I'm at the point where I need to start putting it all together and writing actual plots. But I want to know first, what are my chances? Sure, becoming the next George Lucas would be great, but I'd be so happy just to make a living at writing. I've always failed the jobs I've had, I just don't fit into society well (even though I'm quite normal acting and outgoing). People have told me I'm a bit eccentric and that I have a creative mind and should go with that. I'm not good at art though, at all, or musical talents, but I'm think I'm good at writing. I love writing to and can write many many paragraphs without realizing it in a short period of time.
So, before I get too far into all this. I'm just asking, what are the chances if you have some good ideas of getting published? How do you go about it? How much money can you expect to make for starters? Are there any other writing jobs I might could do without a degree?
Thank you for your time anons.
Chances are not good of you being able to make a living from writing. It doesn'[t matter if your ideas are good, you have to be able to write well, and above all it has to be marketable.
Have you actually done much writing? It takes a lot of practice to become a good writer.
Don't expect to make a lot of money.
>Fictional writer
How apt.
>How much money can you expect to make for starters?
Oh dear.
Chances are not good of you being able to make a living from writing. It doesn'[t matter if your ideas are good, you have to be able to write well, and above all it has to be marketable.
Have you actually done much writing? It takes a lot of practice to become a good writer.
Don't expect to make a lot of money.
I can write quite well, if I really go over what I write. Most of the time, like right now, when I'm writing I'm writing quite fast just to talk and respond to people. When I'm actually properly editing and formatting things I don't think I'm too bad at writing. I know what you mean to, not just ideas but how well you can put them in story form, how well you can write and convey ideas, situations, scenarios, etc.
And yes, I've practiced a good bit.
when did you first start writing
Creative writing student here. Writing is an extremely competitive profession. Perhaps most competitive when you get down to writing fiction. Write away by all means, there's no harm in that. Just don't use this as Plan A, because you're very, very unlikely to 'make it'. Think rockstar unlikely.
>Fictional writer
How apt.
>How much money can you expect to make for starters?
Oh dear.
I know some people are writers for a living. Quite honestly if I could pay for my own apartment and the bills/food to go with it some day I'd be plenty happy. Finding a job these days, especially for me is getting extremely frustrating. I'm just thinking maybe I should take a different path in life. I dunno...
Prepare for a world of misery and pain, but a satisfying world of misery and pain, OP.
Good luck.
when did you first start writing
Around when I was 12. I'm 22 now.
this is easy OP
you really want to be a writer?
F**KING DO IT FA**OT
sure, there's not much chance you'll be succesfull, but if you take some crap job on the side, that makes just enough to keep you going, you can write in your spare time.
but atleast make sure you don't regret not doing what you wanted to do, later in life.
OP, I'm curious. Post some stories.
@ OP.
Just do it. Start off with a fairly short novel (200-300 pg) and get it published. KEEP TRYING to get it published, you will be declined a few times just because you're unknown. JK Rowling was declined many times when she first tried getting HP published.
There is some seriously crap authors out there making reasonable money, you just need to want it more than the next guy.
I can write quite well, if I really go over what I write. Most of the time, like right now, when I'm writing I'm writing quite fast just to talk and respond to people. When I'm actually properly editing and formatting things I don't think I'm too bad at writing. I know what you mean to, not just ideas but how well you can put them in story form, how well you can write and convey ideas, situations, scenarios, etc.
And yes, I've practiced a good bit.
quite well isn't good enough. Even if someone has been writing for years, and thinks their writing is f**king brilliant, they still may never even be published if they're unlucky or unmarketable, and they still don't have a good chance of making any real money, let alone an actual living.
As that other person said, extremely competetive. It's great to write and hope to one day be recognised, but you really really need to turn somewhere else for financial security.
I know some people are writers for a living. Quite honestly if I could pay for my own apartment and the bills/food to go with it some day I'd be plenty happy. Finding a job these days, especially for me is getting extremely frustrating. I'm just thinking maybe I should take a different path in life. I dunno...
>if I could pay for my own apartment and the bills/food to go with it some day I'd be plenty happy.
Living off writing is not something a fiction writer can start off doing. Number one, it's a saturated industry. Two, it takes a lot of time to properly write a short story, or novel, and usually even longer to sell them, or find someone who actually wants to buy stories. Three, by the sounds of it you lack the experience. I studied creative writing for 3 years, and have been writing since I was a kid, and I don't rely on writing for income. I just write the odd article, continue writing my current big project, and work a different job.
You write for its own sake, not for a living. Some people do make money from writing, but they're either very good or they're teaching it.
>if I could pay for my own apartment and the bills/food to go with it some day I'd be plenty happy.
