Questions and Suggestions

[Taylor]

Yup. I have 2012, and it's still pretty relevant…but the most recent would be best.

[Taylor]

Sorry, I meant 2010. :D

[Amity☺Currently-Awesome☺]

can u guys do the polls please???

[Annemarie, hi]

What polls?

[Amity☺Currently-Awesome☺]

on the list thingy there is something that says polls and u click on that and it takes u to a like voting place thingy. Does that make sense cause i have know idea what i just typed.

[Annemarie, hi]

Those kind of polls are actually not allowed and we discourage them. You can make a topic about your story if you want to promote it.

[Amity☺Currently-Awesome☺]

why???

[Annemarie, hi]

Because it's spam. Polls are for fun or group business. If we let you promote your writing there then we would have to let everyone. I'm going to delete all of the polls related to promoting writing now.

[Amity☺Currently-Awesome☺]

:(

[[deleted user]]

Can we have the Music Videos topic back? Or is it still there and I just haven't found it?

[Raevyn]

Qusetion: Where would something like Warriors but with meerkats go?

[Brigid ✩, No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader.]

@Maxy - Uhhh I will look for it. If it's not there then I'll make a new topic for it.

@Raevyn - Do you mean what genre would it fall under? Hmm. Well I would put it under fantasy ... but I'm aware that we only have folders for urban fantasy and epic fantasy ... I would say it's closer to epic fantasy (just because obviously, it's not urban) although I realize it's not typical epic fantasy. So ... I guess just choose whatever you think fits the closest?

[Raevyn]

Okay......thanks.....:)

[Brigid ✩, No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader.]

You're welcome.

[Taylor]

@Raevyn

Epic fantasy. Like Redwall.

[Raevyn]

Good to know!:D

[Nova]

Where can you request a thread? My fingers are dying to type my story out! I've just been writing with good ol' pencil-and-paper. 83 paaaaageeeesss!!!

[Isaac]

A thread for what? If you just want to post your story, go ahead.

[Nova]

A thread for Urban Fantasy.

[Brigid ✩, No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader.]

There's already a folder for Urban Fantasy.

[Nova]

O! I see! Thanks! I thought that members couldn't create new topics. But nevermind. Thanks.:)

[Brigid ✩, No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader.]

You're welcome!

[Michelle]

For a genre folder, could you do steampunk? I'm sure loads of people will thank you for it, especially me.

[Elliott]

I think that'd be cool. :D I'll add it right now.

[Taylor]

I'll get around to finishing my steampunk stories someday. When I have time.

[Elliott]

Here you go!
http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1...

[Elliott]

@Taylor, from the other topic: Oops, my bad! I looked up steampunk and it was listed as a steampunk book, but I can take it off.
(Also, I just deleted your comment, because that topic is supposed to be closed and I forgot. Sorry!)

[Taylor]

@Lav

Thanks. If you need more steampunk on the list, I have plenty.

Mistborn: Alloy of Law by Brandon Sanderson
Boneshaker by (I totally don't remember…Carrie something?)

Um…I'll pull out a list later. I mostly read steampunk short fiction.

[Elliott]

I think three examples is probably enough for people to get the general idea, but thanks!

[Grace]

Question:
How do I get better at the style of my writing, so it isn't so weird and chopy?

[Sevania]

I'd say... practice. That doesn't sound like much but everyone has their own style. Practice. Also, edit some things that you already have a LOT- that helps you practice. If by choppy you mean there aren't transitions, then out in transitions (I'm not totally sure what you mean by choppy). But yeah, practice.

[Taylor]

@Grace

The only way to truly fix anything in your writing is simply to practice writing. In fact, let me outline the way I implement new skills into my writing.

1. Read nonfiction on the subject. Books, articles, and blog posts about the thing I'm trying to improve. That helps me know what exactly it is I'm trying to do.

2. Read fiction that does this technique well. That way, you can be shown how to do it right, rather than told. "Show, not tell" is also a great teaching and learning tool, in addition to being a writing concept. It's always better to see how it's done.

3. Practice. Practice does not make perfect -- it makes permanent. If you practice deliberately emulating what you see in the fiction you read, it will become habit, whether for good or for bad.

And, to be honest, you will do poorly at first. It will not come out the way you would like. But keep writing, and keep reading critically like a writer. You'll improve so much. Trust me -- whenever I mentor teen writers, this system works the best.

[Taliah]

Grace wrote: "Question:
How do I get better at the style of my writing, so it isn't so weird and chopy?"

I haven't read any of your writing so I don't know whether this applies or not, but anyway: if you can't fix it, just pretend it's meant to be like that. Instead of "weird and choppy", call it "unique". At the very least it might make you feel good :)

[Brigid ✩, No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader.]

Errm, this topic is for suggestions for the group, not for Goodreads in general. :P

[Grace]

.

[Taylor]

Oh, hey, I have a request.

Creative nonfiction folder, yes?

[Annemarie, hi]

I made it.

[Taylor]

Lol…now I can't even remember what I was going to post there. XD

[Sevania]

I suggest a topic called Library Hauls. They don't quite fit under What Are You Reading because you're not reading everything you got at the library yet.

[Grace]

Sevania wrote: "I suggest a topic called Library Hauls. They don't quite fit under What Are You Reading because you're not reading everything you got at the library yet."

Actually, I think that would be a good idea also!
I mean if you do think it's a good idea, but you wouldn't put it here if you didn't think it was a good idea, sooo I'm gonna stop now....

[Sam~~ we cannot see the moon, and yet the waves still rise~~]

Sevania wrote: "I suggest a topic called Library Hauls. They don't quite fit under What Are You Reading because you're not reading everything you got at the library yet."

*grins mischievously*

[Sevania]

Whaaaaaat...? *looks at Sam suspiciously*

[Sam~~ we cannot see the moon, and yet the waves still rise~~]

*blinks*

[Sevania]

*blinks as well*

[Dana]

*blinks so many times in a row it looks like i'm fluttering my eyelashes*

[Sevania]

*flutters eyelashes and ends up looking like she has something stuck in her eyes*

[Dana]

*comforts Sev and asks her what's in her eye*

[Sevania]

*eye starts tearing up and flutters eyelashes even more violently* I don't know!

[Dana]

*blinks when Sev keeps fluttering eyelashes* Take a deep breath, dearie!

[Sevania]

*forces eyelashes to stop fluttering* I'm alright. I'm alright.