How far has your writing come?

[Rolo]

I thought this would be an intriguing thread to have

People often do not realise how much they have improved over the years without looking back at their past work. Here is a thread where we shall delve into the minds, skills and possible fails of a younger you, so you can appreciate how far you have actually come.

I ask you all to post some extracts of your past work (and perhaps a very recent work) for us to study ^^ Strangely, looking back at your past work is often incredibly endearing... it shows a younger more innocent self. You might laugh at it, but it was you as you were then

You may discuss the works of others or your own here too, but I encourage you highly not to just say 'you failed' when talking about your old extract, but pick out the good as well as the bad

I have... a crap load of stories on this computer. Some from the age of about 9 XD So you'll get infinite stories from me. I plan to do a 'walk through the ages' with funny commentary, since some of my work is unintentionally hilarious.

Notes:
Please blockquote and colour your extracts
Please don't spell check, grammar-ise or edit your work in any way.

[Slug]

'Kay. So, it took me, like, freaking forever to find some pieces of my work. xD And apparently all I could find were two drabbles that revolved around Transformers. |3 How original of me. But be warned, they're.... slash. e.e Sorta. If you're offended by this, uhm... tell me to switch them with something else. xD I've got no problem with that.

Written Aug 9th, 2009, at the age of 19
Title: Sulking Gets You Everywhere
Author: the_love_slug (Slug on livejournal and fanfiction)
Universe: Transformers Animated
Rating: K
Warning(s): Implied Slash
Pairing(s): Implied Swoop/Grimlock
Summary: What Swoop wants, Swoop gets. Grimlock says otherwise. But even he can't ignore Swoop's sulking. Oneshot drabble.
Prompt: None

---

The roar of thunder shook the island, the trees trembling at their roots and the ground rumbling with such an intensity it made Swoop squawk, huddling closer to Grimlock. The T-rex shouldered him away, sending Swoop stumbling out backwards of the tiny cave; the rain was cold and showed no mercy as it pelted Swoop harshly, urging angry protests from the pterodactyl.

He scuttled back inside the cave, dripping wet. Shooting a glare at Grimlock, he tried with Snarl, cuddling with the fellow Dinobot, seeking warmth; Snarl proceeded to bat Swoop away with his tail.

Swoop met the harsh weather once again, crying out when the rain suddenly cranked up the water, pouring down onto Swoop. He clicked and clacked his beak for a minute, ranting. It was obvious his comrades wanted nothing to do with him at the moment. He settled himself on the mud, wings crossed and beak in the air, optics dimming off.

He then began to give them the 'silent treatment'.

Minutes ticked by and Swoop still sat there, stubborn as ever, not moving an inch. Grimlock shifted slightly, growing nervous. The pterodactyl could rust from all that rain; when Grimlock had first witnessed Swoop throwing a fit over a dent, he had been scared. Yes, Grimlock, leader of the Dinobots, had been scared. But a rusted Swoop? ...Grimlock did not want to be around when the other Dinobot decided to let his frustrations out.

Sharing a look with Snarl, Grimlock scooted over some and patted the spot next to him with his foot. "You Swoop..." He began, trying to find the right words. What was the word he was looking for? "...Want cuddle?"

It seemed Swoop knew what this "cuddle" was and perked up some. But he didn't budge, gazing at Grimlock for the longest time before saying "No." He said bitterly. "You Grimlock just push me Swoop away again." He stated matter-of-factly, turning his beak to the side, not looking at the Dinobot leader.

Grimlock snarled. "You Swoop come here now."

The look on Swoop's face was priceless, but the pterodactyl quickly wiped the shocked expression off his beak and toddled back into the cave, preening himself a bit. "You Grimlock not push me Swoop away?" He asked, eyeing the Dinbot warily. "Me Grimlock not push you Swoop away." The T-rex grunted back. Swoop gave him another glare, then returned to his preening.

"No." He said again, puffing his chest out a little. "You Grimlock lie... like..." What had that little yellow youngling said? "Like rice on white!" He snapped, though the edges of his beak turned red with embarrassment as he realized that he had said it wrong.

Grimlock merely tilted his head and gave the pterodactyl a look of disbelief.

Swoop rubbed at his beat red beak, standing their awkwardly for a few moments, the thunder roaring behind him. Then he reluctantly padded over to Grimlock's side and curled up close, muttering under his breath. Grimlock stiffened, then slowly wrapped his tail around the smaller Dinobot.

He noticed Snarl's staring and shot him the look. "You Snarl see nothing." He grumbled, resting his head behind Swoop's wing, as if hiding.

