Who here writes for real?

[icymist]

I mean by that, who writes professionally? Who writes expecting to get published? And who writes for fun? I'm new at writing and am curious about those who are also writing. P.S. I wish to learn as much as I can. I want to be published. Other than my songs that were published, that's another story. I'm writing a novel. Or so I think I can write a novel. So... Who here writes for real?

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. I have a short list of things that have been published

as in pro rates and everything.

The business has changed so much that even A line writers are now thinking of self publishing... so the crisis the industry expected to face when they A list dies, perhaps is here now.

[icymist]

6. Hi Nadine.

I've been following you for a while. I found Critique Circle because of you and now I'm a gold member. i owe this all to you. Anyway, I love your passion.

[Ozymanithrax]

2. I am publishing my eighth short story...

and finishing work on my Master's in Creative Writing, which will have a novel published by the college Press.

I have another novel I'm shopping, and a third I'm working on.

The novel I'm shopping, I may just publish myself, as that seems to be the future of publication.

[icymist]

7. How do you write? I mean what is the process you undertake?

Everybody writes different. How do you write? By the seat of your pants? Do you use a plot outline? Did you come up with a premise before writing?

Ahhhh, The questions. Thank you for your time.

[MorningGlow]

3. All of the above

I'm a professional writer and editor (freelance), I am querying a novel at the moment, and I blog for fun. Whaddya want to know about the art? :)

[icymist]

5. Everything!

I'm hooked! I joined an online writing group and started doing short stories. These seemed okay at first, a hobby, and then NaNoWriMo! I'm sitting on a 50,000 plus word ms and am now writing something completely different! It's like I can't stop! I never dreamed I would sit up an entire night struggling over what the premise should be of the 2000 words I wrote from the seat of my pants the week before! (I've since come up with the premise and a plot outline for half the story!) Anyway, I ramble on sometimes... got any advice for someone who never thought they would actually love doing this?

[MorningGlow]

15. Welcome to the collective insanity that is the writers' world!

:rofl:

It's indeed an addiction. My advice:

Write everything you think of, even if it's crap. Crap can inspire something better. And if it's only slightly crappy...well, that's what the editing process is for.

Some people can write several stories at a time, others can only write one at a time. I'm in the latter group, and I have learned that when new ideas come a'knockin', to take copious notes. Because you will not remember (long term) the details that come to you in the middle of the night or in the shower or while driving. ;) Then, when you're ready for a new story, you can go to those notes and be way ahead of the game.

Read as much as you write. Finding shitty stuff that's published will make you feel better about your own, superior, stuff. :D And studying really great works will help you improve your own.

Edit, edit, edit, and edit some more, to have the tightest story possible. Be cruel--be ready to excise some stuff that you adore, because if it detracts from the story, it's not as great as you think it is.

Have other people read your stuff, and make sure they're not, you know, your mom or something. Find people who will be critical. If you are convinced that your story is perfect in its first draft format, as though it were Venus sprung from the head of Zeus, you are WRONG. Invariably. Really. Not your fault--it's just that we writers get so close to our creations that we lose perspective. Other readers will give you perspective. Not all critiques will be correct (some will be insane), so get as many as you can and go with majority rule.

When you want to find an agent, editor, or publisher, do your research. Don't waste your time contacting outlets that don't carry your stuff. It'll only net you a ton of rejections and depress you.

Develop a tough skin--for critiques and for rejection when you attempt to publish. Don't take anything personally. If you have done your research and targeted agents or editors or publishers who would normally represent/publish your genre, and yet they toss your stuff back at you with barely a glance at it, KEEP GOING. Contact others. Because the ones who have rejected you could merely have been having a bad day, weren't focusing, or even had agita from a bad meal or a hangover from the night before. However, if all you get are rejections, look at your stuff again, and revise it. Maybe it could be better. (Heck, it could always be better...)

Most important (in the immortal words of Galaxy Quest): Never give up, never surrender.

I'm sure there's more advice, but that's the stuff that comes to me right off the bat. Feel free to ask more questions! :hi:

[SheilaT]

4. I have been published in

the semi-distant past. I did write a first draft of a novel last year, and I really need to work on the entire revising process. It might be publishable eventually, but needs a lot of work.

[icymist]

8. Thank you.

I love your input. So what was the first draft of your novel about? Just curious.

[SheilaT]

10. It is about a group of five souls

who are connected through a series of lives. I REALLY should stop being so lazy and work on it.

I must say, I never understand why anyone needs ask a writer "Where do you get your ideas?" because ideas are, to coin a phrase, a dime a dozen. Heck, if I could sell ideas for that rate I could get rich. My essential problem is that I'm lousy at plotting.

Actually, I should probably write the story about the person behind all the ideas for stories and novels, but again, all I have is the story idea, and have no clue as to where to take it.

[sybylla]

9. I write for real.

I haven't made much money at it yet but I've done a few technical writing jobs, written several freelance articles for local newspapers and their "magazines." The latter pays crap, so I've kind of given up on looking for more of those kinds of opportunities.

I've finished a novel which has been shopped around with no luck - "well done, but it's just not my thing," is what just about every agent has said about it.

I haven't let that stop me. I'm currently working on a second novel - 1/3 done - and have two shorts I'm developing, in part because I've heard that getting shorts published is a way to break in.

So long as my SO continues to be okay with me being ungainfully employed, I'll continue to write.

[Ozymanithrax]

11. The market on line is huge...

Write for on line publishers, many of them pay professional or near professional rates.

I suggest people select a market and write stories aimed at that market. Keep sending them until they publish you or tell you to stop.

Set up a website to keep your name out there and list your work as you get published.

[sybylla]

12. Thanks for the suggestion.

I've just switched my focus back to fiction and left freelancing off the agenda. Maybe I'll try to get back into it to help pay the bills if nothing else.

[icymist]

13. This is the first I've heard of such advice.

I do not not know of what you say are 'professional or near professional' rates. E publishers pay much more than the so-called accepted royalitys of main stream publishers. Be careful here. This may not be what it seems.

[carolinayellowdog]

14. Much published, but no professional writer

Not sure what the threshold would be for calling oneself that, but it would seem to imply a livelihood. Have had three books published by a well-regarded university press, and one with a niche POD publisher, plus chapters in a couple of collections and entries in a few encyclopedias etc. Currently working on three new projects for a new scholarly publisher.

Lifetime income from all this is probably still in the four figures :) Might break 10k in the next year or so.

[nolabear]

16. I write for real too. It's not my only profession but I get published and I get paid.

And I teach writing. And I have a novel coming out in Sept.

But that's not writing, that's publishing. Writing is writing and I know good writers who don't get published because it's a huge commitment, not to writing, but to flogging the work. And that's a whole 'nother story.