Poll: A Question for All Prospective Writers

[The Funslinger]

I am no writer (although my teachers have told me I might have potential [sub]Shut up, English isn't my first language.[/sub]), but when seeing someone claim they're going to write a novel I tend to think to myself that they will probably end up writing half of a poorly written story and publish it continuously on the web.
That is, unless they appear to be well-spoken and have some ideas that sound genuinely interesting.

Spoiler: It makes it a lot easier for me to pass judgement if the writer tells me something about the world his story takes place in

Well I see your point. Honestly, I feel like I have a number of interesting ideas (none of them Tolkien-esque fantasy related, thank you!) and I plan to keep them to myself, because while I don't automatically think I'm all that, people do like my ideas. The other reason I'd never publish them on the net is because that would feel too much like an admission of defeat.

Edit: Huh, accidental triple post. Really thought this thread would be moving faster than that. Ah well...

*whistles nonchalantly*

 

[Realitycrash]

I've noticed that there seems to be a disproportionate amount of people, particularly on the internet, who fancy themselves as writers. Even more baffling is when their posts contain deplorable grammar, or worse, meticulous grammar and grandiloquent language. Of course, writing a book is very hard work and not somethings done on whim. Getting published is also no easy feat. Overall, writing a novel means investing a lot of time into something with potentially no reward.

My question, therefore, is how do you feel when you hear people claiming that they're writers, or that they intend to become novelists? Do you scoff internally and assume they don't realise how much effort is involved, or do you take them at their word?

Honestly, when you write "for real" (my father is a published author with atleast seven books under his belt, all that have sold decently though never made any real blockbuster), you get experience with using correct grammar, punctuation, etc. And, yo also have people who's sole job is to actually check everything you've written for these kind of typos. People who write on the web usually don't have either, but one could wish that they did use a simple spell-check.

 

[MammothBlade]

I want to write novels eventually, but I lack the confidence to even try at the moment. I have the grammar and spelling to do so, but I wonder if my writing style is a bit boring.

 

[ElPatron]

I love reading. And I think that anyone with respect for reading would never consider writing until sure of their potential.

The same argument could be made for "gamers". I think, as a matter of speech you'd need to add "professional" to the front for it to be career/planned career worthy.

Good, because I hate how people who go to the cinema or listen to music don't have a name for themselves.

So many people play videogames, the activity doesn't deserve a name to group us together. A lot of people listen to music or watch films without being considered audio/cinephiles.

 

[Strain42]

Right now I'm in school majoring in television and cinema, putting my effort into screenplays (I'd love to write for TV. My biggest dream is to write an episode of Futurama)

I also do webcomics, and half of being a cartoonist is being a writer (I call myself a cartoonist because every now and then, I DO get paid for it)

So I admit, when someone sends me a link to their fanfiction and calls themselves a writer, I get...not annoyed but...it's a close feeling. It's not that I don't support what they're doing, but I find it odd that someone who took classes, actually learned the craft, and has actually gotten published can have the same title as someone who wrote a short story in their notebook during pre-algebra. It'd be like putting a bandage on a cut and calling yourself a doctor.

I've nothing against people who write for fun, and I'm not saying there's anything wrong with doing it. I just don't really consider those people writers. I consider them people who like to write.

Someone mentioned the gamer example, and I honestly take that one the same way. I don't play games professionally, I don't play to review them, even with my webcomic based on video games I've had to play several times to parody, I don't consider myself a gamer. Because it's a hobby, not a job (and I'm currently not working towards turning it into one) I just consider myself someone who occasionally likes to play video games.

 

[Sun Flash]

I myself am not a writer, although it would be cool to have the ability to make up great stories.

I have a few friends who see themselves as the next JK Rowling/Stephen King/Douglas Adam/Terry Pratchett/George Orwell/Anthony Burgess (all people I have heard them compare themselves to).

While I would love nothing more than to see them achieve greatness doing what they love, there's a niggly little rational part of me that wants to tell them to wake up and smell the coffee and just accept they're never going to be that big or good. I hate this part of me and would love to get rid of it, but it exists, none the less. The same goes for my friend who is currently enrolled in a music college and believes she will be the next Bon Jovi/Led Zepplin/Def Leppard (again, all previous comparisons) while snorting derisively at any form of popular music currently in the charts.

Although I have one friend who has a passion for comedy and classic comedy writing (Stuff in the vain of Monty Python, Fawlty Towers etc) as well as cartoon and animation. He also wants to be a writer, but has a different attitude to the friends above (who all still sound like 13 year olds trying to be deep). I don't know if it's because of this attitude or he is just better at writing than them, but he's the friend I 100% want and easily expect to succeed.

 

[Smooth Operator]

Well I judge that idea same as any other undertaking, "show me your dedication".
I strongly believe that anyone can do anything (within their physical limits), however everyone does not have the interest/dedication to see the whole thing through.

Speaking of writers, a whole bunch of people ask why noone reads user reviews... well let's just say not every attempt is for public view, or rather people just won't care to read it.

