The WTF Thread

[Van Buren Supernova]

7 hours ago, Carol the Dabbler said:

My current excuse is that I need to rewrite one chapter.  Well, that's not JUST an excuse, I really do need to rewrite it, because it was set in a real place (it's a mystery novel) and that place is now quite different.  But I found an even better way to handle the chapter, so just need to write it that way.

Best wishes!

Is there a detective in there? Is his name... John?

 

7 hours ago, Carol the Dabbler said:

As far as telling y'all about it, I've been in a quandary -- whether to publish it under my real name (in which case I couldn't very well "out" myself here) or under a pseudonym.  Lately I've been toying with using the pseudonym "Carol Dabler" or "Carol T. Dabler" (with just the one 'b" it's an actual surname).  I guess if people who know me by my real name asked why I chose that pseudonym, I could just say it's a mystery. 

Wait, Dabbler is not your real name? 

There are pros and CONS about using real name. The reality that I still struggle with is putting myself out there, although I still hide behind anonymity. Apparently, the books don't sell themselves! My effort is minimum, as said, I don't have the budget so I don't advertise. I don't join cliques or anything. However, I try to somewhat exist and interact in at least other one social media that is not here so once in a while I can post about my books. Even so, I hardly do that as I don't feel want to clog others' feed with unsolicited book promos. 

Just like the nature of social media, it can be a cesspool. My experience has been decent, but I have seen dramas and personal attacks. I think it's healthy for the mind to separate it with real life. However, those who there to do so have the benefit of looking more established and professional. Many have 'author portrait' while all I have is my dog with his naked friends or random scenery.

Maybe I should use a pen name 'Blabbler the Third.'

 

8 hours ago, Carol the Dabbler said:

If you don't mind telling, what did she think of it?

She loves it  And to add another cake on a cake, she hasn't been reading for years but she finished mine in relatively short time (400+ pages). It's my latest, I haven't told her about others, but I'm already very grateful.

[Carol the Dabbler]

9 hours ago, Van Buren Supernova said:

Is there a detective in there? Is his name... John?

Sorry -- it's not fanfic!    

9 hours ago, Van Buren Supernova said:

She loves it  

Yay!  

 

 

[Van Buren Supernova]

On 9/11/2025 at 12:25 AM, Carol the Dabbler said:

Sorry -- it's not fanfic!    

Actually that didn't cross my mind.

I thought since it's a mystery, there should be a detective that is in line with what we like here, and since you like John, I thought you'd be inspired to use his name.

[Carol the Dabbler]

On 9/12/2025 at 6:18 AM, Van Buren Supernova said:

I thought since it's a mystery, there should be a detective that is in line with what we like here, and since you like John, I thought you'd be inspired to use his name.

Ah!  Well, they say "write what you know, so -- having far more practice at being a female than a male -- I very rarely write male protagonists.

 

[Van Buren Supernova]

10 hours ago, Carol the Dabbler said:

Ah!  Well, they say "write what you know, so -- having far more practice at being a female than a male -- I very rarely write male protagonists.

Actually, that is not a good advice, imo. Imagine only writing about the things you really know. You wouldn't get LOTR, Star Trek, right?

Research and imagination is powerful, don't give yourself limitations.

P.S. I have only written males' PoV, and thankfully, not one had criticized or complained about them yet (5). There are many readers who think I am a male, which I neither confirm nor deny. They didn't ask anyway, they are just very confident with the pronoun. But I'm happy!

[Carol the Dabbler]

6 hours ago, Van Buren Supernova said:

Imagine only writing about the things you really know. You wouldn't get LOTR, Star Trek, right?

I'm pretty sure that the "write what you know" advice is meant as just a starting point!  (After all, they didn't say "write ONLY what you know.")

So please note that hobbits and Vulcans are very similar to humans, making it easy to start with humans and make analogies.  Also, both of those story lines use human experience and/or science as a basis for what sorts of things are possible.  Some really fine stories (e.g., Hal Clement's novel Mission of Gravity) invent very stranger new worlds (and the species that inhabit them) by extrapolating from the few worlds (and species) that we do know about, using science that is also known.

