Jade Varden's Blog, page 44
January 21, 2014
Writing 101: The Book Marketing Budget
The copyright. The cover. The Facebook ads. The paid reviews. The trailer, the proof print copies. All those marketing materials. When you self-publish, expenses add up quickly. Have you got a marketing budget yet?
Being Businesslike You're creative, and if you're like me then you're also shite with numbers. When you become an indie author, you're no longer just a writer. Now you're a promoter, and an accountant. Don't become your own worst enemy as well. Establish a book budget...before you start writing the book.
Before you start spending money on advertising your book, take care of the expenses that you can't possibly avoid. Make a list of everything you need to pay for, set a budget, and don't go over -- not even when it seems important.
Copyright: This is the first thing you ought to buy. And yes, you buy a copyright. It's not enough to stamp something copyrighted and move on; legally, you must purchase the copyright if you're a United States citizen. If you're English, cheerio. You can spend this cool $35.00 elsewhere.Cover: Like maybe on the artwork. If you're not graphically gifted, it's a good idea to purchase a cover. Prices can get very hefty here, so scout around among friends and family to see if you've got any artistic talent that can be mined more cheaply. Otherwise, look for cost-effective options. I have a certain website that I like to use, but start looking for cover artists and they'll come falling out of the Internet.Editing: All authors should do their own editing. How else are you going to discover your weaknesses and your mistakes? But if you keep finding mistakes no matter how hard you proofread, or if you're writing in your second language, you may want to consider hiring a professional editor. This is going to cost you a fair amount of money, so do some price-checking to find an affordable but high-quality deal.Trailer: If you really want to have a book trailer for promotional purposes, but you have no vision, no software and no resources, you might have to hire someone to do this for you. Again, this can be a huge expense so spend some time shopping around before you commit your cash. Advertising: Once you've purchased all those other items, if they're needed, then you can spend some money on advertising. So set a budget, pay for all the stuff you've got to have, and use what's left over for Facebook marketing or anything else you like.
Set a budget so you don't wind up as a self-published author in serious debt. You'll find that there are lots of free ways to market and make your book, so save money where you can and spend it where you can't. When money runs out on the budget, it runs out. Add more money to it, if you desire, with money from book sales...if you make any.
Being Businesslike You're creative, and if you're like me then you're also shite with numbers. When you become an indie author, you're no longer just a writer. Now you're a promoter, and an accountant. Don't become your own worst enemy as well. Establish a book budget...before you start writing the book.
Before you start spending money on advertising your book, take care of the expenses that you can't possibly avoid. Make a list of everything you need to pay for, set a budget, and don't go over -- not even when it seems important.
Copyright: This is the first thing you ought to buy. And yes, you buy a copyright. It's not enough to stamp something copyrighted and move on; legally, you must purchase the copyright if you're a United States citizen. If you're English, cheerio. You can spend this cool $35.00 elsewhere.Cover: Like maybe on the artwork. If you're not graphically gifted, it's a good idea to purchase a cover. Prices can get very hefty here, so scout around among friends and family to see if you've got any artistic talent that can be mined more cheaply. Otherwise, look for cost-effective options. I have a certain website that I like to use, but start looking for cover artists and they'll come falling out of the Internet.Editing: All authors should do their own editing. How else are you going to discover your weaknesses and your mistakes? But if you keep finding mistakes no matter how hard you proofread, or if you're writing in your second language, you may want to consider hiring a professional editor. This is going to cost you a fair amount of money, so do some price-checking to find an affordable but high-quality deal.Trailer: If you really want to have a book trailer for promotional purposes, but you have no vision, no software and no resources, you might have to hire someone to do this for you. Again, this can be a huge expense so spend some time shopping around before you commit your cash. Advertising: Once you've purchased all those other items, if they're needed, then you can spend some money on advertising. So set a budget, pay for all the stuff you've got to have, and use what's left over for Facebook marketing or anything else you like.
Set a budget so you don't wind up as a self-published author in serious debt. You'll find that there are lots of free ways to market and make your book, so save money where you can and spend it where you can't. When money runs out on the budget, it runs out. Add more money to it, if you desire, with money from book sales...if you make any.
January 20, 2014
Writing 101: The Details That Matter
Some authors spend a ton of time describing the leaves of trees and the way the grass blows in the wind. That's all well and good, but don't ever forget to include the details that matter.
What?!
When I was a little girl, I found the plot of Star Wars to be incredibly confusing. This is because I thought they were saying that Luke's father had gone to the dark side of the forest. I was always like "well, maybe he got lost." It took me a long time to really understand the plot of those movies, and it's not even my fault. The storyteller should have made it more clear.
It's your job to make sure no one is thinking that about your books. Sometimes when I'm writing, I get into a zone where the words are just pouring out. I don't even have to think about them, half the time. And I might slip into all sorts of slang and colloquialisms. Then I go back and read what I've written and I realize that I'm the only person who knows what the hell I'm talking about. So then I have to add the details that matter.
As an author, there are some things you're going to have to explain. Don't assume that everyone knows about franks and beans, or that they'll understand why the British character just asked for a "fag." (Do not send me a bunch of angry emails; I'm told that in England it means cigarette. This is why it's necessary to add the details, you see?). When you're writing, look for the potential land mines -- and make sure you've added the relevant details.
Locations: Where you come from, everyone might know about Chimney Rock. But if you mention it in your book, make sure you add basic details so I know it's a tall, skinny pillar of stone that looks like a stovepipe. Even the most famous places should be described and fleshed out. Tell me who the Statue of Liberty is, if you're putting it in your story.Wardrobe: And I hope you'll all take this seriously. Not everyone knows what every piece of wardrobe is called -- lookin' at you, Mary Higgins Clark. You know I love mysteries, but I have read so many of her books where I'm just sitting there screaming "what the hell is a kaftan?" It's something her characters wear all the time, and it drives me nuts. If you're going beyond the basic pants, dress, skirt or shirt, give me the details! Food: Always explain your food. Cuisine is so regional, people less than 50 miles from me have no idea what real biscuits n' gravy is (the heathens). So if your characters are having something like hot brown or chipped beef or grits, you'd better tell your audience what the heck that stuff is. Don't be cute about it -- most people are going to know that a steak is a slab of beef, but not everyone knows what a lobster bisque is. Slang/Text: Hopefully your books will be read by people of all ages. When this is the case, you may need to explain certain slang, sayings and text messages. Try to do this without interrupting the flow of dialogue or the narrative.
