You're a PC and You're 8 Years Old?

Impressive, no doubt. I'll top it, though.

I have written a book, and I am 17 years old! :frust:

Yeah, perhaps this would have been better off in the "Writing" thread, but such action might have a basis for being called bumping. And besides, I am on a bit of a post-long-term-project high, so my concerns for things like "consequences", especially in an online sense, are pretty much at a minimum. :laugh:

In any case, I completed book 1 of my inaugural 2-book series this afternoon, prior, as planned, to an upcoming trip to Ontario, and the beginning of my first year of university. With two days until my eighteenth birthday, I can safely say that the project took under three years, albeit only slightly. The final product is somewhere roundabout 215, 000 words, about 5000 more than expected, but not more than adequate; what is written is written for a reason. Personally, I am quite pleased with it, and am waiting for some sensation to internally confirm that I am finished and can take full pride in the accomplishment. Until then, I will be taking a bit of a break from writing altogether, to take up a game console controller and a few books, methinks. :plotting: Might even be a bit more diligent with my internet interactions, as well; who can say? ;)

Anyhow, just a bit of pride expression; as you were. <_< >_>

By the way, the thread title is a reference to a television commercial; if you are unfamiliar with it, don't worry, because 'tis not that clever of a reference. :D

That's fantastic! Congrats to you! Is it completely done, final draft and all?

That's really great stuff - I finished my first book when I was 17 and it was a massive rush and ego boost.

It was, in restrospect, amatuer drivel. But the mere achievement of it was very good, and has served as a good boost as I work on my current project. Simply knowing that I can put in the effort is a great morale helper anytime I feel dissuaded or disillusioned.

The feeling you are waiting for will come, but probably not soon. The euphoric rush is wonderful but the pride and sense of self-worth is a rather more drawn out affair. Pleasingly, it seems to last indefinitely.

I wrote the Dead Sea Scrolls

I wrote a book in 6th grade! It was about 120 pages, but I don't know how many words. It wasn't good, or anything.

I've almost completed my first draft, I never finished a book before, cause I always broke down my projects, finding to much wrong with it to continue, at least until now anyways.

Though really? One book at THAT many words? That my friend, is freaking massive. I don't know if I could write a single book that size. Congratulations on finishing that. :p

Congrats! What's it about?

I can't even finish nanowrimo...

Congratulations. I have several writing projects myself but I have NeoCracker's problem of tearing them down after awhile or they get lost in constant drafts and rewrites...

Anyway, I commend you on your accomplishment. :cool:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Rye

That's fantastic! Congrats to you! Is it completely done, final draft and all?

---

Eh, it will probably undergo some editing in coming months, and I don't intend to make contact with the publishing/professional editing arm of things until I am acclimatized to university and make some relevant acquaintances there, but . . . essentially? Yes. ^_^ Thanks, mate.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by MILF

That's really great stuff - I finished my first book when I was 17 and it was a massive rush and ego boost.

---

Had to be something. ;) Thanks, in seriousness, though.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by MILF

It was, in restrospect, amatuer drivel. But the mere achievement of it was very good, and has served as a good boost as I work on my current project. Simply knowing that I can put in the effort is a great morale helper anytime I feel dissuaded or disillusioned.

---

Good to hear. ^_^ The thought has existed in the peripheral vision of my mind's eye that I might choose to not publish this one, so as to avoid potential . . . mortification, if/when I become a writer that puts my current self to shame. Unless I become said writer in short order, though, I am fairly comfortable with my intention to publish the series. I have developed quite an affinity for the plot, and some of the imagery therein has been fermenting in my mind since childhood, so 'tis nice and fermented and nostalgic and whatnot. :D

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by MILF

The feeling you are waiting for will come, but probably not soon. The euphoric rush is wonderful but the pride and sense of self-worth is a rather more drawn out affair. Pleasingly, it seems to last indefinitely.