Living off writing is not something a fiction writer can start off doing. Number one, it's a saturated industry. Two, it takes a lot of time to properly write a short story, or novel, and usually even longer to sell them, or find someone who actually wants to buy stories. Three, by the sounds of it you lack the experience. I studied creative writing for 3 years, and have been writing since I was a kid, and I don't rely on writing for income. I just write the odd article, continue writing my current big project, and work a different job.
You write for its own sake, not for a living. Some people do make money from writing, but they're either very good or they're teaching it.
thats not true, many people who make a living from fiction writing are absolutely disgraceful writers.
just stop now, we can already tell you suck at writing with your dribble and run on sentence.
I'm not going to put myself on a pedestal or brag about how I am a "unique snowflake" but I'm just curious. If you DO have a extremely unique idea, one that really hasn't been used before in a way nothing has ever been written or told... If you DO have a long story that could extend throughout several books and take people on a truly unique journey unlike one that has not been thought up before. IF, and I say IF by chance you had that next "Revolutionary" idea to change the course of entertainment and fiction, would your chances still be about the same? People have told me it's all about luck or who you get in contact with.
I see so many holes in writing now days, so many things writers with good ideas could have done better if they wrote it out differently, so many aspects that could reach into peoples hearts, minds, and psyche to take them out of the real world and into another. I would love, more than the fame and fortune, simply to share this with people. I want to inspire others, I want to show people what adviceenture is since this world we live in severely lacks it.
I'm not going to put myself on a pedestal or brag about how I am a "unique snowflake" but I'm just curious. If you DO have a extremely unique idea, one that really hasn't been used before in a way nothing has ever been written or told... If you DO have a long story that could extend throughout several books and take people on a truly unique journey unlike one that has not been thought up before. IF, and I say IF by chance you had that next "Revolutionary" idea to change the course of entertainment and fiction, would your chances still be about the same? People have told me it's all about luck or who you get in contact with.
I see so many holes in writing now days, so many things writers with good ideas could have done better if they wrote it out differently, so many aspects that could reach into peoples hearts, minds, and psyche to take them out of the real world and into another. I would love, more than the fame and fortune, simply to share this with people. I want to inspire others, I want to show people what adviceenture is since this world we live in severely lacks it.
DO lT, O YE COLOSSAL FA**OT!
thats not true, many people who make a living from fiction writing are absolutely disgraceful writers.
I would define 'living' as having their work constantly being picked up and bought by publishers.
Even Stephanie Myer had a couple of novels behind her.
No, if the idea is unusual then it is untested and may fail, so publishers are even less likely to be interested. Especially if its from some unkown who has never even written a book before.
@ OP.
Just do it. Start off with a fairly short novel (200-300 pg) and get it published. KEEP TRYING to get it published, you will be declined a few times just because you're unknown. JK Rowling was declined many times when she first tried getting HP published.
There is some seriously crap authors out there making reasonable money, you just need to want it more than the next guy.
Yeah, that's what I mean. There are a ton of good writers out there who have really inspired me, and are heroes to me. However, there are so many who are also just so... Generic? They don't even attempt to be unique, and if they do they just end up ruining the idea itself. It makes me sad honestly.
I want it quite bad to. As I said, I would love to inspire people, I would love not for fame but just to be known as some one who inspired many. I would love to have enough money in life to help out my father who is quite sick (the only family I have) and to just pay for a apartment. I've always been poor, lived in bad areas, been homeless a few times, I just dream of a halfway decent life, and with my personality and talents or lack there of, I just don't know how it can happen any other way. I guess that's why I try to hold onto this hope so badly. I know it's far fetched though, it's just always been my dream.
I'm not going to put myself on a pedestal or brag about how I am a "unique snowflake" but I'm just curious. If you DO have a extremely unique idea, one that really hasn't been used before in a way nothing has ever been written or told... If you DO have a long story that could extend throughout several books and take people on a truly unique journey unlike one that has not been thought up before. IF, and I say IF by chance you had that next "Revolutionary" idea to change the course of entertainment and fiction, would your chances still be about the same? People have told me it's all about luck or who you get in contact with.
I see so many holes in writing now days, so many things writers with good ideas could have done better if they wrote it out differently, so many aspects that could reach into peoples hearts, minds, and psyche to take them out of the real world and into another. I would love, more than the fame and fortune, simply to share this with people. I want to inspire others, I want to show people what adviceenture is since this world we live in severely lacks it.
Well good for you if you have a great idea. They're few and far between. But it's like having a seed and expecting apples.
