# Every Bird Falls Before it Flies!!



## Shockhawk

Greetings fellow writers and authors.  

I have joined this forum to improve my culinary skills, especially to grow my soup recipe knowledge and repertoire... no for real I’ve always wanted to write and until recently I’ve been to afraid to try it for fear of failure or success (don’t ask I’m a complicated mess).

Ive been and accountant, owned a hobby shop, created a board game, been a cop, and worked at the DMV.  I have a wonderful wife and two amazing kids.  

My personal stats:

Strength - 8
Dexterity- 11
Constitution - 8
Intelligence- 14
Wisdom - 13
Charisma - 18

Ok so now you all know a little about me... now your obligated to help me become a famous writer and author... I’m holding you all to it!!  No for real it’s nice to meet you guys and gals and hopefully I will earn all of your guys trust by being a good reader and fellow critiquer and that will in turn make you guys want to help me rule to world one story at a time!!


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## Darren White

I see you like to RPG 

So, what do you like to read, even more important, what do/would you like to write?
And, before I forget, welcome to WF.


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## Shockhawk

It’s great to meet you Darren.  I read sci-fi, fantasy and classics (anything written and published that won awards like Steinbeck type works that make you think deeply).  I currently am writing a fantasy novel.  What do you read and write?


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## Foxee

Well, hello, hello, Shockhawk! Love the username! 

You're at the right forum as this is the place to build a birdhouse, mix up some grammar, instigate and investigate deep thought shennanigans, AND make mountains and mountains of coleslaw! (Always the newbies' job so get busy)

I completely understand what you mean when you talk about fear of failure and success. You aren't alone there. Best thing to do is to cope and stick words to page anyway. 

So, I'll echo Darren here a bit, what do you like to write or would you like to write and have you found that differs from what actually comes out when you try to write?

For instance, I would love to write humor/suspense/sci-fi and what is actually coming out in my current NaNoWriMo attempt is a modern day mess but I think my villain is starting to make a move.

Welcome to the world of writing craziness...at least our little corner of it.


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## Ditchweed242

Nice to meet you shockhawk. 

I have only been here a very short time myself but I have found it fun and friendly.
I think that you will too.

You are going to have to work on those stats, though.
A bard like you is going to need some dexterity for armor class and the nice
to hit bonus with missile weapons.  :mrgreen:


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## Darren White

Shockhawk said:


> It’s great to meet you Darren.  I read sci-fi, fantasy and classics (anything written and published that won awards like Steinbeck type works that make you think deeply).  I currently am writing a fantasy novel.  What do you read and write?


I read a lot, but at the moment mostly poetry, all kinds of, from very famous writers to absolutely unknown.
And yes, I'm a poet.


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## Shockhawk

Thanks Foxee!  

I like you name too though I feel like foxes and hawks are probably destined to be enemies (maybe a peace treaty should be established in advance to make sure a war does not ensue, I’ll have my dignitaries contact yours!!).  

I plot and scheme in sci-fi and fantasy but really didn’t start writing till a few months back!!


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## Shockhawk

Thanks Ditchweed!!  I’m not too worried though about my real life stats as in real life I just make friends with everyone so when I need back up I usually don’t have to do the heavy lifting!!


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## Foxee

Shockhawk said:


> Thanks Foxee!
> 
> I like you name too though I feel like foxes and hawks are probably destined to be enemies (maybe a peace treaty should be established in advance to make sure a war does not ensue, I’ll have my dignitaries contact yours!!).


I am open to negotiations.


> I plot and scheme in sci-fi and fantasy but really didn’t start writing till a few months back!!


It's a journey! I wish you the best. I'm currently in part of the writing journey where I'm lost in a dense foggy jungle with my trusty machete but we soldier on.

I have not forgotten that you owe that coleslaw.


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## Shockhawk

Foxee said:


> I have not forgotten that you owe that coleslaw.



Opps oh my oh my that must have slipped my mind.  I’ll get right on it Foxee, don’t worry I’m sure totally normal Coleslaw is made with cream cheese and mayonnaise right?  You wanna have the first taste?!


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## Foxee

Shockhawk said:


> Opps oh my oh my that must have slipped my mind.  I’ll get right on it Foxee, don’t worry I’m sure totally normal Coleslaw is made with cream cheese and mayonnaise right?  You wanna have the first taste?!


Surely you jest! I have disposable food tasters for this. Good of you to show willing, though!

So what are you writing now?


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## Shockhawk

Well I’m currently writing a novel but I’m going real slow and getting conflicting feelings about direction... so the more I read and explore this site the more I realize my first bit of work (200k worth or so) may end up being poorly written but this is the story I’ve had in my head for like 10 years... I don’t want to waste it but I also don’t know about spending years learning how to get better while avoiding my internal gem (or so I think).  So I was thinking about continuing chapter 2 of my novel and also maybe writing a short story for that December challenge that has to be less the or equal to 650 words. 

Any thoughts or guidance?

What you working on?


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## Foxee

Shockhawk said:


> Well I’m currently writing a novel but I’m going real slow and getting conflicting feelings about direction... so the more I read and explore this site the more I realize my first bit of work (200k worth or so) may end up being poorly written but this is the story I’ve had in my head for like 10 years... I don’t want to waste it but I also don’t know about spending years learning how to get better while avoiding my internal gem (or so I think).  So I was thinking about continuing chapter 2 of my novel and also maybe writing a short story for that December challenge that has to be less the or equal to 650 words.
> 
> Any thoughts or guidance?


Yep, you sound like a writer to me! Conflicting feelings, concerns about writing, the dawning agonized realization that there is always more to learn, ideas that won't quit, distractedness...all very familiar. This is why writers drink, y'know. Personally, I'm hitting the mocha hard today.

Be patient with yourself. 

I think it's almost impossible to waste ideas though it is possible to give up on them. There are plenty of would-be manuscripts that are waiting in dust-sheeted piles in a super-secret location that I still love and will go back to work on again.

Get a copy of _The War of Art_ and read it. (Steven Pressfield) and/or _Do the Work_.

Butt in seat, fingers on keyboard. 

A fifteen-minute hourglass helps because if you get into the groove while focusing for fifteen minutes, it'll call time without throwing you out of what you're doing.

Keep the faith.



> What you working on?


_What it feels like I'm doing:_ Learning to tapdance professionally while spinning plates and herding cats during a parade going the wrong direction.
_
What other people think I'm doing:_ Eating snacks and hiding from responsibility.
_
What I'm actually doing:_ Hauling on words ten or fifteen minutes at a time in between obligations of life and hoping that keeping my mind in it and pushing the story along will result in eventually sitting down to write a coherent novel.

I just got done with NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) and intend to keep kicking the can down the road as I find out more about my telepathic stroke patient and the amputee woodcarver who is trying to save her from her villainous computer hacking nutball son. Or something. I mean, i think that's what it'll end up as but things could change. There is also a dog.

Getting back to some short-story writing would be fun, though. I enjoy that more.


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