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Post by stoneman3x on Dec 23, 2002 17:38:04 GMT -5
Thanks for your encouragement everyone. But I am totally blocked. I can't write at all. If I don't know where I went wrong, how can I fix anything? Even if I resubmitted it, I would have to completely rewrite most of the story because of the strong Christmas content. It's nearly impossible to come up with something completely new and never done before and hysterically funny every week, but according to leb, if I don't do that I will continue to receive "meh" reviews here. I was really counting on my story to take me to the next level of writing-- stories, which is what I really wanted to do in the first place. The articles are just to keep myself busy until I get something "real" published. But it doesn't look like that's an option now. I really, honestly don't know what was wrong with the story. I thought it was just as good, if not better, than anything else I had ever written for the Times. I've hit a wall.
{ STONE }
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Post by peachifruit on Dec 23, 2002 17:47:26 GMT -5
Thanks for your encouragement everyone. But I am totally blocked. I can't write at all. If I don't know where I went wrong, how can I fix anything? Are you completely positive that Mr. Shankly got your story? That happens a lot, you know. I do hope that you continue to write stories, though, especially if it was the thing you always wanted to do in the first place. |
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Post by starhamster on Dec 23, 2002 17:51:18 GMT -5
Stoneman, I've laughed harder at many of the points in your articles than I ever have for anything else. I thought "How to be Heroic" was really good - couldn't help but grin at the quips about red pajamas, maidens in distress, and country music. As for your Christmas story, which is probably what's *really* upsetting you: is there a way you could change it around to take place just generally in winter, or perhaps during some other holiday? Don't take comments too hard on yourself, because for every bad comment there will always be more unspoken good ones. Don't say you have no talent for writing or beat up on yourself like this - I see worth in your writing and I know others do too. Now, I want you to snap out of this mood, pick yourself up off the ground, then turn off your computer and walk away from it - don't even touch it for the next day or two. Make a nice mug of hot chocolate and spend the holidays with your family; maybe a little away-time is just what you need to make not your writing, but YOURSELF feel better. Okay?  |
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Post by peachifruit on Dec 23, 2002 17:53:12 GMT -5
Good advice, starhamster. ^^
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Post by starhamster on Dec 23, 2002 17:58:35 GMT -5
Peachifruit has a point - check your email inbox. Did you ever receive a confirmation form letter? It may be that the story was just never received; I'm sure if it was as good as you say, three weeks should have been enough time to see it be published. If you don't know why it wasn't published, maybe you can summon a bit of courage and mail Mr. Shankly. All the letter would have to be is just a polite inquiry as to why the story wasn't published and if it was for a reason, if he has any tips for you next time. Josh is nice, I'm sure he won't mind. When all else fails, just put your story aside - if you can't rework it, there's no use stressing over it, is there? You'll only make yourself more upset. If you've always wanted to write stories, then try your hand at those instead. But on all accounts, if you feel like you've hit such a wall and are increasingly pressured to come up with new ideas, DON'T push it. Just like with anything else, if you keep forcing yourself past your limits, you'll run yourself down. Relax, take a break from writing, just try to enjoy your holidays. |
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Post by Linnen Malfoy on Dec 23, 2002 23:13:52 GMT -5
Can I be a pain in the butt and as someone to review my (fixed now) comic?
The orginal wasen't the x-mas special and I Just wanted to know if anyone liked it (been away for a few days and my box got filled up because i forgot to cleanit out, so I have no new-ish messages because it overflowed so early T_T).
And now I"m OFF 40k! Yay! ^^
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Post by Tdyans on Dec 24, 2002 4:13:05 GMT -5
I don't think it would be an atrocity to have a Christmas-themed series start after Christmas-- it just means that your story is recounting what happened during Christmas time, right? I'll just ditto all the encouraging remarks that have already been given stoneman. I'd hate to see you leave, but as has been said, don't push yourself-- always do it for yourself and because you enjoy it first, as I've said time and time again. |
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Post by Lappi on Dec 24, 2002 10:00:27 GMT -5
Everybody has their own strengths and weaknesses. Stoneman, how do you think you made it to the NT if your stuff were bad? Obviously they were good and entertaining enough to be in there  Cheer up! It's Christmas (or nearly there)!!! |
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Post by Oily on Dec 24, 2002 10:12:38 GMT -5
OK, I'll try my hand at a couple of reviews - firstly, articles:
Your Guide on How to Be Heroic by stoneman3x - Very funny and a nice follow up to the Evil article by Felabba
Uv Corse We Can Speel! by stoneman3x - Also very funny and the "interviews" and dictionary was well done.
The Annual Christmas Decorating Contest Results by too_kule - A nice original idea although possibly the descriptions of what they'd done could have been different - most of the ideas were about decorating something as a Christmas Tree.
Goodbye Meridell? by digital_kitty512 - A nice take on the whole war thing but maybe suggestions for what might take Meridell's place would have lengthened the article and made it better.
Attention Holiday Shoppers! by csattanyasbliss - An article warning about scammers is always welcome but it was a bit more general than I would have thought.
