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Well, I’m currently outlining a fanfic inspired by the lore of the album Trench…
I only listen to music that I could imagine some kind of storyline to.
I did write a short story inspired by a song, but it’s stupid so I won’t go into detail about it.
Personally, I wouldn’t mind spending 3 years doing an online program. That’s probably just my personality and circumstances, but I think if you’re able to work during the program that would good life experience. Cook your own food, manage your finances, do your laundry if you’re not already. In my mind, that kind of stuff is the main life experience you get out of college. If you’re looking for in-person community, I’d recommend joining a church if you’re not already part of one and finding clubs or groups in your area that match your interests. I definitely recommend asking the admissions people about this if it concerns you.
Just to be clear, I’m a high schooler who has never been to college and the sibling I do have in college does most of his courses online and cares absolutely nothing for the social aspect of college.
Hello there! Like everyone else here, no, I have not done the Author Conservatory. HOWEVER, I do know and know of a several people who are doing it.
I highly recommend just taking the leap and filling out an application. You have no obligation to join the program after applying and you get a free 45 min. Zoom consultation with one of the instructors (when I did it I got Josiah DeGraaf who runs Story Embers–I’m not sure if he’s the only one who does the calls). I already knew a lot about the program before doing the call, but he gave me a good sense of where I personally will need to be before joining the program. It seems they’re looking for students who write consistently and who want to make writing their career or at least part of their career.
I believe the current tuition is $11,800 a year, and it will probably rise in the coming years. I believe they lock tuition when you join though. Still, the price is comparable to college and I am pretty sure they do not currently offer scholarships. However, many students are able to work part or full-time while they’re in the program and they also have you start your own business, so you can make some decent money while you’re doing it if that’s an issue for you.
For me, one of the things I’m struggling with is that I have already written 2 books in a series I’m in love with. I really want to finish my series, but now I’m scared that doing Author Conservatory will expose that I have a weak concept, or something. I really want to publish this series somehow, because I truly believe it’s an epic and beautiful story. But what if they tell me to scrap it and move on? On the other hand, it feels like Author Conservatory could really help me with learning how to write on deadline, learning the business side of things, and give the professional feedback I need. It’s basically everything I want a collage course to be, but way better, because it specialises in what I’m passionate about. Any thoughts or advice?I think Autumn Rebecca already gave you some great advice on this. I am pretty sure they want you to start brand new projects when you join. And they of course want you to succeed! If you’re really passionate about this project, I’m sure they’d be able to give you some great advice on making it even better. And even if they’re not into it, you can still publish it yourself or seek publication later.
If you want to get a taste for the kind of writing community and advice the Conservatory gives, I recommend joining the Young Writers Workshop. It’s $360/year and gives you a writing community and writing lessons. It’s definitely a lower level than the Conservatory, but I’ve gotten advice from YWW I haven’t heard elsewhere.
The Conservatory also recently did a blog review tour, so you can find several reviews from current students. If you need links, just tell me 🙂
Oh yes Pollyanna! That was one of the first novels I read, and I enjoyed it then, but I haven’t read it since. I have a hunch my feelings toward it now would be quite different.
I haven’t read Elsie Dinsmore, but I’ve heard enough about it that I know I’d only read it for laughs. Or if I want to pull all my hair out. Probably the latter.
The Boxcar Children for me. I loved those books when I was younger, but now I can see how cheesy and simplistic they are. The characters are super perfect and bland.
I did read a hilarious Goodreads review for one of them though.
Regarding the government question, I think I’m agreeing with everyone so far. We should obey the government as far as we’re able–that is, so long as the government is not demanding we do something that violates God’s law.
Other times when one might want to disobey the government I think come down to Christian liberty. For example, the American Revolution. The colonists were upset that the British were taxing them without representation. They saw themselves as Englishmen who were not being given their due rights. They petitioned Parliament several times, but Parliament didn’t listen. Then they went to the king, but he didn’t listen either. They were reluctant to break away from England, but when they were repeatedly ignored, they decided that it would be better for them to be independent. And then the war happened to secure their independence.
I’m not bashing the American Revolution or anything, but I firmly believe that there were Christians on both sides of that war. Now I believe taxation with representation is an important right, but I don’t think it’s a necessary right and I certainly don’t believe being denied it impairs one’s ability to follow God. So I think in matters when obeying the government doesn’t impair one’s ability to follow God, we should obey the government. And in other matters, like dealing with a tyrannical government, it is more a matter of Christian liberty whether to resist or not. But in those matters it should be our last choice to rebel.
