So, anyone here a writer?

[Ntacman]

This is one of my main reasons for switching to ubuntu, a Secure desktop where I can write without worrying about comprising...Security. I love writing, ranging from tutorials to Zombie-themed horror stories, and would love to see a Ubuntu-based distro for writers.*cough.*. And now to the main point of this thread is to introduce Writers to the forum community, known or otherwise unknown, and if they would like to post some of there writing, is free to do so.

-Ntacman

[K.Mandla]

I dabble, but it's nothing of note.

By the way, you might be interested in WordGrinder (http://wordgrinder.sourceforge.net/). It's in the repositories (http://packages.ubuntu.com/wordgrinder).

[Ntacman]

Well, Dabbling maybe better than nothing. And thanks for the link! I'll check it out.
P.S. If you have anything laying around that you've written, or writing, Send me a PM with it and I'll be glad to read it!

[reprobus]

I write poetry on occasion. Here's one I wrote while in jail.

The Man On The Street.

I met a man one day standing on the street.
He was the nicest fellow that I ever did meet.
He was real polite but a little shifty in the eyes.
Little did I know he was the devil in disguise.
From his coat pocket he pulled a tiny pill.
He said excuse me sir, would you like to make a deal?
Try this just once, this ones on me.
Its not every day that you get something for free.
So I took that little pill and I liked it very much.
It was just the very thing that had that magic touch.
More more more I begged him on my knees.
A bottle for my soul just hand them over please.
So what was that little pill that made life seem not so rotten?
It was the key to Hell, they call it *********.

[Ntacman]

Thats impressive. And warns people about the dangers of drugs. Coming from my p.o.v anyways. Keep writing, and I'd love to hear more of your work!

[MikeTheC]

I've a project that's been in the works for a while. It's a long story (about the project) and I don't really want to get into all the details at the moment, but it's sci-fi (gee, go figure!) and I have a partner involved with it.

There wouldn't happen to be any fans of Original Battlestar Galactica and/or 70s Buck Rogers hereabouts, would there? Hmm?

[SonnHalter]

i'm writing a zomibe book right now. one out of three

[Ntacman]

I wouldn't mind helping with that, if you need it :/.

I've a project that's been in the works for a while. It's a long story (about the project) and I don't really want to get into all the details at the moment, but it's sci-fi (gee, go figure!) and I have a partner involved with it.

There wouldn't happen to be any fans of Original Battlestar Galactica and/or 70s Buck Rogers hereabouts, would there? Hmm?

Send me a preview sometime ;]

[Ntacman]

noo....don't let this thread die so quick!

[hansdown]

Hi Ntacman.

Here's an exerpt from something I'm working on.

"I awoke feeling like a flaming bag of doodoo thrown unceremoniously onto the doorstep of life. All that remained was the ringing of the doobell, and the soul releasing crush of a bathroom slipper."

[SonnHalter]

....
....
....
....
riviting

[Ntacman]

Hi Ntacman.

Here's an exerpt from something I'm working on.

"I awoke feeling like a flaming bag of doodoo thrown unceremoniously onto the doorstep of life. All that remained was the ringing of the doobell, and the soul releasing crush of a bathroom slipper."

3 choices.
A)your kidding
B)Its just one bad passage to copy.
C)your making fun of the writers.

[hansdown]

You're missing another choice Ntacman.
I stop short of accusing you of all three.

[Ntacman]

mmm...Well, believe what you wish.

[handy]

I maintain a very high regard for people that are good communicators.

I try; but my spelling is atrocious, though of course that is not a bar to good communication of any type, so long as people's prejudice doesn't shut any doors.

My grammar is & always has been improvised. I have no idea about the rules & regulations for either spelling, (those rules mystify me - why do all those double letters exist?) or grammar.

As far as grammar is concerned I have always learned from auditory experience in combination with what I have read. (Didn't start reading until I was well out of school either.)

Here is one for the young ones:

Unfortunately, I am not alone in finding that with age, it is common for our memory to deteriorate, along with simple things like spelling, grammar & far more importantly (as far as I'm concerned) the depth of our thought processes.

But hey, this trip (life) is not a free ride. :-)

Actually the way I write has a lot in common with the way I used to play music. I make it up as I go along & try not to play out of key. Though I will also play what means something to me & won't let other people's standards interfere with my freedom of expression.

