jdarkroom-to-be-more-productive/. Thanks for the great podcast!
Hanna | Nov 11, 2007 | Reply
Great questions and answers, thank you!
A comment for the guy who looses interest in his story and characters and never finish:
I’m not a real writer but I’m doing NanoWriMo for the first time this year and it is a really cool thing. When I started I didn’t have story but now I do. When I wake up I never feel like sitting down to write and I never long for my story though I like it, but each night before I go to sleep I’ve written on it because I’ve made promise to myself to do it. To try for 30 days. It helps to use force! Just keep on writing even though it doesn’t feel interesting right now, I’m going to read all my pages in December and decide then if it’s interesting or not. I think there will be a lot of great stuff in there, and oh so much crap! hehe.
Good luck!
Stephen | Nov 11, 2007 | Reply
Just started listening to ‘I Should Be Writing’ a few days ago, but I’m already hooked.
One note about today’s show, you mentioned needing a Gmail account to use Google Docs. This isn’t the case, you can use Google Docs (and other products) without Gmail, though Gmail is great and no longer invite only.
I use Google Docs to store my stories, though not write them, and another great feature it has is ‘versioning’ - so if you paste your latest revision over your last version, you can still access the old text.
Thanks again for sharing.
Natasha | Nov 12, 2007 | Reply
Hi Mur,
Just a quick note to say thank you very much for mentioning web stuff 4 writers on this week’s show. I’ve been listening to your podcasts for a while now, and have downloaded a number of back episodes - so it was a real thrill to hear my own site mentioned!
Best writing wishes to you and all your listeners.
Natasha
http://www.webstuff4writers.com
ComputerKing | Nov 13, 2007 | Reply
In response to your question about that Storyteller. I would say that No, he isn’t a Writer, but he’s as much of an Artist as any writer.
Marie | Nov 19, 2007 | Reply
Hi Mur, for some reason, I’m only getting the 10 seconds farpoint media promo and then nothing else. I get the same result from iTunes or on downloading direct from your blog…
LaShawn M. Wanak | Nov 24, 2007 | Reply
Hi Mur…same thing as Marie. I get the 10 second promo, then nothing. It’s the same from iTunes.
Jotter Verhaeghe | Jan 5, 2008 | Reply
Lol the part about writing and alcohol cracked me up. It reminded me of the first and only (because I live in Belgium and it costs a lot) writers convention I went to. Around 70% of the attendees were writers or wannabee writers and I must say: almost all knew how to drink. I will tell no names, but I remember a pretty famous writer pulling a bottle out of her purse, accompagnied by the words: “I have gin, who wants gin?” (the bottle was only 20% full anymore). On the same convention, also a famous writer was pretty drunk and he to still give a reading session, but it was fun anyway.
On the other hand, I doubt if they write drunk. I think it’s a question of loosing up mentally and focusing physically. If you loosen up mentally, you might feel the urge to shout, but then you need the physical you to control yourself and get the feeling of that shout onto the paper/computer. This can happen through rituals, (tomato juice, meditation, tire yourself out, drinking,…) There are enough ways to get into the mood. But like you said, that shouldn’t be the way to do it. I think it can be an initial step, but you can guide it. After a while writing itself will get you in the mood and then your problem will be solved. (I used to write during the night and in movie theatres and on airports, as it worked better for me, but now it doesn’t matter too much when or where.)