The Writers Bloc

Welcome to The Writers Bloc, the home base for theOtaku.com's beta-readers and a place for writers to come with questions and learn some new tricks and methods of storytelling, writing, or pretty much anything involving this mutt of a language we call Modern English.

Our Current Pool of Editors and Beta-Readers Includes:

Andromeda Spira
Anomaly
cutepresea (*Doesn't do fanfics*)
Ichigo (Anime Pulse)
Kastom (*Doesn't do fanfics*)
Katana (*Doesn't do fanfics*)
Kimmeh
Lady Katana
Mimmi
Miss Anonymous
Nehszriah
NightBeck
Red Tigress
Sangome (*Doesn't do fanfics*)
sesshy.uber.rad
Starscream
Timber (*Doesn't do fanfics*)
Timechaser
TwistedCyberChick
waywardwarrior

If you have a story, essay, or any written work that you feel could use the assistance of a beta reader or editor, choose a beta-reader from the above list and PM them for availability.

As well, be sure to come visit every now and then to take part in writing workshops and discussions. And of course, if you have your own questions, don't be afraid to ask them here; we're neither teachers nor betters, but peers hoping to help.

The Weekly Schedule:

Monday: SomeGuy's Workshop (SomeGuy)
Tuesday: Rotating Guest Post (Various)
Wednesday: The Wednesday Word (SomeGuy)
Thursday: Beck's Workshop (NightBeck)
Friday: Updates and Open Questions (All)
Sunday: Becky's Writers' Block Busters (NightBeck)

So once again... welcome to The Bloc.

(Banner Design Courtesy of Red Tigress - thanks Red!)

Created By SomeGuy

Beck's Writing Workshop, Session Fifteen

Hey there, Bloc. Well, I suck really badly, and my workload is showing no sign of slowing up, so I'm afraid I still don't have time to write up a workshop this week. However, I've been ignoring the Bloc way too much lately, so let's try to have some fun, yeah?

(This was suggested by ShadowLight a few days ago, so thanks, babes!)

What we're going to do today to try to warm up for the Writers' Jam is a good old-fashioned collaborative story: I'll give you a starting line, one of you will continue it with a few lines of your own, and it keeps on going. Don't think too much about it, just write the first thing that comes to mind. And remember to make it scary!

To avoid confusion, comment in reply to the person whose thread you're continuing. Then they can follow the story, too!

Ready?

***

"I'm never going back there."

Beck's Writing Workshop, Session Fourteen

Okay, so, maybe it's almost Friday, and maybe I'm busy as sin, but I'm going to try to get a short workshop done just so I'm not slacking off here. We've talked a lot about how to give good critiques, but what about receiving them? It's ha...

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Beck's Writing Workshop, Session Thirteen

Hey, y'all. It's going to have to be another discussion post this week - Tropical Storm Fay blew out my electricity, so I'm running on my laptop's battery power and my inexplicably still-running internet.

Your discussion question is:

What is the difference between tragedy and angst in fiction? Do you think there's a certain point where the line can be drawn, or does it run on a case-by-case basis? Do you think realism should be strictly adhered to, or is it okay to be a little unrealistic to bring the melodrama levels down?

Beck's Writing Workshop, Session Eleven

Hey, all! It's Thursday, which means it's time for my workshop, of course. I have a very special workshop tonight: a jointly-taught lesson! And for this joint workshop, my co-teacher will be TV Tropes, aka the bes...

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Beck's Writing Workshop, Session Ten

Hey everyone! Well, I'm finally ready to do that write-up on dialogue. I've been lacking coherency in most shapes and forms lately - curse you, Florida heat! I've always been told that dialogue is one of the stronger points in my writing (...

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