Question

Hello! I'm a writer for fun and hopefully one day get one of my novels published, but as of right now I need some Help and advice! Any volunteers?

Answer 1

You need to ask a specific question.

Answer 2

Just for now, write till your hands cant write anymore....Then you place them all together, send them off and wait....wait.....wait......wait....wait....

Answer 3

well i am a new writer too and this is what i have so far i hope you can get some ideas:

I live in a world that barely survived WWIII. We only eat the food that was prepackaged when my grandparents were children. There are rumors that the government is almost out of it. The USA has recovered enough that those people with enough money to can send their children to a school that teaches the art of espionage.

I am one of those children.

Answer 4

@jagatuba Yeah sorry I was gonna post my "question" but i had to leave the house.
And thank you @FlvsGirl -there's not a day when I don't write ;-)
The problem I have as of now is that I am a bit stuck and unsure of how I should turn my story the way I want it to. I will post a short part of my story and a lil bit... btw @orion92898 very good writing you got there- keep it up, it looks like you got something there ;-)

Answer 5

What is your question?
As a writer myself I wouldn't wingspan writing just for fun, writing is an amazing art and a great way to express yourself. I have not published yet but I am a writer because I love it and I take it seriously and Its my passion and dream. Take writing seriously and never for fun, for fun you are not a real writer. Love what you write and make it your passion. (:

Answer 6

*count not wingspan wth

Answer 7

I say I write for fun too because it's what I love. Just because I think its fun doesn't mean that I or she doesn't take it seriously. I completely agree it is an art but how you define that art is up to you.

Answer 8

Also I am willing to help and another thing I posted something a little bit ago can some of cheek it out for me please... it would mean a lot

Answer 9

Now this is going to be very complicated to explain the story but i will try my best and hope you get the whole concept.

Glory Days is the title of my story and it is based in the 1940's. But in the beginning of the story it's around the year the year of 1980.

~"His name was James Anderson. His body lay there in the coffin. A corpse, cold as ice. His face drooped, his hair thinned and his wrinkles defined. He almost seemed unfamiliar. His face, I haven’t seen for more than twenty years. I laughed to myself, a nervous laugh, to try to keep my emotions calm. I stood in the back of the room unnoticed by the others who wept over the loss of this man. I knew a few people, but they wouldn’t remember me. Sniffles didn’t seem to cease. The room was cold. My heart was stone and I felt like I barely knew this man. I started to wonder why I came. And that’s when I started to think... I soon became deep in thought....and I started to wonder what was it like in his life… did he make a difference in this world? Was he someone significant? Who was this James Anderson? Was all the stories my uncle had told me were really true? "~

Now after this the story takes you to a flash back in the year of 1938 when James Anderson was just a mischievous 7 year old boy getting into all sorts of trouble and adventures with his two best friends, Mark and Travis. There are many levels of different characters and story plots, but the main character is James Anderson. Another importanat character is Shirley Belle, a poor sweet girl in James' 2nd grade class. Her dream is to become the best ballerina, but her parents have no money. Here's a little bit from the story...

~"Shirley looked in the window of the ballet studio. She desired to be one of them, they were beautiful, flawless, and absolutely perfect in everyway. She watched as the ballerina students danced and practiced their moves. The instructor would do a move and they would follow. She began to follow as well. Every move they did, she did to. Until she became so absorbed in her dancing it was as if she was in a different place. She felt peaceful and absolutely happy. As she danced and swirled, a loud voice shook her world apart and it crumbled back into reality. Shirley looked up and saw the dance instructor, she was standing right infront of her, while the ballet students were inside the studios snickering and laughing at Shirley.
“What is your name little girl?”
“My name is Shirley Belle.” She said in shy voice
“What are doing here outside my studio?”
“I was looking at the lovely dancing.”
“Do you have any intention of coming to learn at my studio?”
“Oh, I wish!.... It’s just that….”
“Just what?”
“It’s that… I...that…”
“Speak up child, I don't have all afternoon.”
“I don’t have any money.”
“Have you asked your parents?
“They don’t have any either.”
“If that’s so, then you have no business being here. You are a distraction to my students and I can’t have any delays.”
Shirley just stood there with her head down.

