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Messages - swalizer

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Author Craft / Re: Character Names
« on: February 18, 2007, 04:21:55 PM »
I guess I'm lucky, character names usually just come to me. Occasionally I'll need to do a bit of research, though.

For example recently I had the idea for a character of Russian descent who operated a bar. I knew I wanted to have the bar named after him, so I googled 'russian surnames' and came up with this page:

http://www.gaminggeeks.org/Resources/KateMonk/Former-Soviet-Union/Russia/Surnames.htm

I then went through and tried out each surname as a bar name until I finally settled on Zubov for the character's last name, and Zubov's for the bar. The character's full name is Anton Zubov. The Anton part just came to me and it sounded right so I kept it.

Maybe I'm odd, as characters usually spring into my head mostly formed. For example I knew as soon as I thought of this guy what he looked like, what he acted like, generally who he was, I just didn't have a name for him.

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Author Craft / Re: Author In Progress
« on: February 16, 2007, 10:56:38 PM »
Hey! My name is Cyndy and I am proud to join this group of aspiring novelists. *waves*
My current project is agent shopping for my paranormal urban fantasy. I am proud to announce that I have two rejction e-mails (but one directed me to try a specific other agent) and one agent who is reading my first 50 pages and summary. My goal is to send to several more agents and collect 25 rejection letters by Summer vacation, unless someone accepts the book first!

Good luck! Hopefully someone takes you on before you get your full collection :)

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Author Craft / Re: Would you stop?
« on: February 16, 2007, 05:18:58 PM »
I'd say the real question here is why are you writing? Personally I'm writing because I enjoy writing. If I get published that's great, but if not I'm still doing something I enjoy. Now if you're writing becuase you have dreams of seeing yourself in print and of making a living at it, then your answer may be very different from mine.

Don't get me wrong, I'm currently working on a novel because I want to get published. However, for the last twenty years I've found myself periodically writing something because I have an idea that I feel compelled to put down on paper. I have never gotten anything published (nor have I tried to very hard, I think I have a total of three rejection letters to my name). Just the simple act of writing gives me satisfaction.

Another example is playing guitar. I'm not very good, and I'll never have a record deal or make any money from it, but it is something I enjoy.

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Author Craft / Re: Physical Strain of Writing/Reading
« on: February 16, 2007, 05:09:20 PM »
* Take a five minute break and stretch every hour that I'm at the computer.

+1 problem solved. I'm a software developer and spend TONS of time on a computer. Take periodic breaks or your body will make you regret it.

On the other hand, if you're the kind of person for whom four hours straight are about sixteen times as productive as four chunks of an hour each, there can be compelling reason not to take those breaks.

After watching my father go through five surgeries in the past two years on both arms and his back, it's not that compelling, trust me. It's really not that disruptive to stand up and go get a drink and stretch in the process. Also if you're experiencing physical pain it would seem to me that that would be more disruptive to concentration than the time it takes to stand up and stretch.

There are also useful things you can do such as stretching exercises for the hands/wrists/back etc when you're not at the computer or when you stop to think for a second that can really help. Personally I've discovered playing guitar works wonders for my writsts/hands as the muscle usage/stretching provides the perfect offset for what you do while working on the comuter.

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Author Craft / Re: Physical Strain of Writing/Reading
« on: February 16, 2007, 02:34:25 AM »
* Take a five minute break and stretch every hour that I'm at the computer.

+1 problem solved. I'm a software developer and spend TONS of time on a computer. Take periodic breaks or your body will make you regret it.

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Author Craft / Re: New Writer's Group from this Board
« on: February 16, 2007, 12:55:30 AM »
I'm definitely interested and PM'ed the illustrious Mr. Finn ;)

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Author Craft / Re: Author In Progress
« on: February 15, 2007, 08:11:48 PM »
Hi, name's Steve Walizer. I'm currently in the process of world development and plotting for an urban fantasy novel. I'm tentatively setting things in Seattle. My current plan is to come up with 3 plot outlines using the characters and world I'm developing and run with the one that seems strongest after some feedback. This will also give me additional material to fall back on for sequels should I manage to find an agent and publisher that wants more than one book ;)

I've wanted to be a novelist since I was 15, and I'm now 35, so I figured it's about time I put my nose to the grindstone and do it ;D

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