30 year old dude from Florida. Presently living in some other nonsense getting my life together. I've never actually written a book, though I've tried to a few times. Mostly I just keep a running dialogue of my life through poetry, blogging, and music. But I'm very interested in getting some basics down for script writing, maybe even a novel? I've not been to college but I really try to articulate compelling reads for those who care to gander at it. Thanks for letting me share!
It sounds like what I call being in the "collecting stage" of your journey, gathering the pieces for what to write about and how to write about it... poetry, blogging, and music, as well as prose. This material, and these media, are important, but it's how you use what you've got with those tools that make you a writer. For some, it takes a lifetime. For others, it takes a transformative experience like an auto wreck, a year in combat, or a similar calamity to give you insight. If you can join a writer's group where you can receive honest criticism, you should do so. If you can't, you're stuck with being your own appraiser and critic, in which case you need to learn to turn it on and off, which isn't easy. You kick the critic out of the room when you're writing, and lock the door. Then you coax it back in once things are written, imploring it to examine every word, every phrase, every idea to see if it's pulling its weight. Helpful hint: If you're writing scripts or poetry or songs, there's no better test than actually having people read them aloud. You'll know right away what works and what doesn't.
Thank you for the insight. I've only recently started to reach out for feedback on my pieces through social media and outlets available to me. So it's exciting to see what I can do here with those around me who really put in the work on their craft. Happy to be here!