You might be interested in investigating the “lesser magistrate doctrine”. Basically, if the higher magistrate is doing something he shouldn’t, you go to the lower magistrates under him and it’s their responsibility to choose whether to go along with him or not. So it’s not just private citizens causing anarchy. I read a book about it this year called The Magdeburg Confession–it was written during the Protestant Reformation when the Holy Roman Emperor was banning Protestantism. The Protestants wrote this confession to the lower magistrates to remind them that they have the power to disobey the emperor and keep their states Protestant. If you do read it, just know that the first half is pretty much laying down the Protestants’ doctrinal beliefs and it’s not until the second half that the lower magistrate thing is actually addressed. And, per the times, the Protestants hurl some nasty insults at the Catholics. So just be warned.
Also I love that the topic “When is it okay to defy the government?” is in a writing forum XD.
Thanks Linyang! I’m interested in fantasy and slice-of-life–just stuff that doesn’t have the main plot revolve around romance (I don’t enjoy that in any medium lol).
What’s the mature content in those last manga? (I’m 18 truth be told, but I don’t enjoy gory violence or explicit stuff)
@e-p-writes
Hey! I’m Bethany and I’m just popping into say that your WIPs sound awesome, especially that little mermaid one! I also am working on a sort of reverse chosen one story.
I’ve read the Hunger Games trilogy and saw the first movie. I thought the movie was well-done and I’m glad most of the violence was off-screen ’cause I’m squeamish XD
Did you write that Waffle House story? Because if you did, I’d love to read it! It sounds so perfectly creepy.
I get most of my story ideas when I’m reading or just from thinking of concepts I want to try out/mess with. But just the other day I got the very faintest inkling of an idea when I was discussing birthdays with my friend and she said it would be weird if there was a day that just one person was born on. Or maybe if there was a day that no one has ever been born on. I’m not sure yet, and I don’t even know what kind of story this could be or how I’d turn it into one. But I thought that idea was a bit interesting.
Echoing what Trahia said, I thought you were supposed to use alternatives for ‘said’ whenever you could. School really screws us over telling us we can’t use ‘said’!
Other than that, I can’t really think of anything else. When I first started writing, I had never seen books that had explicit multiple perspectives (like the kind where the POV character’s name is at the beginning of the chapter) and thought that if you were writing first person, you could only write from one person’s POV. I’m still not a huge fan of that style, but I have read some books where it’s done well.
Hmm, I don’t think any books I’ve read have been too strange. But I guess I’ll go with Motel of the Mysteries by David Macaulay. This is book is by the same guy who wrote The Way Things Work and those books about how pyramids and castles were designed that if you were homeschooled, you probably had to read. Anyways, Motel of the Mysteries takes place way in the future when the USA, now known as the strange country of Usa, is buried in debris. An archaeologist uncovers an old motel and it’s all about him trying to figure out what all the ‘artifacts’ were used for. It’s pretty hilarious. Like they think a TV is some kind of way to communicate with the gods and a toilet seat is some kind of ceremonial headdress. The point of the book is to show us how a lot of what archaeologists say is just educated guesses–we don’t know a whole lot for sure.
Oh and I should mention that the book was written back in the 80s, so it has some obsolete tech XD
He also wrote another book, Baaa, that’s rather strange too. But it’s funny as well.
Ok, I hope I don’t make too many enemies from this, but I did not enjoy A Wrinkle in Time. I had such high hopes for that book. I thought it was going to be a cool sci-fi adventure story. Maybe it is to some people, but it wasn’t to me. So if I was rewriting (which I honestly kind of want to do), I’d make Meg way less whiny and self-pitying (seriously, on the first page she’s whining about her braces and glasses which did not go over so well with me, who had both braces and glasses at that time), explain Charles Wallace’s weird telepathy, include more space travel and just general sci-fi coolness, and make the message less cheesy. (Honestly, how much more obvious can you be with your “love conquers all” message? I’m not against the sentiment, but it was presented so sentimentally.)
The best parts of the book for me were Mrs. Who (I believe) quoting Latin and Greek and Aunt Beast. Aunt Beast was cool.
I just really, really wanted to slap Meg and tell her to get over herself. I’m sorry. I know I’m mean XD
Yep, I’m an ancient history nerd too! I’m excited to see what you’re gonna do with your website. If it’s okay, can I give you a little formatting suggestion? On the blog posts, you indent your paragraphs instead of leaving a space between them. On most websites I see spaces between the paragraphs because it makes them easier to read. I don’t know anything about how to actually format blogs, so unfortunately I can’t help you with the logistics of that.
I like that quote–and that the poem made you think!
I’m glad you relate to this poem! While I didn’t write it about a situation like you’re describing, I think it’s cool that it has a few different interpretations. In fact, everyone I have shown it to has thought it meant what you’re describing. So maybe I’m good at masking my meaning, or my poems are just vague XD
I’m glad you relate as well! And thanks for some title ideas. I either get a title and that’s it, or a poem and no title. I can never have both it seems.
