The Mighty Pen Writing Club discussion

What do you write?
Which genres do you enoy writing about? Do you prefer poetry, novels or short stories?
This is a thread to discuss all that and more.

Realistic fiction, and fantasy is what I primarily write. I swirl in some romance, but that's never the primary focus. And all of my stories have a specific moral point to them. :)
I like writing novels the best, but I do enjoy poetry and short stories a lot as well.

The novel im writing it a dective story in modern London.
Its mystery, horror, action and fantasy. It has a tad of romance (but that takes centre stage in book 2 and 3)

I *love* writing poetry.
Every year, one of my poems has been published in the school year book.
Just sayin' XD

haha :D that's excellent, you can put that in a query letter!

Thank you :)

Im only half way through and its un-edited.
So far I have 50,666 words

Its gonna be a long book...

I just thought of something the other day:
If my word document says that my story is, say, 100 pages, it will definitely be more than that in book format. I wish there was a way to set your margins to where it looks like a bound book :)

I write about everything

Amelia (Imagination in Focus) wrote: "I just thought of something the other day:
If my word document says that my story is, say, 100 pages, it will definitely be more than that in book format. I wish there was a way to set your margins..."

Oh, good idea!

hahaha!

Im determind to finish mine.
I have not written on it for sooo long.

I like to write about poery but also action.

My detective story has lots of action.


And i *love* to write poetry as well.

Ooh, i should upload some of it here... :\

i love detective stories. i like to write about federal agencies. Like CIA or FBI

Mien is not a huge organization story.

He works there, though he hates his job-and its not about the company so much as him trying to solve it.

He either works at Scotland Yard (Police Head Quarters in London)
or The EDA (English Detective Agency-fictional place)

Sounds really interesting and unique!

I write mainly fantasy, and some utopian/dystopian. I've had a project that has been sitting idle on my computer for a few years now (yes, that long)...retelling of a fairy tale. I don't know if I'll ever finish it, though.

I'm good at short stories but I'm hoping they'll eventually evolve into real ones! Any genre I can really, mostly YA though

Jordan wrote: "I write mainly fantasy, and some utopian/dystopian. I've had a project that has been sitting idle on my computer for a few years now (yes, that long)...retelling of a fairy tale. I don't know if I'..."

You'd think fairy tales would be easy, because it's "just adapting," but I'm adapting a fairytale too, and it's one of my most challenging projects! Maybe it's because you feel kind of limited...?

I've written a bit of poetry of the past two years and a few short stories - which I had typed in my pc then lost :( - but mainly I write urban fantasy and supernatural. I prefer to include romance as well.
Adapting fairytales is SO hard! You have to think of every aspect!

You know whats fun tho? Writing ur own fairy tales, we had to write our own greek myths one time and that was pretty fun

Oooh, yeah that is SO nice! But you have to keep things simple.

I like writing interracial (black woman/white man) contemporary romances.

Novels hands down. Poetry and I don't get along, as for short stories, I can't seem to sum up all of my ideas in a few pages O.o
So yes, novels it is. I mostly write mystery/ crime but I don't mind writing a little of the good fantasy stuff :)

I want to be able to write novels soooooo badly I just always run out of ideas! :(
I'm good with short stories, though

Catherine wrote: "I want to be able to write novels soooooo badly I just always run out of ideas! :(
I'm good with short stories, though"

lucky you!! me and short stories just don't get along... yeah I know the feeling of running out of ideas lol

I like writing novels. Fantasy was never a genre I considered my strong point, but my first book was Fantasy and I have roughly 5 ideas for more. My second novel is paranormal romance with historical time travel elements (Tudor period) and it's been a blast to write with my co-author.

I also love horror and dark modern contemporary. I don't think I'll be able to stick to one genre!

Amelia: There is. Download Open Office off the internet if you don't have it (it's free) and copy and paste your manuscript into it. Down at the bottom of the page, you'll see three little icons; a single page and two double pages. Simply set up your page and margins like you would a book (try 5.5 x 8.5 and .75 margins) then click the double page icon. It'll show up just like book pages, side by side. It's pretty awesome and inspiring to see your work displayed that way! It's also much easier to format when/if it comes time.

Good luck!
Danielle

oh wow, thank you!

Amelia,

Welcome!

oooh, thats so cool! Does it work on an apple Mac?

I'm not sure. I believe Open Office is compatible with Macs and if so, it should work just fine with the copy and paste etc!

me too

Hmmm...I feel so uninspired. I write about things that have happened to me. I alter details, embellish certain things, downplay others but, essentially, all my writing is based on my own life. =)

Amelia (Imagination in Focus) wrote: "I just thought of something the other day:
If my word document says that my story is, say, 100 pages, it will definitely be more than that in book format. I wish there was a way to set your margins..."
That would be very tough to do, because no bound book is equal to another. I have worked in publishing for years. Most of it has been in news, but I have published books, and can tell you there are so many, many things that come into play that it would be hard to do.

Not only margins, but typeface, font size, the size of the pages, space between lines, space between words (and even letters), and many other things. (Will you have all chapters starting on the right, resulting in a blank page on the left when that's not the case? What will the first page of each chapter look like? Will the first character/word/line of each chapter stand out in some way? Will there be in-chapter breaks, and if so how will they look? Will there just be extra space, or will there be a divider? Will the text do as it does at the beginning of each chapter?)

I'm guessing there is some trick for knowing roughly how long your book will be in book form, but you'd likely need to know much of the stuff listed above to be able to accurately do so.

It's helpful for me if I search a book's word count and compare it to my own WC.

I like to write about everyday life and the hardships that people go through, while adding a bit of fiction as well. Novels are my thing, I can't really set my mind into doing a short story.

I like short stories.
I can write them (my friends/family love them, apparently) but only on my own accord.
If some one says write a story about DEATH on 2 pages, i wont be able to.
If i think to my self: I want to write about DEATH, i could write a pretty decent short story.

im really good with short stories but i really want to go bigger!! i just run out of steam, even though i have it all mapped out in my head. theres that inspiration problem again..

Why don't you write it down as a plan on a notebook?? It might help you figure things out.

i do! i have a notebook! and its all detailed and outlined its just my laziness and lack of inspiration to actually write it down :-/
my problem is i have to be in the mood, and i rarely am

what gets you in mood?

im not really sure, time to myself really. and music! oooh music. but when i really like a song i tend to overplay it...i have decided i will write something tonight though!! not sure what yet but something!!

Well, then, there you have it!

yes!!!

Don't yes me! Write dammit!

Am still waiting for Letters!

well not noowww later!! i dont like writing in the daytime too many ppl come and go in my house! haha

i see. It's night time at Greece. Past midnight. *Head is reeling from the champagne*

wow its only 4:20PM in the states! champagne?

With the dinner. Ate with mom. The food was really posh that's why...
Different time-zone. *groans*
I'm off to bed it seems...

haha wow so ur like 8 hrs ahead of me i think. i read and edited some of the stuff i have written now i just need to get working on new stuff!!!