 

[Revnak_v1legacy]

How about an option for people who don't quite think that just anyone can be a writer but usually assume others are being honest with me, because that's where I am. I consider myself to be a proficient writer, though my narraration is weak. I have gotten a pretty major award for a short story I wrote, but nothing so huge as to make me assume that I'm the best writer in the world, just the best I know. If it seems like my posts are a little weak grammatically or what not, that is partially because I post more like how I talk than how I narrarate, not that I think my narraration skills are anything worth celebrating.

 

[Phlakes]

Well, it's no secret that people overestimate their talents, especially when they're young. That's actually one of the few ways having supportive parents can hurt you, so you need to know the difference between making a genuine impression and that vaguely sarcastic "oh, that's so good, Timmy! You could be a writer someday!", or when you get into the real world it'll be a huge dick slap when people start critiquing you honestly. So anyway, whenever someone says they want to be a writer and I haven't seen any writing, and especially if it sounds like they just decided to try it out recently, I'm very skeptical. At least on the internet.

And personally (since everyone else is doing it), I don't plan on writing novels or anything, but I have done a few journalistic things around the interwebs. I'm not much of a creative writer.

 

[Jonluw]

I am no writer (although my teachers have told me I might have potential [sub]Shut up, English isn't my first language.[/sub]), but when seeing someone claim they're going to write a novel I tend to think to myself that they will probably end up writing half of a poorly written story and publish it continuously on the web.
That is, unless they appear to be well-spoken and have some ideas that sound genuinely interesting.

Spoiler: It makes it a lot easier for me to pass judgement if the writer tells me something about the world his story takes place in

Well I see your point. Honestly, I feel like I have a number of interesting ideas (none of them Tolkien-esque fantasy related, thank you!) and I plan to keep them to myself, because while I don't automatically think I'm all that, people do like my ideas. The other reason I'd never publish them on the net is because that would feel too much like an admission of defeat.

Publishing on the net isn't necessarily an inherently bad way to go about things.
For example, there's that one Cracked.com writer who did an episodic pubishing thing where people could pay for the book in bites, so that if they found the book boring they could stop reading without having paid for the entire book.
Removing the commitment from trying out a new book, basically.
He apparently had quite some success with it.

When I said "publish on the web" in my first post there, I was referring to some half-assed freewebs page or something, where the author would present his work without ever having consulted an editor.

 

[spartan231490]

The only thing it really takes to become a writer is hard work, just look at all the dyslexics who end up writing, and since anyone is capable of hard work, I take them at their word.

 

[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

My question, therefore, is how do you feel when you hear people claiming that they're writers, or that they intend to become novelists? Do you scoff internally and assume they don't realize how much effort is involved, or do you take them at their word?

i've never running it to any one wanting to make money off it, most the 'writers' i know do it for fun, my self included, so no, i don't think ill of it, or any one that's whats to something with them selves, its they're life, not mine i've really got no say in what they do, nor should i.

 

[thedeathscythe]

I don't think that it has to be your main source of income (or even have to net you any money) for you to be an artist of any kind. The whole point of art is to create it, not make a living off of it. So when people tell me they're writers, I inquire about what they write and I tell them to shoot me a link sometime. Whether they write physical paperback books, reviews on the internet, blogs, or even just their own short stories online, I think they're all still writers.

I know it's hard to be an author in this day an age, at least to make it a living, so when they tell me that's what they want to do, I sort of wish them the best in my head but I always want to see stuff they've written to get an idea for them and to either compliment them or maybe give constructive criticism if it needs any.

 

[Kinokohatake]

iF Stephanie Meyer caN do eet so can eye.

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

 

[Latinidiot]

I don't go around telling people what they are and what they aren't but to me, until you've written something, you're not a writer.
Simple as that. Have you written a short story for something that isn't school or some kind of course? you're a writer. Not a professional one, and not a probably good one either, but you can truthfully describe yourself as a writer if you want to.

 

[Penguinishka]

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 >_>

 

[Sam Warrior]

I don't see myself as a writer, though I am trying to write a book, I'm not under any pretences that its gonna be easy in any way shape or form but if I ever get it finished it would be cool. Though I'm doing a biomedical science degree in my 3rd year and hoping to go to med school afterwards so its not going to be any time soon. If someone says to me their a writer, especially on the internet, I take it with a pinch of salt, but if me as a dyslexic can give it a go I see no reason why anybody couldn't pick up a pen and write something amazing. Though that's probably my optimistic side showing through there. (on another note guess how long it took me to learn to spell dyslexic...)

 

[Durgiun]

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.

 

[The Funslinger]

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.

Ah, but you said anyone, not everyone.

Not trying to be the guy who grammar nazis on a thread about "writers", but I was genuinely confused.

To remark upon your actual point, I'd say that's where every prospective author wants to end up, but I for one have several backup plans I'd be perfectly happy with.

Well, maybe the private security thing would be a bit of a drag, but I hear the money's good.