How do you know what you need to explain? Pretend you're writing your novel for an alien. They don't know your culture or your setting; you have to describe it to them in a way they can understand. Remember to write the details that matter, and you'll be a better writer.
What?!
When I was a little girl, I found the plot of Star Wars to be incredibly confusing. This is because I thought they were saying that Luke's father had gone to the dark side of the forest. I was always like "well, maybe he got lost." It took me a long time to really understand the plot of those movies, and it's not even my fault. The storyteller should have made it more clear.
It's your job to make sure no one is thinking that about your books. Sometimes when I'm writing, I get into a zone where the words are just pouring out. I don't even have to think about them, half the time. And I might slip into all sorts of slang and colloquialisms. Then I go back and read what I've written and I realize that I'm the only person who knows what the hell I'm talking about. So then I have to add the details that matter.
As an author, there are some things you're going to have to explain. Don't assume that everyone knows about franks and beans, or that they'll understand why the British character just asked for a "fag." (Do not send me a bunch of angry emails; I'm told that in England it means cigarette. This is why it's necessary to add the details, you see?). When you're writing, look for the potential land mines -- and make sure you've added the relevant details.
Locations: Where you come from, everyone might know about Chimney Rock. But if you mention it in your book, make sure you add basic details so I know it's a tall, skinny pillar of stone that looks like a stovepipe. Even the most famous places should be described and fleshed out. Tell me who the Statue of Liberty is, if you're putting it in your story.Wardrobe: And I hope you'll all take this seriously. Not everyone knows what every piece of wardrobe is called -- lookin' at you, Mary Higgins Clark. You know I love mysteries, but I have read so many of her books where I'm just sitting there screaming "what the hell is a kaftan?" It's something her characters wear all the time, and it drives me nuts. If you're going beyond the basic pants, dress, skirt or shirt, give me the details! Food: Always explain your food. Cuisine is so regional, people less than 50 miles from me have no idea what real biscuits n' gravy is (the heathens). So if your characters are having something like hot brown or chipped beef or grits, you'd better tell your audience what the heck that stuff is. Don't be cute about it -- most people are going to know that a steak is a slab of beef, but not everyone knows what a lobster bisque is. Slang/Text: Hopefully your books will be read by people of all ages. When this is the case, you may need to explain certain slang, sayings and text messages. Try to do this without interrupting the flow of dialogue or the narrative.
How do you know what you need to explain? Pretend you're writing your novel for an alien. They don't know your culture or your setting; you have to describe it to them in a way they can understand. Remember to write the details that matter, and you'll be a better writer.
January 19, 2014
Flowers in the Attic: Movie Review
Anyone who follows me on Twitter knows that last night marked the world premiere of Flowers in the Attic on Lifetime. Fans have been waiting 30 years for a decent adaptation of this powerful book. Is the wait over?
Wilting
FITA became a bestselling book in the 1980s, so naturally a movie adaptation followed. Despite a strong performance from Louise Fletcher, the film was disliked by critics, fans and anyone else who read the book. It became infamous for being bad.
Fans were thrilled when Lifetime announced their intentions to do their own adaptation, and I was chief among them. So how does this new film stack up against the old one? More importantly, how does it compare to the book?
In the Attic
The movie began with the prologue from FITA, much to my delight. This introduction was changed a little. We found Cathy on film at age 12, not 7, and got thrown into the ill-fated birthday party pretty quickly.
The grief scenes were shortened, though the key dialogue was left intact. Soon enough, we were arriving at Foxworth Hall. This scene was copied almost perfectly for the film, giving viewers an introduction to evil grandmother Olivia Foxworth.
The first day and week in the attic were captured almost perfectly on film, but after this we engaged in a quick fast forward to get through the next three years.
The narrative stopped long enough to show us the lake scene, and of course the Christmas party. The twins were mainly background noise but for a few key lines (I was thrilled when Carrie claimed the food was "cold and greasy"), and Cory's death didn't have the same impact. The tar scene and Christopher's whipping scene were both changed, but only slightly.
All the dramatic reveals came at the right time, and in the end the three surviving Dolls escaped on a train (not a bus as they should). At the end of FITA, Corrine is happy with Bart. The Grandmother is bald. Cory is gone for ever. But we're out of the attic.
Rumor has it that Lifetime will also be adapting Petals on the Wind, the next book in the series. I'm most looking forward to seeing Julian if this is true.
In all, a faithful adaptation - though not perfect. Fans now have a much better adaptation of this important book, at last!
The Breakdown
It was a good adaptation. But I wouldn't be a fan if I didn't point out every flaw.
