Who doesn't dream of quitting their job and doing what they love all day? I know I do. Some people do it and succeed. However, it can be a long and tough road to get there.
We all want to just write whatever we want for a living. It's not that easy. A lot of times what you want to write is not what wants to sell. Other times you may just find out that your writing is not good enough. Even still you may come to find that you are selling your work, but not making enough money to support yourself. These are all real dilemmas you will most likely face when trying to start writing for a living.
You will have to live like Ebeneezer Scrooge. You will go through times where you cant pay your bills. You will not eat well. These are all necessary sacrifices. Unless you already have some sort of fixed means of income, it can be very dangerous to quit your job and write for a living. Hell, you may even find out that you don't like to write as much as you thought. Then you will be screwed.
I'm sure you want to write. You're sure too. So go ahead, quit your job, freelance, write a book, whatever. But when your liver fails from the alcoholism that comes with being a writer and you cant pay the medical bills, don't say I didn't warn you.
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Don't quit your day job, maybe.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Writer's Block
Let me just get this out there: I don't believe in writer's block.
That's right, well, at least not in the conventional sense in which most people think of it. I would venture to guess that most people think that writer's block is when you sit down to write, but you just cant because you don't know what to write next. This is false, and the first step to overcoming "writers block" is to identify it for what it really is.
The only reason you are having trouble figuring out what to write next is because you are scared. Deep down you are scared that whatever you write isn't going to be good enough for either your own standards, or your audience. This is why, I believe, that "writers block" is so much more prevalent in amateur writers than in accomplished, published writers. In order to stop this, the only thing you can do is to just start writing. Keep in mind that whatever you write doesn't have to be perfect. It doesn't even have to be good. That's what revision is for.
Think about it this way, It is a lot easier to paint the walls than it is to build the whole house. You know what I mean? Build the house first, it won't look pretty until it's finished anyway so don't bother trying to make it look pretty.
There is another thing that many people chalk up as writer's block. This is when you have been writing a lot for many days, or even just more than usual, and then you hit a wall and can't write another word. I attribute this to being sick of writing. The same thing happens at a regular job. Have you ever had a day at work where you just could not stand it any longer. You were certain that you were going to quit then and there, but you never did. I've had days like that. And you know what happened? The next day I went right back to work.
So what do you do when it happens to you with writing? Wait a day, then go right back to work. Possibly use your day off to go over your story notes or an outline to sort out any fuzzy details that may be stopping you from writing in the first place. If you have been writing a lot(too much) then maybe take 2 days off and use one as just a personal day. Everyone needs a day off or else you'll go crazy. You may also notice that your writing improves a lot by the time you get back into it. This is because your mind has had a hard reset, and is clear and free.
Now that you know what writers block really is, I hope you can beat it and turn it into, oh i don't know, writer's legos.
Sunday, May 11, 2008
How do I get fresh ideas?
It is hard to decide what to write about. Most often I tell people to write about what they are interested in. You can pretty much make anything interesting if you try hard enough (not really true, but almost). But I am often at a crossroads when trying to answer this question for myself.
Herein lies my dilemma. Reading fiction bores me. That is to say, reading most fiction bores me.
There are a few fiction books that have held my interest. Although I dislike reading the majority of it, I have found myself coming back to fiction writing time and time again. For some reason I am drawn to writing fiction. This is only the half of it.
I also want to make money from my writing. However, the types of fiction that make the most money(usually) are precisely the kind of books that bore me. I don't want to mention specifics, but I can't stand reading something that just feels like a cookie cutter novel. I just feel like I am not really gaining anything by reading these types of books. This makes writing that kind of novel, for me, pretty much out of the question. I don't want to "sell out".
So what do I do?
I revisit my earlier advice; Write about what interests you. The first thing I do is to find a topic that I am passionate about. It is a lot easier to write about something you know and love, and ipso facto your writings on the subject will be a lot better. After I have a topic, I like to find some way to make that topic relate to an issue I feel passionate about. I find that this makes the writing have a lot more purpose and meaning. Rather than just being entertainment, the story now gives something to the reader that they can take away from the story as well as being entertaining. I think this is one major factor that has been slowly nudged out of mainstream books. I also believe that this is why many books these days just dont "do it" for me.
If you want to write fiction, I urge you, write something that matters. Dont just write mindless mainstream garbage just because it sells. Write something that has the power to affect people; to change people even(in a positive way please). Please help to revive a lost art. Please help to save literature.
Friday, May 9, 2008
Character Mapping
It is really easy to lose track of a character or a personality when writing a story. That means that your character Charles may migrate from being an architect on page 10, to being a guy that makes those plastic balls that go in the pits at the good McDonald's play places. You see what I mean?
