Reading is Not Boring But Writers Are A Little Crazy

I Suspect Writers Are a Little Bit Crazy 

Yes, I mean you and me and all those other writers out there (regardless of what they write).  There are a lot of reasons for my suspicions but I could write another entire book on that so I'll just keep to one sub-topic beneath the general heading for today.

I can't tell you how many times I've heard aspiring writers say, "I'm not a big fan of reading...I just don't have time to read."

What?

You intend to write but you don't read?  I mean if you don't read what the heck makes you think other people are going to read what YOU write?

Oh, they say, I'd rather just flip on the game console or maybe send a text (with letters that look like little better than gobbeldy-gook) or surf the net.  Reading is pretty boring they tell me.

What?

So you don't think YOUR writing is going to bore someone else?

Ahem, let's analyze this truly twisted thinking a bit. From many conversations and my own observations this situation plainly stems from not the reading, but WHAT those people were reading.
Many young people read only because they've "had to" for school or for some learning endeavor.

Remember being forced to slog through a 'classic' in literature class that didn't interest you? Remember being assigned a long read in a dry text at school that held no more interest for you than dust?

Then, maybe later remember when you 'had' to read some technical manual for your work?

Granted, all that can be boring, but it's not reading's fault!

Okay, so I think the problem is plain and if you plan to write or simply want to have a better life you are going to have to read.

Sorry, that's the way of it.

Doesn't matter how you read, whether holding a book or a magazine or at your computer or on your tablet, you have to read.

So, putting aside for the moment the stuff you'll still 'have' to read over time, the key is to find things you're interested in, things that entertain you and/or ignite your passions. Novels, politics, science, whatever floats your boat. Trust me, reading will then be fun.

And, as a bonus, once you've found those things that inspire and fire you, and you actually begin  to enjoy reading, you'll discover lots of new ideas and topics that will engross you for hours, even days.

From there you'll leap into new perspectives, explore new frontiers. On top of that, reading will lead to better writing. Whether you desire to be a 'writer' of some species or just need to write clearly for your job or to communicate with friends, family and colleagues, reading will aid you in those endeavors. New ideas, new words, new perspectives.

And all of that will change your world. And one change spurs another. It's a process that goes on continually. One I've no doubt you'll come to love and embrace.

Write. Read. Be a little crazy.

What to Consider When Considering Writing Contests

Writing contests are kind of a lure for writers. The idea of a contest kind of dangles a carrot of opportunity or at least perceived opportunity. What if I win the contest? Will there be a large monetary prize?  Will I be published? Will I be noticed?  Will my work become bestselling work that launches my career?

Well, yes and no.

What if I don't win the contest? Does that mean my writing isn't any good? Does it mean I should give up? Does it mean I'll never get published?

Ummm, don't take it so seriously.

There are up sides and down sides to contests and my advice is to consider carefully before entering. There are a lot of writing contests out there and I do mean a LOT. If you throw a search into google for writing contests you'll come up with page after page of listings that mention writing contests of one type or another. And there are writer's magazines and organizations that tell you about contests all the time. But you probably already know that.

Here's the thing though. What do you expect to get out of a contest? Think about it before you enter. Odds are you're going to plunk down some bucks as an entry fee and as a writer with a lot of contests out there, how many do you think you want to enter? How much money do you want to gamble on a win? And remember there are human beings running these writing contests. A lot of the time a winner may well come down to the taste of the judge or the mood her or she is in that day (assuming the book is not a jumbled mess of spelling, grammatical and other errors). Funny, that can also be a determining factor on whether or not an editor accepts some writing you've submitted.

Okay, okay, I have entered contests in my time. I've won a couple and place highly in a couple others (one of which was the Nicholl Fellowship for Screenwriting in which I made it through the Quarter Finals - where there is a very high return for the person awarded the top position).  And since they're a Fellowship and continue every year helping screenwriters get started, I'm comfortable with where the entry money goes there. Additionally their top prize was $30,000 at the time (plus exposure) which is nothing to sneeze at.

But, what I'm saying, is think about it. If contests are your thing, enter the ones that mean the most to you. Whether it's a large monetary prize, publication, exposure, or all of the above and more. Give it due consideration.

Why?

