Q&A with Josh Lanyon discussion
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Writing Questions for Josh
November is out for me as well, as is the first week or so of December (semester wrapping up, finals week). And it sounds as if Blaine won't have a copy until later...
Eve wrote: "November is out for me as well, as is the first week or so of December (semester wrapping up, finals week). And it sounds as if Blaine won't have a copy until later..."And only if someone actually buys it for my birthday ... since it's on my Bday list :)
*fingers crossed*
As soon as I get this crop of books launched, nothing will be able to pry me away from new projects. Except maybe twitter. LOL
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Is anyone here interested in starting a separate group on GR for this? And if we go this route, which is probably the easiest, what should we call it? Does anyone have ideas?
M/M Writers?
M/M Writing Road Trip?
I'm thinking this shouldn't be limited to this one book, but that later on we should find other things to help hone the craft and all that. Of course, this wouldn't be a full out crit group. Maybe if there's a line or two someone wants read, but not a whole book or something.
Thoughts? Anyone want to take the lead?
ETA: btw, I'd suggested January. Does that work for everyone? Right after the holidays and before college semesters start up again.
I'd love to join in. Le Guin is a beautiful writer.
I want to do the group excercise, too, if no one minds. I can't do it this month, either. And you know, if I don't show up on this thread again for a while, can someone nudge me? GR and I aren't getting along...
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Sad thing is, I haven't read LeGuin yet, but I really want to read The Left Hand of Darkness. I read parts in the bookstore awhile back, but nothing substantial. I need to either borrow that book, or another. I just got M. Lackey's HUGE book about the mage... forgot the title already. It's got three novels in it. I had no idea it would be so big. lol. I'm set for reading for awhile.
I read a lot of Lackey at one time but not recently. Hope you'll review the giant tome once you're done.
Goodness Anne. "if no one minds...". Duh? :D I'm glad so much interest. Whee!
So I can devote bits of time here and there to this (but not all at once). This evening, I created a group (I can always 'un-create' it if we decide not to go this way, but I got curious about how it works). Of course, if we decide not to go this route, much of the following doesn't apply. Heh. But for the sake of getting things moving, here goes....
Once I've sort of figured out what is going on, I thought I'd write up a short set of draft rules that you could then give me feedback on if you wanted more or less. Gotta start somewhere. And no, I don't mean to get overly formal about *rules*, I only thought of this because of my own personal desire to keep the group a small-ish collection of people who are all sharing and contributing (instead of ending up collecting spectators). So I'd like a rule that if a person stops contributing (assuming we carry this past the LeGuin book), they drop out of the group (after all, an in-person group would work this way). Because you know. I'm shy about sharing my raw writing. :p -- but seriously. Also probably a rule about NOT sharing what is posted in the comm.
Anyway. :) So how about this? Over the next couple of weeks, I'll try to put something together and then once there is actually something to look at, figure out how to 'invite' and get all of y'all seeing it.
Feel free to input thoughts before then.
What if we provisionally think to start the first weekend in January? So maybe I could post the first exercise on something like the 6th (that's a friday). Not that you guys have to remember that, I'm just throwing it out there so that we have a vague date in our minds -- I reckon it'll probably change.
Again, I'm setting this group to 'secret' so you won't find it by searching. I think that means everyone will have to be invited. But it isn't really a secret, anymore than AE's group of writers was. :P
I'll post here or somewhere when I am sending out the invites so that if I forget someone they can say "HEY!!"
Josh, thanks for letting us coordinate this via your group! Nicole, thanks for the rec!
And btw, the book again, is Steering the Craft: Exercises and Discussions on Story Writing for the Lone Navigator or the Mutinous Crew, so get it ordered. :)
Ugh. Bedtime. :)
-Oco
Eve wrote: "Goodness Anne. "if no one minds...". Duh? :D I'm glad so much interest. Whee!
So I can devote bits of time here and there to this (but not all at once). This evening, I created a group (I can al..."
Sounds fine by me, Oco.
Eve wrote: "Goodness Anne. "if no one minds...". Duh? :D I'm glad so much interest. Whee!