Snarl only grinned.

---

Written October 2nd, 2009, at the age of 19.
Title: Contemplating
Author: the_love_slug (Slug on livejournal and fanfiction)
Universe: Beast Wars
Rating: T
Warning(s): Implied slash
Pairing(s): Implied Megatron/Optimus
Summary: Megatron has a bit of time for himself and uses it to think about some things. Oneshot drabble.
Prompt: None

---

Megatron was not one to concede. He was one who controlled, who plotted to the very last detail, just to make sure things went the way he desired.

And yet he find himself wanting to concede. To lose that control. To throw all his work over his shoulder and say "to the pit with it!".

Because of Primal.

That infuriating maximal leader who was a constant knife in his side, poking and jabbing at him like a persistant sparkling who wanted energon goodies; he who thwarted his perfectly layed out plans like they were mere flies. He who stood up to him and told him, right to his face, that he, Megatron, was wrong.

Oh, Megatron loved challenges.

But this was just absolutely ridiculous.

Really.

Primal was always... there. Popping up like a damnable jack-in-the-box when he least expected it, sending Megatron running back to base every single slagging time. Megatron was fully aware that his plans were, not lacking, but quite the opposite.

Primal just had a knack for figuring them out.

And, quite honestly, Megatron was enjoying it, no matter how idiotic it got, because very few have ever managed to outwit Megatron. Very, very few. But those certain few had lost to Megatron. Eventually.

However, this "war" had been going on for more than just a orbital cycle. And every. Single. Time. He lost. Yes, he managed to gain a few stasis pods along the way, and yes, he managed to offline Optimus. Once.

But he bounced back like a rubber bullet, ricocheting in the process and returning Megatron's efforts ten-fold.

It drove the tyrant absolutely crazy.

And yet he still enjoyed it.

Perhaps he was turning out to be masochistic-- he certainly knew Predacons that were masochists. It was common. Maybe they were finally rubbing off on him-- by the pit, Waspinator was a perfect example. Yes, the wasp complained about being slagged 24/7, but never had Megatron witnessed someone so stubborn. So hopeful. Waspinator was more than likely aware that he was pathetic when it came to battle.

Yet he just kept trying. Over, and over, and over again.

Just like Primal.

Except Megatron was positive that Primal was not a masochist.

And it was a characteristic that Megatron was attracted to. He could not help himself. The tyrant was drawn to it like a moth to the flame-- there was just something about it that made it so... likeable.

It would be a great pity for that flame to be snuffed out.

But Megatron wasn't taking any chances.

K. So the one in blue is my older work, while the one in red is the new one. I gotta say that I don't really see a difference between the two. ; Opinions? xD'

[Rolo]

Oui, I am double posting, but putting my own work in first post stretches it >.>

So, I told you I had a crap load of work? I tell you now, I was not kidding. Here are some that are especially close to my heart and show (pretty darn accurately) what I was like when I was a child. Since most of them were epically long, I shall give you short extracts with particular value.

The Odysse of Tinker the Dog9-10 years

The infamous story. My mum still talks about it... she loved this little dog. The one I named after my friend's dog, whom I saw like... 3 times a year(?) but still adored. I wrote it when I was around 9-10... I had alot planned out. But I got myself into somewhere where things started getting notably creepy and gave up.

This extract here was the passage that I can remember crying while writing... and making my mum cry too XD It's a bit long, but it's worth it The unintentional lawl value here is unmistakable.

Morning came and Tinker was the last to awake. He went to the Study where food was always served. He had a decent amount of food and played with his brothers and sisters for a while. It was a nice day so they played outside. He spotted a butterfly on the lawn,
“ AH HA!” He said as if he was a guard “ Hello there it looks as if we have got a trespasser! Leave these grounds now or I will have to exterminate you!”
Of cause the butterfly did not move so Tinker had to exterminate it… or at least chase it.
Meanwhile Tinker hadn’t noticed that his brother Spot was having a conversation with Susie.
He had dared Suzie to get the ball from under the decking. This was a great mistake with a big consequence.
“Easy” she said with no fear, but she should have had some, there was only one thing she didn’t know, the boards of the decking were rotten and the ball was a prop. The decking was on the brink of collapse! But only Tinker knew this, so Susie crawled bravely towards the ball; When Tinker turned his attention away from the butterfly and saw Susie under the decking he dived in after her he crawled and crawled. Susie reached the ball……………..
“Susie! Noooooooooooooo!”But he had been to late!

chapter 2: the light (it was written in bright yellow WordArt)