If you're comfortable writing male protagonists, that's great, and you've got lots of company -- J. K. Rowling (and Harry Potter), Dorothy L. Sayers (and Lord Peter Wimsey) -- and surely loads more that aren't immediately coming to my mind.  I just meant that a female protagonist is generally my personal starting point.  I have occasionally written a male protagonist when the situation seems to call for it.

 

[Van Buren Supernova]

Yeah, some writing advices are okay, but most of them are a load of crap (loads of craps? Loads of crap? Load of craps?), because some snobbish people think it’s their way or no way. There is no size fits all except Sherlock’s sheet.

Now that I’m back on social media (other than here, is this forum considered as social media?), the experience can be very weird to me. People can be so needy and dramatic, that’s a given, but there are others who cater to them, which makes it a cesspool.

I remember it used to be a good place to make real connections, find missing friends, and a place to share updates with people who we actually know.

Now, it’s full of fakes, bots, spammers, liars, scammers, identical-looking people fishing for compliments and sympathy, or mean people who kick others when they are down.

It’s good that I still have a reasonable circle that makes the experience bearable and even fun, finding others who have the same lame sense of humor.

I can’t imagine what it’s like to never experience a world without it. I really don’t envy the new generation.

Done, this is my old man shaking the fist to the sky moment for today.

[Carol the Dabbler]

16 hours ago, Van Buren Supernova said:

Yeah, some writing advices are okay, but most of them are a load of crap (loads of craps? Loads of crap? Load of craps?)

You had it right the first time -- and by "right" I mean the way most native speakers (who held that opinion) would say it.

16 hours ago, Van Buren Supernova said:

is this forum considered as social media?)

Uh, I think so.      But the term seems to be used most often for places such as The Site Formerly Known as Twitter, Facebook, and such.  (Those with more social-media experience are cordially invited to correct me.)

16 hours ago, Van Buren Supernova said:

I remember it used to be a good place to make real connections, find missing friends, and a place to share updates with people who we actually know.

Now, it’s full of fakes, bots, spammers, liars, scammers, identical-looking people fishing for compliments and sympathy, or mean people who kick others when they are down.

I assume you're talking about certain other places (some more than others), and if so, I'm really glad I wasn't real sure about my answer to your prior question!

16 hours ago, Van Buren Supernova said:

It’s good that I still have a reasonable circle that makes the experience bearable and even fun, finding others who have the same lame sense of humor.

I can’t imagine what it’s like to never experience a world without it. I really don’t envy the new generation.

Done, this is my old man shaking the fist to the sky moment for today.

Well said!    

 

[Van Buren Supernova]

Yes, I'm talking about Twitter. 

I have to be on at least one just to exist if I want a slight hope to sell my books.

I thought writing was a safe industry full of introverts, smart, drama-free people. I was so very wrong. There are so many dramas there. Just a few of them are enough to cloud everything.

Some can be very discouraging as well. Just saw a post of someone gloating about engaging professionals in everything, therefore his work is off course better quality than those who don't. I'm talking about numbers that can be equivalent to life savings here. Many chimed in in agreement and of course implying others who don't do so are inferior.

I don't argue with his logic, he has a point, but just because X + Y probably equal to Z, doesn't mean that's the only way, right?

This is just one example, my way or high way is very common. 

 

[Carol the Dabbler]

On 9/20/2025 at 2:00 AM, Van Buren Supernova said:

There are so many dramas there. Just a few of them are enough to cloud everything.

Unfortunately that's true of just about everywhere, isn't it?

On 9/20/2025 at 2:00 AM, Van Buren Supernova said:

Just saw a post of someone gloating about engaging professionals in everything, therefore his work is off course better quality than those who don't. I'm talking about numbers that can be equivalent to life savings here. Many chimed in in agreement and of course implying others who don't do so are inferior.

I assume there is some difference, and such books may well be more professional looking, more trendy, etc., so they may sell better, but considering the extra investment, there may not be more profit.  As for "better," that depends on your point of view.  For one thing, I suspect his editors work extremely hard to remove anything that could conceivably cause the slightest offense to anybody, and while the result would appeal to some people, it tends to come at the expense of originality, and might therefore actually appeal less to the sort of people who'd be most likely to become your fans.  What he's doing may work for him, but your tight budget may be your ally.  Sounds like you already had that figured out, though.