The dance instructor didn’t wait for her to respond she just went back inside the studio and clapped her hands two times and continued on with the ballet lesson. Shirley looked through the window one last time, ballet was everything she dreamed of. It was her very being, she just was too young to explain it. She felt as if she was made to dance and every time she did she was in a better place than the place that the world gave her. She had a talent for sure, she just didn’t know it was talent. She was gifted, and nobody seemed to recognize it. She walked away from the studio with a heart of broken hope.
Shirley Anne Belle, that’s what her name was. She was a quiet girl that would usually shy away from a crowd. No one paid her much attention, which she would rather prefer. When she walked home, she’d usually take the long way to be unnoticed. Everybody at school thought she was a smart sweet girl that never got into any trouble, which was partly true. Some even thought she lived the perfect life with a pretty dress and tiny raven black shoes. Could it all just have been a lie? Shirley looked as if she had the finest clothes, but did she hide the patches in her stockings with a long skirt or even hide the unfitted shoes by squeezing her toes making them blister? All this could it have been hidden with a lovely face? A sweet smile? No one would have ever suspected, no one would have ever noticed, if they even bothered to take a check, they all just carried on with their busy lives. "~

In the story you later find out that she lives with her abusive father who is often drunk and her mother, Bethnal whom is desperate to gain back her youthful days and often forgets about her children. Now her mother works at 'Pirkle's Corner', a home business Market run by James Anderson's grandmother, grandma Pirkle. Here's a brief section of the story where you can understand Bethnal character,

~ “Pardon me! I am terribly sorry!” She was a young woman who looked tired and stressed. She wore bright red lipstick and had her unwashed dark hair in a ragged bun. Her makeup was somewhat smeared. The circles beneath her eyes were darker than usual. Her name was Bethnal, Grandma Pirkle hired her a few years back. Grandma Pirkle only hired her because she seemed desperate for money, she was a poor women and an odd one. She never talked about her past or her current state in life. From time to time she mentioned someone named, ‘Stars’ but she wouldn’t tell anybody who ‘Stars’ was, she’d just simply change the subject. Every time she got her pay from grandma pirkle, she’d spend up all that money on accessories and clothes that were far beyond her needs and before she knew it there was no longer money left in her pocket when she got home. It was all wasted on glamorous things and cigarettes. She wouldn’t know any better, she never finished grade school.
“I’m sorry Ma’am.” James apologized helping her pick up her towels.
Once she got a hold of all of them she thanked James and walked into the back room where she placed all the towels in a large bin for them to be washed. After that she went in the market area where she had to stack the apples. She held one in her hand. It was a soft round apple. She could see her reflection upon the apples silky red skin, she had dirt on her slender face and she wasn’t satisfied with the way she looked. She yearned to look beautiful and young, just as she used to be eleven years ago. She tried to gain back her youthful years by running away from her current life she lived. She took the apple she held in her hand and looked around to see if anyone was looking, when no one was in sight, she slid the apple in the pocket of her apron. She did this once or twice a day, whenever she had the chance weather it be fruit or even a can of soup. She convinced herself that if she didn’t do this she would go hungry and starve.
Grandma Pirkle saw her do this every so often and whenever she did, she pity Bethnal, if she told her husband, he’d arrest her and Grandma Pirkle didn’t have it in her heart to arrest Bethnal. The first time Grandma Pirkle saw Bethnal steal a piece of fruit she confronted her and in the most soothing and kindly voice,
“Bethnal, the apples are for the customers.” Grandma Pirkle had a sweet smile on her face.
“Oh,” Bethnal was frightened from being caught and with a shaky voice she replied, “I didn’t take one. I wouldn’t take one of your apples Mrs. Pirkle.”
“Darling, it’s okay.” Grandma Pirkle reached to touch her hand to comfort her, not knowing that was the same hand she had the apple in.
Bethnal yanked her hand away and said with tears in her eyes,
“I can’t afford to lose my job! Please don’t fire me! I need this job….” Bethnal didn’t wait to hear for a reply she ran into the back room before Grandma Pirkle could say anything else.
Grandma Pirkle stood there by the apples in a bit of a shock. she felt great compassion for Bethnal. She just wished the best for Bethnal, so that very day she got together a basket and placed a small wool blanket inside. She then went around her shop and gathered up all her finest fruits and placed them in the basket on top of the blanket. After the basket was full she then wrote a small little note;
‘For Bethnal, May God keep you safe always.’
She put it in the back room by the door where Bethnal always walked passed.
The next morning the basket was gone and Bethnal didn’t say anything of it. " ~

