Creative Corner

General Introduction

In Nanowrimo 2013, I started a writers' chat thread in the Wind forum with Ladyrowyn. After leaving Wind, we've created a writers' chat here every month, to (a) meet new writers! and (b) keep in touch with all our Windy friends. (Hi Windies! We still love you all!)

Some purposes for this thread:

• Talk excitedly about your current awesome writing project!
• Whinge about your current project which no longer seems so awesome and you don't want to work on it any more but YOU WILL anyway. Because REASONS.
• Show off snippets of your writing
• Cheer your fellow writers on as they write!
• Commiserate with your fellow writers as they complain about not writing, or about not being happy with their writing
• Ask other participants to pick one of your dragons for you to write something about in the dragon's bio
• Show off dragon bios
• Admire one another's dragons and new hatchlings from time to time (because this IS Flight Rising)
• Any other writerly activities you want to chat about

"Dragon Writers" is a reference to this being a chat on a dragon site; there is no requirement that you write about dragons in order to participate. (Okay, there really aren't any requirements at all).

This is intended to be a general chat thread and not a critique group. Now, it's absolutely fine for a writer to post a link to their work and ask people for feedback and/or criticism! But it's also fine for people to post bits of their writing just to show off and with no desire to have it critiqued. And it's fine if you participate in the thread without ever sharing anything you write, or giving feedback on anyone else's writing.

Unless a writer solicits critiques, please only respond to their writing with supportive comments (or don't respond at all).

Also, this is a chat thread: we're here to interact with one another as writers. Showing up to say 'I haven't read any of the previous messages and am completely ignoring any conversations going on. Please come to my thread/read my writing' is unlikely to work out well for you.

New Business
Nanowrimo is over! How did everyone do! And are you ready for the end of the year and the holidays? How was your 'year in writing'? :)