So I can devote bits of time here and there to this (but not all at once). This evening, I created a group (I can al..."
Wow, thanks for taking this on. Send me an invite and I'll be there.
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Sounds great, Oco! Especially the part where you organize it... :)
Sounds good, Oco :)I just hope that leaves me enough time to order (and receive) the book if no one gives it to me for my Bday ... *fingers crossed*
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..."
Nice to see you all so enthusiastic!
Um. I'm going to sound like a polly-anna, I think, and I know I'm only one opinion. But if too many of us do this without the book, I'm going to start feeling on the dark side of gray in the piracy issue. If that makes sense.So whereas I don't mind the idea of a couple people getting to do LeGuin's workshop via us explaining the exercises, etc. (especially in really difficult situations), it'll be a real fly in the ointment for me if we are basically providing the opportunity for people to get the benefit of her book without buying it.
:/
Sorry, not meaning to sound all bitchy, just not entirely comfortable with going too far down this road.
Peace.
Eve wrote: "Um. I'm going to sound like a polly-anna, I think, and I know I'm only one opinion. But if too many of us do this without the book, I'm going to start feeling on the dark side of gray in the piracy..."Hi, Eve. I know how you feel. How about this, you (or other people with the books) summarize the exercises based on your words and thoughts about what you've read. Maybe add a little dash of how to relate it to M/M writing? Like... we can have an exercise about writing sex scenes, or threesome. I bet that's not in Le Guin's book, right? :D .
Eve wrote: "Um. I'm going to sound like a polly-anna, I think, and I know I'm only one opinion. But if too many of us do this without the book, I'm going to start feeling on the dark side of gray in the piracy..."Oh, I'm planning on buying the book. Sorry if I didn't make that clear. :-/
Cleon wrote: "Eve wrote: "Um. I'm going to sound like a polly-anna, I think, and I know I'm only one opinion. But if too many of us do this without the book, I'm going to start feeling on the dark side of gray i..."But Cleon, for you it's pretty hard to get the book, so you get to be one of the exceptions, right?
Cleon, I have no problem justifying to myself doing this for you. Good Christ, I'd considered buying you the book myself until you mentioned that even then, it was a pain to get it in. :) So to me, those are extenuating circumstances. And I'm not even saying that we shouldn't do that for Blaine (*waves at Blaine all friendly*). I'm just feeling like jumping in and saying my feelings on the matter before it goes too far down that road. Not saying we are already going too far. An ounce of prevention, you know. Want us to be mindful and choose those situations carefully and remember that LeGuin writes for a living as well. :)
Anne wrote: "Cleon wrote: "Eve wrote: "Um. I'm going to sound like a polly-anna, I think, and I know I'm only one opinion. But if too many of us do this without the book, I'm going to start feeling on the dark ..."Yeah... I remember spending 100$ in total (for the book, shipping & custom) for a 34$ book when I bought a book from Amazon for my thesis, and that is 8 years ago.
I'm going to make it up to Le Guin by buying her fiction books that are available here.
Oh Anne, I wasn't polling. :) Sort of a DADT situation, I think. What I don't know can't hurt me, since I tend to assume the best of people. :p Idiot, me, right? :D
Eve wrote: "Cleon, I have no problem justifying to myself doing this for you. Good Christ, I'd considered buying you the book myself until you mentioned that even then, it was a pain to get it in. :) So to me,..."Thanks, Eve!
Buying the book isn't a problem, it's the shipping. I really don't understand my government. I buy jewelry supplies from all over the world on regular basis, at least 3 times a month, & they never charge me for custom, only 4 cents for custom checking. But send me books and I have to pay this exorbitant fees. sigh.. The antho I participated in? I never got the book because the publisher sent it and I never got it.
I'll buy it when we're ready to start. I agree that we want to buy a bunch of copies, but not get hung up if a few of us can't get it.