Ain't communication blast!? :-D

[Ntacman]

Handy, we share the same writing style, I, too write as I go along. Its just my preference. /shrug.

[Ntacman]

I just got in on a collab with about 3-4 other authors...When we get some of the main stuff going, I'll post a preview for you guys. :D

[Ntacman]

Living in H*ll
By Ntacman
Your probably asking why am I even writing this, what is it about, and all that related crap. My short answer, A Zombie Survival Guide. Yes, you maybe laughing right now, but When*if* the time comes, and you don't have a clue as to what is going on, how to defend yourself, or even know the basics about these living dead, then you'll be wishing you read this guide.

[Warpnow]

There already is a pretty famous book called the Zombie Survival Guide...

[Mohamedzv2]

I write a little. i hope to start writing my story a little bit more so I can make it a novel, which it has the potential to become. I tried poems but I failed at them

[Ntacman]

There already is a pretty famous book called the Zombie Survival Guide...

Aye, I have it, but it isn't free, now is it.

[Ntacman]

I write a little. i hope to start writing my story a little bit more so I can make it a novel, which it has the potential to become. I tried poems but I failed at them

Good luck! And I would love to read it!

[Corfy]

the main point of this thread is to introduce Writers to the forum community

I don't know if this is what you are referring to as being a "writer", at least since people are talking about novels, short stories and poems, but I am a former newspaper reporter and was responsible for writing at least one article a day six days a week. I reported for three years at one newspaper and two years at my current newspaper before being moved into the IT department (I'm still not entirely sure how that move happened).

[Sealbhach]

I see there was a project here called Ghost Writer which was/is a distro for writers:

http://www.linux.com/feature/51020

A podcast about writer's resources in Linux:

http://www.linuxreality.com/podcast/episode-94-linux-for-writers/

.

[sharon.gmc]

Did i just read that one of the poems posted here is written while in jail? Pretty cool. . .

[MikeTheC]

I reported for three years at one newspaper and two years at my current newspaper before being moved into the IT department (I'm still not entirely sure how that move happened).

Well, it could have two different meanings, I suppose, but perhaps the more useful of the two is that you just obtained a higher degree of job security, considering the layoffs in the media "industry" of late.

Oh, and BTW, submitting all your articles in Binary probably didn't help your budding career as a writer very much...

[mips]

matthew (http://ubuntuforums.org/member.php?u=17635) is a writer.
http://matthewhelmke.com/
http://matthewhelmke.net/
http://www.amazon.com/Humor-Moroccan-Culture-Matthew-Helmke/dp/0615142842

[shatteredmindofbob]

I don't know if this is what you are referring to as being a "writer", at least since people are talking about novels, short stories and poems, but I am a former newspaper reporter and was responsible for writing at least one article a day six days a week. I reported for three years at one newspaper and two years at my current newspaper before being moved into the IT department (I'm still not entirely sure how that move happened).

Freelance journalist over here...using Ubuntu and other open source software since that's all I can afford, :|

Heh, I've been half considering the IT move since I've been learning new skills, like setting up a server for backups in the home office...

Also, I've become rather fond of a program called TextRoom http://code.google.com/p/textroom/

It's like WriteRoom on the Mac or Q10 for Windows, distraction-free and whatnot...once you turn off the obnoxious typewriter sounds, of course.

Plus, it's the only Linux word processor I've found so far that has live word count, a feature that's indispensable for those of us who still write for print.

[ticopelp]

Writer by trade here as well. Thanks for the link to TextRoom, that is a godsend! Just what I've been looking for!

[wykedengel]

writer and publisher here (i know, you can't tell by the lowercase writing *smile*). i am working on a novel, write short stories and publish a literary magazine. (i am currently working on the website as a companion to the electronic publiction, to be released march 2009.

[Ntacman]

Sorry about not responding to this thread. If you wish to PM me some of your work, I'd be happy to read!

[airjaw]

I write, mostly hiphop lyrics right now but I plan on writing a screenplay eventually.

RE: Wordgrinder.. i'm interested in trying it out, but is there a way to change the background and the text color? I don't like writing on black background. It's too much for my eyes.

