Writing A New Book

[Jeffrey Beaudry]

Hey all!
While I'm not new to this web site, I have just finally joined.
Anyway, I am planning/writing a book about several penguins going back to the Titanic. While this sounds like a rather odd book, I am writing it with the utmost sincerity for the ship and the people aboard it, and was wondering if any of you would like me to reference anything in my story.
Jeff

 

[Melissa Kalson]

Hi Jeff,

Although I don't have anything to add to it, I think that it sounds rather cute. Much going on with penguins now, what with the new movie, March of the Penguins. :>

Sincerely,

Melissa K.

 

[Jeffrey Beaudry]

Actually, the idea was thought up back in second grade, and I have never been able to replace the penguins with people. It just never seemed right.
Jeff

 

[monica e. hall]

Your penguins will have to be powerful travellers, Jeff, as I think the nearest they usually get is Tristan da Cunha. Still, artistic licence....

 

[Jeffrey Beaudry]

I admit that the story is a little (cough cough) farfetched, but I am attempting to write it as truthfully as possible.
As a little background, the penguins are 5 feet tall, talk, and are accepted in human society as people, which explains why no one thinks that it is odd.
But anyway, I would think that the story would be much better if I had famous moments pop up now and then (ex: the Straus' staying together, the band playing on, and those things). And I figured why not ask the opinions of people who really know the Titanic (while I know quite a bit, I also know that I am not up to par with you guys). So any ideas are welcome.
Jeff

 

[Noel F. Jones]

We're all agog!

Meanwhile, what was that joke about penguins that did the rounds years ago?

I seem to recall it involved a drunk driver and a couple of nuns.

Noel

 

[monica e. hall]

quote:

I seem to recall it involved a drunk driver and a couple of nuns.

When it comes back to you, Noel, just email it ....

 

[Donald J A Smith]

May God and the Guggenheims forgive me: "We are dressed in our penguin-suits and are prepared to live on the iceberg like gentlemen."

 

[Jeffrey Beaudry]

Just as a little note, I never meant to be rude or against the people on the ship. The story was originally written back in second grade, and this is the third version of it. Of course, back then I knew as much about Titanic as those deep sea fish (in that it sunk), and it was a sick friend that decided on having penguins go on the ship, because the characters we had created were too odd to be considered human.
Anyway I will try and make my book as truthfully as possible, and also add in some of the overlooked scenarios, such as the second funnel's falling and the bottom-up splitting.

 

[monica e. hall]

Just sorted the double posts, Jeff. Right on, the penguins.

 

[Fiona Nitschke]

I'm very fond of penguins but they must've been quite lost to make their way on to Titanic.

Noel, see comment above re being fond of penguins - and that includes penguin jokes. Ditto on Monica's request.

Jeffrey, I've moved this discussion in to the general book discussion forum, as this forum is home to many threads on books people are writing, or interested in writing.

 

[Jeffrey Beaudry]

Thanks, Fiona.
And I think that I might write two versions of this book. For some reason, the penguin idea kind of makes it seem like a children's book, and I think that I might revise it after I finish to replace the penguins with humans. I'll keep the original, though, so there will be two different books.

 

[Donald J A Smith]

Jeffrey: Neither did I "intend to be rude or against the people on the ship." Admittedly, it's on a serious level of understanding, but I was nevertheless hinting that your 'penguins' could be, in many readers' imagination, the ghosts/reincarnations of all the brave men (every one of them) who perished. Something of their human, historical character could be re-drawn by you and presented as your fresh, highly-original - and creaturely! - creations. Keep to the idea - when a child yourself - of writing your own truly charming childrens' book. Don

 

[Kyrila Scully]

Jeffrey, check and see if there's a writers' group meeting in a local bookstore near your home and see if you can attend their meetings. It's a great help to work with other writers in solving difficult problems with one's own stories. You'll find no competition in these groups, but lots of helpful advice. I found writers' groups at Borders, Barnes and Noble and Books-A-Million. There are specialized groups for different genres, as well. In my town, there was a general group for writers, one for romance writers, a poets' group, and a sci-fi group. There were monthly meetings at each of these stores for each of these groups.

Kyrila

 

[Jeffrey Beaudry]

Thanks Kyrila, actually there is a Barnes and Noble down the street, so maybe I'll see if they have any meetings coming up.