Lost Hope

May 18, 2007, 3:24 AM

Well, let's begin, shall we? I mean, this is a life and such problems, but I have decided to take it one step further!

Let me put this to basic use. I am a writer. I have been writing for over the past year now, ranging from stories and poems, to RP characters and RP's. Now, well, how to explain this? Er....I'll try.

Basically, I have been working on a story for over the past year. I was currently on chapter 15 or so, which is about 150+ pages in word. Ironically, this thread title is the title of the book. It was a masterpiece that I was hoping to get published and the likes. I have been keeping it a secret for quite some time, only going to my teacher for assistance on some things. I was only about a quarter way through the story as well. Well, where's the problem you ask? It got erased.

Yep, it got totally annihilated by idiotic people messing around with my folders and the like on the computer. It is completely gone. There's no way to retrieve it. In other words, I can't seem to focus on writing anymore. it is as though I have lost most of my interest in writing, besides RP's. Even then some, this forum has got me so pissed off in the RP section it's ridiculous. =/

So, basically, I have no freakin' idea what to do anymore. I feel as though my whole story-telling and the like is gone. I don't even want to attempt to write the story anymore. Sure, I have bits and scraps lying about on pieces of paper, but that is it. Nothing more, nothing less.

So, here I am, writing this thread. I have no idea why I am writing it, but I felt I needed to let out something. So, if you wish, feel free to comment. If not, whatever.

May 18, 2007, 3:48 AM

I'm not gonna say I feel sorry for you because of that incident, because I don't, and I know you likely don't want me to anyways.

Thing is, it happens to everyone obviously.
Take my writing 'career' for instance.
I tried writing a gigantic novel once, but failed, as I gave up because I felt that I couldn't improve it in anyway ---- reminded me of Harry Potter in writing actually.....

But hey, like a lot of things, you're interest in the subject is gonna come back. It's happened to a lot of people I know, and since I know you now, it's gonna come back hopefully.

I dunno how you write --- I should check out more of your threads --- but eventually you'll get back to it again, like it never even happened.

That's just what I'm saying.

My Character Profiles · May 18, 2007, 3:50 AM

Actually though, there is a way to back up and restore lost files, even after you've deleted them and removed them from the recycle bin.
Hope is not lost...you just have to speak to someone who knows how to do a full recovery.

May 18, 2007, 3:51 AM

you should definitely back up something that's THAT significant to you.

May 18, 2007, 3:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Booger

Actually though, there is a way to back up and restore lost files, even after you've deleted them and removed them from the recycle bin.
Hope is not lost...you just have to speak to someone who knows how to do a full recovery.

It is lost. I forgot to mention that when my family "tinkers" with that computer , it is completely erased. I am usually able to go and search in the back files for it, but not this time. Completely gone.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fields

you should definitely back up something that's THAT significant to you.

I should, you're right. However, I tend to not on MY computer. Why? Because no one ever messes with it. This on the other hand was for some odd reason I have no idea why. If I had a back-up drive, I would gladly back my stuff up.

May 18, 2007, 4:05 AM

Don't feel bad. If I remember correctly Robert Louis Stevenson's wife burned his first draft of "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde". It seemed to turn out well in the end.

To me, art is exorcism. Anyone who is an artist does their artform in order to purge themselves of something. Perhaps you feel "lost" because you were in the process of exorcising what you felt & now you are unable to finish.

May 18, 2007, 4:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ryker

Perhaps you feel "lost" because you were in the process of exorcising what you felt & now you are unable to finish.

More or less. I feel it mostly because I feel as though it will never be that good again. @_@

My Character Profiles · May 18, 2007, 6:03 AM

That's terrible.
I had that happen to me once with all of my writing...but it wasn't a combined 150 pages. =\

I went out of town and my brother "gave my computer away" and had it wiped.

Then another time, when I got my computer back...
I went out of town yet again and he wiped it so that my dad could use it for his company business and stuff.

I gave up. <_<

May 18, 2007, 3:52 PM

Quote:

More or less. I feel it mostly because I feel as though it will never be that good again. @_@

Look at the bright-side: since it doesn't exist anymore, the two can't be compared, right? You can't compare the new novel to a novel that doesn't exist. Anything you do is better than having done nothing, right?

Quote:

That's terrible.
I had that happen to me once with all of my writing...but it wasn't a combined 150 pages. =\

I went out of town and my brother "gave my computer away" and had it wiped.

Then another time, when I got my computer back...
I went out of town yet again and he wiped it so that my dad could use it for his company business and stuff.

I gave up. <_<

Oh man, that's why I hand-write everything. I have a journal of all my poetry & short-stories. Hmm... Perhaps I should post some of it here...

May 18, 2007, 6:24 PM

Man, that really does suck. And people always ask me why I write on paper. (oops, just read Rykers post lol) Because although it's easy to lose physically... it never just gets randomly deleted. That really does suck though.

I know I've put a bunch of work into a personal writing project of mine and it would kill me to see it just vanish like that. And I know how you feel about keeping it a secret. A few people know that I am doing it but no one really knows what it's about except me. On top of all that, no one see's your characters as much as people as you do. To see them get erased must be like watching your friends die before your eyes.