[wykedengel]

speaking of tools of the trade, what does everyone work in? i use either gedit or openoffice writer. I like using gedit because i focus more on getting out the words then on spellcheck and stuff like that. when i bang out a rough draft, i import into writer and then begin the revision process.

[hessiess]

I dont mind wrighting, and am slowly wrighting a noval. Though i manly seem to wright essays for collage recently...
Tools wise, just Vim. Through in a few LaTeX macros if it needs printing.

[SomeGuyDude]

I dont mind wrighting, and am slowly wrighting a noval. Though i manly seem to wright essays for collage recently...
Tools wise, just Vim. Through in a few LaTeX macros if it needs printing.

Your editor is going to murder you in your sleep when you give him that novel. :lolflag:

Also, political writer here, graduate with a degree in English Writing and Political Science. Run a moderately popular website, have a full-length book on religion written, but it's dirty and needs a LOT of fixing that I just simply haven't had the will to put into it. Sigh.

I use OpenOffice. I'd -like- to use AbiWord but it has absolutely no support for MSWord formats (yes, I tried to open a .docx in AW and it just blew up), which I need for passing drafts back and forth between people. I wish there was a direct port of Word 2007 available, because for someone piecing together a book there is no better tool. It's MADE for book formatting.

[neil_kelli]

I'm no writer, but I'm trying my hand at blogging. I'm not sure how I like it yet

[simtaalo]

writer here, if you want to see examples of my work please read the blogs at www.myspace.com/thesymmetry

[Dirjel]

Sure, I write a little.
http://dirjel.deviantart.com/art/12-25-110085838

I'm quite proud of this story. I'm working on a few others, off and on. We'll see if they ever come to anything, though XD

[Firestem4]

I have written a couple of small stories for fun.

I love to write but I have personal demons when it comes to writing. I'm only 19 and i don't feel like I know enough when it comes to writing about something..I'm very much a perfectionist so there is always something I feel is missing, or could be done differently but I don't know it.

Anyways I have a revised short chapter from a story i started writing a long time ago. I have not done much but I add to it ocasionaly. I will eventually finish it and hopefully get it published.'

well..i was going to upload it as ODT but the filesize was too large (by 10kb's)

Tell me, why on a Linux forum, with Open Source, does .doc get a higher upload limit than ODT? =(!!!!

[Mason Whitaker]

I've written about 5 chapters of a book about a teenager living in a communist state ( Soviet Union is never said, but rather implied ).

I think I'll finish at chapter 10

[cmay]

i am a songwriter as hobby only. i also always write my own manuals for stuff i need to remember. right now its a small tutorial for myself about c programming. i read a lot and forget just as much as i read. i did some writing on Psykology that i have copied in a larger amount around twenty copies and people actually been asking themselves to have a copy of it. i dont know why since i am not so proud of and i was only twenty two when i wrote it. i become more wise since then. so i guess i am a tiny writer spirit somehow but as all things i do its hobby only. and i wont think i ever can make anything with writing that could end up having much interest other than few people that likes my notes on psykology for some reason. (hmm...free homework notes maybe)

[grid6]

I'm looking for someone to write about Ubuntu/Linux for my online pub...

PM me if interested!

[Ntacman]

I know for sure I'd be intrested. And yeah, Sorry for not being on for so long if anyone wanted to talk to me :/, So yeah, Im back.

[Wv0wvw88wvw0vW]

I like writing. I'm writing a novel at the moment, themed on nihilist existentialism, expressed through fiction. For example, each chapter will depict another person, some reoccuring, but each person will have the same personality, i.e. disindividualism of conformist society. Each of these characters will be writing a book, this book is a metaphor for the ultimate mark of their existence, near the end of the novel someone else will flick through the book which turns out to be empty, despite these characters writing in it etc.

Would you like to start an Ubuntu Forum Social Group for writers?

[Wv0wvw88wvw0vW]

I reccomend you use Google Docs, that way you don't have to rely on the robustness of your computer.

[sharon.gmc]

I am also a writer. I am currently writing an ebook. It's my 2nd ebook.

[Ntacman]

I reccomend you use Google Docs, that way you don't have to rely on the robustness of your computer.

Mmm...Google docs, One of google's best additions.

[zmjjmz]

I reccomend you use Google Docs, that way you don't have to rely on the robustness of your computer.