---

Well, also pre-existing in some measure ;), but your point is seen. For the moment, I get the distinct impression that I will miss the presence of a novel-in-progress a few days into this relative sloth I am overlooking. :laugh: As usual, personal relationships (individual to individual, artist to art, etc.) cannot be fully appreciated until one goes without them for a while. On the upside, I can begin book 2 at any time.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by NeoCracker

I've almost completed my first draft, I never finished a book before, cause I always broke down my projects, finding to much wrong with it to continue, at least until now anyways.

---

I hear you. The plot currently occupying my attention began as a contemptible, disorganized little mass, and only began to develop things like limbs and muscle tissue later on . . . :erm:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by NeoCracker

Though really? One book at THAT many words? That my friend, is freaking massive. I don't know if I could write a single book that size.

---

As discussed, wordcount has never been a prominent concern of mine (hitting 60, 000 words sometime last year was something of a milestone by which I could firmly claim I was "taking it seriously", but otherwise has rarely crossed my mind in anything but the venom I spew in the direction of the publishing industry), but, honestly, the book does not feel excessively large in the least. It feels thorough, but I would not be able to tolerate it if it was anything but. :erm: Otherwise, I would like to think that its weight comes from muscle rather than girth . . .

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by NeoCracker

Congratulations on finishing that. :ezpimp:

---

Thank you, sir. ^_^

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by SomethingBig

Congrats! What's it about?

---

Loaded question. *_* The tagline I have felt comfortable passing around in informal discussions is "what happens when a lie is passed down through history and is believed", but this has tended to evoke "the Catholic Church" from my audience more than anything else :roll2, and is a bit oversimplified for my tastes, but I am cautious about this sort of thing. Some of the more interesting themes would be the ramifications and degrees of artificial genius, and various religious and philosophical overtones and commentary abound.

EDIT: Just noticed when I hit "post reply"; thanks, Wolf. ^_^

I wrote Dracula.

What happened?


PROTIP: If Bram Stoker offers you weed, just say no.

Good job. :3 I have so much trouble with long-term projects. I've never finished anything longer than a short story. I want to write a book, but anything I start I get two chapters in (at most) and end up abandoning. :mog: Any advice on staying focused and such?

I can't read a book, let alone write one. :eep:

Good for you! :monster:

I'm not surprised you could do something like this. You seem nice and in love with yourself.

I was one of the writers for a production in my high school. Most of my ideas didn’t end up in the final product, and actually... funny story actually, I have to mess my sentence up to write it but oh well. Anyway, some of my contemporaries actually uh... I guess, whatever, they worried about me or something, so they clandestinely organized sessions for me with the guidance counselor.
What happened to fiction!
Whatever. Now, where was I? Oh yeah. So looking at the dialog and characters and all, I barely had any input; however, I like to think that the basic structure was all my doing (you know, so I don’t feel too bad about myself at night (shucks, and at day too)).

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jojee

Good job. :3 I have so much trouble with long-term projects. I've never finished anything longer than a short story. I want to write a book, but anything I start I get two chapters in (at most) and end up abandoning. :mog: Any advice on staying focused and such?

---

Well, this is actually regurgitated advice, but I have found it to be quite beneficial: become an artistic monk. Cordon off a regular block of time (at least two hours; 7:00 - 9:00 pm worked for me, on weekdays, and an additional session was oftentimes added on weekends; this summer, sessions would basically continue indefinitely after I was finished work, more than once reaching 5-6 hours in length *_*). The bottom line, in my case, was that my book would never be finished if my only writing took place when I felt "inspired". There will be ruts; there will be instances in which you do not wish to reside in a particular scene any more than your characters do. Similarly, there will be instances in which your writing schedule and inspiration align perfectly, and you will be reminded why the project is worth undertaking. ^_^

For me, my "focus" was maintained by making the alternative more unpleasant. Either I would write for two hours, or accomplish nothing; force yourself to stay alone in the room, in any event, with those two options comprising your only ones. Hopefully you may find this useful. There are many ways to approach this one, though, so experimentation is certainly not out of the question.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kawaii Ryûkishi

I'm not surprised you could do something like this. You seem nice and in love with yourself.