Wardrobe: On the whole, the wardrobe was true to the period and true to the characters but a lot of details were screwed up or omitted. I saw Corinne wearing pearls in just one scene, and she never twisted them or messed with them (and we all know Corinne couldn't keep her hands still). Even more importantly, Olivia had no brooch! The diamond brooch with 17 stones that Cathy carefully counted was gone. Olivia wore pearls instead, and it was all wrong. Olivia's hair was also far too soft and pretty. We all know she skinned her granny bun back with ferocity. Also, Cathy's hair wasn't long enough. There's no excuse for this; weaves are easy to apply.Cast: I was pleased with the cast from the word go, with just one exception: Heather Graham as Corinne. Her hair isn't flaxen, it's strawberry, and though she has the necessary beauty she really doesn't have the acting chops to pull off the role. It's visible on film. The character has no depth, and it rings hollow throughout. We never saw real love, so the ending wasn't really shocking. Ellen Burstyn was sublime right until the end, where she has a nervous breakdown that (one guesses) is meant to humanize Olivia. It just comes off as insane. Sets: The house in Gladstone, PA wasn't what I pictured, and the backyard didn't have a big tree. In the beginning of the story when Cathy learns about her father, she runs outside and beats up a tree. Fans deserved to at least see that tree, considering that the whole scene was cut. The interior of the house, including Cathy's room, did look pretty perfect. The attic and the bedroom also looked pretty good, though I saw an appalling lack of "dark, ponderous furniture." The television set was misplaced, and I was disappointed in the attic decorations. They didn't look as described in the book, and the film didn't spend enough time focusing on them. It's the title of the work. How could you cut corners on tissue paper? Props: If you ask me, props make the film. And considering that they're such a big part of the storytelling, they're important. Lifetime failed here in a lot of little ways. I never saw the Monopoly game and we never saw any specific book titles, though we all know Cathy read Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights and many other classics. Most importantly of all, the doughnuts. We only saw them once, and we saw them on a plate. This is incorrect. The doughnuts were wrapped in foil, and they magically appeared in the picnic basket at the end of the starvation. We never saw the Swan Lake costume, Christopher's medical stuff or any of Cory's musical instruments.Story: It's perfectly understandable that to turn a novel into a movie, some things must be condensed. Some things must be skipped. But some things were changed in this adaptation that should not have been. In this version, Cathy and Chris clearly have consensual sex. However in the book it's much murkier. He's more forceful, and the experience is born more of anger and frustration than love. The love doesn't really come until much later. In the attic it's all quite confused and unclear. We never had the almost-fatal scissors accident, and the hair scene was changed so we never saw Chris with Cathy's hair. The movie didn't establish the shifting, confusing parameters of their relationship and didn't devote enough time to the feelings they're both experiencing -- so when the romantic element is introduced, it feels weird and abrupt. Lifetime didn't do a good enough job of showing the time passing, either. Everything seems to happen one thing right after another, and it becomes hard for the audience to follow. The attic changed with the seasons; Lifetime could have easily used this as a device to show the time going by, but did not.
The wait is over, the reviews are in. Now I've got to go watch the movie 19 more times! Thanks for joining me for Flowers in the Attic weekend. Come back this week for new Writing101 posts, plus a special announcement about my newest book!
Wilting
FITA became a bestselling book in the 1980s, so naturally a movie adaptation followed. Despite a strong performance from Louise Fletcher, the film was disliked by critics, fans and anyone else who read the book. It became infamous for being bad.
Fans were thrilled when Lifetime announced their intentions to do their own adaptation, and I was chief among them. So how does this new film stack up against the old one? More importantly, how does it compare to the book?
In the Attic
The movie began with the prologue from FITA, much to my delight. This introduction was changed a little. We found Cathy on film at age 12, not 7, and got thrown into the ill-fated birthday party pretty quickly.
The grief scenes were shortened, though the key dialogue was left intact. Soon enough, we were arriving at Foxworth Hall. This scene was copied almost perfectly for the film, giving viewers an introduction to evil grandmother Olivia Foxworth.
The first day and week in the attic were captured almost perfectly on film, but after this we engaged in a quick fast forward to get through the next three years.
The narrative stopped long enough to show us the lake scene, and of course the Christmas party. The twins were mainly background noise but for a few key lines (I was thrilled when Carrie claimed the food was "cold and greasy"), and Cory's death didn't have the same impact. The tar scene and Christopher's whipping scene were both changed, but only slightly.
All the dramatic reveals came at the right time, and in the end the three surviving Dolls escaped on a train (not a bus as they should). At the end of FITA, Corrine is happy with Bart. The Grandmother is bald. Cory is gone for ever. But we're out of the attic.
Rumor has it that Lifetime will also be adapting Petals on the Wind, the next book in the series. I'm most looking forward to seeing Julian if this is true.
In all, a faithful adaptation - though not perfect. Fans now have a much better adaptation of this important book, at last!
The Breakdown
It was a good adaptation. But I wouldn't be a fan if I didn't point out every flaw.
Wardrobe: On the whole, the wardrobe was true to the period and true to the characters but a lot of details were screwed up or omitted. I saw Corinne wearing pearls in just one scene, and she never twisted them or messed with them (and we all know Corinne couldn't keep her hands still). Even more importantly, Olivia had no brooch! The diamond brooch with 17 stones that Cathy carefully counted was gone. Olivia wore pearls instead, and it was all wrong. Olivia's hair was also far too soft and pretty. We all know she skinned her granny bun back with ferocity. Also, Cathy's hair wasn't long enough. There's no excuse for this; weaves are easy to apply.Cast: I was pleased with the cast from the word go, with just one exception: Heather Graham as Corinne. Her hair isn't flaxen, it's strawberry, and though she has the necessary beauty she really doesn't have the acting chops to pull off the role. It's visible on film. The character has no depth, and it rings hollow throughout. We never saw real love, so the ending wasn't really shocking. Ellen Burstyn was sublime right until the end, where she has a nervous breakdown that (one guesses) is meant to humanize Olivia. It just comes off as insane. Sets: The house in Gladstone, PA wasn't what I pictured, and the backyard didn't have a big tree. In the beginning of the story when Cathy learns about her father, she runs outside and beats up a tree. Fans deserved to at least see that tree, considering that the whole scene was cut. The interior of the house, including Cathy's room, did look pretty perfect. The attic and the bedroom also looked pretty good, though I saw an appalling lack of "dark, ponderous furniture." The television set was misplaced, and I was disappointed in the attic decorations. They didn't look as described in the book, and the film didn't spend enough time focusing on them. It's the title of the work. How could you cut corners on tissue paper? Props: If you ask me, props make the film. And considering that they're such a big part of the storytelling, they're important. Lifetime failed here in a lot of little ways. I never saw the Monopoly game and we never saw any specific book titles, though we all know Cathy read Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights and many other classics. Most importantly of all, the doughnuts. We only saw them once, and we saw them on a plate. This is incorrect. The doughnuts were wrapped in foil, and they magically appeared in the picnic basket at the end of the starvation. We never saw the Swan Lake costume, Christopher's medical stuff or any of Cory's musical instruments.Story: It's perfectly understandable that to turn a novel into a movie, some things must be condensed. Some things must be skipped. But some things were changed in this adaptation that should not have been. In this version, Cathy and Chris clearly have consensual sex. However in the book it's much murkier. He's more forceful, and the experience is born more of anger and frustration than love. The love doesn't really come until much later. In the attic it's all quite confused and unclear. We never had the almost-fatal scissors accident, and the hair scene was changed so we never saw Chris with Cathy's hair. The movie didn't establish the shifting, confusing parameters of their relationship and didn't devote enough time to the feelings they're both experiencing -- so when the romantic element is introduced, it feels weird and abrupt. Lifetime didn't do a good enough job of showing the time passing, either. Everything seems to happen one thing right after another, and it becomes hard for the audience to follow. The attic changed with the seasons; Lifetime could have easily used this as a device to show the time going by, but did not.