I would read the EULA before doing that. Srsly.

I can write, but I prefer not to.

[Ntacman]

Anyone here ever heard of LuLu?

[Ntacman]

Epic Self Publishing Link Here. (http://www.lulu.com/)
Publish your own books/ebooks with LuLu, all for free. Here's a complete list of what you can publish with LuLu.
Paperback
Hardback
Comic Books
Dissertation
cook books
product manuals
Sales proposal
Travel Guides
Presentations
Directories
Textbooks
Training Manuals
Course Outlines
Brochures
Yearbooks
Photo books
Wedding Books
Calenders
Portfolios
E books
Images
CD
DVD
Digital Files

[mewithafez]

Cory Doctorow is a legend:

He just posted this thing called Flashbake, I hope I'm the first to post this

http://www.boingboing.net/2009/02/13/flashbake-free-versi.html

PS. would describe but he does in the link, awesome tool for writers that just came out.

EDIT: look for response below for better explanation.

[HammerOfDoubt]

Seems like a needless program if you just make backups of your files before you start a major re-write. Whatever happend to the concept of Rough draft 1, Rought draft 2, First draft 1, ...

[JackieChan]

I've been writing since middle school. I have work (novels, short stories, and poems) ready to get published, but I keep getting rejected from publishers. They can't reject me forever, one of these days I'll get something published.

I do agree, a Linux distribution for writers would be great. :)

[shatteredmindofbob]

I do agree, a Linux distribution for writers would be great. :)

I'll settle for getting live word count added to OpenOffice Writer

[MikeTheC]

How's this, folks?


From the Adama Journals:


Six Earth months. I once thought I would never learn Earth's terminology for the measurement of time, but I have come to understand precisely what they mean by it. Six months is long enough for the fleet to have made it's way to the thirteenth tribe, but too short to settle there. It's long enough for us to have made acquaintances and renewed ties with our bretheren, but too short to count them fully amongst our friends. And lastly, six months is long enough to catch one's breath, but not long enough to relearn what it means to rest and be at peace.

For a little over a thousand yahren, the conflict between Cylons and humanity has been waged, fought across systems vast and complex, across the surface of a hundred worlds in places both legendary and obscure. Humans, whether Colonial or Earth-born, are a feisty, tenacious and plucky lot. We seem to endure both in spite of our enemy's best efforts, and even in spite of ourselves. We are resourceful, imaginative and resilient in the face of incredible odds, and though we may not always win the day, these traits give me great hope and much confidence that, though it take a hundred yahren more, we will prevail.

And in the pursuit of peace, one can only wonder if we will find any alliance strong enough to help us combat the Cylon menace, especially one which seems not to have found peace with many of it's own neighbors. The Draconians, the Osirians, the various other unaligned and warring worlds and systems could all potentially undermine what fragile hope we have to fight the Cylons, but win a war against all such attempts at genocide. This isn't about sheer might of numbers alone; history all too well has shown us that even the mightiest and largest of civilizations can fall due to sabotage or decay from within. It is about the strength of ideals, the will to continue on in the face of certain defeat, the hope that one day, we will overcome.

Perhaps Captain Rogers is right: the honeymoon will soon be over as citizens of the Terran Federation and other allied worlds put themselves in harm's way on our behalf.

[mewithafez]

Seems like a needless program if you just make backups of your files before you start a major re-write. Whatever happend to the concept of Rough draft 1, Rought draft 2, First draft 1, ...

Well, he does a pretty good job explaining why in the post. This takes automatic snapshots so that not only do you not need to prioritize drafts or revisions BUT somebody else looking over your work could see why you went the way you did, how you did, intricacies that might not come out in your pruned rough drafts. Furthermore, most publishing houses only release the final draft so that the only hope there is for finding drafts in the hands of the author, which more and more do not save "unfinished" works after the final has been completed.

Just imagine sitting there with a remote control watching your work grow, branches form and be pruned, scenes be mapped then overwritten with detail maybe not precisely matching your original intent eventually leaving you with your finished product. And you had to do absolutely nothing to get this except select a folder you'd like it to watch.

EDIT: But you know, one man's trash, another's treasure. I guess what I object to is the way you dismissed it as if nobody would be interested.