---

Oh, snap! :laugh: Right in the narcissism.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Meat Puppet

I was one of the writers for a production in my high school. Most of my ideas didn’t end up in the final product, and actually... funny story actually, I have to mess my sentence up to write it but oh well. Anyway, some of my contemporaries actually uh... I guess, whatever, they worried about me or something, so they clandestinely organized sessions for me with the guidance counselor.
What happened to fiction!
Whatever. Now, where was I? Oh yeah. So looking at the dialog and characters and all, I barely had any input; however, I like to think that the basic structure was all my doing (you know, so I don’t feel too bad about myself at night (shucks, and at day too)).

---

Not really sure what all this meant, but I think I have just witnessed the baring of a disturbing trauma of your youth . . . :erm: "Sullied and unusual" describes the feeling pretty well. <_< >_>

I wrote a movie script at 18. It wasn't anything mind blowing - it was for a mockumentary - but there's still a lot of stuff in it that I find to be genuinely hilarious, even two and a half years later.

I guess the most important thing is to let yourself be open to criticism! But congratulations and good luck in continuing with it.

I still think I should write that screenplay about a retarded slave and his wacky antics set in 1832 Georgia.

But I'm too lazy and gripping a pencil with hooves is hard.

ITT too much italics.

I should have known you were a writer, what with the consistently HUGE posts.

I used to write a lot when I was around your age but I would often get annoyed with what I wrote and would end up not finishing the damn things. I think twice I got to about 45,000 words before - for one reason or another - I gave up. There's an idea that I've had in my head for a while that I started writing a bit of last summer and I go and add bits to it very, very occasionally. I'd love to actually finish something one day. I think I'll try and finish it before I finish uni though. So a nice, open target of two years there!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Shoeberto

I wrote a movie script at 18. It wasn't anything mind blowing - it was for a mockumentary - but there's still a lot of stuff in it that I find to be genuinely hilarious, even two and a half years later.

---

Never written anything in a documentary format, myself (the "mock" variety or otherwise); it is something I have occasionally wondered about, and invariably something I believe I would struggle with. I am averse to interviewing others with any degree of formality, for one thing (least of all strangers, which pretty much finishes me in the social documentary style, I guess :\), and I have generally found that I am able to express my ideas better in a basic prose style than anything else. I certainly enjoy viewing a good documentary, though; what was your subject, out of curiosity? Any chance of hearing one of your more humorous lines? :D

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Shoeberto

I guess the most important thing is to let yourself be open to criticism!

---

True, that. Despite the disgust that most of my information on the publishing industry has evoked, I am actually quite appreciative of legitimate criticism, particularly when it illuminates a weakness that I am completely unaware of. Yes, it would frustrate the hell out of me to have to rewrite entire chapters based upon someone's criticism, but I would ultimately be gratified that the offending flaw was located, and relieved when the situation was rectified. But I must agree with the critical assessment, and it is when discussions of publishing economics (wordcounts) or social trends (say, removal of a character who the public at large is unlikely to identify with) are involved that I no longer care to listen, as it is clearly not my work being discussed, but the publisher's concerns for his business. A good literary discussion, though, I am almost perpetually up for. ^_^

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Shoeberto

But congratulations and good luck in continuing with it.

---

Accepted and appreciated. :)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by The Space Pope

I still think I should write that screenplay about a retarded slave and his wacky antics set in 1832 Georgia.

---

I'd read it. :erm:

I've written a fair amount of short stories, and even started on a much longer work but it couldn't hold my attention for too long. I have to be in a writing mood to do much substantive, and those don't last very long for me anymore.

Congratulations on finishing, though.