Well, here's one thought.  Let's say you enter a writer's contest with a $25 entry fee which is common these days. Now, let's assume about 3,000 people enter that contest. and it has a top prize of $2,500 (which is high). Well, you do the math. The contest sponsor has just collected $75,000 in entry fees and is paying out $2,500 or perhaps a bit more if there is a second and third place. Yes, there are costs for administration, depending of course upon who's offering the contest. But, really, is there a profit here? I mean if it's a publishing house offering the contest and perhaps publication as part of the prize what are they doing, subsidizing publication of the winner's book with the fees they collect from everyone else? I mean they have readers at a publishing house.  I puzzle over that.

Then there are the contests sponsored by large corporate entities (I can't name names, but I think you can figure it out). They're charging entry fees to writers why? If their background is promoting writing as a career and they sell books and magazines and more aimed at that, what is the reason for an entry fee, if there is one?

The point is, I've seen many places offering writing contests with entry fees that vary anywhere from about $5.00 (a very low entry fee) to near $100.00. This can get very expensive for a struggling writer just beginning, so pick and choose wisely. Do the math, wonder about the fees. It'll do you good.

On the other hand, isn't getting your writing polished to perfection, ready to show the world when you might enter a contest about the right time to maybe be submitting your work to publishers of various types? Perhaps you want to go "Indie" and do it on your own. Wouldn't either be as satisfying as winning a contest?

If writing contests make you hesitate perhaps submission and rejection would be a better route for you to take. It's a bit like a contest anyway. You submit and you win or your lose. But, if submitting, you submit again, perhaps do some rewrite and submit again. And it doesn't cost you an entry fee each time you do. And, rejection is part of the process.

I'm not saying you shouldn't enter contests, but I am saying you need to consider before you jump. You don't know what makes a writing contest winner any more than you would know exactly what an editor is looking for in the next novel or article he or she is going to accept.

Read your guidelines for either and go for it.

Writers Websites Wednesday - Wired For Story

The website, Wired for  Story,  based on the book of the same name, is one worth exploring.  Yes, the author does have a link to sell her book, but offers "insights into unlocking the secrets of story to hook your readers from the very first sentence."  A site worth digesting and I even have a link to her book, Wired For Story in my Writer's Emporium shop, which should tell you a bit about what I think of the book. 

But, book or not, visit the site and read some of the articles - very helpful and interesting. 

Writing, Writer & The Writer's Life

I've done a lot of articles for this blog and offered a lot of links to helpful writing sites. for the new and aspiring as well as the established writer.

Today I think I'm going to kick back and just discuss some of the less 'nuts and bolts' of writing and talk a little about what it's like to be a writer.

Of course there's a lot of writing out there and a lot depends on what kind of writing you do.  I lean to advice for the fiction writer mostly as I am mostly a fiction writer. But, I recently participated in a conversation where one faction was telling a writer that she could consider her writing only a hobby and not to think about trying to make a living from it.  Now, I suspect they were thinking of and talking about writing fiction and I can see the thought process in that direction. However if we don't pursue our dreams, life can seem a dull place.

So, I say, if writing fiction is what you want to do, what you passionately love doing - then go for it.

Will you have to have other jobs to support you along the way?  Probably; almost assuredly.

Will it be hard work?  You better believe it.

Will you have to dedicated part of your precious writing time to promoting the book once it's published?  No doubt about it.

Is it worth it?  That depends on how much you passionately want it.

It is a jungle out there for the fiction writer, no doubt about it. 

However, you can also hone your skills at writing and earn money doing  types of writing in addition to your fiction.  You can prepare yourself for technical writing, journalism, grant writing, writing for newsletters, magazines, online, copywriting and more. If you stop to think, there isn't hardly an area in every day life that doesn't involve writing.

*Who wrote the script for the TV commercial?
*Who wrote the text for the promotional letter you got in today's mail?
*Who wrote the detailed instruction manual that comes with the new item you bought?
*Who wrote the articles for the magazine you read  (and all the hundreds of them you may not read?
*Who wrote the material that got the local college, foundation or non-profit their grant?
*Who came up with the cute text in the greeting card?
*Who writes the many non-fiction books out there?

Well, you get it.  It goes on and on.  I left out writing scripts for movies and TV because those are very tough markets to break into as well though of course if it's your passion, reach for it.

It's never been easy for the fiction writer. 

There are a  handful who do very, very well, who could finance a small country with their earnings.

Then there are many who vary from 'get along' to 'pleasant income' and that's not a bad place to be. 

