I have a ream

[WritersBlock]

Yes, sir! I have in my posession, a ream, 500 pages of blank, white, A5 paper.

Whatever in the world would I want 500 pages of blank paper for?

Well, there are several things you can use paper for. For instance you could make 500 paper aeroplanes and throw them off your roof to see how far they fly, you could make 500 paper hats for homeless people as an act of charity, or, if you have $500 and a hell of a lot of time to burn, change $500 into $1 coins (or $1 notes, if you're from one of those weird countries that have paper dollars), then place each dollar on the ground one at a time. Whenever someone sees the dollar and bends over to pick it up, rip a piece of paper to imitate pants ripping. An immature and pointless act it may be, but I shall ask the question; why the hell not?

Strangely enough, I have (what I believe to be) a better use for my ream of paper. You see, over the course of this year, I've reacquainted myself with the art of writing, mostly ficticious stuff, and as of late, my collection of writings has grown enough to (what I believe to be) a sufficient size to print out a small book. Some of the material is unfinished, and some of the material could use a little spit shine, but my plans are to print out these short stories in a format that you may see in a library or book store. Right now, I've got a document that's 47 pages (A5) long, size 10, times new roman font, over 20,000 words and over 110,000 characters. I'd say that when everything's finished off, it'll be about 55-60 pages long, after which, I'm hoping to print it and bind it. Perhaps making multiple copies, for family/friends, etc. Maybe I'd place a simple copyright on the collective works by mailing the first copy to myself to remain sealed (the postage time stamp acts as sufficient proof of ownership).

I guess the main reason for me wanting to do this is for my future. I'm looking to pursue a career in creative writing, publishing, or editing, so I figured that doing something like this on my own would be a great experience (and it'd look pretty nice on my portfolio too ;D). I've also thought about getting short stories published in magazines, writing a full length novel, and perhaps trying to make a little money off my literature somehow. I guess it's all part of the learning curve. I have a ream, and while that ream might just be blank pages to some people, or paper aeroplanes to others, I have this ream, and it represents something far greater and far more rewarding than the blank reams that have been left untouched, unopened, at the office supplies shop.

So, what do you think of my ream?
Have you done anything similar to this before?
And what would you do with 500 sheets of blank A5 paper?

[joabos]

Was that a Martin Luther King reference?

[Penrodeo]

I've been trying to get published myself, I've done something just like this.

Good luck with it, may it turn out for the best.

[STEM]

I'd use that ream as a paper weight for my papers.

[WritersBlock]

At 10/14/08 11:56 AM, joabos wrote: Was that a Martin Luther King reference?

Guilty...

At 10/14/08 11:58 AM, Chymeraxe wrote: I've been trying to get published myself, I've done something just like this.

Good luck with it, may it turn out for the best.

Yeah, I hope so. A certain part of me feels like I'm just playing some kid's game "pretend to be (insert occupation here)", but another part of me feels like these "games" are essential to learning certain lessons in life.

[ZiggyZack99]

I'd probably write in small print front and back through all 500 sheets, then let them fly in the wind to be a tragic figure or something.

[Penrodeo]

At 10/14/08 12:03 PM, WritersBlock wrote:

At 10/14/08 11:56 AM, joabos wrote: Was that a Martin Luther King reference?

Guilty...

At 10/14/08 11:58 AM, Chymeraxe wrote: I've been trying to get published myself, I've done something just like this.

Good luck with it, may it turn out for the best.

Yeah, I hope so. A certain part of me feels like I'm just playing some kid's game "pretend to be (insert occupation here)", but another part of me feels like these "games" are essential to learning certain lessons in life.

Ha. That's exactly how I feel sometimes. We're our own worst critics though.

I have hopes of becoming an author before I finish High school. I think it's far-fetched, but if you have a dream (or ream lol) why not pursue it?

If your work does get published, I'll buy it. Long live hopeful authors.

[WritersBlock]

At 10/14/08 12:07 PM, Chymeraxe wrote: Ha. That's exactly how I feel sometimes. We're our own worst critics though.

I have hopes of becoming an author before I finish High school. I think it's far-fetched, but if you have a dream (or ream lol) why not pursue it?

If your work does get published, I'll buy it. Long live hopeful authors.

I don't think it's far-fetched at all. I mean, it certainly depends on your class environment. My last year of school, I got to know my English teachers really well, and I found that they had great feedback and resources for me, so I think, if you let your teachers know what you want, and if your teachers see your talent for what it is, they can help you reach your goals, and help connect you with the right people.

[Penrodeo]

At 10/14/08 12:25 PM, WritersBlock wrote:

At 10/14/08 12:07 PM, Chymeraxe wrote: Ha. That's exactly how I feel sometimes. We're our own worst critics though.

I have hopes of becoming an author before I finish High school. I think it's far-fetched, but if you have a dream (or ream lol) why not pursue it?

If your work does get published, I'll buy it. Long live hopeful authors.

