Poll: A Question for All Prospective Writers

[The Funslinger]

It's easy to be skeptical, but I do my best not to judge. After all, when I mention to people that I'm writing I usually get that look or response that says "You? Writing? Oh, reeeeally?"
I don't let it get me fussed though, I'm giving it my best shot

As something fairly related; I was given to understand by a few writing books that you shouldn't talk about "that novel you're writing" specifically because it'll sucker punch your confidence. Also if you're talking about writing, then you aren't writing ;D

Like me, right now >_>

Oh dear god, the sheer amount of Stewie Griffin "that novel ya been workin' on?" I've received...

It's especially irritating because I'M the one with the epic Stewie Griffin impression.

 

[370999]

Personally, I don't think anyone can become a professional writer. To do that you need skill, patience, wisdom, knowledge and connections.

You don't think anyone can?

Surely if that were true, there would be no professional writers...

Pretty much. Not everyone can become a professional writer like Stephen King, Harlan Ellison, Drew Karpyshyn etc.

You don't see every member of fanfiction.net getting book deals and living off of them.

I believe Binnsyboy is being a tad pedantic and is responding to your usage of the word "anybody", He is saying that it is logically incorrect to state that anybody can't become a writer as that logically leads to the idea that nobody can become a writer.

I image/hope he is just being pedantic.

 

[Mayhemski]

Like others I don't look down on people for having a goal/aspirations of being a writer. More power to them and I wish them all the best.

However when it comes those who say they are a professional writer (or name your profession) then I find myself asking and expecting a better quality of answer to any question pertinent to there field. But even then I judge that by their professed level

FYI I'm a video editor (when I can get the work) who came from a TV background and a big bug bear of mine is people who own a Macbok + Final Cut who call themselves editors yet couldn't tell you about any number of industry technical points, you have to know about in a professional environment.

Personally I blame the internet* - its big lie to my mind is that it says everyone is equal and anyone can be anything they wish. Sadly I don't find that to be true (wish it was).

*only joking slightly

Edit: end point; corrections

 

[isometry]

It was the same way before the days of the internet. Becoming a writer (of fiction) is a common teen fantasy.

The main mistake they make is not reading enough. Reading is the best way to improve your writing level; writing at your current level won't improve you to the next level, but reading a book at a higher level than where you currently are is a better way to improve.

The other problem with not reading enough, is the irony that these aspiring authors want to be read, but they in turn are not reading many others.

 

[Jopoho]

I don't think saying that one plans to be a writer is fanciful. It's when people talk about how they wrote a novel in fifth grade and they're just waiting for the publishing and movie deals to come in that I start to worry.

I've always figured I'm the most fanciful person I know when it comes what I want to do with writing though, so I really have no grounds on which to talk or judge others.

 

[repeating integers]

I never claim I'm going to become a writer. I claim I'd quite like to be one. There is a difference.

 

[Whitbane]

I just like to write. Creating a character and bringing him/her through a plot and ending with a satisfying climax is all I need as my reward.

...And some compliments from people on the web help as well.

 

[loc978]

Depends on the person. Back in the 90s (my teenage years), I knew a lot of people who wanted to become writers. They all grew out of it. Now, I know one person who wants to become a writer, and she's doing a damn good job of it. Several published short stories, novel in the works, et cetera.

 

[CrystalShadow]

I don't know what to say to that really.

I wrote a novel. It's 260,000 words and badly in need of editing.
The first draft took 2 years to complete. (Though if I had been really determined maybe I would've been able to do it in 6 months.)

I certainly have about a dozen other stories I thought about, but haven't attempted to write.

From this, several things become clear to me:

Anyone can write in principle.
Writing a novel, (even an incredibly bad one), is difficult and time consuming.

Having successfully written a novel doesn't mean what you've written is any good, but if you've actually done so you're well ahead of most people who say they're writers.

However, getting your work published is another matter entirely. And how likely you are to succeed at that kind of depends on what you write.
(It doesn't necessarily mean what you write is good. Merely that someone thinks it will sell.)