Then, unfortunately there is a whole pool of 'never make it' who write, maybe publish, maybe even self-publish and promote, but just never get off the ground. Maybe it's not even because they're not talented and skilled, but rather for some reason what they write just doesn't seem to strike a chord. For whatever reason there's no 'lift-off'.

For them, perhaps it does become only a hobby, something they share with friends and relatives. Perhaps they resign themselves to just putting it out there for others to enjoy and not making any money from it.  Unfortunately that last one is a double-edged sword.  I'm not saying you shouldn't do that if that's what you want. But, the more folks who treat their fiction writing as a hobby and put it out there free, the harder it is for writers attempting to make it their profession as it drives down the value of their writing.

And if you become one of the 'rocketing' writers, great, you won't have a whole lot to worry about.

However, if you're in that middle pool there are things you need to consider.

Where are you going to get health insurance? There are some writer's organizations who offer it at reduced rates once you're published and of course there's the possibility of a life-partner who works a 'day job' and carries the insurance for you both. Sadly, even a minor illness can mean bankruptcy in this country. That's where we are.

What if you have a dry spell?  There's no 'unemployment' for a fiction writer who's between books or royalty checks or who just can't get that new idea finished.

Can you put money back against a possible rainy day? For example, what if there's a family emergency and you become a temporary care-giver and can't write at all for six months or a year?

And what about vacations? Can you take time out of your writing to just relax? When you're a freelance writer, not writing means a gap of no pay.  You're self-employed so you need to plan for these things.

But what most self employed people who run a business such as a small store or service provided don't have to think about is the freelance writer is dependent entirely upon his or her own brain and ideas to make a living.

If there is discord in life, if there is tragedy or just a bump in the road, the average self-employed person with that small shop can still show up and go through the motions, selling things or whatever is needed.  It's a show up, do work kind of thing and while it may take some creativity, in most situations there's a bit of 'float' time before a crash might be imminent.

As a freelance writer, a disaster could well be more wide-spread in the ripples it causes as the writer's brain could well go into melt-down dealing with a huge emotional wrench. That means no writing and no writing means no income - maybe further down the line, but it will be felt.

A lot of the reasons above are why many writers keep day jobs, whether part or full time, long after they publish and sometimes for the life of their writing careers. It's something to consider.

Of course a lot of the above can be off-set by that gushing fan letter the writer receives or the really nice royalty check that shows up at the end of a reporting period.

There's a lot to think about in being a freelance writer of any type. Or, sometimes, nothing to think about because it's your passion and you're determined to write and work out the details as you go along.

 

Did I give you something to think about?  I hope so. Feel free to post your thoughts below. 

Writers Terrors - Public Speaking, Oh My!

You're a writer.

You write.

But, by now it should have occurred to you that you do much more than simply write, in fact, you must do much more.  You can't just write a book, then sit back, hide in your office and wait for the money to come pouring in in adulation of your wonderful written work.

Doesn't work like that.

Sorry.

Okay, so here it is, the plain fact of the matter is, introvert or not, shy or not, positively phobic about public appearance or not, there'll come a time when you, as writer, will have to face the public.  It could be a speaking engagement, attending a conference, a book signing, or even perhaps leading a writer's workshop of some sort.

All of that entails public speaking, nervousness and the elephant in the room.

What's the elephant?

Simple, your extreme aversion to public speaking. Perhaps even terrors you experience when torn from your writer's desk to fact the public.

How to conquer your elephant?  Well, it takes determination, patience with yourself as you practice and a bit of sense of humor helps.

Remember those people you're going to interact with, whether in a small group, a large one, or one-on-one, actually WANT to talk to you, to hear what you have to say.  You're a writer, they think that's cool.

Think of it this way. You won't die because you speak in public, nobody is going to fling gorilla poo at you. Godzilla isn't going to storm the room/convention/college/library/whatever and start throwing people around like paper dolls. And, as a writer, this part of your job.

Be positive with yourself - and ultimately with your 'audience'.  Know what you're going to talk about, what makes you comfortable. Not by rote or word for word, but in a general, friendly sense. When you're in your writing zone what makes you really comfortable?

Talk to friends to get ready, talk to yourself in the mirror to get a sense of how you appear and perhaps how you can drop your shoulders or smile more to appear more relaxed. The kicked-back writer. Don't be hyper-critical of yourself, just give yourself a few easy notes that will help smooth things along and make the public speaking thing a bit easier for the writer you are.

If you're really nervous and it's your first time, you might even let people know that.  Make light of it, tell them you're a writer not a speaker and promise you won't stammer too much and if you do anyway they'll forgive you.

