How much help have you really gotten from other writers?

Nothing you said is going to get you banned, dude.

 

I'm guessing he's closer to 17 than 57.

 

'K, man.

 

"My English teacher told me that I was the best writer she's seen in years, and she wouldn't be surprised if I was able to publish my work. WOW, I'm good!"

 

You were quite frank and honest and appreciate that. It sure would be great if someone in a position to help me would do so, without my having to go through the whole ordeal of doing it all on my own. If this was school, all I would have to do is get straight A's, do very well on the SAT's, go to Harvard, some professor there would spot my talent, and the rest is history. If I was an athlete, I would just show up at a tryout, and a coach or scout would recognize my ability, and I would be making a million or more a year. As for writing, it seems to be a lot more difficult.

 

When you get to college, you will discover that it doesn't actually happen that way.

 

Don't worry. You didn't offend me. In fact, I appreciate your interest in my situation. The leading authors I contacted never engaged me the way you did.

 

Are members of Intertel allowed to contradict themselves?

 

I'm afraid it isn't like that. It's not like that, not even here in America.

Even in this country, you have to work your ass off. Everyone did, even the American Founders did. You think Jefferson was born with the ability to draft the Declaration of Independence? No. There was a reason we took him more seriously than the common drunk of the time. Hell, even as he was writing that document that separated us from motherland Britain, he had to go through numerous drafts to get the one we all know today. I'll give you a link if you like. I'm on that site now, and it seems Ben Franklin and John Adams had a busy time of it.

Look, even in America, you have to work hard to achieve your dream. That is, or was depending on your view, the whole point of 'The American Dream'. You come here and work your ass off to get the life you want without fear of persecution. You build the life you want without fear of persecution.

So, at least for Americans, writing is an example of the American Dream. You work your ass off, you never give up, and you will, eventually, get to where you want to go. Stephen King got there. Mark Twain got there. Poe got there.

Hell, maybe....maybe I'll just get there some day. Maybe that'll be my own American dream.

 

Getting straight A's in high school is easy. Doing well in university is more difficult. I would imagine that doing well at Harvard, which attracts some of the brightest of the brightest, would be very difficult, even if, as you claim, you're in the top one percent. Everyone at Harvard is probably in the top one percent (don't everybody get on my case about how rich alumni buy their kids into Ivy League schools etc.).

An athlete can show up at a tryout for a high school team and get picked almost just for being there. For a college team? Not so much. To be drafted into the NFL in the first round? You have to be the best of the best, and you still might wash out at the pro level.

You think you're special because this high-IQ society takes only the top one percent. That puts you squarely in the middle of the pack when it comes to impressing people as a writer. In other words, in the field you're aiming for, you are not special. You may be in the top one percent of the general population, but that doesn't put you in the top one percent of serious writers. Grow a pair. You're competing against your peers, not against ditch-diggers (no offense to intelligent ditch diggers meant, of course!).

 

Obvious troll is obvious. If someone was supposedly "genius," he would have realized the responses he would received from such a message. He clearly did not want actual advice here.

Based on the decent sophistication of the language used, I would guess it's not a high school or younger kid. Probably someone who has some intelligence, but isn't willing or smart enough to learn that writing is more than intelligence. Probably overcompensating for their failure by claiming he/she is an "unique genius" and knows that he/she will get negative responses. Then, he/she can hopefully show their "superior" intellect by outsmarting the "stupid" posters and boost his/her self-confidence.

Honestly, though, it would be just as ridiculous if this wasn't a troll. Regardless of intellect, if someone purposely ignores following social conventions for the sole reason being they are above it, they are clearly not smart in a way that matters at all.

 

Sure, I will agree with you that people have to prove themselves. It must be said, however, that very talented people need help along the way. I have read and heard that the merely above average folks have it easier in life, since most systems are designed to fit their needs. Unfortunately, the brighter one is, the more difficult it can be to navigate their way through life. It's not as simplistic as saying that if you're so good, it will be so easy for you.

 

I'm seriously having such a hard time deciding between troll and jerk born with a silver spoon up his ass. v.v

 

Damn it, I told myself I wouldn't be baited back in. Seriously...this is as far as I'm going with this because we're all going in circles for absolutely no reason at this point.

Because you presented their contents with these comments:

&

And then:

There is no easier way. Just because you are disappointed doesn't make our replies negative. We've all tried to only be helpful this entire time, including @Link the Writer's lovely rant. You're intentions may not have been to be pestering to the authors you wrote but that is how you are coming across here.

I formed an opinion based on what you shared about your process so it's not me misinterpreting your motives, it's you misrepresenting them, if that's the case. All I said is if they way you are expressing yourself in this thread is any indication of how you are expressing yourself to all these famous writers, then it's not hard to see why you haven't received the responses you want. I suppose that's an assumption just like you assume you are "very special and should be treated as such," implying you think you deserve a better opportunity than everyone else. I guess that makes us both asses according to the old adage, right? I don't intend to sound mean but there's no way to sugar coat this: Get over yourself and just get to work on making your own success.