Sit down and explore your idea. Flesh out a cast, and maybe write some interviews with them to see how they react to things. Sketch a rough synopsis. Then write a long plot. Collect together all the smaller good ideas, clever turns of phrase, thoughts, observations and older examples of your work, and work them all into a novel, screenplay, TV script, comic script (whatever) until you have a first draft. Which will take a lot of effort. You have to wake up with a hard-on for your creation just about every single day. You'll fall out of love with it. You'll feel as if you're building a shoddy tower one level at the time, and it's swaying in the breeze, ready to fall own underneath you. Keep going. Bad scenes can be repaired, or cut later. Genders can be changed. Note your ideas for revisions and implement them in further drafts. Do not talk about your work to anyone - it'll lose steam. Just keep going and picture holding the complete manuscript in your hands. No apprehensions are valid until that shining moment, because they'll be hypothetical.
Then show people the first draft, gauge their reactions, consider the structure of it, what parts don't further the plot or are masturbatory, and hack at it until it is streamlined and looking like something fit for human consumption.
Then write a third draft, to fine-tune it.
The time between drafts should be at least 2 weeks, if not 2 months. You want to go at this thing with the eyes of a stranger.
Then my son, you can consider yourself a writer.
And sometime after that, having a meal or bill paid for by your work becomes a possibility.
The really good stories have been living in your head for years, and you've gotten so familiar with the characters and story that you've almost forgotten that they were there. Try writing one of those.
Pursue your dreams.
Just make sure you have something "practical" as a backup/day job.
I'm guessing you're still in high school OP. In that case, enter lots of short fiction contests while you can and write as much as possible. Have lots of life experiences, go hitchhiking, leave your town and get "lost". I'm currently in school for journalism and despite being a shrinking industry, it's still the easiest way to make a living as a writer.
The really good stories have been living in your head for years, and you've gotten so familiar with the characters and story that you've almost forgotten that they were there. Try writing one of those.
That's the one that has been living in my head since I was 12. I've built the story in my head, the characters, the places, the scenes, everything, since I was about 12 years old. I've never had much in life, so all I've been able to have without having talents is my imagination. I listened to music and imagined things more than anything else in life. I'd replay everything in my head. It's why I started getting serious about writing. I want to share my story.
I'm guessing you're still in high school OP. In that case, enter lots of short fiction contests while you can and write as much as possible. Have lots of life experiences, go hitchhiking, leave your town and get "lost". I'm currently in school for journalism and despite being a shrinking industry, it's still the easiest way to make a living as a writer.
I'm 22 good sir. And I've had some life experience that would make quite the story in themselves. I've been all around, experienced many different situations, many things that scared me, many things that inspired me.
Well good for you if you have a great idea. They're few and far between. But it's like having a seed and expecting apples.
Sit down and explore your idea. Flesh out a cast, and maybe write some interviews with them to see how they react to things. Sketch a rough synopsis. Then write a long plot. Collect together all the smaller good ideas, clever turns of phrase, thoughts, observations and older examples of your work, and work them all into a novel, screenplay, TV script, comic script (whatever) until you have a first draft. Which will take a lot of effort. You have to wake up with a hard-on for your creation just about every single day. You'll fall out of love with it. You'll feel as if you're building a shoddy tower one level at the time, and it's swaying in the breeze, ready to fall own underneath you. Keep going. Bad scenes can be repaired, or cut later. Genders can be changed. Note your ideas for revisions and implement them in further drafts. Do not talk about your work to anyone - it'll lose steam. Just keep going and picture holding the complete manuscript in your hands. No apprehensions are valid until that shining moment, because they'll be hypothetical.
Then show people the first draft, gauge their reactions, consider the structure of it, what parts don't further the plot or are masturbatory, and hack at it until it is streamlined and looking like something fit for human consumption.
Then write a third draft, to fine-tune it.
The time between drafts should be at least 2 weeks, if not 2 months. You want to go at this thing with the eyes of a stranger.
Then my son, you can consider yourself a writer.
And sometime after that, having a meal or bill paid for by your work becomes a possibility.
Thank you for that post. Yes, a lot of the stuff you mentioned I have done. To be perfectly honest, if I could have my choice, I would have it become a movie. Not just any movie though, it would be a series of movies with a super high budget. My idea would require beyond special effects, as I think too many movies now days take place in too much of "Earth like" settings, even the fantasy ones, and aren't "creative" enough in their environments. I would like to "excite" people. Give them something to talk about, give them something to look forward to and anticipate. That would be my dream.
However, at the very least I would like to make my idea into a series of books. Not too many, but not too few either. I've always thought maybe around 6-10 books to cover the entire story? I'm not positive though.
As far as a Synopsis, I've written several out sort of, but I need to perfect on them. Any suggestions? How long should it be do you think? I guess you're right and I need to make a good one before I build the actual plot and context around it.
And yeah, I would love at the very least to show my father and a few close friends of mine what I worked up in my head, at the very least maybe they could appreciate my story.