Kaje wrote: "I'll buy it when we're ready to start. I agree that we want to buy a bunch of copies, but not get hung up if a few of us can't get it."What Kaje said. Thanks. :)
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Of course, as Cleon put it, having exercises related specifically to M/M could be a lot of fun. Maybe we do her traditional ones, and if anyone has time, they try the same exercise with a sex scene or something.
The exercises in Steering the Craft don't specify the subject matter, so we can do m/m if we want.
Eve wrote: "Sorry, not meaning to sound all bitchy, just not entirely comfortable with going too far down this road. "Hey, you're entitled to your opinion, only I have a feeling you might have misunderstood something.
My comment clearly states: I just hope that leaves me enough time to order (and receive) the book if no one gives it to me for my Bday ... *fingers crossed*
I have EVERY intention of buying ... I just need to wait and see until after my Bday.
I understand where you're coming from, and I agree, but your comment makes me a bit annoyed at being used as an example, while it doesn't even apply to me.
Cleon wrote: "Buying the book isn't a problem, it's the shipping. I really don't understand my government. I buy jewelry supplies from all over the world on regular basis, at least 3 times a month, & they never charge me for custom, only 4 cents for custom checking. But send me books and I have to pay this exorbitant fees. sigh.. The antho I participated in? I never got the book because the publisher sent it and I never got it. "*hug* That just really sucks.
Do they do the same when you travel abroad and bring back books? Or is it just the mail thing?
Blaine, I understand your annoyance, I was worried when I wrote that that you'd read it like that. I think I would have.So may I say, the comment did NOT spring from your posts but from Jordan's (generous) offer. I hadn't wanted to specifically say that, because, well, I didn't want HER to feel pointed at either, because she was being generous. If I'd said, "Blaine, this is not in response to your post", that could be read as passive-aggressively pointing a finger at Jordan, when I'd really just wanted to keep it a general, non-accusatory comment, and was hoping that you'd see that. I hope you do now. :)
Peace?
Eve wrote: "Peace? "Of course. Like I said, I understood where you were coming from.
Blaine D. wrote: "Cleon wrote: "Buying the book isn't a problem, it's the shipping. I really don't understand my government. I buy jewelry supplies from all over the world on regular basis, at least 3 times a month,..."Nope. No problem if I carry them with me. I bought TONS of books when I was on my trip to Kuala Lumpur. In fact, they're the things I spent my money on most. Books at Kuala Lumpur are plentiful and very cheap.
OK, I love the image of someone going to Kuala Lumpur to buy books (Sorry, I know I'm being ethnocentric, but that's just a great picture; wandering around an exotic (to me) place with an armful of volumes...)
Kaje wrote: "OK, I love the image of someone going to Kuala Lumpur to buy books (Sorry, I know I'm being ethnocentric, but that's just a great picture; wandering around an exotic (to me) place with an armful of..."Kuala Lumpur are not exotic, for me anyway. It's boring, to be honest, save for the 2 story Borders and other awesome bookstores. If you want exotic, go to Bali. ;)
Cleon wrote: "Blaine D. wrote: "Cleon wrote: "Buying the book isn't a problem, it's the shipping. I really don't understand my government. I buy jewelry supplies from all over the world on regular basis, at leas..."So ... isn't there anyone in Kuala Lumpur you could have the books you want sent to ... or is it just as difficult to get books there?
Just trying to find a solution :)
it sucks having to jump through hoops to get books.
Eve wrote: "Goodness Anne. "if no one minds...". Duh? :D I'm glad so much interest. Whee!
So I can devote bits of time here and there to this (but not all at once). This evening, I created a group (I can al..."
I'm steadily working to improve my writing so I'd love to participate if that's okay. If the group's for those that have been around for a long time or critique each other's work or something I'll bow out gracefully. No worries.
Oh yeah. :) And it really isn't about critiquing writing but about working through the exercises in the book. So I imagine we'll be discussing a lot, but not really critiquing (except insofar as our entries reflect the point of the exercise -- e.g., 'see what no punctuation does to this person's piece...?')I suspect that even at a range of skill levels, we will all learn a lot.