Now here comes my problem... back at home, Shirley is talking to her older brother Hank.....

~ “Henry!” she let out with excitement.
Henry was a wonderful brother to Shirley. He also wanted the best for her and he’d make sure she was taken care of even if he was just ten years old.
“Guess what I saw today?”
“What did you see?” he asked holding a baseball bat.
“I went into town and saw ballerinas! They were beautiful Henry!” She saw with so much enthusiasm.
“That’s cool.”
“I wanna be one.” She said in a quite downcast voice.
“I know you do Shirley.”
“The ballet teacher said I needed money to dance.”
“Nah, I don’t think you need money to dance Shirley. That’s a pathetic answer. All you need for dancing is feet.”
“But, Henry… I need someone to teach me how to be the best ballerina.”
“All they want is to get your money Shirley. Anyone can dance. You can teach yourself.”
“But I’m not even done with school I, I’m not a teacher!”
Henry thought for a moment then said,
“I was in school yesterday and my teacher, Sr. Cecilia said that if we put our minds to something we can do anything with the help of God.”
“Maybe… that might be right.”

As night fell Shirley still had her thoughts on getting lessons from a teacher and not herself. She was in bed and she couldn’t get any sleep. She had to tell her mother about it but she didn’t know how. She couldn’t tell her father because he would often get angry at her for speaking. So she waited in bed until she heard her mother come home from work. Her mother usually routine would be to put her bags on top of the kitchen table then go straight to the bathroom and run the water to take a hot bath. "~

Yeah, I'm kinda stuck on how the mother should react when Shirley ask if she can take ballet. Bethnal is supposed to say no. But I just don't know how she'll say no. Bethnal is supposed to be an unstable women who's main focused is on satisfying her own desires. But at the same time she loves her daughter Shirley but she only can give a certain amount of love. They are a very poor family and could never afford any extra activities- or even nice food in that matter. So, yeah thats my problem... how should Bethnal react to Shirley Belle's question if she can learn dancing?.... any suggestions?

I have already written what will happen after Shirley talks to her mother and this is what I have...

~ Shirley walked out of her mother’s bedroom and went to her own bedroom. She went to bed like this every night, softly crying herself to sleep. Somedays she would cry because she was hungry, other days she’d cry because her father hit her. She was oblivious of why things happened the way they did. All she knew was her father was never there and when he was Hank would tell her to go play outside, and her mother kept getting all these beautiful dresses but they all just piled up in her mother closet.

She was sad. She curled up in her bed and and tried her hardest not to wake up Henry from her crying but she was too late.
“Shirley? Is that you?” He whispered.
“I’m sorry I woke you Henry…” She said behind her sniffles.
“It’s all right Shirley. What’s the matter? Why are you crying?” Henry asked sitting up in bed.
She just shook her head and wiped her tears.
“Was it pa Shirley? Did he hurt you?”
“No, Henry. I asked mother about ballet. She told me…” she started to cry and couldn’t seem to finish her words.
Henry moved closer to Shirley and put his arm around her and wiping her tears with his other hand.
“It’s okay Shirley. Don’t cry… I’m right here.” he said giving her a light squeeze.
“She told me… I will never become a ballerina.” She said bursting into tears that came down like a waterfall.
“Shirley… Please don’t cry. Ma doesn’t mean what she says. She probably had a rough day and is really tired.”
“You think so?”
“Yes, I do. She might be catching a cold or something.”
“If that’s so, Ma’s had a cold for a really long time.”
“Yeah, she needs some peace in quiet for now, okay Shirley?”
“Okay Henry.”
“Let’s go to sleep now.” Henry said lying back down to go to sleep.
“Henry?”
“Shirley?”
“If I can’t get ballet lessons, I’m not going to give up. I’ll just have to teach myself.”
“That’s my girl! and I promise you… you will be the very best ballerina ever.”
“good night Henry.”
“Sweet dreams Shirley.”