And yes, every day I get up I think about it. Every waking moment I'm alive, I'm thinking about possible elements to it. Music usually inspires the best ideas I have. I'm ALWAYS thinking about it to the point I can't get the sh*t out of my head, and I really do think if I could properly format it and if I got in contact with the right people...
I've been thinking about that too, OP. I just want to write a book, I don't even care if it gets published or not.
However, I simply can't bring myself to do it. Yesterday I wrote a paragraph and then deleted the text file.
I've been thinking about that too, OP. I just want to write a book, I don't even care if it gets published or not.
However, I simply can't bring myself to do it. Yesterday I wrote a paragraph and then deleted the text file.
Yeah, I know what you mean. Some times I find it hard to really get down on it because I feel like "Why am I doing this" "It's a complete waste of time" etc.
But the best adviceice I got so far is, if you don't do it, you'll never know for sure if you threw away a winning ticket.
How much do you write? You need to churn out at least 2000 word a day to have any shot at all.
How much do you write? You need to churn out at least 2000 word a day to have any shot at all.
If I get serious anon, I can write a lot more than that a day. I know you mean actual context to, and not just "words per minute" typing or writing. I think I could do a lot better than 2,000 though. Once I start writing it just flows naturally.
Hello anons,
I'm thinking about becoming a writer. A fictional writer to be exact. Anytime I bring this up with people I'm just given the "You're not special" "You're not a snowflake" "Everything has been done" responses. I'm not going to sit here and try to sell you on my ideas, but for my entire life I've had pretty much no talents other than a extremely overactive imagination. I'm also very good at looking into the depths of stories, seeing what works and what doesn't, seeing what makes something captivating but not shallow, etc. I've been writing my ideas in text documents for several story ideas I've had for awhile now.
I'm at the point where I need to start putting it all together and writing actual plots. But I want to know first, what are my chances? Sure, becoming the next George Lucas would be great, but I'd be so happy just to make a living at writing. I've always failed the jobs I've had, I just don't fit into society well (even though I'm quite normal acting and outgoing). People have told me I'm a bit eccentric and that I have a creative mind and should go with that. I'm not good at art though, at all, or musical talents, but I'm think I'm good at writing. I love writing to and can write many many paragraphs without realizing it in a short period of time.
So, before I get too far into all this. I'm just asking, what are the chances if you have some good ideas of getting published? How do you go about it? How much money can you expect to make for starters? Are there any other writing jobs I might could do without a degree?
Thank you for your time anons.
My best adviceice to you and to any aspiring writer is to practice practice practice. Don't expect your writing to be good and don't be discouraged when you post it online and people tell you you're full of sh*t. This is normal.
This is somewhat relevant:
http://whatever.scalzi.com/2006/04/27/10-things-teenage-writers-should-know-about-writing/
If I get serious anon, I can write a lot more than that a day. I know you mean actual context to, and not just "words per minute" typing or writing. I think I could do a lot better than 2,000 though. Once I start writing it just flows naturally.
You don't seem very bright, and you seem like someone who thinks they're more created/talented than they actually are. Furthermore you appear to have no realistic idea of how the industry operates.
This said by all means, you should pursue it. Perhaps take some creative writing hobby-classes or night classes and work on it in your spare time. If you're unemployed then you have more time to work on it. But that said you need a contingency plan and your life/career needs to be functioning without it, because as someone has said, it is "rockstar unlikely" to get published and live solely off of writing (even morose as you appear to have poor grammar and structure).
My best adviceice to you and to any aspiring writer is to practice practice practice. Don't expect your writing to be good and don't be discouraged when you post it online and people tell you you're full of sh*t. This is normal.
This is somewhat relevant:
http://whatever.scalzi.com/2006/04/27/10-things-teenage-writers-should-know-about-writing/
A little bit of good information, but most of this stuff I already knew. Most of the stuff he talks about is the same thing that irritates me as well. I completely encourage any type of creativity no matter how bad it may be, however a lot of teenagers now days like to think they are "Deep" and haven't experienced much of life. They think some high school drama, a homosexual experience, doing some drugs, or a failed relationship is gaining them "experience" in life.
Again, I'm not one to brag, and I'm positive many people out there including some writers have probably been through a lot more than me, but I've had a very very odd life and have experienced more than I wish some times. I've been all around the world, experienced things some people couldn't imagine, been homeless, been in enormous wealthy estates, had nice cars, had to use public transportation and that's not even the start of it.
I've had to live in varying situations that were more or less hell on earth, my entire life. When I was real young I vaguely remember how life was quite good and normal, but it changed when I was still a kid. Through all the situations I've lived through, all the people I've met, the places I've been and the hells I have experienced as well as the heavens, I've tried to find the beauty in everything. I try to see what's in people's hearts, I try to understand my environment and the people in it. I've spent my whole life on the outside looking in more or less and have lived the lives of many people in one.
