[ SECRET POST #2387 ]

[case]

⌈ Secret Post #2387 ⌋

Warning: Some secrets are NOT worksafe and may contain SPOILERS.

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Notes:

Secrets Left to Post: 02 pages, 046 secrets from Secret Submission Post #341.
Secrets Not Posted: [ 0 - broken links ], [ 0 - not!secrets ], [ 0 - not!fandom ], [ 0 - too big ], [ 0 - repeat ].
Current Secret Submissions Post: here.
Suggestions, comments, and concerns should go here.

Comments

[fscom]

08. http://i.imgur.com/XQ8wFX5.png

[(Anonymous)]

But this is true of most people.

Most of us are Salieri, not Mozart.

[(Anonymous)]

Most of us would be lucky to even be fucking Salieri.

[(Anonymous)]

That's not entirely accurate. Salieri was a highly talented musician and composer in his own right. Most writers (and I include myself) haven't even reached that level, we're still struggling to scribble notes on paper.

[(Anonymous)]

Lol more like we wish we could ever be like Salieri.
Also, comparing writing fanfics to an amazing composer. Wtf?

[kallanda_lee]

Just keep writing. I mean, unless you want to make a living from writing...so what? It's more important that you enjoy it - and if other might like it, that's just a nice bonus.

[sootyowl]

This.

Don't pit yourself against others. Just do what you love.

[(Anonymous)]

That sucks, Anon. The only advice I can offer is to keep reading and keep writing -- plenty of famous authors have earlier books which are noticeably choppier than their later books.

[(Anonymous)]

eh, I wish I was a much better artist than I am, and it makes me so sad that I never will be. But that's life. Keep working at it and you'll get a little better every day.

[(Anonymous)]

Well sometimes I'd rather read a story with simple sentences and written by an ESL person than by an English major, because then I don't have to read fanfiction with a dictionary on m'y lap.

I think that for fanfiction characterization is as important as writing style so that doesn't mean your stories are bad anon.

[(Anonymous)]

Yeah, I agree. Some of my favorite fics aren't really technically brilliant, but the story and characterization are so good that I don't care.

[(Anonymous)]

Pretty much. I'm not reading fanfiction because I expect high literature, and the most enjoyable fanfictions I've ever read were executed well but words very simply.

I don't want to get caught up in the language instead of the story, you know?

[(Anonymous)]

Sometimes, I'd also really love some people to remember that not everyone has the kind of specialised knowledge the author has. There's this author who wrote a great fanfic involving computer programming. And It was kind of cool noticing she really knew what she was writing about (knowing the author works in that field) but I was going "uh... okay, sounds cool but I have no idea what's going on". Technobabble is all nice and shiny, but I don't want to read a book about programming, I want to read fanfiction...

[(Anonymous)]

The trick is to read TONS of good writing, and skip bad writing (most fanfiction, er, most internet things, crappy fiction books, etc.), so you absorb the good stuff.

Find sentences and paragraphs you find appealing, save them, and consult and study them until you figure out why they look and sound so good.

Just practicing something blindly without knowing what you are doing won't help you improve (see: so many deviantart users and webcomics that go on for years without improving, fanfiction writers that never go up in quality after dozens of stories, the list goes on)

[(Anonymous)]

Just practicing something blindly without knowing what you are doing won't help you improve (see: so many deviantart users and webcomics that go on for years without improving, fanfiction writers that never go up in quality after dozens of stories, the list goes on)

aka: Practice does not make perfect--practice makes permanent.

[transcriptanon]

[Picture is white text over a blank black background.]

Hello, my name is Anonymous and I am a bad writer. I'm decent at grammar and things like that, but I'm just not good at putting sentences together and constructing good stories.

I've been writing for a long time now, and that still hasn't changed. I'm English as Second Language, and learning disabled, but it still kind of hurts to know that I'll never be as good as I want to be.

[forgottenjester]

Anon, if you love writing then you can succeed in it.

Let me tell you something. I am a writer. I just graduated with one of my majors being english. I've had published radio plays and am working on another play right now for a festival. I received an award for writing and graduated with honors.

Why am I telling you this?

Because when I was younger english was my worst subject. I was spelling good "g-u-d" in the fucking sixth grade. I was so ashamed of my poor writing and myself that I would never write letters or type online. I never wrote notes in class and I hid all my work. I cried during spelling tests. I thought I would never be smart like the other kids and I thought I would never be any good at writing.

If I can go from that to where I am now who knows where you can end up. You can only go as far as you are willing to work for. So don't give up. I worked so hard and spent so much extra time learning what came naturally to other people and you know what? It paid off. I'm not saying it will be easy for you but I am saying you can improve and you can get better.

So write on, OP. Write on.

[al28894]

From a person who is also an ESL writer and speaker, I say this to you: don't give up. Yes, it's cheesy, yes, it's repetitive, and yes, it's barely hopeful, but please don't give up.

Also, if you like writing as a hobby, I would advise to try writing your stories in your own time. And like some of the anons say, sometimes stories are good because of how you write it and you execute it.

[(Anonymous)]

Well, English is my first language and I'm a really bad writer! Everything I write ends up clunky and boring. I'm especially bad at dialogue. I think I just don't have the knack for it.:(

[(Anonymous)]

Honestly, if you have good grammar you've got a head start on about 9/10 of the Internet as it is.

Start with small stuff. I suggest anonymous fic memes (like kink memes). Just browse the prompts until you find one you think you can fill, and fill it. It's a good way to practice, and usually you'll at least get a little feedback from grateful prompt-anons without humiliating yourself.

[(Anonymous)]

The only way to write better is to read more. Read from genres you're interested in, and understand what makes the writing good or bad. What is it about the story that keeps you reading, or not? Before you can be a good writer you must be a good critical reader.

[(Anonymous)]

I envy you Anon. You're writing things. I love words and I love reading but I've never had the urge to write something of my own. I don't really understand that urge, but I wish I had it, and think it's amazing when people try and create things. Like everyone else in this thread is saying, being a good writer is something you work at and there are plenty of concrete ways to think about and work on your writing. The fact that you're still doing it is pretty awesome already.

[asecretchord]

I'm curious, anon. Are you writing and posting it anywhere? Or are you keeping your stories hidden away on your hard drive? Do you have a beta? Or another fandom friend who you trust to give you helpful advice? I'm not very good either, but having a beta who is willing to work with me has helped my writing tremendously.

I'm rooting for you, Anon!

[(Anonymous)]

If you are writing anything at all, you are miles ahead of the people who think constantly about how they would like to write, but never do anything.

Many people in this thread have given you good suggestions. I'd just add to be patient with yourself--"if a thing is worth doing, it is worth doing badly." Also, consider that maybe you are not cut out to write fiction, yet that doesn't mean you can't write. Fiction isn't the be-all and end-all of writing--even creative writing.

[(Anonymous)]

Hey Anon, F*ck what anyone else thinks. *Good* writing is subjective. Write, don't let anyone or anything stop you. Published writers aren't the ones with the most talent - they are the ones with the most perseverance. I actually liked the way your secret was written. I bet you have at least one story in your that would blow our minds - ASL or not. Never give up.