The wait is over, the reviews are in. Now I've got to go watch the movie 19 more times! Thanks for joining me for Flowers in the Attic weekend. Come back this week for new Writing101 posts, plus a special announcement about my newest book!
January 18, 2014
Inspirational Authors: V. C. Andrews
V. C. Andrews was one of the first authors I read when I discovered books, and I adored hers. I re-read her early series books more times than I'm willing to admit. Her works inspired me to become an author (or something like one, anyway), and for that I owe her a debt...or maybe I should dislike her? Either way, I was greatly influenced by her work...and I think something rubbed off on me.
You Are What You Read
If you read a lot of a certain author, and love that author, it's only natural that you'll be influenced by that author. It's sort of like musicians. They always get asked "who influenced you" and they'll rattle off a list of names. Sometimes when they say a name you go "yeah, I can tell." Well, I was influenced by V. C. Andrews...and some of my readers can tell.
"I think it is well written. It reminds me of one of V. C. Andrew's earlier works. I like that it's written in the first person, that the plot keeps you guessing and has a lot of surprises."-authorpholloway, Amazon reviewer
"Quick read for fans of V.C.Andrews...As I kept reading I couldn't help but think Justice reminded me a lot of V.C. Andrews work, which is admittedly a guilty pleasure of mine." -pandareads, Amazon reviewer
The Deck of Lies series was certainly influenced by the stories I read when I first discovered V. C. Andrews, and novels in general. The first book of hers I read was Flowers in the Attic , which had been newly adapted as a TV movie by Lifetime. It airs tonight! Find me on Twitter to talk about the movie live.
Were you influenced by an author the way I was influenced by V. C. Andrews? Feel free to tell me about it in the comments!
You Are What You Read
If you read a lot of a certain author, and love that author, it's only natural that you'll be influenced by that author. It's sort of like musicians. They always get asked "who influenced you" and they'll rattle off a list of names. Sometimes when they say a name you go "yeah, I can tell." Well, I was influenced by V. C. Andrews...and some of my readers can tell.
"I think it is well written. It reminds me of one of V. C. Andrew's earlier works. I like that it's written in the first person, that the plot keeps you guessing and has a lot of surprises."-authorpholloway, Amazon reviewer
"Quick read for fans of V.C.Andrews...As I kept reading I couldn't help but think Justice reminded me a lot of V.C. Andrews work, which is admittedly a guilty pleasure of mine." -pandareads, Amazon reviewer
The Deck of Lies series was certainly influenced by the stories I read when I first discovered V. C. Andrews, and novels in general. The first book of hers I read was Flowers in the Attic , which had been newly adapted as a TV movie by Lifetime. It airs tonight! Find me on Twitter to talk about the movie live.
Were you influenced by an author the way I was influenced by V. C. Andrews? Feel free to tell me about it in the comments!
Fiction Fasion Icon: Cathy (Reprise)
originally published Friday, October 12, 2012It is the job of all authors to bring their characters to life. Most well-loved characters have a distinct look, noticeable characteristics, great flaws and strengths. Some authors even take things one step further, and create a distinct style for their leading ladies. To honor some of the great fiction fashion icons that I've read over the years, I'm introducing a new feature with one of my most favorite characters: Cathy Dollanganger.
Fashionable Femme Fatale
Cathy Dollanganger is the main protagonist of the Dollanganger series, which spanned five books. The series was introduced in a debut novel from V.C. Andrews, Flowers in the Attic. It became an instant hit, though the movie didn't fare quite so well, and launched a career that has, phenomenonally, continued with new novels even beyond the author's death.
It all began with Cathy. Through the series, she goes from age 9 to age 59 (or thereabouts), and that's a whole lot of clothes. For some special scenes, readers are treated to Cathy's outfits in exquisite detail. In fact, clothes are used to illustrate a lot of the turmoil she feels in the first book of the series.
While Cathy is locked away in Flowers in the Attic, clothes are given to her by her mother Corrine, the woman who did the locking up. They're a compensation of sorts for the miserable life Cathy and her sister and brothers are now being forced to lead. In one memorable scene, Corrine gives Cathy beautiful ballet costumes so she can continue to live her dream of one day becoming a prima ballerina. The clothing is so beautiful, and represents so much, it fills Cathy's heart with love.
Later, clothes fill her heart with anger. After an extended trip away from her children, Corrine returns with tons of gifts...and more pretty fashions for Cathy. But as she tries them on, Cathy realizes that her mother is still buying clothing for a little girl -- a little girl she no longer is. The clothes represent all the neglect, and the blind eye Corrine is using to view the situation she's trapped her children inside. Cathy hates those clothes! She rips them off, tears them up and cries bitterly.