 

OK, so within the past hour I've tried being a complete asshole, to instilling some American patriotism in Aberdeen (I'm assuming the guy's from America, and if not, I apologize.)

If that doesn't work, then I'm at a loss for what else to do.

<puts on tricorne hat, pulls out a flute and plays Yankee Doodle Dandy as he marches out of the thread.>

 

@Ben414 - I figure he can't be much older than 18. The language is too immature and he doesn't have a clue about college. Maybe he's cheesed off because he couldn't get in. Or maybe he had some writing piece rejected so he figured he'd troll a writer's forum.

In any event, time to join @Link the Writer in the pub.

 

Hmm, I think you may be right. I'm still working on my PhD in Troll Psychology...

 

I don't think tests can measure intelligence, though I'm not trying to take that away from you @aberdeen. A bright mind like yours would be useless without hard work. There is no easy way.

I'm surprised you, someone so much smarter than me, haven't realized your denial, which would just take a smidgen of self-awareness: something a smart person would have no shortage of. I think you need a break from words and some time to clear your head. Have a good cup of coffee or a sandwich or go camping or do something different for a change.

I don't understand why you think very talented people need help along the way--they should need less help, if anything.

Reflecting, I think the digs here have gone a bit too far: mine included. This guy's probably not at the best point of his life, be it teens or late adult-hood, and he's not thinking straight. When someone isn't thinking straight, and telling you an apple is a cucumber, why would you spend five forum pages and thousands of words telling him otherwise, and mocking him for what's really just stubbornness coupled with bad eyesight?

Threads that go like this don't make our community look so great, is all.

 

Wow, this is the most fun thread in ages!

Really? Helen Keller? The last kid who used this as an excuse not to do his homework ended up repeating a year.

 

Aberdeen, being in the top one percent of intelligent *makes* you merely above average. You're smart. That's all. I was going to say that the arrogant statements you've made would be inappropriate from anyone, however high a genius. Inappropriate from Einstein, from Mozart. But that statement would assume that you don't consider yourself to be more intelligent than Einstein and Mozart. And at this point, I'm not at all sure of that.

I'm not sure that there is anyone, anywhere in history, that you consider to be your intellectual superior. I'm starting to think that this is not about intelligence, or about talent, but about the need for someone to see you as worthy. That's a need that everyone has, but going to busy professional strangers to fulfill it is not, IMO, a good strategy.

(Edited to add: Heh. It appears that I would qualify to join Intertel based on my pre-1993 SAT scores. And believe me, I am merely above average.)

 

My take is that he is delusional and narcissistic. But troll works too

 

From what I've heard writing is hard if you're doing it as a job. Unless you really kick it off with a book like Harry Potter (which is unlikely) then you're in for a difficult time. But if it's your passion you'll do it anyway.

 

Soon as I started reading this thread, I figured @aberdeen and @AnrBjotk were the same troll, looking at the 'Another rejection letter' thread.

 

Yes, I agree with you that reaching out to new writers is good and learning even from beginners is good attitude and practice. However, not everyone thinks this way, and frankly, not everyone wants to teach. And those who want to teach may not have time. To be bitter about people who have not chosen to teach for not teaching is... nonsensical, to be honest.

I wasn't saying you wrote fan mail - I was saying it is AKIN to fan mail, it is LIKE fan mail to the pro who receives your email. You're asking for FREE feedback from someone who should and can charge for the same help - and why shouldn't they, if they were to give you the dedicated help that a beginning writer would almost certainly need? It's why you have mentors, and why they charge. (I know someone here on this forum who would say real mentors don't charge, I'm sure she'll turn up soon - maybe you'll hit it off together )

What I'm saying is - yes, it's disappointing, and yes, you're right, but no, don't be bitter and angry about it. These pros never agreed to teach - it's why they're not teachers, and why they're not holding seminars and workshops. Find those who DO want to teach, like Brandon Sanderson, successful bestseller of multiple fantasy series who is always giving seminars and posting podcasts on writing and even his own website has tonnes of tips on how he develops his world etc etc - find pros like him, and you shalln't be disappointed. But to expect EVERY writer to be this way is illusion, and will only frustrate and discourage you. You're not being realistic in who you want help from.

Pros who do want to help do exist - go find them, but don't expect every successful writer you talk to to agree with your ethos and help you. Yes maybe they should help, because it's the good thing to do, but they won't. But people who WILL help do exist - save yourself the pain and find those instead.

 

Why can't a well known author write back to me and volunteer to read some of my essays? If they are really good, (he or she) could offer some words of encouragment, tell me to keep in touch, provide some referrals and contacts to help me along, and eventually invite me to a cocktail once I become more established in the field? What's so inappropriate, stressful, or weird with that? It doesn't sound unreasonable to me. Sure, maybe only in a thousand of us is good enough to merit that kind of attention, but someone has to be that special one so why not me?