Stretch yourself, throw yourself into what is not your comfort zone and make it such. Practice really will help. I promise there's no tiger hiding in the tall grass, no gorilla waiting to rip your head off.

Most people are kind to public speakrers, well aware of how little they, themselves would like to be up there while looking forward to what the writer they've come to see has to say.

As for the ones who aren't so kind, politely ignore them. They could be having a bad day, they could be envious,they could just be jerks. Regardless, they don't really matter.

You've written your book - a staggering accomplishment all by itself. Now's the time to get the word out.

Go ahead, you can do it and you can even come to enjoy it.

Writers Websites Wednesday - Superhero Nation

 

Super Hero Nation offers writing tips, insights and advice. It's a fun site that posts short videos such as movie trailers as well. Check it out, peruse the site and let me know what you think.  I enjoyed my tour. 

Oh, Horrors! Writing for the Horror Genre

I'll be the first to admit that I'm not a horror writer though I've given thought to pursuing that line.  Nonetheless, I know a bit about it and as a professional writer I know a lot about that.  So I decided to ponder the genre a bit and discover what thoughts come of it.

First, and sadly, that particular genre is frequently depicted as bloody, violent, gory and disgusting beyond words.  Many people avoid reading in that genre just because of that.  And, while it's true there are some written that are filled with mindless violence, little plot, lots of blood and shock, there are many others that are just oozing with atmosphere, emotion and a great story.

Writing for horror means the writer has to be skilled in many ways as any other writer, developing characters, creating plot twists and snappy dialog in order to create a gripping tale.  And the horror writer goes a step further, taking us by the hand to lead us into the dark unknown. I say dark because that's usually the kind of unknown the horror writer is exploring.

I enjoy reading some horror which is why I'm contemplating writing it.  I enjoy the chills and the anticipation, the twists and the unexpected. Be they ghosts, creatures, slithering things, aliens intent on mayhem, or the great beyond.

So how does a writer get there?  Well, as with all writing we know the reader is willing to suspend disbelief, to enter the world of your creation, but the writer has to give the reader a reason to read.  There has to be a beginning hook of some kind.  The story can begin normally and slowly draw the reader into 'weirdville' or it can start out strange and just accelerate.

Description is exceptionally important while writing horror. It's a great place to practice if you want to send shivers up your readers' spines. I've noticed short passages, written well are the key.  Enough to really get me on edge, then draw back a bit. The writer who's careful not to overdo it, to hit just the right balance is the one who creates the vivid details by tapping into all the senses and alternately picking those most appropriate to the scene.

The writer, no matter what kind of characters he or she creates, be they vampires, werewolves, ghosts or aliens, must create characteristics within them that make them appealing and yes, no matter what, human.  The characters don't always (horror? - maybe hardly ever) have to be likeable, but they do have to be engaging. The reader must have characters that can be identified with.

Check out some of the more recognizable horror authors: Dean Koontz, Robert McCammon, Stephen King, Anne Rice. Notice the charisma they've injected into their characters via appropriate names, appearance, action.  Notice how they've created characters who aren't perfect.  The hero or heroine of the tale often screws up, thinks unkind thoughts or does something 'politically incorrect'.  If the reader can empathize with the character then the character takes on life and breathes.

I've also noted that frequently the main character in a novel has the least amount of description.  This trick allows the reader to imagine themselves in the same situation - no matter their own 'real world' attributes. So keeping it simple seems the best route.

Now I'll mention this because it's so true, for horror or any writing for that matter.  Don't name your characters too close together.  Don't write a story with a "Mary" and a "Marie", a "Mat" and a "Cat", a "Harry" and a "Mary".  Anything which is just to close confuses the reader and a confused reader is not a happy reader.

Hmm, after writing this I may be writing a horror tale soon.  If you're so inclined as well, have at it, Read, a lot, then create your own thing that screams in the dark.

Writers Websites Wednesday - UK's Open University

It's Open University in the UK.  Explore the site, see what they offer.  The link leads to Start Writing Fiction, but they offer more. Dive in.  Look around.  Lots to see.

Writers Websites Wednesday - Book & Magazine Publishing

Here's a great site.  Bo Sacks, media veteran keeps his readers up to date on what's happening with book and magazine publishing.  He offers a free E-newsletter.  Oh, and click on the "Who Is Bo Sacks" tab to learn more about him and why his information is of value.