It's nothing to brag about, because of it there's a lot of abnormalities about me, however, through what I've experienced I've become inspired. Nothing in life inspires me other than the fact of telling a good story, helping people understand what beautiful things they're hearts and minds might truly be capable of.
You don't seem very bright, and you seem like someone who thinks they're more created/talented than they actually are. Furthermore you appear to have no realistic idea of how the industry operates.
This said by all means, you should pursue it. Perhaps take some creative writing hobby-classes or night classes and work on it in your spare time. If you're unemployed then you have more time to work on it. But that said you need a contingency plan and your life/career needs to be functioning without it, because as someone has said, it is "rockstar unlikely" to get published and live solely off of writing (even morose as you appear to have poor grammar and structure).
It's 7:55 in the morning cut him some slack. Also he's on web. I'm a grammar nazi in my academic papers but when I'm on web I'm lazy, both in terms of grammar and in terms of my style in general.
inb4samef**
Expecting to make a living from writing is definitely unrealistic.
Even people like Emerson and Thoreau and Poe couldn't make a living from their writing. Now granted the situation has improved due to changes in copyright law but still, that should give you some perspective.
You don't seem very bright, and you seem like someone who thinks they're more created/talented than they actually are. Furthermore you appear to have no realistic idea of how the industry operates.
This said by all means, you should pursue it. Perhaps take some creative writing hobby-classes or night classes and work on it in your spare time. If you're unemployed then you have more time to work on it. But that said you need a contingency plan and your life/career needs to be functioning without it, because as someone has said, it is "rockstar unlikely" to get published and live solely off of writing (even morose as you appear to have poor grammar and structure).
Too be perfectly honest it's 5am where I am and I haven't slept very well. I also don't think my grammar (for writing half assed responses as fast as I can) is too terrible. I never had proper schooling in my entire life so I had to teach myself through books. I eventually got a highschool diploma when I was 16 years old though. I'm sure my grammar is not the best in the world, but as I said before whenever I write seriously I go back and edit all my work so everything comes out properly.
I might not be the brightest person in the world, but I also am aware that you don't need to be perfect if you have a good idea. The people who are perfect have no personality to them. They are doing something because it suits them or they enjoy it, but there's no true motivation in their hearts for it. This I think, is what creates a lot of generic writing, as well as art work and other forms of entertainment.
Also as I explained before, I think I'm very untalented. I honestly have no talents whatsoever. I've tried things such as Art, Music, Athletics, Hobbies, and fail horribly at them all. One thing I think I do have is a good imagination. I don't think I'm the only one out there with one so overactive either, I'm sure there are plenty of others, but because of the circumstances life gave me I suppose it's the part of my brain that developed more so than in most people who keep their minds focused on more important things.
Having an interesting life or being good at writing do not guarantee that you get published.
There are a lot of published writers who suck. There are a lot of published writers who don't suck. What gets you published isn't being a good writer so much as writing what the publisher wants to publish. That's not to say that being a good writer doesn't help but . . . yeah.
A LOT of people fall into this trap. "I'm a smart guy, I like writing, I'll jsut write a lot and someday get published." There are hundreds of thousands of people with the same mindset who are competing with you. The odds are slim.
Write, write, by all means write, but do not expect to be published. That's just setting you up for disappointment. Write for your own amusement and submit things but don't be disappointed when nobody publishes you. See getting published as not your goal but as icing on the cake.
Even if you DO get published, which is unlikely, it's even less likely that you'll be a popular enough writer to make any sort of living from it.
who remembers the ytmnd with this picture?
Anyone can be a writer
See:Dean Koontz
See: Independent Publishing
OP, don't get ahead of yourself...it's a problem I suffer from time to time.
Instead of working on the story I become fixated with the finished product and the response and success it will have. Don't go into the work wondering 'will people like this?' or 'will I become successful because of this?' as it will ruin and spoil the whole process and will lead to you giving up most likely. Instead, just work on writing the story, don't focus on what will happen when it's finished just remain focused on getting it completed. Doing the first draft is the hardest thing you will ever have to endure as a writer but once it's done you have something, a complete piece of work with a beginning, middle, end, characters, contexts and so forth. You can write half a novel and give up, it may be the greatest half a novel ever created but no one will ever love it
OP, don't get ahead of yourself...it's a problem I suffer from time to time.