Fashion...it's such a fantastic plot device. Clothing continues to be important in Cathy's life. She goes on a shopping spree in the next book of the series, Petals on the Wind, and the new items represent a freedom of choice she has never before enjoyed as a young woman.
When Cathy is an adult, later in the book, fashion becomes her greatest weapon. By now, many years separate Cathy from her attic days of captivity, but the bitterness and anger has taken root in her and blossomed into full-blown revenge. It's not enough that she's free. It's not enough that she's achieved her dreams. It's not enough until her mother Corrine suffers. Isn't fashion a great way to make that happen?
When Cathy decides to take her mother's husband, she invites him to dinner and dons a sexy red dress. The details of Cathy's seduction outfit are carefully revealed, and it's fair to say that she doesn't get the reaction from Bart that she wanted. He gets the wrong message from the red dress, and the entire plan pretty much falls apart.
For the most climactic scene of Petals on the Wind, the huge confrontation for which readers waded through hundreds of pages to get to, Cathy plans her outfit much, much more carefully. For the ending scenes of the book, Cathy dons an outfit so important and so well-described, it cements her as one of my favorite fiction fashion icons.
The green dress Cathy wears the night Foxworth Hall burns down was first seen years and years before, in Flowers in the Attic. The Christmas Party represents one of the only times during their attic imprisonment that Cathy gets to leave the little room in the big mansion, and the green dress is a fundamental part of the imagery of the party. It's worth by the ever-beautiful Corrine, Cathy's mother, as she dances and flirts with her soon-to-be-husband Bart. The green dress is a combination of velvet and chiffon, and it represents everything Cathy hopes to be when she grows up.
Years later, the green dress becomes her symbol of revenge. She has it re-made in exquisite detail and copies the hairstyle her mother originally donned when it was worn so many years before in Cathy's childhood. She even sneaks into the mansion to steal the same emerald jewelry that Corrine paired with the dress the first time. In this grand fashion, Cathy makes her re-entrance into her mother's life.
Revenge fashion is delicious when it's described by V.C. Andrews. The dress continues to be present through all the final scenes of Petals on the Wind, which ends in stunning fashion, and it left a huge impression on me the first time I read it. Every time I see green velvet paired with green chiffon, I think of Cathy Dollanganger, revenge, and blazing fire. It's a lot of powerful images, and it's all held together by some of the best fiction fashion you'll find in any book.
Flowers and Fashion
Lifetime's adaptation of Flowers in the Attic will have its world premiere tonight, and that gives viewers the chance to see Cathy, her mother and the rest of the cast in all their best-dressed splendor. Will the green dress make its debut during the movie? Live Tweet with me while it airs, and we'll find out together!
Fashionable Femme Fatale
Cathy Dollanganger is the main protagonist of the Dollanganger series, which spanned five books. The series was introduced in a debut novel from V.C. Andrews, Flowers in the Attic. It became an instant hit, though the movie didn't fare quite so well, and launched a career that has, phenomenonally, continued with new novels even beyond the author's death.
It all began with Cathy. Through the series, she goes from age 9 to age 59 (or thereabouts), and that's a whole lot of clothes. For some special scenes, readers are treated to Cathy's outfits in exquisite detail. In fact, clothes are used to illustrate a lot of the turmoil she feels in the first book of the series.
While Cathy is locked away in Flowers in the Attic, clothes are given to her by her mother Corrine, the woman who did the locking up. They're a compensation of sorts for the miserable life Cathy and her sister and brothers are now being forced to lead. In one memorable scene, Corrine gives Cathy beautiful ballet costumes so she can continue to live her dream of one day becoming a prima ballerina. The clothing is so beautiful, and represents so much, it fills Cathy's heart with love.
Later, clothes fill her heart with anger. After an extended trip away from her children, Corrine returns with tons of gifts...and more pretty fashions for Cathy. But as she tries them on, Cathy realizes that her mother is still buying clothing for a little girl -- a little girl she no longer is. The clothes represent all the neglect, and the blind eye Corrine is using to view the situation she's trapped her children inside. Cathy hates those clothes! She rips them off, tears them up and cries bitterly.
Fashion...it's such a fantastic plot device. Clothing continues to be important in Cathy's life. She goes on a shopping spree in the next book of the series, Petals on the Wind, and the new items represent a freedom of choice she has never before enjoyed as a young woman.
When Cathy is an adult, later in the book, fashion becomes her greatest weapon. By now, many years separate Cathy from her attic days of captivity, but the bitterness and anger has taken root in her and blossomed into full-blown revenge. It's not enough that she's free. It's not enough that she's achieved her dreams. It's not enough until her mother Corrine suffers. Isn't fashion a great way to make that happen?
When Cathy decides to take her mother's husband, she invites him to dinner and dons a sexy red dress. The details of Cathy's seduction outfit are carefully revealed, and it's fair to say that she doesn't get the reaction from Bart that she wanted. He gets the wrong message from the red dress, and the entire plan pretty much falls apart.
For the most climactic scene of Petals on the Wind, the huge confrontation for which readers waded through hundreds of pages to get to, Cathy plans her outfit much, much more carefully. For the ending scenes of the book, Cathy dons an outfit so important and so well-described, it cements her as one of my favorite fiction fashion icons.
The green dress Cathy wears the night Foxworth Hall burns down was first seen years and years before, in Flowers in the Attic. The Christmas Party represents one of the only times during their attic imprisonment that Cathy gets to leave the little room in the big mansion, and the green dress is a fundamental part of the imagery of the party. It's worth by the ever-beautiful Corrine, Cathy's mother, as she dances and flirts with her soon-to-be-husband Bart. The green dress is a combination of velvet and chiffon, and it represents everything Cathy hopes to be when she grows up.