@Adventure, @Almaren, @Aloysius, @Alphanix, @Alpharaposa, @alwaid, , @angelfire335, @Araaska, @Arios, @Artificiary, @Athaza, @Avanari, @Azurenight, @Batme, @benalene, @Briarstrike, @BlackWinter, @brilliantsky, @Caiiore, @CanisLupus03, @Catbag, @Catkinstarchild, @Celetia912, @chalcara, @chaosheart13, @chibithulu, @cinderrain, @Cinnimoncynic, @Connlaodh, @Copierthief, @cricara, @Darkmoonbreeder, @Darkmoonnbreeder, @Darkwarrior101, @deanazazel, @demonslayr62, @demonslayr62, @disbounded, @dotdedo, @DracioZard, @DracoLeo, @DragonMaid421, @DTEvie, @Duchannes, @Elfnextdoor, @Emberglo, @EmpressSectonia, @encarmine, @Endernil, @EonFlamewing, @Erratic, @evosoul, @Eyries, @FireStarter007, @Fixeddotdice, @FluffyTundras, @Fuurin, @gendersquare, @GreyWardenNova, @growingthebear, @GuardianDragonak, @gunslinger, @Gusted, , @HeartThief, @hitoritabi, @HugQueen, @Hurricanesong, @Hydria, @Hyleoroi, @Iceyriver08, @Ickyrus, @Iriexiris, @IronPen, @IvoryMuffin, @Jane13, @JiggertyPokery, @Joying, @KallyPaige, @kanashiiichigo, @Karika, @kayn, @Kazaera, @Keeum, @Kelwyn, @KenjiSnow, @Kerynean, @Killunia, @KittyHamilton, @LadyKnightKatsa, @LadyRowyn, @Ladyslayer, @Lae, @LaraAelric, @Larkie, @laumania, @Lawful, @Lckgandor, @li0nessrampant, @LilacsandFreedom, @lilastar, @LongMorrison, @luckgandor, @LuckieChanm, @LucklessLady, @Lundlaeva, @Lytic, @ManaStar, @Marmite, @maw, @MawkishMuse, @MawkishMuse, @melonLord, @MeraHunt, @Metamochi, @micahjaguar, @mightybeast, @mischiefsabre, @MischiefSword, @MisfitsLanding, @MissFortune17, @Mistwalker, @Moonwater, @Morichinatsu, @Mort, @MurEyeUh, @mwingzero, @Namira, @nano, @nargothrond, @Nemera, @Nemesis, @Neroelysium, @Nightlilac, @NightwindDragon, @Niguidara, @NinjaKnightOsc, @Nyghtfall12, @Oakwick, @ObsidianNights, @Onigame, @pachirisu, @Paintminion, @Pasafatu, @Petall, @PhoenixMiko, @Pielonious, @pixeltune, @PixieKnight3264, @Plagueheart, @PlatinumDream, @PocketTheSaurus, @Polymorphus, @PoofinBurd, @Pookasaur, @psychocanes, @puffbird, @purplpeanut, , @quartzcrusher, @QuetzalQueen, @Rabbithearts, @Raenea, @Reltseo, @Remuta, @Rexcaliburr, @ruthie, @SadariEvenstar, @SamIamLuvDov, @SapphireElegy, @Saraceaser, @Saraceaser, @ScrivenerRook, @seraphemme, @Serpenthyne, @ShadesofCyan, @shimo, @ShockZephyr, @SierraKomodo, @SilverFoxDemon, @Silverspun, @SingingBirdy, @SirWermo, @SN1006, @Snaphance, @SnoringHyena, @SpiritKin, @SpringyBirdd, @Srewolf, @Steffon, @Stoat, @Suraya, @SylphofPens, @Syrinx, @tacroy, @thatjaeger, @The13Inquisitor, @TheDragonsQueen, @thefaceradar, @TheMaskedHunter, @tsuneembers, @TwilightDreams, @typoAdventure, @Tzarksra,@Umpaloompa, @Upstart, @Velg, @velvetpaws, @VigilanteSnail, @VioletWhirlwind, @VivaFariy, @WhoDoVooDoo, @Wisecakes, @Wymetz, @WynterDragen, @Xumbre, @Yukino, @ZenithNadir, @Zidderinni, @Zonemod, @pulses, @Pastelbvtts, @GreatLordHades, @Icetones, @arikin, @Lupik,

I summon the dragon writer horde!
The pinglist is self-editing. To add or remove yourself, go here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1MgBhbV0tZai8TO20VNURz5y8_toxSN4xLCamseq7ICs/edit?usp=drive_web&ouid=114980281740159156205

Good morning, dragon writers! I did not plan to do NaNo but I wrote a 113K book in November anyway because I had to. But this is not special because this is my job. I am probably going to have to do it again in December because I'm worried about my product line in 2019. >.> This reminds me to reiterate my usual offer to answer questions about 'writing fiction as a job.' If any of you ever want to talk about it, just say so. :) In Dragon News, this month I am moving to my... ninth? Tenth? No, ninth flight! Either Water or Lightning, I haven't decided which. After those two, I have only Plague and I'll have visited ALL the flights in Sornieth. Some twice! (*waves to Wind*) Show me your newest hatchies! I am bored and want new dragons and soon I'm going to have to stop breeding for the move. :D This is the prettiest one I've hatched recently: [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=47207928] [img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/350/472080/47207928_350.png[/img] [/url]

Good Morning Dragon Writers and Happy December!!! November was a busy time for me on Sornieth. I am involved in a Shadow Foddart session [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/art/2577010/1]here[/url] where I stored up enough treasure to buy a friend 2 rows in her lair to help with the Twilight Boarders [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/raf/2580482]here[/url]. Before doing that I was asked to create - and managed to do so! - eleven elemental badges for the Nightmare Before Nocmas event. The most difficult badges turned out to be Arcane and Light. I still haven't taught myself to use layering so they were all done on one layer. I suspect I really need to find the instructions or a video or something that will help me learn. Unfortunately I haven't found one that I understand. I use Krita. There's a rather persistent owl somewhere in my yard. It sounds very close - but it is pitch dark out there so I can't see it. Why am I up this early? This is one of the Foddart pieces that turned out rather nice, I thought. [img]https://i.imgur.com/nnGh2rF.png[/img] The coming December will include another foddart session for Nocmas plus a Dom battle and Night of the Nocturne so this month should be a busy one. I can't wait for the lair expansion/hibernal thingy to happen but I suspect that's several months away still. Constellation is beautiful but I have discovered a secret fondness for Noxtide. I need some Noxtide dragons!

