76 Comments
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Jodie's avatar

What a cool opportunity to create, share, brainstorm, etc. with others! Thank you so much for the opportunity to connect with other creatives!

LOVE the Discord name, by the way. ;)

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Ricky Olson's avatar

Thanks, Jodie!

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Candis C.'s avatar

I've always been more of a reader than a writer but I am taking a creative writing course this semester so it would be nice to show my work to some people and possibly get feedback if I manage to write it with any time to speare before the due dates. 😂 And as for a book club, I think it will be great! I recently joined my first in person book club and I would love to have more online.

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Linda's avatar

This is such a fabulous idea Ricky and even though I am a dinosaur with Discord, it seems everyone is on it! I don't read enough, so a book club will be a kick up the backside for me! I just block negativity and life is too short for people being nasty! I am glad you voiced this and a huge thank you. Take care Ricky and have a super rest of the week.

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Ricky Olson's avatar

Thanks, Linda! Whenever I get details for the book club, I'll relay them here on Substack, too.

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Linda's avatar

Thank you so very much Ricky. Take care.

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Sara H's avatar

You could have written The Road but Cormac McCarthy never could have written Gloom!

I'm mostly joking, but in all seriousness, a book club sounds great! I already work in a bookstore so adding a book club to the list will really help my book nerd status lol. I love this space, thank you for making it!

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Ricky Olson's avatar

Hah! Very, very sweet of you to say.

Glad to help, and glad to have you a part of it.

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Becca Quirk's avatar

I absolutely love the idea of a book club! I’m always on the lookout for books that are more off the beaten path, and I feel like that’s your style as well. I added you on Goodreads, (god I love that app) so we should be able to share some good reads there (ha ha ha). Looking forward to hearing more about these ideas! Take care.

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Ricky Olson's avatar

Perfect! I'm always looking for the oddball books. Once more details emerge about the the book club, I'll inform here! Thanks, Becca!

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Jenny Specter's avatar

This is exactly what I needed! Thanks!!!!!

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Kiri/Brandi's avatar

I love this post and really needed it thank you. Though I do have a question, how do you deal with negativity in a positive way? Lately I've been trying to write but it hasn't been helping much and I was wondering if you had any advice? Like I am stuck on a writer's block and left the story alone but it just doesn't seem right no matter what I write

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Ricky Olson's avatar

I think it depends on what you're trying to write. I tend to find myself stuck when I don't know enough about either my world or my characters. Maybe try brainstorming about your world, where in time we're at. Come up with character sheets, and figure out what your characters like, dislike, what they eat for breakfast, etc. Then, it's just a matter of putting them into a situation and seeing how they handle it.

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Hail's avatar

Lovely, Ricky! Get those feelings out! This was a pleasant idea. I'd love to use it one day. I, too, refrain and be a "bigger person" but if I ever do the opposite, it's right on my end and it is by accident. But what is NOT an accident is this post, and I hope for more soon. Peace out, Rick! Hope the music and writing is going alone smoothly. Remember to take some "me time" to ensure good health. Again, good luck and take care!

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Ricky Olson's avatar

Thanks, Hailey!

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Hail's avatar

No prob, Ricky! :)

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Dani H's avatar

I love the idea of a book club! I would definitely be interested as I love conversing with others and seeing where their imaginations take them throughout a story. I look forward to hearing more about this.

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Carrie's avatar

Love the idea of a book club! You could suggest several titles and have people vote on the one they want for the month. Also you could do fun themes for random months like ‘Books that would break the bank to make into movies’ or ‘Wow these titles made me nauseous!’ or ‘Bet you didn’t think there’d be a dinosaur’.

Also a workshop sounds like a lot of fun! I used to have a meet up with friends but stopped because either their writing style was so different we weren’t helping each other grow, or they were coming with video game fanfiction, which is fine if you like that, but doesn’t leave a lot of room for commiserating on world building or character creation in an original work.

Random suggestion: Would be nice to see some writing prompts posted on Discord or prior to the workshop if that ends up being something separate. My thought being, if someone wants writing tips but doesn’t want to share their main work, they could do something shorter to a prompt and still participate and get feedback.

Sorry I’m long winded, have a great day!

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Nicole's avatar

Yes! Writing prompts would be amazing!

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Stephanie Harding's avatar

I love love these ideas! A few friends and I have been doing a “book club” (for lack of a better phrase) this year where every month is a theme and everyone can read whatever they want so long as it fits with that theme. I know I’ve read more this year than I have probably in the last 3 years combined and it’s only May!

And obviously I’m down for a writer’s group. I still loved the contest you did last year on Valentine’s Day where everyone submitted their short stories and we all got the chance to read and give feedback and everything. Definitely will be joining the Discord and look forward to getting to know more people in the community :)

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Ricky Olson's avatar

Oh wow. I like the theme idea, that's pretty neat. I'm glad it's working for you! Whatever gets you in the groove.

I think the writer's group would function pretty much identical to that contest. Except, you know, our prize is a better version of a story than we started off with haha. I'm looking forward to Discord as well. Thanks, Stephanie!

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Nicole Horror's avatar

Pfff this publication has made me think about the reason you have, this world has been filled with a lot of hatred, so why keep encouraging it? No, let's be better people! And yes, I would love a reading group, it would be great if you would recommend a book or maybe you would choose someone from the workshop at random every so often and for that person to choose the book to read, that would be a great idea, because there would be an incredible coexistence with people who have great ideas, mainly with you! It's cool to be able to know what kind of ideas you have to read, to write and even to record, maybe some horror story or a novel with a lot of drama. Please don't stop doing this and let's do a reading workshop please! 🖤

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Ricky Olson's avatar

Choosing someone random is a cool idea. Thanks, Nicole!

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jo's avatar

Since I met my absolute best friends through a book club, they have a special place in my heart!

Thank you for sharing a bit of wholesome energy that's very needed for a lot of us right now. Can't wait to make new friends in this community, while also nerding out about books we love.

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Ricky Olson's avatar

Very cool! I'm hoping to do the same for others. Reading is, by nature, a very solitary activity. And most people who read these days don't seem to have in-person friends that they can share with. Honestly, I don't know anyone else in person that actively reads fiction. Wild. Glad to have you here!

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Mervex's avatar

Perfect

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Merve İmral's avatar

Beautiful😘

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Merve Imral's avatar

How are you my darling? I miss you so much,pls come back!

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