Becoming a Writer-DCUM Writers What Are Your Tips?

[Anonymous]

First you need to decide what kind of writing you want to do. Creative writing? Inspirational/motivational? Humor? Movie or restaurant reviews? ‘Writing’ is so broad, you need to narrow it down.

[Anonymous]

Go with scandalous literature, romantic relationship, and really hot characters. This has worked well so far.

[Anonymous]

1. Pick up The Artist’s Way and work through the program. I promise, by the end you’ll know exactly what you want to write.

2. Get comfortable with the drafting process. First drafts are always sh!tty. That’s okay. Sh!tty first drafts lead to good second drafts and fantastic third drafts.

Write the thing you want to write. Then rewrite it from scratch. Then rewrite it from scratch a third time. This is different than editing, you start the entire thing over each time.

Expensive creative writing programs are basically this - they just tell you to keep rewriting it. Save your money on courses and just keep drafting.

For books, I like Dreyer’s English and Consider This by Chuck Pahlanuk (the author of fight club).

[Anonymous]

I’ll bite. I’m taking a brain break from writing (on deadline) to be with you on DCUM. So if you’re interested in a glimpse of the glamorous writing life, I’m Exhibit A, toiling past midnight Don’t ask me to compute my “hourly rate.” I do love what I do. It’s a labor of love. Or maybe it’s just a labor. Sometimes it makes me want to pull out my eyelashes and hurl my computer across the room. I’m not sure there’s any “best” or “right” (or “write?”) path to becoming a writer. I write nonfiction books and essays that draw on my specific area of expertise. So for me, “becoming a writer” actually meant “training to do something else.” I subscribe to the adage, “write what you know.” (But make it funnier and smarter and anchor it with stories to make it memorable.) When you pitch, editors are going to want to know three things: why now, why you, and who is your audience. If you want to publish what you write, you’re going to need to figure out the answer to those questions. In the meantime, keep a journal, or jot down notes in a google doc. You’re a writer when you start writing. As one last cautionary note, if you do publish, know that the “comments section” might obliterate those nice feelings you’ve been carrying all these years about your potential. I’m not telling you this to dissuade you from writing; I’m telling you this to dissuade you from reading the comments.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’ll bite. I’m taking a brain break from writing (on deadline) to be with you on DCUM. So if you’re interested in a glimpse of the glamorous writing life, I’m Exhibit A, toiling past midnight Don’t ask me to compute my “hourly rate.” I do love what I do. It’s a labor of love. Or maybe it’s just a labor. Sometimes it makes me want to pull out my eyelashes and hurl my computer across the room. I’m not sure there’s any “best” or “right” (or “write?”) path to becoming a writer. I write nonfiction books and essays that draw on my specific area of expertise. So for me, “becoming a writer” actually meant “training to do something else.” I subscribe to the adage, “write what you know.” (But make it funnier and smarter and anchor it with stories to make it memorable.) When you pitch, editors are going to want to know three things: why now, why you, and who is your audience. If you want to publish what you write, you’re going to need to figure out the answer to those questions. In the meantime, keep a journal, or jot down notes in a google doc. You’re a writer when you start writing. As one last cautionary note, if you do publish, know that the “comments section” might obliterate those nice feelings you’ve been carrying all these years about your potential. I’m not telling you this to dissuade you from writing; I’m telling you this to dissuade you from reading the comments.

I’m not the OP, but people have also told me to “become a writer.” I was a trade journalist back in the day. But today, it’s the idea of unfiltered feedback from, well, everybody, that holds me back from trying to publish. I don’t think I have a thick enough skin for that (and I’m used to having my work chewed up by editors - that doesn’t bother me). I also think I lack the discipline to avoid reading the comments!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ll bite. I’m taking a brain break from writing (on deadline) to be with you on DCUM. So if you’re interested in a glimpse of the glamorous writing life, I’m Exhibit A, toiling past midnight Don’t ask me to compute my “hourly rate.” I do love what I do. It’s a labor of love. Or maybe it’s just a labor. Sometimes it makes me want to pull out my eyelashes and hurl my computer across the room. I’m not sure there’s any “best” or “right” (or “write?”) path to becoming a writer. I write nonfiction books and essays that draw on my specific area of expertise. So for me, “becoming a writer” actually meant “training to do something else.” I subscribe to the adage, “write what you know.” (But make it funnier and smarter and anchor it with stories to make it memorable.) When you pitch, editors are going to want to know three things: why now, why you, and who is your audience. If you want to publish what you write, you’re going to need to figure out the answer to those questions. In the meantime, keep a journal, or jot down notes in a google doc. You’re a writer when you start writing. As one last cautionary note, if you do publish, know that the “comments section” might obliterate those nice feelings you’ve been carrying all these years about your potential. I’m not telling you this to dissuade you from writing; I’m telling you this to dissuade you from reading the comments.

I’m not the OP, but people have also told me to “become a writer.” I was a trade journalist back in the day. But today, it’s the idea of unfiltered feedback from, well, everybody, that holds me back from trying to publish. I don’t think I have a thick enough skin for that (and I’m used to having my work chewed up by editors - that doesn’t bother me). I also think I lack the discipline to avoid reading the comments!

DP. I’m a copywriter for social media and online marketing SO I deal with a lot of hateful comments.

I’ve learned that ALL critics are people who are themselves stuck and jealous someone else is doing the thing they want to do and getting the recognition they wish they got. All of them. I am good friends with truly amazing professional writers and believe me, they don’t go around giving their 2 cents in comments sections. They’re too busy actually writing.

This reframe helped me a ton. The people who hate you are the crabs in the bottom of the bucket - they want to pull everyone down to their level rather than doing the hard work of lifting themselves up. I like to picture it as the ugly guy alone in his mom’s basement.

