Forum/Board for Prose Writing

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  • Forum/Board for Prose Writing

    I know we have many writers on this board (not just screenwriters) so...

    1. Can you suggest/recommend a forum/board for prose (specifically short stories but that may be too specific) writers as good as Done Deal? I went to quite a few I found online and was not impressed.

    2. Any suggestions/recommendations for a review service like Evil Rabbit or Script Gal but for prose writing?

    Am considering writing a short story.

    Thanks all.
    Last edited by Done Deal Pro; 09-01-2020, 09:14 AM. Reason: Moved to its own thread in proper forum

  • #2
    Re: Forum/Board for Prose Writing

    I never found one either, not that I tried hard. I flirt with writing a novel, 1/2 through one and it's probably terrible and I realize, oh crap, how can I get eyes on this.

    But I would say, most of us on here dabble in both worlds -- and if you write 20 page treatments like a lot of us do -- well is that not prose writing?

    So maybe you already found the right place is all I'm saying.

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    • #3
      Re: Forum/Board for Prose Writing

      Originally posted by socalwriter1 View Post
      I know we have many writers on this board (not just screenwriters) so...

      1. Can you suggest/recommend a forum/board for prose (specifically short stories but that may be too specific) writers as good as Done Deal? I went to quite a few I found online and was not impressed.

      2. Any suggestions/recommendations for a review service like Evil Rabbit or Script Gal but for prose writing?

      Am considering writing a short story.

      Thanks all.
      Absolute Write is the best for what you're looking for.
      https://absolutewrite.com/forums/forum.php?

      You don't need (or want) to pay someone to read your story.

      At AW they have a Short Fiction sub-forum, though what you will ultimately want is to go to the Share Your Work forum (you'll need to be a member, and it's password protected) where you can post pages and get back a lot of excellent feedback. You can't post in that forum until you have 50 posts, however, but if participate in the community, especially by critting yourself, you'll get a lot of help. If you can identify your genre (for your story), post in that section as there's a lot of genre expertise over there.

      Good luck with your short story.

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      • #4
        Re: Forum/Board for Prose Writing

        Originally posted by Bono View Post
        But I would say, most of us on here dabble in both worlds -- and if you write 20 page treatments like a lot of us do -- well is that not prose writing?
        Sure, it's prose writing (as opposed to screenwriting) but most treatments (not all) are not, let's say, novelistic. Treatments tend to have a third person omniscient point of view (the camera's eye), while commercial novels and shorter fiction are usually written in the past or present tense and from the first person point of view, or from third person limited. Good treatments are rife with "voice" but still tend to tell what happens as opposed to how the characters think and feel about what's happening. You know, internal monologue.

        One way to think about the difference between novelistic prose writing and screenwriting is this: for the former (if you're good at it), people pay you to read what you've written. If you've built an audience, readers will even purchase your book in advance, sight unseen. However, for the latter, even if you're good, you may still have to use a lot of energy trying to convince others to read your screenplays. Or, if you are starting out, you may even have to pay people to read what you wrote. Disheartening sometimes, this dichotomy.

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        • #5
          Re: Forum/Board for Prose Writing

          Wow, I have not seen Cooper on the board in a long time!

          I agree that absolutewrite.com is the best. At least, I never found anything better for novels and short stories. I also agree that you should not pay someone to read your novel.

          And now the delicate part, which I will not dwell on. Nonetheless, I feel compelled to offer a comment or two.

          You know all that stuff that people always say does not matter in screenplays, things like grammar and style? Well, that stuff matters in stories and novels.

          The typical screenplay (even by professionals) is awful in terms of grammar and style. Do not think that you are going to shift into "novel mode" and start doing things correctly. It does not work that way.

          All I am saying is that you should not launch into writing a novel with the idea that it is going to be easy. It will be very difficult. Also, publishing a novel is a whole other issue in itself.

          Good luck!

          "The fact that you have seen professionals write poorly is no reason for you to imitate them." - ComicBent.

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          • #6
            Re: Forum/Board for Prose Writing

            Originally posted by ComicBent View Post
            You know all that stuff that people always say does not matter in screenplays, things like grammar and style? Well, that stuff matters in stories and novels.
            Yours is still the best sage advice, CB.

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            • #7
              Re: Forum/Board for Prose Writing

              Guys, you three have provided great info -- mucho thanks!

              CB, I'm a published magazine writer so I totally agree with you.

              But my articles have been interviews and "how-to's," (never was sure what you call this type of non-fiction writing -- anyone know?).

              I'm really psyched to give this short story thing a shot... think I have a great supernatural concept here (don't we all think we have something great, lol).

              Thanks again.

              p.s. Will, thanks for moving this post here.
              Last edited by socalwriter1; 09-02-2020, 08:48 AM. Reason: Forgot to thank Admin.

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Forum/Board for Prose Writing

                Per your suggestions, I went to absolute write and it looks awesome. Just a little annoyed that one has to register first before one can use the search engine. Unlike here. Wonder why they make you go through that extra step. But thanks for the heads-up on that resource.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: Forum/Board for Prose Writing

                  It's much like the logline and script pages feedback sub-forums here, you have to be signed in to see them, so every casual surfer on the internet can't read your material, the data isn't collected by bots and spiders.

                  The Share Your Work forum (and some others) on the AW message board need you to be signed in and also to enter the SYW password to view what's in there, for the same reason -- privacy.

                  Also if you post any story in an open forum for the internet to see, you've technically just thrown away your first rights, many publishers make this clear in their guidelines.

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                  • #10
                    Re: Forum/Board for Prose Writing

                    Ahhh, got it. Thanks.

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