Years later, the green dress becomes her symbol of revenge. She has it re-made in exquisite detail and copies the hairstyle her mother originally donned when it was worn so many years before in Cathy's childhood. She even sneaks into the mansion to steal the same emerald jewelry that Corrine paired with the dress the first time. In this grand fashion, Cathy makes her re-entrance into her mother's life.
Revenge fashion is delicious when it's described by V.C. Andrews. The dress continues to be present through all the final scenes of Petals on the Wind, which ends in stunning fashion, and it left a huge impression on me the first time I read it. Every time I see green velvet paired with green chiffon, I think of Cathy Dollanganger, revenge, and blazing fire. It's a lot of powerful images, and it's all held together by some of the best fiction fashion you'll find in any book.
Flowers and Fashion
Lifetime's adaptation of Flowers in the Attic will have its world premiere tonight, and that gives viewers the chance to see Cathy, her mother and the rest of the cast in all their best-dressed splendor. Will the green dress make its debut during the movie? Live Tweet with me while it airs, and we'll find out together!
Books on Film: Flowers in the Attice (Reprise)
post originally published Saturday, August 11, 2012
When a book is very popular among a large group of readers, filmmakers generally like to take special care with the film adaptation. They consult the author of the work, they read the book themselves, they pay homage to the original material. This isn't what happened when Flowers in the Attic was transformed from a YA horror book that struck a strong note with teen girls...into 93 minutes of on-screen swill that you can't ever get back. Cringe if you like, but that description really isn't harsh enough for one of the worst book-to-film adaptations in the known world.
The BookFull disclosure: I'm a little biased. Flowers in the Attic is actually a very special book to me, as it inspired me to become a writer (the jury's still out on whether or not I am). It was written before I was born and published in 1979 by V. C. Andrews, known to friends and family as Virginia. The book was her first and it was an almost immediate success, spawning three sequels, one prequel and a wildly successful novel-writing career that continues decades after V. C. Andrews's death. It's sold over 40 million copies worldwide.
Most of them have been read by teen girls. The main protagonist is a teen girl herself, Cathy Dollanganger, and she's got a pretty charmed life. The story opens with a brief sketch of Cathy's life. She lives in Pennsylvania with her older brother Christopher and her parents, Chris and Corrine. A pair of twins are born when Cathy is 7, two blonde cherubs named Cory and Carrie. The whole family is blonde, and so beautiful they're known for perfection among their friends and neighbors. Of which they have many. All of these loved ones have gathered for a birthday party in the first chapter of the book, waiting on father Chris. He works through the week as a salesman, and comes home every Friday to big fanfare. This Friday, he's supposed to have even more than the usual weekend fun -- a big surprise party with a gorgeous wife, pretty kids and lots of friends, to boot. It's not meant to be. Chris is killed in a traffic accident, and the police arrive at the party instead of the expected father. Cathy's perfect world falls to pieces in the aftermath of her father's death. It seems her mother has never had a job and probably can't even spell the word job, so Corrine feels that her only choice is to return home to Virginia, and her parents.It's the first time anyone has heard any mention of any grandparents. Before you know it, the family of five is whisked away into the Blue Ridge Mountains with only four suitcases between them. To a gigantic mansion they're led in the dead of night, and spirited up a back staircase of the house into a tiny, over-stuffed room all the way at the top.
Here the four children will remain for the next three years. They are told, in the beginning, that they must stay hidden for one night only. Corrine fell out of favor with her parents some time ago, you see, and now she must make amends. She must get her father, an old curmudgeon who's richer than most countries, to accept her. Once he accepts his daughter, she'll tell him that there are also four grandchildren he must learn to accept. Sounds reasonable, right? Only soon Corrine stops visiting as often, leaving her four children with only her mother, their grandmother, to tend them. She comes once a day with a picnic basket of food for them, and to quiz them to see if they're reading the Bible. Olivia the grandmother wears nothing but gray, and her heart is black. She reveals quite soon the reason Corrine fell out of favor with her family: Chris was actually her half-uncle, and their relationship was incestuous. This is a terrible sin in the eyes of the Lord. Olivia Foxworth and her husband, Malcolm, are extremely righteous people. And sin is unforgivable. Cathy, Chris, Cory and Carrie have only one bedroom, one bathroom and the mansion's massive attic to share. The dusty, neglected space becomes their playground, and they decorate it with paper flowers and pictures they draw over the long, long months that follow. They cannot attend school, or go outdoors, or ever open the door to the rest of the mansion that's kept locked at all times. They can only recite Bible verses at the demand of their grandmother, and wait for their mother to arrive...and attempt to grow up in this hopeless fashion. Cathy is 12, and Chris 14, when they are shut away inside (this makes the twins 5). In the three years that pass, their teenage hormones awaken and their bodies change (as bodies are wont to do). And inevitably, incest develops. When Cory dies, Cathy and Chris start putting the pieces together.They have been getting sick, and now Cory is gone. Carrie, once vivacious, now barely speaks or eats. All are thin, pale and weak. They devise a way to sneak out of the room, and start learning a little more about the house that surrounds them. They learn that their mother has no intention of ever letting them out, because if it is ever discovered that she had children with her first husband she cannot inherit the many millions that could be hers.
And the grandfather? He's already dead, and the promise of release that was dangled before the children is never going to manifest. In fact, a bit of investigation reveals the reason they're all sick: they're slowly being poisoned to death with arsenic. It's already been successful for one out of four. So they start to steal into the mansion and steal from their mother, who is planning on marrying a young and handsome lawyer. Corrine is going to continue her life and enjoy all the money while her young children wither and die.
Cathy and Chris aren't going to let that happen. They store up their cache of money and endure humiliation and abuse at the hands of the grandmother before at last, they make good on their escape. Looking back at the mansion, Cathy vows to get her revenge on the grandmother, on the house itself...and most of all, on her mother Corrine Foxworth.