I don't think it's far-fetched at all. I mean, it certainly depends on your class environment. My last year of school, I got to know my English teachers really well, and I found that they had great feedback and resources for me, so I think, if you let your teachers know what you want, and if your teachers see your talent for what it is, they can help you reach your goals, and help connect you with the right people.

Hm. Well, my teachers seem supportive of what I do, so I think that could be a possibility. I've been looking at some writers workshop magazines, and other things like that, seeing if they'll accept young authors. I'd have to find something specifically for young authors, seeing as it's mostly an adult market, not too high of a chance of me beating out some super-experienced 40 year old.

Good luck with everything. I think you'll make it, you'll just have to push a little bit.

[Penrodeo]

Bumped for great justice. And so moar people can see this cause.

[Shawn]

At 10/14/08 11:55 AM, WritersBlock wrote:

:(or $1 notes, if you're from one of those weird countries that have paper dollars),

I laughed, but i find it stranger when they have the bills and coins, Srsly we do you need both?

[Rig]

I'd put it in my printer.

[patm1313]

Title is not racist...

[NeverHundred]

I'd draw and doodle probably. I don't have a working printer so writing stories and printing them isn't going to happen.

[cHunter]

What would I do with 500 pages of paper? Well the only obvious activity...use it as toilet paper and then stick the paper to walls using the feces as adhesive.

[Penrodeo]

At 10/14/08 04:22 PM, cHunter wrote: What would I do with 500 pages of paper? Well the only obvious activity...use it as toilet paper and then stick the paper to walls using the feces as adhesive.

Sounds productive, my good sir.

Productive indeed.

[WritersBlock]

At 10/14/08 04:12 PM, Rig wrote: I'd put it in my printer.

Well done rig, well done! Then you could print out 500 pics of chronamut from the audio ppl piccies thread.

At 10/14/08 04:14 PM, patm1313 wrote: Title is not racist...

You are correct. Last time I checked, making reference to a famous racial equality speech is not considered racism.

[WritersBlock]

So today I bought everything else I should need to print and bind a book; printer ink, glue (for the spine), and cloth tape (to reinforce and cover the spine).
Overall, the materials cost just under $70 AU, so it's not all that cheap, considering I'll probably only be able to make about 10 books to start wtih. I'll probably update this thread when I actually go through the process, just if anyone else would consider trying it. I've still got to finish the actual writing though...

[Foobey]

Standing ovation.

[UfaKefe]

I'd make a papier-mâché sculpture of a ream of paper.

[WritersBlock]

At 10/16/08 01:00 AM, Aci6 wrote:

At 10/14/08 11:55 AM, WritersBlock wrote: And what would you do with 500 sheets of blank A5 paper?

Print my stories on it, I have no direct use for A4 sheets of paper.

The sites that I looked at about binding books recommended using A4 folded in half over A5 because it should make for a stronger spine. But there's no way I'd fold 500 sheets of A4 manually. I actually started out printing a few stories on A4 and giving them to friends, but it seems a lot more practical to print the whole lot at once, rather than each story x amount of times, and then I forget who has what, and who lost their copy etc.

[gregaaron89]

I'd use it for my animation class, we're slowly destroying the rainforest with all the paper we use...

[Maximus]

At 10/14/08 11:59 AM, STEM wrote: I'd use that ream as a paper weight for my papers.

Ooh clever.

[MooseVsCarrot]

Just like your name heh? Heh? Amiright?

[WritersBlock]

At 10/16/08 12:59 AM, KevnSevn wrote: I guess you don't actually have writers block.

DAMMIT!

At 10/16/08 02:59 AM, MooseVsCarrot wrote: Just like your name heh? Heh? Amiright?

It would appear that you were beaten to the punchline here...

[MooseVsCarrot]

At 10/16/08 03:17 AM, WritersBlock wrote:

At 10/16/08 12:59 AM, KevnSevn wrote: I guess you don't actually have writers block.

DAMMIT!

At 10/16/08 02:59 AM, MooseVsCarrot wrote: Just like your name heh? Heh? Amiright?

It would appear that you were beaten to the punchline here...

It makes me very sadface to hear that.

[dx5231]

If I had 500 sheets of blank A5 paper, I'd print 500 porn pictures. xD
Nah, just joking, I would just draw on them or something like that.

[DingoTheDog]

May I suggest. For the immature prank where one waits for somebody to bend over for the coin and then rips a sheet of paper to make the victim in question believe he has caused damage to his pantalons.

If one was to apply superglue to the coin in question, then one could watch with glee as some lower class person tries in vain to pick up the monies you have planted. To add further humiliation to the aforementioned peasent you could simply crumple up a sheet of paper and throw it at him.

[WritersBlock]

At 10/17/08 12:48 PM, DingoTheDog wrote: Diabolical plan

I like your style. It's also much cheaper...

[DingoTheDog]

At 10/18/08 05:47 AM, WritersBlock wrote:

At 10/17/08 12:48 PM, DingoTheDog wrote: Diabolical plan

I like your style. It's also much cheaper...

the best part for me is that i live next door to an old folks home. You cant fault their determination, but they just dont have it in them with those superior industrial glues.