Instead of working on the story I become fixated with the finished product and the response and success it will have. Don't go into the work wondering 'will people like this?' or 'will I become successful because of this?' as it will ruin and spoil the whole process and will lead to you giving up most likely. Instead, just work on writing the story, don't focus on what will happen when it's finished just remain focused on getting it completed. Doing the first draft is the hardest thing you will ever have to endure as a writer but once it's done you have something, a complete piece of work with a beginning, middle, end, characters, contexts and so forth. You can write half a novel and give up, it may be the greatest half a novel ever created but no one will ever love it
True enough, thanks for the adviceice anon.
To be a great writer, you have to have the following:
1. Great ideas
2. Great writing ability
Most people just have #1 and become obsessed with #1, thinking "oh sh*t this is the best story ever". Then when they actually try #2, they find their writing ability is completely terrible. Sometimes writers realize this, but most don't and continue to be driven by the great ideas they built up in #1.
I've realized I'm not a good writer, but I have the most amazing plots in my head that anyone could ever think of. If there was some sort of machine that could transfer my ideas directly into film or a book, I'd be f**king famous. But I can't do that, so I'm going to be a lawyer instead.
If you actually want your books to sell and you want to be famous, you should try mixing in as many elements of popular fiction into your book as possible. Yes, popular fiction does f**king suck, but it sells like hotcakes. If you manage to sell quite a few popular fiction books and get a following, then you can unleash your real style and your dedicated fans will continue to read your books and at the same time they will get attention from those who appreciate higher literature.
To be a great writer, you have to have the following:
1. Great ideas
2. Great writing ability
Most people just have #1 and become obsessed with #1, thinking "oh sh*t this is the best story ever". Then when they actually try #2, they find their writing ability is completely terrible. Sometimes writers realize this, but most don't and continue to be driven by the great ideas they built up in #1.
I've realized I'm not a good writer, but I have the most amazing plots in my head that anyone could ever think of. If there was some sort of machine that could transfer my ideas directly into film or a book, I'd be f**king famous. But I can't do that, so I'm going to be a lawyer instead.
I've felt that way before some times anon. I'm sure I'm not the greatest "WRITER" when it comes to proper form and grammar (albeit not terrible) but the ideas I have, I can't let slip by. I know if I can just get them out there into the world that they will be appreciated. It's why I don't want to give up.
you are special, you are a snowflake, but unfortunately there is nothing new under the sun
with that in mind, your interpretation of a theme from your own very unique perspective may be profoundly beautiful
you will not know until you try
also; i kinda stopped reading right there because i've been awake for a couple of days and all the little letters are dancing
If you actually want your books to sell and you want to be famous, you should try mixing in as many elements of popular fiction into your book as possible. Yes, popular fiction does f**king suck, but it sells like hotcakes. If you manage to sell quite a few popular fiction books and get a following, then you can unleash your real style and your dedicated fans will continue to read your books and at the same time they will get attention from those who appreciate higher literature.
Yes, I've thought of this to. I know you have to put fanservice in your book/movie/story for it to sell. I think I have a good grasp on how much to put in to find a balance of "This will help it sell" and "This will cheapen it and make it generic". I think it's possible to balance both of those. I will say for a fact, I know what people want, what they like to hear, what they like to experience, read, and watch. It's easy for me to understand different demographics and their psyche, what gets them all hot and wild.
I want to be an author. I have a complicated plot in my head that's been written down in it's most basic form, stashed somewhere in my room. It's evolved quite a lot, and it still is, which is why I'm going to let it stay a while more so it can mature a little.
I like to think that it'll be amazingly popular and that I'll be able to sustain myself off of the series money making capacity, but (as cliche as this sounds) what I want most is to just get it written down. Yet, like I said, details in the plot keep changing, hell even last week I added in a new character and she fits perfectly.
In between games, sports and socializing and work, writing the books is very, well, boring. I mean, I sit down to write and there's just so many other things I could be doing. It's annoying, one day I'll have put aside an hour a day or so to begin the actual writing process.
I've found that the books write themselves more than you write them, as in, I can't just add something in if it doesn't fit right, the plot tends to decide what can and can't happen, weird/stupid as that sounds.
And like I said, writing is annoying. I sit down to write the events that kick everything off and I start to realized; where does he work? what does he look like? does he have family? what time is it? what does the buidling look like?. I'm beginning to think that some scenes are just easier to write than others simply because I've thought about them more than others.
Eh.
I want to be an author. I have a complicated plot in my head that's been written down in it's most basic form, stashed somewhere in my room. It's evolved quite a lot, and it still is, which is why I'm going to let it stay a while more so it can mature a little.
I like to think that it'll be amazingly popular and that I'll be able to sustain myself off of the series money making capacity, but (as cliche as this sounds) what I want most is to just get it written down. Yet, like I said, details in the plot keep changing, hell even last week I added in a new character and she fits perfectly.
In between games, sports and socializing and work, writing the books is very, well, boring. I mean, I sit down to write and there's just so many other things I could be doing. It's annoying, one day I'll have put aside an hour a day or so to begin the actual writing process.