That's not at all what happens in the film version.
The Film
Neither the critics nor the fans liked the film version of Flowers in the Attic, which came to theaters in 1987. When it did, Louise Fletcher was the biggest name associated with the flick. She's famous for being mean, having previously played chilling screen villain Nurse Ratched in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. The film also starred Kristy Swanson in the role of Cathy, who at the time was a relatively unknown child actress.
Because of the horror element of the book, famed director Wes Craven was on tap to direct the film (if only), and he came up with a completed draft of a screenplay. But the producers shied away from Craven's inclusion of the incest which was so much a part of the book, so they chose a man named Jeffrey Bloom to write and direct instead.
V. C. Andrews demanded, and won, final script approval...but even this would not be enough to save this truly horrific film adaptation. She turned down 5 scripts before approving Bloom's, but it was further edited and ripped apart by producers and the two studios involved in making the movie. Later, Bloom talked about the contentious atmosphere in the discussion room, and the producers' insistence that certain important elements from the book be omitted from the film.
The author herself appears in the movie, though her cameo role isn't credited. You'll find her near the end of the movie, posing as a maid who's scrubbing the windows in Foxworth Hall.
Kristy Swanson has said that an adaptation of the book's sequel, Petals on the Wind, was also planned but never filmed. She even got a script for it, but found it to be such a "sexfest" that she "didn't know if it should be done."
How bad is the film version of Flowers in the Attic? Bloom eventually stormed off the set, fed up with the many changes to the book's nature, and the final scenes were shot under someone else's direction. Victoria Tennant, who played Corrine, also reportedly stormed off the set in anger after her final scene was filmed. According to urban movie rumor, however, there is some hope on the horizon: another adaptation is in the works. Rumor has it that a new screenplay will be written by the Andrews ghost writer, Andrew Neiderman, so a much better version of this classic book could still come to fruition.
What Got Adapted?
It's difficult to list every single thing that got changed when the book Flowers in the Attic became a film, and if I do I'll just become enraged, but I will hit some main points. In the film, the children were locked up for about a year, which is just a silly change. Why make it? Probably because the main actors in the flick were children, and they can't age on cue. The incest between Cathy and Chris was eliminated, and that ended up making Louise Fletcher look ridiculous as Olivia Foxworth.
It's not her fault. Fletcher wasn't put in gray outfits for her turn as Olivia, which just plain doesn't make sense, and most of her scenes she's screaming and looking wild-eyed for no real reason. This isn't in keeping with the character, though Fletcher worked quite hard at the role. Reportedly, she called V. C. Andrews over the phone to discuss Olivia's character with her, and stayed in character the entire time she was filming so she could maintain the proper distance from the children and the rest of the cast.
The children's ages were changed on film as well, probably because the timing of the events was also changed. Cathy and Chris are 14 and 17 when they are locked up, which is wrong, and Corrine is already marrying Bart Winslow on the day they escape. This is also wrong. Corrine married Bart while the children were locked up, and by the time they escaped the couple had already moved away from the mansion.
This is what leads up to the end scene of the film, which is so abominably bad the writer/director decided to walk away from the project altogether. He refused to film it, the producers insisted, and he walked instead. Unfortunately, they also shot the ending without him. In a scene that's almost silly in its over-the-top drama, Cathy confronts her mother in the middle of Foxworth Hall while Corrine is being married. Shouting "eat the cookie, Mother!" Cathy chases after Corrine...who winds up falling out of a window and being hung by her own wedding dress. That's when actress Victoria Tennant also stormed off the set, and that's how the movie ends...laughably. Instead of cold revenge, Cathy expresses crazy anger, and it completely ruins the entire movie (as if the other changes didn't do that already).
Throughout the film, there is also little to no mention of ballet, Cathy's dream and driving inspiration, Chris's desire to be a doctor, or Cory's beloved pet mouse and penchant for musical talent. Jeffrey Bloom did film some scenes depicting the incest in the book, but these scenes were cut from the final version. In his planned original ending, the children escape the mansion in secrecy and never confront Corrine -- which is much closer to the ending of the book.
Seriously, it's not a good movie (and I like a lot of movies). Even if it wasn't associated with the book, this wouldn't be a very good movie. But it is, and that makes it even worse, so please don't watch it. You should read the book, which is brilliant, and my summary absolutely does not do it justice so don't let that stop you. The New Movie Lifetime's new adaptation of Flowers in the Attic airs tonight at 8p EST. Live Tweet with me during the movie -- I'll be pointing out what I like and don't like the entire time!
January 17, 2014
Welcome to Flowers in the Attic Weekend!
Lifetime's remake of Flowers in the Attic airs this weekend -- so we're going to celebrate here at the blog until it hurts.
Flowers, Not in the Attic
Flowers in the Attic was the first book written by V.C. Andrews, and it was published in 1979. It immediately became a hit. The book struck a chord with readers. With it, Andrews forged a career that continues after her death and pioneered a genre. Her writing is marked by its unusual mix of gothic horror, youth-oriented narratives and the recurring theme that sometimes blood is not thicker than water. Flowers was mainstream fiction, yet it explored extremely taboo subjects like rape and incest.
And it inspired yours truly. I became aware of this book at age 9, Thanksgiving Day. I found it on a nightstand and started to read, purely out of boredom (what was I gonna do, watch football?). By the end of Chapter 1, Flowers in the Attic had changed my life. I decided, then and there, that I would write stories for a living. Almost every single decision I've made since that moment has been based on that goal. So it's very fair to say this book shaped my life, and made me who I am.
I don't think it's completely out-of-line to honor it with a weekend, all things considered. So check back on Saturday to learn more about this remarkable story, and what it's meant to me. On Sunday, you'll find a full review of the Lifetime remake. Spoiler alert! I'm not likely to be forgiving about any deviation from the novel. Join me this weekend to let me know what you think of the books, the remakes and anything else Flowers-related.
