Write your stories. New Forum coming soon?

[Lin Treadgold]

I wanted to ask you if you are a writer? Do you write for a hobby? Have you ever been published? Would you like to write but not sure where to start? Perhaps you suffer with writers block?

Due to the amazing stories on this forum I felt quite sad to think that many of you have stories to tell and they may become lost in history. Brian, our administrator, has kindly offered that I can propose a writer's forum on the site. First of all I would like to find out if this proves interesting to many of you. As soon as I have enough interest I will discuss this further with Brian.

At the moment I wanted to find out how many of you guys and gals would like to write your stories and have them critiqued in publishing format. Perhaps you could write a novel or a short story. Was there a time in your lives when you felt you might never have come home from sea? Fact or fictional work all stories accepted. Would you like some help to get started?

If you are a procrastinator then now is the time to stop and actually do it. Perhaps you already have a story in the files and you would like some advice.



Before we do it, please may I have your comments and interest in the new forum. If there is a lack of interest then we won't bother. Should you support the idea please let me know in your replies. This has to be your forum and your ideas to get everyone writing.

I would propose having a 'Review My Work' thread. ' Review my Poetry' - 'Help for new writers'.' What the professionals are saying' and generally get you guys writing your sea stories. Let's do it!

For those of you who always wanted to write and weren't sure how to start - this could be a dream come true. I would also be looking for published authors to join in too to aid with critique. I can find those myself if no-one comes forward here.

So during the next few weeks please keep this forum running and let me know if you are interested and forward all ideas to get your stories into history. Eventually I would hope to put a book together with a few of you. This is a project for all Merchant Navy personnel to be involved. Everyone has a story within.

All the best

Lin

[Captain Kong]

I have a story, 54 pages.
It was started by one man and I butted in and joined the story then another man butted in and also joined the story, so it is a three way story spannining a thousand years. it is also about seafaring over the ages.
I didnt know what to do with it. Fiction , one or two events are based on fact, it is up to the reader to find out if he is reading ficticious or true stories.

Cheerrs
Brian.

[Lin Treadgold]

I was thinking that perhaps in the future we can put all the stories together in one place and go for publishing. Say for example each Chapter will have a new story. If we write 20 pages per chapter. Each chapter well written by a contributor. As with all published work, it has to be chosen by the agent/ publisher as to which one will serve best in the book.

The problem with this is - the choice will be (as is with all writers) the luck of the draw. I have contacts in the publishing industry now and would need to discuss with all of you the best way forward on this - but it's all pie in the sky stuff at the moment and for now we need to see how much interest this might bring in the future on this web site.

All your ideas will be very useful to us. A general overview here before going forward. The information will be on this thread for about six weeks before we decide what to do.

I agree about the membership of this site being the essence of maritime writing. It just feels right doesn't it?

Anyway no promises just yet, just ideas please. Thanks

Back soon

Lin x

[alf corbyn]

hi lin. i have several stories on file, fact & fiction. they need a bit of polishing no doubt and i would be grateful for help. this is the best idea we have had on the site for some time and i think it will go far. alf

[Lin Treadgold]

Cpt Kong

My own novel is fact within fiction. Even author Dan Brown does that - the places and events. My story is fiction but the places are factual. My second novel is based on a true story, but the places are fiction and the names of the characters too. Every story is based on what we know and the old adage - Write about what you know - never goes out of fashion.

I would love to read your work in the future. Perhaps soon when you feel confident to release it, I would be happy to take a look for you. I never charge for critique of up to ten pages. I get an overall impression of the work in the those ten pages to allow the writer to move on with the information I provide. Always remember though, each piece of writing is your own work and although I can help you improve on it, grammar, point of view, punctuation and overall story telling - the end product is yours alone. Go for it, dig it out and re-read it with fresh eyes. Keep going.

Lin
Member Romantic Novelists' Association
New Writers Scheme

[Captain Kong]

Hi Lin,
I would have to contact the other two men to get their permission, tho` should be OK.
Cheers
Brian.

[Lin Treadgold]

Hi Brian

Yes sure this would be advisable. You don't want to be in trouble for plagiarism or copyright.

Interesting that 60 people have visited this thread so far, are they all thinking about it?

Lin

[Ivan Cloherty]

Hi Brian

Yes sure this would be advisable. You don't want to be in trouble for plagiarism or copyright.

Interesting that 60 people have visited this thread so far, are they all thinking about it?

Lin

Hello Lin

An interesting concept and should bring a lot of response, as someone mentioned in an earlier post, most seamen are writers, as we were used to writing home to our wives, sweethearts and children telling them of the places we visited, well perhaps not all of the places ! Sometimes on 30 day passages, there were some slow ships in the 40's 50's and 60's, all we had were books to read and letters to home, no movies etc, some of the better companies and liner companies had such luxuries, so writing is inherent in most of us of that era. The guys who sailed in the 40's and 50's would certainly have stories to tell that should not be lost and certainly those who sailed in the 60's and 70's probably had escapades which would translate into stories, but doubt the latter would not get published in "Woman's Realm" well not going by what I've read on the Missions to Seaman forum.

I did pen a novel of 98,000 words some years back with the intention of trying to have it published, but family events overtook me and it lanquished untouched for some time. I have recently resurrected it, re- read it and I know my English teacher would have notated "could do much better, go back to the beginning" I was put off taking it further by reading in the one edition of "Writers' Forum" that I purchased that agents only consider books recommended by other authors, editors or other agents, so it appears that there is a mountain to climb out there, the older you get the less you feel like strapping on the crampons.

A friend who read it, bribed with copius amounts of liquor, said it would be better written as an autobiography, converting it from a third person aspect I thought would be an easy task, how wrong can you be, on rereading it I found that I had inadvertly written it the way I speak with a Yorkshire accent, we tend to use the word "and" quite a lot, it does not look good in print and I am already down to 95,000 words and still a long way to go.

This is the first time I have aired my comments on my efforts in public, still doesnt feel right!

Ivan

[Lin Treadgold]

Hi Ivan,

Once we get this idea going, I would be very happy to provide critique on your first ten pages. You can send it to me in a mail and it should be in Times New Roman, double line spacing 12pt please. This allows me to use the Track Changes so I can send it back to you with comments in the margins and provide a report at the end.

As I said earlier those ten pages can make a difference and I will set you on the road again if you wish. This is the purpose of this exercise, to aid your confidence once again. We all hate critique and I must be one of the few who relish it. I find it very important, but you must always remember, this is your book, your voice, your style. I am only there to say how I feel, word for word and I may just be able to pass this on to my critique group for you too. We are all used to providing comments which are both positive and encouraging. Areas which require a change are usually something you can fix in a jiffy. Some people find critique very personal and discouraging. We have to be sure to take it as a way forward. New writers need to read read read read read. Get a feel for your genre. Positive critique allows you to move on.

Good luck and let's see what happens shall we? I want you guys to starting calling yourselves writers. It took me ages before I could feel confident to take on that title and then I realised the day I put my fingers on the keyboard and wrote my first text, I became a writer.

Let's get that book back in circulation and out to publishers Ivan. I'm from Yorikshire too and I had to learn to speak proper! LOL

Back soon

Lin

[Mike Hall]

lin,
i have been working on my life at sea for many years.
i have written about each ship i was working on together with all the dates we were in port.
within the chapters of each ship is the general arrangement plan of the accomadation to gether with the original crew listings.
my story starts with my training on the vindicatrix.
i have loads of information within my folder some can not be put on the computer.
my eldest grandaughter,she is 20,she read it,and told me you should have that printed as a book.
i am however still updating it.
mike