# Hello



## UtopiasCult (Feb 6, 2016)

Bonjour et bon matin.


New to the forums, not quite new to writing. University grad. I've extended a few of my university papers into articles, published. I used to, well still do, write song lyrics - for years I worked with the lead singer / song writer / family friend of a "garage band" that did well enough for itself that my cousin also belongs to. 


I guess I am here because I want to practice my fiction writing - writing non-fiction is easy in comparison. Song lyrics, when you have multiple people to use as sounding boards, easy. Fiction writing, given how it has changed & the multiple genres, not quite.


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## Firemajic (Feb 6, 2016)

Welcome to WF! We got you covered! There is a fabulous workshop thread where, after making 10 posts, you can post your work for critique and feedback... and then, the best part.. there are mentors to help you stay on track, offer support and guidance ... How fabulous is that? You said you write song lyrics.. well that is wonderful, because I think song lyrics and poetry are kinda like kissing cousins...hahaaa... Have you ever tried writing poetry?


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## Aquilo (Feb 6, 2016)

Everything that Firemajik said above annnnnd -- another welcome. :hi: 

Do you have any samples of your music?


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## UtopiasCult (Feb 6, 2016)

Aquilo said:


> Do you have any samples of your music?





Current, unfortunately, none that isn't co-written, "copyrighted", and under contract / agreement. 

I mostly co-write with the lead vocalist of that band. And like I said, it's a band that has done well for itself. 

The process itself is not a quick wham, bam thank you ma'am sort of deal - it took us just over 2 years to agree on the lyrics for the latest album which itself is 12 songs long and just under 50 minutes. I've "sold" a few songs, written a few for a European band, and even then all over agreement.


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## Aquilo (Feb 6, 2016)

Co-authoring is always a specialist dance!  It's surprising how much time does pass when you're together. I started a shared-world project with another author three years ago. We've had a novel out a year since then, but we're only just wrapping up the project. What with publisher agreement and making sure both authors respect limitations (e.g., no killing off one of my main guys) it can take time and patience, so two years shows good caution and understanding, even though it probably doesn't feel like it! Congrats on sorting details out for the album!


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## UtopiasCult (Feb 6, 2016)

Aquilo said:


> Co-authoring is always a specialist dance!  It's surprising how much time does pass when you're together. I started a shared-world project with another author three years ago. We've had a novel out a year since then, but we're only just wrapping up the project. What with publisher agreement and making sure both authors respect limitations (e.g., no killing off one of my main guys) it can take time and *patience*, so two years shows good caution and *understanding*, even though it probably doesn't feel like it! Congrats on sorting details out for the album!



Ah, yes, patience that's what it's called. 

And here I thought I resisted the urge to strangle the lead vocalist / cowriter or beat him over the head with something hard merely to avoid prison time for attempted murder. Seriously, we're all good friends, grew up in the same region; but sometimes the man is as stubborn (and understanding) as a mule with a head full of stones.


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## Aquilo (Feb 6, 2016)

UtopiasCult said:


> Ah, yes, patience that's what it's called.
> 
> And here I thought I resisted the urge to strangle the lead vocalist / cowriter or beat him over the head with something hard merely to avoid prison time for attempted murder..



Lol, ohhhkay -- and a few pints down the pub, singing Shinedown's "State of My Head" on the tables, to relieve tension.  

*wanders off singing* "...eyes are seeing red... double vision from the blood we shared..."

Co-authoring provides some of the best memories, though!!!


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## Harper J. Cole (Feb 6, 2016)

You're very welcome, *UtopiasCult*! Submissions for critique are the lifeblood of our forum; I'll hope to see some of your work cropping up in our fiction forums ... 8)


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## jenthepen (Feb 6, 2016)

Welcome, UtopiasCult. You will be a real asset around this site with your experience and specialist knowledge. 

btw, your username would make a good name for a band. Perhaps it is?

See you around the place.

jen


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## UtopiasCult (Feb 6, 2016)

Aquilo said:


> Lol, ohhhkay -- and a few pints down the pub, singing Shinedown's "State of My Head" on the tables, to relieve tension.
> 
> *wanders off singing* "...eyes are seeing red... double vision from the blood we shared..."
> 
> Co-authoring provides some of the best memories, though!!!



Hmmm, being a woman, regardless of how tomboyish, my cousin had any & all fist-a-cuffs reserved. Lot of head "butting" but, fortunately, never got that far. Still the guys needed to be peeled off the bar table after they've soaked their heads a bit. 

And oh yes, co-anything, does provide the best memories. As like said, family friends, so it is always amusing at get togethers when someone starts with "and then he did this..." only to cut off cause he [or she] is usually standing right there.


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## UtopiasCult (Feb 6, 2016)

Thanks all for the welcomes so far. 



jenthepen said:


> Welcome, UtopiasCult. You will be a real asset around this site with your experience and specialist knowledge.
> 
> btw, your username would make a good name for a band. Perhaps it is?
> 
> ...



Jen, actually no my username isn't a band's name. Associated with a band, yes.


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## jenthepen (Feb 7, 2016)

Wow, that's so interesting. You have enough material for _lots_ of fictional stories there. Experience integrated into fiction can give the stories a real depth and believability.

I see you have your 10 posts, so I shall be looking out for samples of your own work.


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## UtopiasCult (Feb 7, 2016)

jenthepen said:


> Wow, that's so interesting. You have enough material for _lots_ of fictional stories there. Experience integrated into fiction can give the stories a real depth and believability.



Thanks.

I know. That's why I joined. People writing biographies and what not - there's one for every day of the week. And I am actually, despite my big "mouth" right now, not much for revealing myself unless "performing" [in my art]. Surprisingly private person. So writing a bio - just not me. 

A "fiction" on life - makes it a bit easier.


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## MockingJD (Feb 7, 2016)

Welcome - what kind of fiction are you writing?


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## Bard_Daniel (Feb 9, 2016)

Welcome! You sound like a fascinating person. Writing songs? Woo hoo! Sounds fun. : D

Just to let you know we have a Mentor Directory as well as some Writing Contests and Prompts you might want to take a gander at.

Hope to see you around!


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## UtopiasCult (Feb 14, 2016)

danielstj said:


> Welcome! You sound like a fascinating person. Writing songs? Woo hoo! Sounds fun. : D



Missed this. Thanks for the welcome. 

And no, not writing songs as in music, melodies, etc. I am a lyricist, I can write the lyrics with or without the actual music written down. I keep lyrics mostly "stored" in my head, oftentimes end up humming away while working or just meandering about - which always makes for some amusing "ice breakers" while in the elevator if people actually get up the guts to ask what song is that instead of looking sideways at me like I'm some nut. 

My great grandmother was the same - a lyricist & a fantastic story teller. Unfortunately, as she changed her name first due to the war and then marriage, it is almost impossible to know if she ever worked with singers [or even published something as an author] as she rarely spoke of her life before moving to Canada with her daughter / son-in-law in her later years. 

Still there are a number of nursery songs she used to sing to us as children that you'd never ever find written down anywhere. I have them stuffed away in the back of my mind and one of these days I'll probably write them down. But I've looked for many years trying both the English and [Parisian] French languages she spoke fluently, as well as even Dutch which she knew, but can not find even one single line on the web.


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