Hi!! Oh my goodness, I'm so glad to have discovered this post! I've actually just delved into the creative community on FR, and I'm super excited about it! I'll definitely be joining the ping list. I'm tentatively starting a new project based on my clan lore! In the shortest of terms, it's the feel-goodsy story of a mercenary called Mondegreen and her journey to find a more peaceful life. Here's a link: [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/cc/2581470]"Caravan"[/url] [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=37130631] [img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/350/371307/37130631_350.png[/img] [/url]

@micahjaguar Would love to "talk" fiction writing as job. My friend and I just planned and wrote our joint steampunk adventure in 3 weeks. We switched to this project one week into NaNo. We're both the local ML's so doing all the event planning and posting. Handled planning for my daughter's graduation ceremony and short vacation to celebrate that and my birthday. My co-author had a a massive busy month for her job, as they gear up for the holidays, along with added another teenager to their household. She really needs to quit her job, we've taken lessons/seminars and know all sorts of things, but sometimes we just do not know what to do next to build our careers as writers. She already has 4 books out in a small series, but me, I am new to finishing novels. And still we wrote. And we loved every minute of it...well not every, but the energy we swung between us was great and we are incredibly happy with what we are doing. We're both NaNo winners! I also sold an article to Finescale Modeler Magazine and am getting paid as soon as I send in this paperwork. So I am celebrating that! Issue goes out in one week. BOUNCY BOUNCY. So hey...here in the dragonverse, I got some babies, but they are just normally Wind rep imps. NOthing special. BUT I got some new dragons! Bought and Rescued: My Birthday Present to me: [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=46552586] [img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/350/465526/46552586_350.png[/img] [/url] Rescue, cuz of story on it: [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=18380553] [img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/350/183806/18380553_350.png[/img] [/url] Rescued with a cute adopt: [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=16730521] [img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/350/167306/16730521_350.png[/img] [/url] [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=16551507] [img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/350/165516/16551507_350.png[/img] [/url] Funny....they are all imps....it's a conspiracy! @Emberglo That is a beautiful mandala - I still really love the one you made for me! Keep pushing forward on your artwork, it's beautiful! @Caravan Welcome! There really is something for everyone on FR! Love the start of your story, and encourage you to keep going! I wanted to do small short stories or slice of life pieces for every dragon in my lair...but I collected soooooo many dragons I figure I will have many years of work ahead of me. Still, we enjoy our dragons, right? That's what it's all about.

Hello Dragon Writers! I'm landing in this thread for the first time but I might stay for a bit so I guess an introduction is in order. :D I'm Lupik and I just rebelled my way to winning my second NaNo with a fantasy comic script (that, of course, had some dragons I was very excited about in it) and it made me realise that I used to really love writing but I kind of. Stopped? And I miss it. So I'm trying to get myself into a daily writing habit again! :D My current goal is just to. WRITE daily, so my projects are sort of all over the place and I'll be jumping in between them, but they're currently: a sorta-magical-realism thing I call [i]Byt ?íslo t?ináct[/i] ("Flat number thirteen"), a story about a young adult translator that adopts a slightly demonic cat, so I get back into writing prose in Czech; [url=http://airship-full-of-dragons.tumblr.com/timeline]Forgotten Poet[/url], a backstory to my [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=38288753]dear dragon bard[/url] that I've been sitting on for nearly a year and [url=http://airship-full-of-dragons.tumblr.com/timeline]The World Is Changing[/url], a story that was supposed to be about my clan's reaction to the Bounty of the Elements event and that I've been sitting on for similarly long. I have SO MANY dragon stories I need to write, but I want to finish those two first. I'm also wondering if I should start writing lore for a fodder save that landed in my lair during Earth's festival push, stole my heart (and wallet) and then ran away with it into the Shifting Expanse. I don't breed my dragons much so cute hatchlings aren't a temptation for me, but fodder? Eh, um, whoops, look, you got a new perma! [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=46852138] [img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/350/468522/46852138_350.png[/img] [/url] She's some sort of a dethroned royal that is trying to get back the respect she deserves, I think. I also think that this is probably enough about me and my writing projects, whoops >>;; @Emberglo Aah, your mandalas are really pretty! If you need any help with anything Krita-related, feel free to jump into my PMs anytime. I use Krita fairly frequently and should be able to help :D (though I might be kinda slow in replying - I'm in a funky timezone and currently have pretty long school days, unfortunately;;)