[Sand & Mercury]

Anyways I have a revised short chapter from a story i started writing a long time ago. I have not done much but I add to it ocasionaly. I will eventually finish it and hopefully get it published.'
I gave your story a read now, good work! It's nicely written.

@ MikeTheC: Good stuff from you too. It's interesting, and it's written in a way that's engaging too. If you're gonna publish that, hit us up and I'll grab a copy. :D

I'm in the process of writing a novel too. It will be my second finished novel, hopefully the first to be published. It's also the first time I've started writing when I have a summary detailing the book from beginning to end, with enough detail that the only things I have to worry about are small minute-to-minute details. Writing this way has taken a massive weight off of my shoulders and is really making the writing process very simple and enjoyable.

If anyone's interested, here's a small excerpt from my progress:

Decay - 1½ chapters, PDF, 234KB (http://sandandmercury.net/junk/Decay-Excerpt.pdf)

[el mariachi]

I just use LaTeX for my writing.

I would show some of my work, but it's all in portuguese... I love to do a little thing though that would be cool if you guys tried to do it as well hehe try writing a short story with only 50 LETTERS

I did it :D

it must have time, space, characters, action and a narrator. It's very hard, almost like playing a hardcore sudoku try it guys :D I'll try to translate my first one (the simplest I did)
edit:

In it's native language

Levei-o até às docas. Queria vingança meu amor... Puxei o gatilho.

Translated by me

Took him to the docks. I wanted vengeance my love... I pushed the trigger.

It's not a perfect one but it serves as an example ;)

[MikeTheC]

Translated by me
Pushed the trigger? I think you mean "pulled". :)

[el mariachi]

yeah :p

[Ntacman]

How's this, folks?


From the Adama Journals:


Six Earth months. I once thought I would never learn Earth's terminology for the measurement of time, but I have come to understand precisely what they mean by it. Six months is long enough for the fleet to have made it's way to the thirteenth tribe, but too short to settle there. It's long enough for us to have made acquaintances and renewed ties with our bretheren, but too short to count them fully amongst our friends. And lastly, six months is long enough to catch one's breath, but not long enough to relearn what it means to rest and be at peace.

For a little over a thousand yahren, the conflict between Cylons and humanity has been waged, fought across systems vast and complex, across the surface of a hundred worlds in places both legendary and obscure. Humans, whether Colonial or Earth-born, are a feisty, tenacious and plucky lot. We seem to endure both in spite of our enemy's best efforts, and even in spite of ourselves. We are resourceful, imaginative and resilient in the face of incredible odds, and though we may not always win the day, these traits give me great hope and much confidence that, though it take a hundred yahren more, we will prevail.

And in the pursuit of peace, one can only wonder if we will find any alliance strong enough to help us combat the Cylon menace, especially one which seems not to have found peace with many of it's own neighbors. The Draconians, the Osirians, the various other unaligned and warring worlds and systems could all potentially undermine what fragile hope we have to fight the Cylons, but win a war against all such attempts at genocide. This isn't about sheer might of numbers alone; history all too well has shown us that even the mightiest and largest of civilizations can fall due to sabotage or decay from within. It is about the strength of ideals, the will to continue on in the face of certain defeat, the hope that one day, we will overcome.

Perhaps Captain Rogers is right: the honeymoon will soon be over as citizens of the Terran Federation and other allied worlds put themselves in harm's way on our behalf.
Epic win. And to all those wanting to get published, Even though I haven't gotten anything written to get published by this service, I recommend LuLu, and if you wanna take it a step further, by buying a LuLu ISBN, although if anyone more familiar with Royalties wants to take a look at that kinda stuff, please, do.

[HammerOfDoubt]

I guess what I object to is the way you dismissed it as if nobody would be interested.

Well, I guess I came off as rather dismissive.

I'm sort of stuck in my way about how I like to do things writing-wise. I have my rough drafts folder, my early drafts folder, my final drafts folder, and a file just to keep scraps that I took out but found especially well constructed and may re-use in the future. Oh, and an ideas folder, a physical notebook I carry around, a box with everything in hard copy...

Objectively, Doctorow's thing looks like a good way to keep track, but I like my way better because versions are in individual files and not dependent on a program/script/whatever.

To each his own.