You need to remember the little details for all of your characters because, after spending hours, days, months with them, the details can get a bit hazy. The easiest way to do this is to write everything down on a separate sheet of paper for each character. These act like mini biographies for each character. Every time you reveal something about the character, write it down. If you say that his mother came from wales, write it down. If you say his mother came from whales, write it down.
This may seem unimportant, but it can save you loads of time off the back end. When you don't have to go back and correct a hundred continuity errors, you can spend that time doing real editing and real revisions. This doesn't only apply to characters either.
You can and should map places or events if you plan on revisiting them often. However, in my experience, it is most important and saves the most time to map out, and keep track of, each and every character.
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Pen Review: SRX 770 Grip
Don't ask me why, I just have a thing for pens. I am constantly looking for new, superb-writing pens. I have this pen I have been using for quite some time now. Not the same pen physically, but I have gone through many pens of the same model. The SRX 770 Grip made by Mega.
I like pens that let me write fast and with as little effort as possible.
The 770 certainly does that. Not much more than lightly floating the pen over the page is required. However, this freedom of movement is due to the liquidity of the ink. It has very runny ink. This means that on a regular sheet of notebook paper, you will get some bleed-through. You may even get a lot of bleed-through to the point where you cant use the back side of the paper because you can see everything you wrote on the front clear as day. I usually just use the back anyway because I am too lazy to care. I have never had bleed-through go all the way onto the next sheet of paper though.
The pen has a comfortable rubber grip and a very thick plastic outer casing. I would even say that the pen is too large because the casing is so big in diameter. The casing itself is not all that attractive either. It looks like a pretty cheap pen that is trying to look expensive. It does hold quite a bit of ink however so they usually do last a long time.
I cant remember where I got them at, but it was most likely Staples or Kmart or some similar store. I also don't remember how much they cost but not a lot. I assure you I would not have bought them if they were more than 3 dollars per pen(which is still ridiculous). So I'll sum this up.
Pros
-Fast Writing
-Long Lasting
-Inexpensive
Cons
-Bleed through
-Bulky
-Cheap looking/feeling
I like pens and I like to try new ones out all the time. So you can probably expect to see more reviews here on pens and on other products that will likely be equally mundane.
There is a picture of it on this website, its the only one I found. It's on the far left of the picture.
How do I Start Writing Professionally?
For many people(myself included), writing is a passion. Though I am a relative newcomer to the scene, writing can be and has been a profitable venture.
Many people often wonder; "How can I get started as a professional writer?" By Using the tips provided below, you will be well on your way to easing into your new job as a professional writer.
Tip One: Identify your style
There are plenty of ways out there to make money writing. The first step to doing it is to identify what you want to write. Some people are excellent journalists, but lousy novelists. Some people love to write poetry, while others would rather write research papers. There are many different types of writing, and if you want to do it for the long haul, try to pick something that you think you can stay interested in. Some of you may already have that figured out and are probably wishing I would just shut the hell up. In that case, go to tip two.
Tip Two: Start Writing!
Write every day, whether you have something to write about or not. This is the oldest and most often heard piece of advice for aspiring writers, and for a reason. You may think you're hot stuff when it comes to writing, and maybe you really are, but there are thousands of people out there that are most likely just as good as you. If you want to be better than them, you have to write... a lot. It only takes a few manuscript rejections and/or marked up drafts to realize that you're not as awesome as you thought. Practice makes perfect. Actually no, that's impossible. Practice does make Very Good though.
Tip Three: Take Notes
Yes cliche, that writer sitting in the park jotting notes in his notebook about amusing passers by. Cliche? Guess what. That guy is a better writer than you! That's right.
As I said before, this stuff is all cliche for a reason. You would not believe how many times I've sat and tried to remember that great idea I had two hours ago, only to end in an epic fail. A notebook on your person at all times is a must for any writer. Whether it be to take notes about a story idea, a character, or to jot down possible interview questions for an upcoming article, the notebook(not the movie) is invaluable. You never know when an idea will strike, so you must always be ready.
Tip Four: Get Schooled
A lot of writers shoot themselves in the feet, or possibly lower calf to ankle region, by assuming that they already know everything there is to know about writing. Again, if you think this, you probably should get a tourniquet, some whiskey, a knife, and a blowtorch, because that bullet is not going to remove itself. The best and fastest way to learn about writing is, in my opinion, to buy a book. Think about it, you are trying to sell your writing, so the best way to learn is from someone that obviously has already done so.
There is a lot of great info in books, but if some of that info clashes with your personal style, then don't use it. The trick is to find a balance. You need to take some of the info in without letting it influence your writing too much.
This was kind of a long post but believe me, there is much more that can be said about this topic. Follow these tips and you will be on your way to writing professionally.
P. S. I am not a medical doctor. If you really shoot yourself, or anyone else, in the foot, or any other part of the body, It is probably best to ignore it and pretend like nothing happened. It will probably just work itself out. Good Luck!