“Tinnnnkkeeerr! Tinnnnkkeeerr,” said a voice. Tinker awoke, where was he? Well one thing was for sure he was not in any place he had been to before! He was in a dark hallway that was like a swirling vortex there was extremely bright light ahead of him, which whenever he looked at made him feel dizzy. Nothing to be heard but the spooky, groaning voice that spoke from time to time and the sound of joyful barking.
“ Tinker,” said the voice again “ Come to the light.” Tinker stood there petrified. What should he do all he wanted to do was go home. If he went towards the light maybe he would, but what if something or somewhere bad there. He was so frightened he turned and fled! He ran and ran and suddenly he was falling, falling, falling!
All of a sudden he opened his eyes, there was a bright light but it wasn’t as bright as the one he had just seen, stared down at him. It took him a moment to realise he was at the vets. He got up. Ouch! His leg hurt he had to lift it of the ground. He turned round and saw Susie on a sort of table. She was breathing heavily but her eyes were still open. She looked at Tinker lovingly and with her dieing breath she said with most difficulty “I love you Tinker” and then she fell into a deep deep sleep.
Tinker started to howl he couldn’t help feel sad it was the feeling that his sister had devoted her last words to him. Tinkers mum came in.
“Mum,” said Tinker with tears in his eyes “She’s gone”
“I know,” she said trying to keep tears from coming to her eyes “ She was a good puppy”
“ No! It shouldn’t have been her”
“Tinker, No one can change the past and no one can change what time we go” she said “If we could we would all be still alive, and well, we would never go to that ‘better place’”.
“ I suppose so”
At that moment their conversation was broken up as the vet and Tinkers owners came in and put Susie’s cover over her and took her away. Tinker was about to go with them when his mum stopped him,
“Tinker leave her,” She said quietly.
This was a very said day for Tinker, It rained but that did not stop their plans, that very day Susie was to be buried, in the spot she had enjoyed most, under an old Elm tree in the park. She had taken her very first steps there and that was surprising as the vet said she would probably never walk because she had been so weak. Unfortunately they did not have enough money for a gravestone so they made do with a carving on the tree. There was a bunch of forget-me-nots put in on top of her grave to signify that, like the flowers, she may have been small and timid but that she was not to be forgotten.
Tinker was told he had a broken leg, which was put in plaster but as it was not serious that same day and that he was able to go home. But before they went home the vet talked with Tinkers owners. He explained that Tinkers main injury would be a broken heart! Tinker was taken home after his great adventure to be cared for and so a month later his cast was removed.

This is notable for my first attempts at creating my own characters and plotline and actually getting somewhere. You may not think it now, but once I had an awful problem with actually writing plots. I went on bloomin long rambles, with horrendously long metaphors that lasted pages, and never actually got anywhere with anything...

... actually, scrap that. I got notably worse after this at creating plots after this one.. You'll see.

But anyway, the plot was pretty darn plotlike... even if Tinker was slightly gary-stu-ish. After this, he went on to new owners, had a blissfully happy few months before the house burnt down and his owners were killed. Then he was caught by the pound, put in a kennel, but by performing a backflip over the gate (XD) manages to get out and save the entire pound full of dogs at the same time. Turns out, all the dogs in the centre were actually a pack (? Don't ask) and Tinker is honoured by their leader, and we get a fantastically overwritten hint that his brother 'Spot' is going to be evil. Oh, and Tinker is named future leader of the pack. For some reason, though, he leaves them to 'follow his destiny' with female dog Sparky, who he eloped with for a while. Then a wolf nearly kills them and Tinker falls into a river and is split up with her.

I noted earlier that this story went on to gain a seriously sinister plot? The end of what I wrote involved Tinker returning back to his birth house, finding his mother and being told that his mum is a dog kept for breeding by evil breeders who plan to sell the puppies for more than they're worth. Horror! But it gets worse, in the places Tinker never saw, there's an entire Animal testing center where all the new make up gets tested on dogs. O-M-G!

Guess what? He get's caught. He's put in a kennel. And that's where the story ended.

But yes, at this age... it seems as if I was already on my way to becoming an animal activist...

Unfortunately, things actually go downhill, in that respect, from here.

-To be continued-

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[Slug]

Alrighty. .3. So, here is some other works of mine, but in the form of bios. xD Lol. I had to put them in links because they were too long, though, so forgive me for the shortness of this post. Smokestripe's bio is older, and Stonetail's is new. Sorta. -shot-

Written on Febuary 15th, 2009, at the age of 18
Smokestripe's bio: LINK.

Written on August 2nd, 2009, at the age of 19
Stonetail's bio: LINK.