 

[manic_depressive13]

Even more baffling is when their posts contain deplorable grammar, or worse, meticulous grammar and grandiloquent language.

funny, i've been running going the idea that its the 'idea' (setting, characters and such) that's more important, since it doesn't matter how good you are with language and grammar if you've got less imagination then a rock

I doubt many people who have less imagination than rocks exist. The thing is, everyone has ideas. Some people even have brilliant ideas. But unless they have the dedication to sit down and write them all out in a coherent manner, and the skill to make them seem worth reading, their ideas are going to stay in their heads.

 

[soren7550]

Don't know. On the internet, I tend to write as I talk (just with more spelling errors). When I write however, I keep going back and edit bits, obsessing over sections wondering if they sound right, and I'll spend hours thinking on how to improve my stories and how they should progress.

 

[Erttheking]

I kind of consider myself a writer. Hell, I wrote this monster.

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6376514/1/Mass_Effect_New_Origins_V2

 

[uzo]

I'd encourage them. But then again, I am a published author. Admittedly, it was text books / reference materials published in Japan for students studying ESL. Hardly LotR I'll admit.

Writing is not my career, however. It's something I consider because, after 20+ years of almost entirely 'spontaneous' DM experience, I'm a tale-teller. I'd love to write a fiction (I have several ideas bouncing around in my head but I've never really had the chance to put the plans on paper - I'm married, with kids, with a full time job).

In my experience, getting published is more about connections than ability. I was published because I worked as an assistant editor for another freelance writer. She was impressed with the work I did checking and editing her own work, so she introduced me to her publisher and bumped me up to co-author and we worked together on several textbooks.


Speaking of writing; the Black Library fluff competition is coming up again isn't it? BL (the guys who do the fluff for 40K etc) have a yearly intake of writing - if you're into Games Workshop fluff and wanna give it a shot, search for Black Library submissions or somesuch.

Captcha: wtf? I was getting barcodes then ...

 

[Nathan Crumpler]

Well, I want to be a rockstar, so I am not one to judge.

 

[requisitename]

I probably used to be harder on aspiring writers until I told a sort-of friend about my Ph.D. dream and she said, "Aren't you perhaps aiming a bit too high?" I'm much more careful about shitting on people's dreams now.

The way I see it, they're the ones who're going to have to live with the disappointment of not fulfilling their goals (if they don't), so I try to be as supportive as possible. I'm a big fan of supporting people rather than trying to tear them down.

 

[Shivarage]

iF Stephanie Meyer caN do eet so can eye.

(Written to convey my feeling that Stephanie Meyer is an awful writer.)

Stephenie Meyer is the ultimate arguement against pessimists

In my opinion, if nobody ever tried to be anything then those who you compare new artists to would never have existed and the human race would still be living in caves

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

I'd question "prospective writers".

If you're a writer, you write.
If you don't write, you're not a writer.

More than that...write, read and edit; and you'll get there.

Additional:

Renowned curator Jacques Saunière staggered through the vaulted archway of the museum's Grand Gallery.
Physicist Leonardo Vetra smelled burning flesh, and he knew it was his own.
Renowned author Dan Brown staggered through his formulaic opening sentence

 

[Lunar Templar]

Even more baffling is when their posts contain deplorable grammar, or worse, meticulous grammar and grandiloquent language.

funny, i've been running going the idea that its the 'idea' (setting, characters and such) that's more important, since it doesn't matter how good you are with language and grammar if you've got less imagination then a rock

I doubt many people who have less imagination than rocks exist. The thing is, everyone has ideas. Some people even have brilliant ideas. But unless they have the dedication to sit down and write them all out in a coherent manner, and the skill to make them seem worth reading, their ideas are going to stay in their heads.

no argument there, but if the idea's there that what counts more in my mind. since having a 'good idea' is harder then learning language or grammar. cause sad as it is, some people just aren't very creative.

though ... >.> with the presence as Twilight' as a 'thing', apparently I'm putting to much stock in 'good ideas'

 

[Redlin5_v1legacy]

Anyone can be a writer. Can everyone be a successful one? That is not as certain.

 

[217not237]

There's a difference between being a writer and trying to get published. Personally, I write because I've got stories that want to be told. I have no intentions of getting anything published at this time. As such, I take people at similar values. They don't really bother me, unless they believe they're going to be published and make millions, especially if they don't make a constant effort.

Same here. I fancy myself an author, it's just that I don't care about being a PUBLISHED author.