They both closed their eyes and fell asleep. " ~

Answer 10

gee.... lol i didn't mean foe i to be that long lol... sorry :/

Answer 11

for it*

Answer 12

its okay I have vb practice in a little so i'll have to leave but I will read it after. then I will have more tie

Answer 13

okay thank you so much! :)

Answer 14

no prob

Answer 15

It has great concept and your description of what's going on is good as well. I have nothing negative to say about it.

Answer 16

I really like it. Keep it up

Answer 17

@ispike thank you for your feed back hey i have a website suggestion it is a writing website where you can read books written by amateurs and you can post your story on there it is wattpad.com

Answer 18

and @linda3 btw

Answer 19

Lol yea I'm on it my username is PositivelyDyslexic. I just got on it recently so I don't have much. I'll look you up

Answer 20

thank you

Answer 21

i am following you now

Answer 22

Whats your username

Answer 23

orion92898

Answer 24

So.... can someone help me with my problem?

Answer 25

like any suggestions on how Bethnal should react or say when Shirley asks her mom if she can have ballet lessons?

Answer 26

so as for the ballerina thing have yoou ever read flowers in the attic because the main character Cathy wants to be a ballerina and she has BIG problems thru the whole book and Petals on the Wind she sorta kinda obtains her dream and runs into more problems (and no you can't watch the T.V show if you are going to write a book you have to be committed to looking thoroughly at any information)

Answer 27

hey wait!

Answer 28

you should make a wattpad.com and post your story online and i will read it

Answer 29

hmmm.... i'm kinda iffy on that because once my story has copyright on it, publishers don't usually want to accept it and publish it. I'll research more about wattpad and I'll let you know what i decide. But thank you! :)

Answer 30

by the way your pics are cute and thank you did you seriously paint/draw them?

Answer 31

yes, I'm an artist. I use different medium, you can check out my different blog post and my 'about me' page. :-) feel free to become a follower. :-)

Answer 32

okay i love 'serenity' the one with Rapunzel

Answer 33

thank you so much!

Answer 34

i wann it!

Answer 35

I am a writer myself anything I can help you with?

Answer 36

yes @NeedHelpStatKid I'm a bit suck on how I should have one my characters react when she is asked a certain question. Please read my very long comment above which sould give you more details. thank you!

Answer 37

Linda that's really good I love it. Very well written.

Answer 38

Sure thing and i will give advice after i read it

Answer 39

@linda3
^^ hope u publish ur novel as soon as possible
my advice is like this :-

to write u need passion +courage
dnt feel shy to write any thing u want
most great creativity writing is the one
that no one dare to write :D
good luck !

Answer 40

thank u @ikram002p one day it will :)

Answer 41

np :D

Answer 42

SO THAT"S THE CONTINUATION OF THE STORY that I was reading?! (^_^)
verry nice linda! ;p
oops caps lock again, sowee -.-

Answer 43

lol... >.< yes it's bits and parts of the story... you were reading, if anyone would like the full 3 chapters just message me to let me know if your interested! :)

@ikram002p , @orion92898 , @mysticghost @secret66 , @ispike , @Data_LG2

Answer 44

i love too ;p
if i will have a spare time or a vacation, i can read it
i'll just message you when :))

Answer 45

okie dokie! sounds good ;-)