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Be gentle - I've got an axe!

Greetings one, greetings all.

Having been told by my late mother to always be polite, I thought I'd do the right thing and post here first. Seems logical. (My mother's not dead, by the way. She's just very bad at timekeeping.)

Anyway, I'll keep this brief:

My name's Tom.

Too brief? Okay then, I'll bore you with some details. Be warned, though – I'm a very dull person, so if you've got anything better to do, such as descaling your toenails, I'd suggest you do that now and come back for the end. You'll thank me someday.

Right, what to say? As mentioned above, my name's Tom. I'm 40 years old, though on a good day with the wind blowing in the right direction I could probably pass for 39. I've been reading fantasy and SF since I was about 11, and the first fantasy book I ever read was Lord of the Rings. I know it's fashionable in some circles to bash LotR, but it has a special place in my heart and I'll give a very stern look to anyone who suggests 'it's all about walking and silly songs' (as someone on TV once described it). In my list of Top Five Books it's right at the top, along with:

Feet of Clay by Terry Pratchett.
The Man Who Was Thursday by G.K. Chesterton
Gormenghast by Mervyn Peake
and Lord Foul's Bane by Stephen Donaldson.

Sadly, while I used to devour 4 or 5 books a week up until my twenties, the last couple of decades have pushed reading further into the realm of 'luxurious past-time', so I'm not up to speed on who the hot new authors are. Hopefully I'll pick up a few tips here.

On the writing front, I've been working on a novel for the past 15 years or so. The fact that it's still half-finished should give you some idea of how easily distracted I am. The fact that I tend to edit as I write, often spending hours over a sentence, knowing it's wrong but not knowing why it's wrong, is also a hindrance. I can't say I'm too bothered, though. I realise I'm not a great writer, so it wouldn't be published even if I did finish it. This is just one instance of the journey being more important than the destination. Writing keeps me off the streets, and as anyone who's ever seen me in the flesh can attest, that's a Very Good Thing.

Well, I think that's probably enough waffle for one day. It's quite possibly the greatest pleasure of my life to be here, and I'm not a man prone to exaggeration. Or lying. Honest.:p

Seriously, though, this looks like a friendly forum, so hopefully I'll be able to make some contribution to it, however meagre.

(And kudos to whoever designed the graphical interface - or whatever it's called - for the tasteful design. My eyes appreciate it.)

Oi! You can leave your toenails alone now, I'm done.
 
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kjjcarpenter

Minstrel
First off, great introduction. I love the topic name, it gave me a good laugh! Glad to have a few comedians here, Tom.

It's a shame that writing gets put on the back burner as we move forward in life. I suppose it's a matter of finding time to squeeze it in, but even that becomes a chore after awhile. I hope Mythic Scribes finds a way to bring the reader back out in you.

As for writing. I have a friend who is the exact same as you and writes laboriously slow, fussing over the same trivialities you do. I'd love to give you some advice; however, I will likely give it in another thread, I don't want to ramble on!

Hope to speak to you soon.
 

Black Dragon

Staff
Administrator
Hey Tom!

I have to say that you have one of the best screen names ever. Very badass.

And kudos to whoever designed the graphical interface - or whatever it's called - for the tasteful design. My eyes appreciate it.

Thanks! Both of my parents were art teachers, and spent countless hours teaching me about color schemes and design principles when I was a kid. At the time I didn't care too much for it, but enough sunk in. I'm glad that it's paying off. :)
 
As for writing. I have a friend who is the exact same as you and writes laboriously slow, fussing over the same trivialities you do. I'd love to give you some advice; however, I will likely give it in another thread, I don't want to ramble on!

Hope to speak to you soon.
Wotcha, kjj!:)Advice? I always listen to advice. I just don't always take it. You're more than welcome to try and drum some sense into my thick skull, though! I'd suggest you bring a big stick.

Hey Tom!

I have to say that you have one of the best screen names ever. Very badass.
Cheers, scary dragon!:D When I was thinking up a username, I don't think badass was necessarily what I was aiming for. Perhaps I over-egged the pudding somewhat. I'll try to find a Peppa Pig picture for my avatar to counteract the notion that I open beer bottles with my teeth.
 

Behelit

Troubadour
Greetings, At Dusk I Reign.

I've enjoyed your eloquence and wit thus far. Thank you for joining us and I hope you enjoy your stay.


The fact that I tend to edit as I write, often spending hours over a sentence, knowing it's wrong but not knowing why it's wrong, is also a hindrance.

I am right there with you on that one.

You may knock yourself(sarcastic or not.) as a humble writer, but I, without a doubt, see great potential in you. I hope our boards can be an asset of inspiration and a distraction only towards that which is not your writing! ;)
 

Legerdemain

Troubadour
Greeting Tom! Remember, no writers are truly good writers, while no writers are truly bad writers; to be a writer is to be judged by all, loved by some, poked at by others, and to immerse oneself into language. That immersion can neither be a waste of time nor of effort; it fuels the soul, if you will.

If you are writer, I see that as a good thing regardless of the significance of your actual results. That said, if you want better results, I hope this website can help both of us to that end. :)
 
Hey Tom! I love your screen name. Welcome to the forums. I hope you enjoy yourself here and I look forward to reading your work. Your introduction was awesome - definitely a writer!
 
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