Eve wrote: "Oh yeah. :) And it really isn't about critiquing writing but about working through the exercises in the book. So I imagine we'll be discussing a lot, but not really critiquing (except insofar as ou..."That's what I thought it would be like. I was just wondering if it's okay for a relative newbie like myself to participate.
Pender wrote: "Eve wrote: "Oh yeah. :) And it really isn't about critiquing writing but about working through the exercises in the book. So I imagine we'll be discussing a lot, but not really critiquing (except i..."Newbie? No one are as newbie as Jordan & me (& maybe some other not yet published members). :P. Of course you can participate.
Cleon wrote: "Pender wrote: "Eve wrote: "Oh yeah. :) And it really isn't about critiquing writing but about working through the exercises in the book. So I imagine we'll be discussing a lot, but not really criti...":-)
Pender wrote: "I'm steadily working to improve my writing so I'd love to participate if that's okay. If the group's for those that have been around for a long time or critique each other's work or something I'll bow out gracefully. No worries...."
I think most of us are relative newbies, including me. I suppose we might have to limit size of the group eventually if we get a lot of enthusiasm, but we'd be happy to have you join us.
Did I actually get to saying I want to join too?Cause I'm not sure I did, and I want :)
Blaine D. wrote: "Did I actually get to saying I want to join too?Cause I'm not sure I did, and I want :)"
I think we had you from the word "I want the book for my birthday..." :)
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Pender, join the ranks! Besides, as it's been stated, everyone can learn from this. One of my fav non m/m writers, Dean Koontz says he's still learning and honing his craft 50 years after his first book got published, so there.
Yep, even though I've been writing fanfic for years and got some of the best reviews there, I think Cleon and I are some of the newest newbies around. But it's totally cool, and totally fun. Maybe someday I'll get a book out and you can all read it. lol.
Same here, though it seems that you are less a newbie than many of us, even if you were a total newbie, I figure all that's required is to want to join in.Kaje said: "I suppose we might have to limit size of the group eventually if we get a lot of enthusiasm,..."
That got me thinking and I agree that it could get so big that we'd all be daunted with all the reading we had to do. BUT, if that happens, we don't have to limit the group, we can just split up into a couple of teams so that each team is only responsible for reading/responding/discussion within their own thread. We could even make a game of it -- have some randomizer create new teams for each exercise. Heh. Doubt we'll get that many, but if we do, there are ways to make it work as a single community without letting it overwhelm us (ask the teacher how to manage learning in large groups!).
Okay, so I've actually created the group and am working on figuring out how to send the invites (GR instructions aren't all that clear). I think I figured it out and tried to send one. If it works, I'll scroll down the last couple of pages and send invites to everyone who expressed interest.
The only thing there right now is a link to the book, a set of 'rules', and one discussion thread. I put up a comment about ideas for running things, which you can ignore or comment on, whatever. Take a look at the rules and see if they seem fair (I'd post them here, but hate to hijack the thread any more than is necessary). We can discuss over there maybe if there are other things to do.
Of course, I'm the big lurker, so I'm just as happy if everyone says, 'whatever, it's good' and we pick up in January (just saying don't feel as if you need to comment to be polite).
Okay, invites are out, tho there are two issues.Kari, were you in? I couldn't tell. I did not send an invite, if that was a mistake, poke me.
Kiracee, I can't send you an invite since your profile is set to private. Does anyone know a work-around for this? Three ideas come to mind: when we are both online, you could open up your profile long enough for me to send you the invite. Or, are you friends with someone else that responded here? They might be able to forward the invite. Or, we can be friends for the time it take to send the invite (I totally get the attraction of keeping F-lists tight and select, so won't in the least feel slighted to do this and then unfriend -- whatever you are comfortable with).
If anyone expressed interest and did NOT receive an invite (I think I looked over the last few pages pretty carefully, but might have missed someone), PLEASE poke me. :)
ETA: Kiracee, I just thought of this: why don't you try to PM me? If you can PM me, I bet I can respond with the invite. Simple.
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Q&A with Josh Lanyon
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Same with me. December perhaps? And thanks for missing me. I don't want to miss this if I can help it. :)