I won my first NaNo!! 50,129 words :D I'm amazed at myself because the best I've done for NaNo in the past was about 8k, and the most productive month I've ever had was 21k.

I learned so much about myself in general and as a writer over the course of November.

I've got about seven scenes left to my novel so I'm figuring out my December plan because my body is exhausted and needs a break from the NaNo pace, but I also don't want to take a break because I don't want to lose my groove.

@micahjaguar I still can't believe you're thinking of going to Plague to complete the set. o_O *sorts through hatchies that are still hatchlings* I am fond of this little girl: [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=47236000] [img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/350/472361/47236000_350.png[/img] [/url] @Emberglo The best way I can explain layers, as a concept, is to think of them like the transparencies in old 2D animation. 2D animators would paint the background on one layer, and then they'd paint the figures on transparent plastic cels that they'd just lay down on top of the background. You could put each figure on a different piece of plastic, so they didn't have to all be drawn together, and if you made a mistake on one layer, it didn't affect the others. And you could add special effects or shadows to the top layers. Apologies if this is something you already grok, I just remember the first time I used a paint program that allowed layers and that was the part that I couldn't grasp: what are they FOR and why can I not get to my whole picture at once and instead have to find the one little part and WHAT IS GOING ON. c_c *awws at your callout in the Kindness thread* You're welcome! ?? @Caravan Welcome to the chat! And good luck to your mercenary dragon! Poor mistreated creature. *pats her gently* @paintminion Congrats on the article sale, and on Nano victory! @KrazKitCat Welcome to the thread! Your desert dragon is gorgeous and tragic. Eee injured hatchling! ;__; @Lupik Welcome to the chat! I hop around a lot between stories too, although these days the process is more "proofread book A/edit book B/write book C" all around the same time, instead of writing several different stories at once. I actually semi-planned to write multiple stories at once during Nano this year, and then ended up just focusing on one. Your rescued fodder is dramatic! I love how you've dressed her. @LaraAelric Yay, you did it! Congratulations! I know that "so tired and Nano is over so I can quit but book's not done yet MUST NOT QUIT" feel. So well. x_x I hope you find a good balance! ~ I won Nanowrimo with 57,500 words on [i]The Twilight Etherium[/i]. The book is not even close to done -- it's maybe half or one-third written. But I have been promising myself I'd take a break as soon as I finished (thing du jour) since September. "As soon as I finish the draft of [i]The Princes, Her Dragon, and Their Prince[/i]" and then "once I finish editing [i]Frost and Desire[/i]" and then "after I win NaNoWriMo." Well, after I won Nano, I told myself "maybe I could wait and take that break after I finish [i]The Twilight Etherium[/i] draft instead. It has become increasingly clear that I am never going to have Finished All The Things So Now I Can Rest. There's always going to be a new unfinished thing. So I am officially Taking a Break! I even succeeded at not working on any fiction today! I expect I will get bored of not writing before December is over and start again, but I'm just going to rest on my laurels for at least a little while. Maybe I'll do some reading! Watch some videos! Draw again! We'll see. I hope everyone else's November went well!