I've found that the books write themselves more than you write them, as in, I can't just add something in if it doesn't fit right, the plot tends to decide what can and can't happen, weird/stupid as that sounds.
And like I said, writing is annoying. I sit down to write the events that kick everything off and I start to realized; where does he work? what does he look like? does he have family? what time is it? what does the buidling look like?. I'm beginning to think that some scenes are just easier to write than others simply because I've thought about them more than others.
Eh.
Yeah, I know what you mean. Writing is hard when you actually try to write. If you just sit down, with a open mind to relax and let it flow, it comes naturally. You have to be inspired for your work to come out properly, and you are right, the story writes itself more than you write it.
you are special, you are a snowflake, but unfortunately there is nothing new under the sun
with that in mind, your interpretation of a theme from your own very unique perspective may be profoundly beautiful
you will not know until you try
also; i kinda stopped reading right there because i've been awake for a couple of days and all the little letters are dancing
Well, I don't think anything is "New" but that is a very subjective statement. Obviously nothing is new, to a degree. How things are implemented and told though, can always be new and exciting. Although believe it or not, I've created a world/story/setting in my head that isn't like anything I've seen in popular media. I've mixed a lot of things together which one might think would be hard to do and make it properly come out, but I've spent a lot of time on that matter.
Also thanks for the encouragement.
Yeah, I know what you mean. Writing is hard when you actually try to write. If you just sit down, with a open mind to relax and let it flow, it comes naturally. You have to be inspired for your work to come out properly, and you are right, the story writes itself more than you write it.
Oh yeah I agree.
I can just sit down and write, and it comes naturally. I've sometimes written in a character to my 'main' series.
I just really want to write my 'main' series, but like I said in
I want to be an author. I have a complicated plot in my head that's been written down in it's most basic form, stashed somewhere in my room. It's evolved quite a lot, and it still is, which is why I'm going to let it stay a while more so it can mature a little.
I like to think that it'll be amazingly popular and that I'll be able to sustain myself off of the series money making capacity, but (as cliche as this sounds) what I want most is to just get it written down. Yet, like I said, details in the plot keep changing, hell even last week I added in a new character and she fits perfectly.
In between games, sports and socializing and work, writing the books is very, well, boring. I mean, I sit down to write and there's just so many other things I could be doing. It's annoying, one day I'll have put aside an hour a day or so to begin the actual writing process.
I've found that the books write themselves more than you write them, as in, I can't just add something in if it doesn't fit right, the plot tends to decide what can and can't happen, weird/stupid as that sounds.
And like I said, writing is annoying. I sit down to write the events that kick everything off and I start to realized; where does he work? what does he look like? does he have family? what time is it? what does the buidling look like?. I'm beginning to think that some scenes are just easier to write than others simply because I've thought about them more than others.
Eh.
It can be a bit difficult.
I also tend to think more about the negative side of things, which frequently pushes me into thinking things like 'no one is going to f**king like this, what are you doing'. Sucks sometimes.
And then it also gets annoying where I see a movie or book or game do something that I've already thought of, and you just know that when the times comes and you do something similar, you're going to get flamed like a motherf**ker, and you can't 'prove' that you did it first. Oh well, haters be hating.
I don't know much about professional writing, but I do know what it's like to have a dream that most people would consider crazy. I wanted to start my own business very badly, and I did so by quitting my decent, stable job and used my emergency savings to cover the start-up. Yes, it was a crazy, risky decision, but you're not going to achieve what you want in life by always playing it a safe. Settling for the safe is settling for mediocrity and how you end up miserable. You're not going to get anywhere if you don't f**king try.
Another thing I should mention is that when you follow your dreams, you will always run into people who want to see you fail or will frequently tell you that you're ruining your life. Ignore them. The people who tell you this are jealous and don't like to see other people follow their dreams and succeed because it reminds them of their own sh*tty life decisions. There's also people out there who are absolutely convinced that any career path that doesn't involve working 9-5 in an office is doomed to failure. Don't let these people drag you down.
http://piratepad.net/gqOl6MRuZn
Try hopping here and give out some story ideas, and bookmark it!
http://piratepad.net/gqOl6MRuZn
Try hopping here and give out some story ideas, and bookmark it!
no one there :V
I don't know much about professional writing, but I do know what it's like to have a dream that most people would consider crazy. I wanted to start my own business very badly, and I did so by quitting my decent, stable job and used my emergency savings to cover the start-up. Yes, it was a crazy, risky decision, but you're not going to achieve what you want in life by always playing it a safe. Settling for the safe is settling for mediocrity and how you end up miserable. You're not going to get anywhere if you don't f**king try.