Come to think of it, this guy may very well feel insecure and doesn't trust his own judgement, so perhaps his boasting amounts to whistling in the dark*.
 

* "to assume a pretence of courage, to disguise one’s fear with a jaunty manner" [https://wordhistories.net/2025/05/25/whistle-in-dark/]

 

[Carol the Dabbler]

My cellphone rang a few minutes ago.  When I answered, a woman's voice (apparently recorded) said "I'm sorry, that is not a valid extension.  Please try again."  Couldn't think of any appropriate response to that, so I hung up.

Maybe the robo-callers have finally exhausted all their halfway plausible opening lines?

 

[Van Buren Supernova]

On 9/22/2025 at 9:27 AM, Carol the Dabbler said:

I assume there is some difference, and such books may well be more professional looking, more trendy, etc., so they may sell better, but considering the extra investment, there may not be more profit.  As for "better," that depends on your point of view.  For one thing, I suspect his editors work extremely hard to remove anything that could conceivably cause the slightest offense to anybody, and while the result would appeal to some people, it tends to come at the expense of originality, and might therefore actually appeal less to the sort of people who'd be most likely to become your fans.  What he's doing may work for him, but your tight budget may be your ally.  Sounds like you already had that figured out, though.

Come to think of it, this guy may very well feel insecure and doesn't trust his own judgement, so perhaps his boasting amounts to whistling in the dark*.

You are right. That is how I treat them as well. By saying all those he should be able to prove that his work is a super quality. Sadly, while I don’t meant him, some people are ready to use money for anything, including buying reviews or whatever. Personally, I think that is against the purpose of writing, but what do I know about their purpose. I wouldn’t feel good and wouldn’t want anything fake. Most of the time, I’d just scroll and move on although sometimes I get worked up but my advantage is my time zone. I exist when everyone sleeps. It’s peaceful in the way and I miss most dramas.

 

On 10/23/2025 at 2:58 AM, Carol the Dabbler said:

My cellphone rang a few minutes ago.  When I answered, a woman's voice (apparently recorded) said "I'm sorry, that is not a valid extension.  Please try again."  Couldn't think of any appropriate response to that, so I hung up.

Maybe the robo-callers have finally exhausted all their halfway plausible opening lines?

Weird. I hope it’s not a scam.

A strange way of aliens trying to communicate with you? Good.

Scam? No.

[Van Buren Supernova]

I can't drink coffee for two weeks, most likely it's acid reflux. I hope nothing worse, but I can't drink coffee now. How am I supposed to write? I started drinking coffee in increasing dose since I start writing.

But that's okay. I'm experiencing the wonder of growing old. I used to get up and walk after falling from a cliff and now I pull a muscle by breathing. 

[Carol the Dabbler]

 

8 hours ago, Van Buren Supernova said:

I hope it’s not a scam

Oh, of course it's a scam.  Most of the phone calls I get nowadays are attempted scams.  But they can't succeed unless I cooperate with them.  So I just say sorry, I think you've got the wrong number.  Goodbye.  

6 hours ago, Van Buren Supernova said:

I can't drink coffee for two weeks, most likely it's acid reflux.  . I hope nothing worse, but I can't drink coffee now. How am I supposed to write? I started drinking coffee in increasing dose since I start writing.

Recently, shortly after starting a new med, I started having acid reflux every time I ate tomatoes.  So of course I blamed the med, and talked the doctor into running another test, which showed that I didn't even need the med.  Yay!  So now I can eat tomatoes again.  But let me point out that coffee isn't exactly a food, more of a drug, which may be why you kept needing more and more.  Maybe you're better off without it.  In any case, I hope you find out what's going on.

7 hours ago, Van Buren Supernova said:

I'm experiencing the wonder of growing old. I used to get up and walk after falling from a cliff and now I pull a muscle by breathing

I know what you mean!  A few years ago, I sprained my ankle pretty badly while walking across the kitchen.  I didn't twist the ankle or anything like that, so I have absolutely no idea exactly what caused the sprain.  It was a couple of years before I could be on my feet without the ankle swelling up, so I lost a lot of muscle mass.  Once I started exercising again, most of it came back.  There are some muscles that are still weak, though, so I've started doing additional exercises, and am keeping my fingers crossed.  I can't help getting older -- but damned if I'm gonna get OLD without a fight!