Your Background

[Frog]

I tried to learn Spanish once... and failed miserably. So, I'm not much help there, but I think it is great that we seem to be getting such a good mix of people here. Welcome JoseB, and go team RE!

Oh, and Pipe, I still think that is awesome... but I'm kind of easy to impress too, so there you go.

[Karl]

Has anyone noticed that we' ve truly become world-spanning? The sun does not set on Reading Excuses!

Sorry, JoseB. Like the rest, my pathetic attempt to learn Spanish in high school is both too long ago and lacked a dedicated student.

So Pipe, what language are you writing in? If you are writing for your local area I can't imagine it would be English.

[Pipe]

@Karl: A lot of the Spec Fic writing here in the Philippines is in english actually. Most people in Philippine cities, and especially Manila, have at least basic English conversational skills. ^_^

[mtbikemom]

By way of introduction, I am a home schoolin' mom who also coaches high school mountain biking with my hubby in Marina, CA.  I have been a pastry chef, a truck driver (bread delivery), a very bad waitress, a surfing photographer and a singer-songwriter, among many other things.  I have read sci-fi fantasy since the LoTR and the Pern books and always knew I had at least one in me.

I kinda thought I'd wait till the last kid was gone, or at least not home schooled, to write my first book, but it just started pouring out of me not long ago and I got this great new laptop...

Anyway, that's who I am and it's been fun getting to know you all through your posts.  I may disappear and pop back in from time to time.  I am here because of reading and enjoying EUOL at the moment, but I may stay because I like you time-wasters.

[Silk]

Ooh, you're a singer-songwriter? Awesome! We should like totally.. uh... get together and do... uhh... whatever singer-songwriters do together. Uh, sing... songs?

[M]

Jose, I may be of some assistance to you.  I lived several years in Honduras (Central America) and speak Spanish fluently.  I wouldn't mind spending some time reading your work.  I wouldn't be able to help much with vocabulary or grammar issues, but the main plot and feel I could definitely take a stab at. 

[Hamster]

Hello everybody!

I've been a long time lurker after discovering Mistborn and the joys of reading crazy theorizing by some of you guys, but just recently decided to get a little involved. You can call me the Hamster, hammy, or anything you want, I'm Canadian, and don't worry Shaggy, I'm a kid too, still in High school. I have always loved to read, since my parents used to read aloud books like LotR and Narniawhen I was younger, and ever since I have immersed myself into books, mostly fantasy or historical fiction.

I got inspired to write when I was in grade 10 for a lot of reasons: I got 97% in English,which really inspired me, and loved the Short Story and Creative writing units,(which were way too short ), fell in love with Mistborn, and remembered that Christopher Paolini published the book that he started at age 15 (even though Eragon was somewhat painful to read after reading good fantasy).

So I took a stab at writing, and it didn't suck as much as I thought it would. Even though my story may sound like a rip off form Mistborn and WoT, I love my magic system and my plot twists. I decided to join because I also love reading anything done by aspiring authors, and find it inspirational, so since I've had writer's block for months now, I figured this could jumpstart me into starting again, so I look forward to being a part of Writing Excuses, except I probably won't join just yet, because I have exams next week...but I'll be here soon! And just a heads up, please keep in mind that my writing is probably the worst of all of you guys, I really have no experience.

[jwdenzel]

Hello, Hamster!  Welcome to our little group.  Always a pleasure to have another Mistborn / WoT addict.

Don't be shy about submitting your stuff.  None of us here are published (Well, except for Pipe, I hear) so we're all in he same boat.   Also, just remember, part of the cool thing about this group is that we like to point out the things you do right!

Looking forward to seeing you around
-J

[Silk]

Yes, welcome. And don't be too intimidated - like Jason says, we're all in the same boat.

No rush to start submitting your stuff either - just whenever you're ready.

[Necroben]

Welcome Hamster!

[Shaggy]

Good to have ya, Hammy!

P.S. You may have no experience, but I have  :Dless.

[deckacards]

Okay...I guess it's time for me to throw a bit of background down...I'll try to keep it to writing-related information...mostly...

Well, first off - you all can call me Kevin or deckacards. I'm not worried about it. I'll respond to both...and numerous other less than desirable names. I'm 31, married (second) with children, and desperately longing for a life filled with writing.

My B.A. is in English but I'm currently pursuing a dual master's in Marriage and Family Therapy and Community Counseling (I actually get to start seeing clients this Summer as an intern!). During my undergrad, I studied various forms of writing (Creative, Technical, Professional, Essay, Journalism, etc.) and spent a bit of time as a writing tutor. For the past 5 years, I've made a living as a Technical Writer for a bank software company (basically, I write instruction manuals).

I love short stories (especially John Updike and Flannery O'Connor), my favorite novel of all time is Catcher in the Rye, but by far my favorite genre to read is fantasy. I would quickly volunteer Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time (of course) as my favorite fantasy experience, but Melanie Rawn's Dragon Prince series was a wonderful read as well. And, if pressed and backed violently into a corner, I would have to say I enjoyed Terry Goodkind's Sword of Truth in between Wheel of Time novels. Finally, my middle school librarian hooked me on literature forever when she suggested Robin McKinley's Hero and the Crown and The Blue Sword. Mom and Dad can blame her for steering me away from a more lucrative profession for the rest of my life (in addition to dooming them to depend on Social Security for their retirement plans...).

I love movies (Gladiator, American Beauty, Transformers, Sense and Sensibility, etc.), and for 162 games a season, I border on idol worship with the St. Louis Cardinals (hence the corny username - deckacards).

Thank you all for giving me the chance to improve my writing. I'll do the best I can to provide as much useful feedback as I can for all of you as well.

Thanks! (wow...that was long...sorry...)

[jwdenzel]

Welcome, Kevin!

(And yes, go Cards!)

[Pipe]

@Hamster: Welcome aboard! I do find that reading/watching stories is a great way to overcome writer's block - either because the story is so good it inspires you, or so bad you KNOW you could do better. ^_^

@deckacards: Welcome as well! I can't help but envy you for having taken formal writing classes @_@ I hope my prose can pass muster with an English major (since for most of my life, my rules of grammar and syntax have mostly been "if it sounds good, it's probably correct.")

[deckacards]

hehe...my grammar tends to suck...well, at least, my knowledge of it does...

interestingly enough, the best lesson I learned from writing classes..."if it sounds good, it's probably right"...and "write like you talk/think, not how you think you should write."

Really, after being in classes with many writing students...the best thing in the world to have when you sit down to write is a passion for it...other than that...practice, practice, practice...and a little bit of practice...I have never been able to make myself write as much as I should...it takes a lot of writing and time to develop your voice...something I still haven't done.

FYI - I say a lot in these posts...I hope that doesn't make me sound like I think I know what I'm doing...I'm just following the ass in front of me and hoping the person attached to it knows where (s)he's going. I just like to talk a lot about writing!