Another thing I should mention is that when you follow your dreams, you will always run into people who want to see you fail or will frequently tell you that you're ruining your life. Ignore them. The people who tell you this are jealous and don't like to see other people follow their dreams and succeed because it reminds them of their own sh*tty life decisions. There's also people out there who are absolutely convinced that any career path that doesn't involve working 9-5 in an office is doomed to failure. Don't let these people drag you down.
Thank you very much for the encouragement and motivation anon. What you said is the main thing that makes me want to give this a shot. I know I probably will fail which is why it's hard to find motivation, but I want so badly to be different from the norm. I want to be me, I want to accomplish something with my life, I want to inspire others and help other people out. I want to be known for giving everyone a incredible story that they can enjoy. It's what makes the idea so exciting to me. Thank you again.
>I know I probably will fail
If you go into it with that attitude, then you WILL fail. It's one thing to acknowledge that the odds are against you, but believing you will only ensure that it happens.
>I know I probably will fail
If you go into it with that attitude, then you WILL fail. It's one thing to acknowledge that the odds are against you, but believing you will only ensure that it happens.
You're right. The odds are against me but it's not impossible. It's completely possible that I just might have something and that I just might get discovered. I just need to write, take it seriously, and try my best and never give up! Thank you.
http://piratepad.net/gqOl6MRuZn
Try hopping here and give out some story ideas, and bookmark it!
Don't forget to contribute to the etherpad link shown in that post
guys
please type your ideas here http://piratepad.net/gqOl6MRuZn
there's little to no money in writing. save some money up and start learning to invest. once you have a fair cash flow then you can write for fun.
at least that's my plan.
Don't quit your day job, a slim percentage of writers actually are able to live solely off their writing and that's mostly cause they are established authors who get adviceances. Just starting out you'll make little to nothing unless your sh*t is like the next Harry Potter or Twilight or Da Vinci Code or whatever the f**k is the next big book.
Hello anons,
I'm thinking about becoming a writer. A fictional writer to be exact. Anytime I bring this up with people I'm just given the "You're not special" "You're not a snowflake" "Everything has been done" responses. I'm not going to sit here and try to sell you on my ideas, but for my entire life I've had pretty much no talents other than a extremely overactive imagination. I'm also very good at looking into the depths of stories, seeing what works and what doesn't, seeing what makes something captivating but not shallow, etc. I've been writing my ideas in text documents for several story ideas I've had for awhile now.
I'm at the point where I need to start putting it all together and writing actual plots. But I want to know first, what are my chances? Sure, becoming the next George Lucas would be great, but I'd be so happy just to make a living at writing. I've always failed the jobs I've had, I just don't fit into society well (even though I'm quite normal acting and outgoing). People have told me I'm a bit eccentric and that I have a creative mind and should go with that. I'm not good at art though, at all, or musical talents, but I'm think I'm good at writing. I love writing to and can write many many paragraphs without realizing it in a short period of time.
So, before I get too far into all this. I'm just asking, what are the chances if you have some good ideas of getting published? How do you go about it? How much money can you expect to make for starters? Are there any other writing jobs I might could do without a degree?
Thank you for your time anons.
I commend OP. You're basically living my dream. I'd just move to a place where good writers get attention. Then I'd pick up any job and just write as much as f**king possible in my spare time. Also, remember to keep track of all your book ideas. With most publishers the way it works is that you have an idea and you offer it to them and if they like it, then you write the book. If you write the book first and they don't take it, you're sorta f**ked.
By telling you that there's nothing new to do, theyre already being unoriginal. 'There is no new thing under the sun', herp derp.
Just write. Alot. Having a plan before hand might help, but really the one important thing is churning out words. Dont censor yourself while youre writing; that impedes imagination and flow. Go back and read it over during editing. And while youre writing, dont ask for anyone's opinions. That'll either inflate your ego and or make you feel like an idiot.
And even if it doesnt get published, so what? There's your book.
You might wanna go over to /lit/ instead of anonymous for this, too.
I commend OP. You're basically living my dream. I'd just move to a place where good writers get attention. Then I'd pick up any job and just write as much as f**king possible in my spare time. Also, remember to keep track of all your book ideas. With most publishers the way it works is that you have an idea and you offer it to them and if they like it, then you write the book. If you write the book first and they don't take it, you're sorta f**ked.
Actually that whole 'pitch the idea THEN write it' bit usually only works if you're an established author, otherwise the publishing company is gonna want a few chapters to read over to see if they want to publish it.
Actually that whole 'pitch the idea THEN write it' bit usually only works if you're an established author, otherwise the publishing company is gonna want a few chapters to read over to see if they want to publish it.
Well, yes that is true but don't write a whole book. Have like concept you know? Something to give them an idea.
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