Top 20 Uses for Cups of Hot Borovan by blueangeleyes - Funny and original
It's not "Its" by oddhatter - Finally, someone points out how bad the grammar is in the News section. It's been bugging me for a while and most of the mistakes seem to be ignorance of proper grammar, rather than a few typos. Good article, well written.
Mystery of Maraqua by adamsimpire - Original idea but more conspiracy theories would have lengthened and improved the article as there are only two suggestions in this one.
How to Have a Merry Neopian Christmas by bluescorchio104 - You always need at least one of these articles on any holiday occasion - this one was better than the usual "Hug your pet every day" and kind of funny too.
Orb is Not Oxygen by lindy_guo - A very original article with a fresh look on the war. I loved the alternatives Meridell and Darigan could have done and this article was great. Perhaps, a sequel on the financial impacts of war and so on, would be good too.
The Wonderful World of Pickled Olives by onda_bianca - Nothing wrong with this article and the reasons behind the olives were good but I'm sure I've seen this before and olives are getting a little tired...
Welcome to the Land of the Rich Neopians by superopus88 - This was more a reflection article than one serving any purpose. It was well done, so it did not brag or boast, yet maybe a little more substance would have helped - how 1 million is a very small amount nowadays etc.
Luck: The Dividing Line Between the Rich and The Poor?by too_kule - A very true article and I don't think I've read one before. However, maybe dwelling on bigger luck events like winning the Plushie p/b giveaway, Chocolate Giveaway or hoarding Krawk Petpets before they became able to be Krawks.
Stoneman, why don't you put it on a petpage and let everyone read it? I'm sure it's fine - sometimes series take time to get into the NT.
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Post by oddhatter on Dec 24, 2002 13:22:23 GMT -5
Hey, my "christmas" comic series ends sometime mid January.
Now, enough with the pity board. I'm sorry.
We all move on.
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Post by stoneman3x on Dec 24, 2002 18:10:03 GMT -5
Hey, my "christmas" comic series ends sometime mid January. Now, enough with the pity board. I'm sorry. We all move on. I agree. Let's move off of me and get to the business at hand. But I do thank everyone for their encouragement. I posted a new thread so enlist some aid with my unfamiliar predicament and I'm sure that with all of the wonderful support I have been getting that we will solve this riddle and I can move forward with my story series. Thanks, everyone! Now-- let's stay on the subject of reviews! |
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Post by Leb on Dec 24, 2002 19:43:57 GMT -5
*gasp* Stoneman! You are essential to the NT! Your articles are extremely funny! That chatspeak one? It rocked. Leb didn't read it all, and so she failed to see the point of it! And don't worry about a late christmas series - it's okay, isn't christmas every day? Well then!  And leb: where exactly is the constructive criticism in your reviews? Wow, if stoneman can suck that much support from you guys, let me try it! Waah, people don't like the way I review! I'm going to cry and sulk in my room because nobody likes me!Chatspeak is NOT misspelling. Chatspeak is 7@lki6 in l337. I tried to read it, and stone, you probably did great on it, but I couldn't understand it! Intentional misspelling I can read. Unintentional I just can't. I'm sorry if I give bad reviews, but I sort of reach into an barrel and pick out the bad apple so everything is fixed. Also, Stone, I'm sending in a Christmas short story for January. So you won't be alone. I'm convinced that hippiesoul wants me dead. Hippiesoul--my constructive criticism is ALL there. 100%. It's meh. Meh is everything! Meh is nothing! Meh holds us down to earth so we aren't sucked into space (Oh, wait, that's gravity. Nevermind)! But meh can neither be defined nor understood. Meh. Also, thanks peachifruit. |
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Post by hippiesoul on Dec 25, 2002 13:53:07 GMT -5
I'm convinced that hippiesoul wants me dead. Hippiesoul--my constructive criticism is ALL there. 100%. It's meh. Meh is everything! Meh is nothing! Meh holds us down to earth so we aren't sucked into space (Oh, wait, that's gravity. Nevermind)! But meh can neither be defined nor understood. Meh. It's not like I want you dead, leb... It's just that you always rate my articles as "meh", and now you told stoneman you wouldn't even try to read his article because it was in chatspeak and it was a rebutal article, when in the end he states it was a joke... I just get annoyed at the way you review things, because sometimes your words sound like all you do is tell people what they've done wrong, but in a rough way. Anyway, this is just how I feel, and it doesn't happen in every single review you make, so feel free to ignore me. |
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Post by Leb on Dec 25, 2002 18:36:49 GMT -5
It's not like I want you dead, leb... It's just that you always rate my articles as "meh", and now you told stoneman you wouldn't even try to read his article because it was in chatspeak and it was a rebutal article, when in the end he states it was a joke... I just get annoyed at the way you review things, because sometimes your words sound like all you do is tell people what they've done wrong, but in a rough way. Anyway, this is just how I feel, and it doesn't happen in every single review you make, so feel free to ignore me. The sad thing is, I'm really not offended. But I can understand that I am too harsh sometimes. |
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Post by calvinseviltwin on Dec 25, 2002 20:23:14 GMT -5
I guess it's is how people iterpret it.
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Cheer up! It's Christmas (or nearly there)!!!