True feedback is different. True feedback makes you feel better, because they give you solutions and insights that help you grow.

[Anonymous]

I started writing at forty. Some non-fic snippets that may or may not become a book. One short fiction story and one full length fiction novel.

In most cases, fiction will not earn you money to live on unless you are able to write for the market, and you have multiple stories you can tell. You could have a brilliant fantasy novel, or series, but if that is not what’s selling, it won’t make you money. Non-fiction sells better.

[Anonymous]

OP, consider this: Instead of people criticizing your work imagine that no one will ever read it.

With the advent of the internet, writing became ubiquitous. Virtually everyone is a writer now.

The only way to write is as though it won't be read.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, consider this: Instead of people criticizing your work imagine that no one will ever read it.

With the advent of the internet, writing became ubiquitous. Virtually everyone is a writer now.

The only way to write is as though it won't be read.

^ Criticizing or praising.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Start a blog, like the 10 million that are out there, and see if you get any traction.
Post all the college papers and Dave Barry-esque emails that people seem to rave about and kept telling you pursue writing.

Aren't blogs a thing of the past now?

Nobody has read a blog since 2013

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, real writers who actually make a living off of it aren't wasting their time writing on DCUM. But I'm sure you're about to get lots of responses from pompous posters anyway.

haha, this is the funniest thing I have read all week. "Real writers" (including me) are notorious for procrastinating and killing time at places like DCUM, Reddit, and of course, the biggest time sink of all ... writer Twitter.

ANYWAY.

I've done about every kind of writing you can do professionally and am currently making my living as a novelist (traditionally published).

If you were my student, I'd ask you to write your original post over again, without any mention of what others think you should do. It really, really does not matter if the entire world wants you to be a writer. Do YOU want to be a writer? Because they will not be there to hold your hand and bail you out when you're doing the deep work. It has to come from within.

What do you like to read? What kinds of topics are you drawn to?

If your answer is "I don't read much ..." then you need to start. Pay attention to beginnings, midpoints, and endings. If you're interested in fiction, pay attention to characters and setting. Look at the writing on a sentence level. Read stuff out loud. Find the places where it sounds awkward and try rewriting it.

Find a way to make writing part of your daily routine. Even though I am definitely procrastinating today, I know my butt will remain planted in this chair until I get my 1000 words. You don't have to have that as a minimum--maybe 15 minutes a day would be a good place to start. And this is just a minimum, you can always write more. But pick a baseline you can commit to. I also journal daily--very short entries, usually 3-5 sentences. But it is a commitment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:1. Pick up The Artist’s Way and work through the program. I promise, by the end you’ll know exactly what you want to write.

2. Get comfortable with the drafting process. First drafts are always sh!tty. That’s okay. Sh!tty first drafts lead to good second drafts and fantastic third drafts.

Write the thing you want to write. Then rewrite it from scratch. Then rewrite it from scratch a third time. This is different than editing, you start the entire thing over each time.

Expensive creative writing programs are basically this - they just tell you to keep rewriting it. Save your money on courses and just keep drafting.

For books, I like Dreyer’s English and Consider This by Chuck Pahlanuk (the author of fight club).

I will add to this Bird by Bird and The War of Art. But yes, the way to become a writer is a** in chair - you sit there and write. There will always be a reason not to write today, but if you want to be a writer you have to write.

I have to remind myself this all the time, as I am procrastinating working on my own next novel. I have a novel out on submission with publishers now and the limbo of that, plus general laziness and untreated ADHD, makes it awfully hard to dive in.

Let me also suggest that writing classes really are a good way to get going. It's not so much that you will learn a lot about writing in the class, but you will have deadlines and an audience. Both those things are important.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’ll bite. I’m taking a brain break from writing (on deadline) to be with you on DCUM. So if you’re interested in a glimpse of the glamorous writing life, I’m Exhibit A, toiling past midnight Don’t ask me to compute my “hourly rate.” I do love what I do. It’s a labor of love. Or maybe it’s just a labor. Sometimes it makes me want to pull out my eyelashes and hurl my computer across the room. I’m not sure there’s any “best” or “right” (or “write?”) path to becoming a writer. I write nonfiction books and essays that draw on my specific area of expertise. So for me, “becoming a writer” actually meant “training to do something else.” I subscribe to the adage, “write what you know.” (But make it funnier and smarter and anchor it with stories to make it memorable.) When you pitch, editors are going to want to know three things: why now, why you, and who is your audience. If you want to publish what you write, you’re going to need to figure out the answer to those questions. In the meantime, keep a journal, or jot down notes in a google doc. You’re a writer when you start writing. As one last cautionary note, if you do publish, know that the “comments section” might obliterate those nice feelings you’ve been carrying all these years about your potential. I’m not telling you this to dissuade you from writing; I’m telling you this to dissuade you from reading the comments.

The comments are the worst. When I was a journalist I always told the people I was writing about not to read the comments, but I always read the comments. My last book came out five years ago and I still check Goodreads every day to see if anyone's said anything nice about it, but usually it's very mean. Comments are the worst. NEVER read the comments.

[Anonymous]

It is very hard to support yourself as a self-employed writer.
Why don't you get a job that allows you to write for a living?

Perhaps for a magazine or publisher or journal? Also, can you combine your writing talents with another expertise (like science or business or law)? That would open up other outlets (like newsletters, the communications departments of professional organizations.

If your goal is to write a novel or book, you might pursue that on the side but keep your "day job." Good luck! (And congrats on having a talent that many do not possess!)

[Anonymous]

Try searching jobs in Indeed or Linked in that call for writing skills