Hi! I've spent some time reading the threads here before I joined, and I'll preface my "complaint" with a thanks to all of you for your more than valuable insight, wisdom and help with learning the craft of writing. I've been approached by a few people lately who have encouraged me to start seriously writing. Normally I dive head first into everything, but with this, I'm CAREFULLY attempting to learn everything I can, as I view the work that all of you do as a disciplined art. One that I'm not familiar with in any fashion. So I'm a little frustrated, as I'd like someone who's comfortable with the process and with more wisdom than I to tell me if I'm wasting my time with this endeavor. Is my ability even there? I feel like one of those people who goes on American Idol with no ability to see that they really don't have the gift of singing. I'm taking this very seriously, more so than I have any other thing I've chosen to undertake, and I don't want find out that I should've been pursuing something else all along. I reckon I'm venting more than anything, but I'd appreciate insight if any of you have any to share. Thanks in advance :redface:
What I write is not a carefully planned out and executed piece of art. I write because it is fun and I am having a blast, and get a lot of satisfaction out of it. Yes I learn, yes my writing improves but if I wasn't having fun not sure I would do it.
LOL, we all have felt this way at one time or another. I would like to point out, however, that in your post you wrote clear, had a little flair, managed to get in an American Idol joke, did not insert commas everywhere, did not repeat words and phrases over and over, were not overly wordy, used paragraphs, and you certainly were not boring. You did much better than some of the seasoned writers here do! I believe just based on your post that, yes, you do have the ability to write (which is a great feat). Only thing you you really have to consider is do you have the ability to create. I am going to guess that you do if other people are encouraging you. Now, go write something...
I've been approached by a few people lately who have encouraged me to start seriously writing. Note: that’s writing seriously (first SPAG lesson for free) Who have you been approached by? Have you impressed a teacher, magazine editor, your best friend – or the representative from a self publishing house? Normally I dive head first into everything, but with this, I'm CAREFULLY attempting to learn everything I can, as I view the work that all of you do as a disciplined art. One that I'm not familiar with in any fashion. How have you been approached if you have never tried to write before? And writing is not really what I would call a ‘disciplined art’ – not when you’re learning, anyway. So I'm a little frustrated, as I'd like someone who's comfortable with the process and with more wisdom than I to tell me if I'm wasting my time with this endeavor. You are never wasting your time if you love writing. Writing is what you feel you have to do. If your sole aim is to see yourself in print, like by the end of the year, you may be in for a disappointment. Is my ability even there? I feel like one of those people who goes on American Idol with no ability to see that they really don't have the gift of singing. You’ll never know unless you try, and you’ll never improve unless you work at it – a lot. I'm taking this very seriously, more so than I have any other thing I've chosen to undertake, and I don't want find out that I should've been pursuing something else all along. You may find that three novels and even more years later you are still unpublished. This could be some people’s, e.g. my husband’s, definition of a ‘waste of time’ because he is a businessman and time = money.
You're so nice. Thank you. I tend to be very rigid, black and white/perfectionist in dealing with myself. I guess I should probably calm down. ha. I've never known how to be another way, and I need other people to show me that it's o.k. to lower my expectations a little. I appreciate your words SO MUCH.
Don't worry too much. If you enjoy writing, explore your interest, read a lot of good books, practise a lot & see where it takes you. Something creative is never a waste of time, in my opinion. What kind of things are you interested in writing? Good luck.
Remember, don't try to perfect the rough draft. Just get the words out of your head and don't look back. When the rough draft is complete, you will arrive at the revision stage. Now you will start to patch things up. Don't do it before then, or you will turn into a pillar of salt. That's right, I just threw down a reference from my Sunday School days.
read, read, read ... create, create ,create ...ignore perfection and explore practice in the way a guitarist learns chord progression.....
Do you have a story that's been busting to get out? If you're gonna write all you need is to want to put ideas on paper. If you don't have one yet, maybe play around with writing prompts or plot generators just for practice, and start making up characters and stuff. But if you don't have the crazy drive to tell the story, maybe it's not for you. It's a passion, and I dunno, if you're sitting around thinking "Hmm, maybe I should, maybe I shouldn't..." you clearly don't have the spark yet... Doing some exercises might help, but I really don't recommend writing just because you think you should be able to do it. I've been writing all my life (pretty much literally - I have stories my dad transcribed for me from before I knew how to write ) so to me the desire to tell stories is a constant, ongoing thing that I've lived with all my life. Some people are perfectly competent writers, but just don't have stories bubbling in their heads, while some people mess up every word they put their pen to, but have amazing imaginations full of fascinating tales.
i've been mentoring aspiring writers of all breeds, all levels of competence, all over the world for many years, so feel free to email me, if you want an assessment of your work... love and hugs, maia maia3maia@hotmail.com
I used to thought just like you,but i followed #1 advice on this forum.Just write it. And ofcourse you can write,atleast anyone can try.It doesn't really have to anything with abilities.Your whole life you are able to produce stories.Just go for it
Everyone's insight in this thread has helped me tremendously. I do have a story. I've been writing it as compelled. Little spurts or something when I have the motivation to make it make sense from my head to paper. There are all of these pieces all over the place, and I know the story from beginning to end, but the energy that it takes to put it together is exhausting. Because I've never disciplined myself enough to pursue the goal of seeing it come to fruition. I just had a review of one piece of it done privately for me, and was accused of exploiting purple prose. Unfortunately, the main character is me, as I fictionalize myself. My name translates to "mellifluous" in 7 different languages. My family and those around me get a kick out of my way of using the most dramatic, emotional language I can find to make sure people get my point. I have a big, wide, enormous imagination and lettered in drama in h.s. (Where I'm from they did then, and do indeed still have a letter for high school drama). That's just an idiosyncrasy of mine I reckon. Hopefully I can do this. I can. I guess I am! Thanks to all of you for teaching me so much today. You certainly didn't have to.
Try writing a little bit each day, it doesn't matter if it is good at this stage just write it. Don't worry about purple prose you can take it out later. Nothing in a first draft of a piece is unfixable - you change the story order, take out characters, delete bits, edit bits etc My personal advice is to write never really reading back until you have finished. Never read more than you need to remember the story. Then put it away for a week when finished writing the draft and pull it out. Read it through once as a reader noting what makes you switch off from the story, what you would like to change etc. Then decide whether to rewrite the whole thing from scratch of just edit it.
If you're truly as new to writing as you let on, then don't worry about discipline, style or dos and don'ts. Worry about that later, once you know what you like to write and why you want to do it. We learn things by playing with them, exploring and having fun. A wall of rules will just kill your inspiration and playfulness, ie. your creativity, before you've even begun -- once that "innocence" is lost, it cannot be regained, so build as solid a foundation of creativity as you can, while it's there. It's a bit like youth. Be bold, go for the curbs, worry about the middle of the road later.