Visit Lifetime to read an excerpt of the book, and feel free to live Tweet with me during the broadcast -- you'll get a sneak peek of my Sunday review if you do!
Flowers, Not in the Attic
Flowers in the Attic was the first book written by V.C. Andrews, and it was published in 1979. It immediately became a hit. The book struck a chord with readers. With it, Andrews forged a career that continues after her death and pioneered a genre. Her writing is marked by its unusual mix of gothic horror, youth-oriented narratives and the recurring theme that sometimes blood is not thicker than water. Flowers was mainstream fiction, yet it explored extremely taboo subjects like rape and incest.
And it inspired yours truly. I became aware of this book at age 9, Thanksgiving Day. I found it on a nightstand and started to read, purely out of boredom (what was I gonna do, watch football?). By the end of Chapter 1, Flowers in the Attic had changed my life. I decided, then and there, that I would write stories for a living. Almost every single decision I've made since that moment has been based on that goal. So it's very fair to say this book shaped my life, and made me who I am.
I don't think it's completely out-of-line to honor it with a weekend, all things considered. So check back on Saturday to learn more about this remarkable story, and what it's meant to me. On Sunday, you'll find a full review of the Lifetime remake. Spoiler alert! I'm not likely to be forgiving about any deviation from the novel. Join me this weekend to let me know what you think of the books, the remakes and anything else Flowers-related.
Visit Lifetime to read an excerpt of the book, and feel free to live Tweet with me during the broadcast -- you'll get a sneak peek of my Sunday review if you do!
January 16, 2014
Writing 101: The Love-Hate Relationship
Sam and Diane. Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy. And my personal favorite, Scarlett and Rhett. The love-hate relationship is a strong literary device...and incredibly difficult for writers to pull off.
Opposites Attract
Some say that hate is the other side of love, and the two are closely linked. Many married people will tell you that's the truth. If you haven't really hated someone, maybe you haven't really loved them. So it's only natural to depict love-hate relationships in fiction. When it's done well, it can be very engaging and moving. Done badly, and it's just unbelievably annoying.
There are many types of the love-hate relationships, because the dynamics between two people can be amazingly complex. Some people mistake hate for love. Such was the case in The Shop Around the Corner, an old Jimmy Stewart flick I love (later remade as You've Got Mail). Some use hate to mask their love. Some truly feel hate that's all mixed in with love, and that makes things complex indeed. Sometimes hate turns into love, and this generally makes for a better story than ones in which love turns to hate -- though this, too, happens.
The love-hate relationship is challenging to experience and it's challenging to write. Make it easy on yourself by truly getting to know your characters. Think about their characteristics and their motivations. Make sure that you know, at all times, what they're feeling -- even if they don't know it. Give them a reason for doing what they're doing, or saying what they're saying. Even if you're the only one who knows the reason, at least they've got one. This makes for more believable characters, and this makes your story much better.
Opposites Attract
Some say that hate is the other side of love, and the two are closely linked. Many married people will tell you that's the truth. If you haven't really hated someone, maybe you haven't really loved them. So it's only natural to depict love-hate relationships in fiction. When it's done well, it can be very engaging and moving. Done badly, and it's just unbelievably annoying.
There are many types of the love-hate relationships, because the dynamics between two people can be amazingly complex. Some people mistake hate for love. Such was the case in The Shop Around the Corner, an old Jimmy Stewart flick I love (later remade as You've Got Mail). Some use hate to mask their love. Some truly feel hate that's all mixed in with love, and that makes things complex indeed. Sometimes hate turns into love, and this generally makes for a better story than ones in which love turns to hate -- though this, too, happens.
The love-hate relationship is challenging to experience and it's challenging to write. Make it easy on yourself by truly getting to know your characters. Think about their characteristics and their motivations. Make sure that you know, at all times, what they're feeling -- even if they don't know it. Give them a reason for doing what they're doing, or saying what they're saying. Even if you're the only one who knows the reason, at least they've got one. This makes for more believable characters, and this makes your story much better.
January 15, 2014
Writing 101: Action Scenes
Can you effectively write a thrilling sword fight? Show me a round of fisticuffs with full blow-by-blow? Make me gasp my way through a frightening chase? Action sequences can appear in any book, and they should. Otherwise, you've just got a bunch of sit-down dialogue.
Show Me the Blood
When a character walks across the room to pull a book of the shelf, it's action. But this is probably easier to write than an entire jousting scene replete with horses and squires and the whole show. In either case, at some point in every book it becomes necessary to make characters move around. It's your job to do that convincingly.
All the movement and quickness should make your scene exciting, but don't forget that readers must be able to visualize what's taking place. Always remember to tell readers where characters are, both in relation to each other and to the space they're in. This makes the action easier to see in the mind's eye, and that's exactly what you want.
Don't waste a lot of time with detailed descriptions. Be concise. His sword flashed through the air, toward Duncan's left shoulder. Duncan parried, raising his blade to deflect the blow. I know what a sword looks like, so now is not the time to tell me the story of the fancy hilt. Don't put that stuff in the middle of an action scene, because it will only drag at the pace.
Keep it snappy and quick and just descriptive enough to visualize, and it will feel more exciting. Balance action scenes with more lengthy dramatic and descriptive scenes elsewhere in the book, and the overall pace won't feel too rushed. Writing a good action scene will help you write a great book.
Show Me the Blood
When a character walks across the room to pull a book of the shelf, it's action. But this is probably easier to write than an entire jousting scene replete with horses and squires and the whole show. In either case, at some point in every book it becomes necessary to make characters move around. It's your job to do that convincingly.
All the movement and quickness should make your scene exciting, but don't forget that readers must be able to visualize what's taking place. Always remember to tell readers where characters are, both in relation to each other and to the space they're in. This makes the action easier to see in the mind's eye, and that's exactly what you want.
Don't waste a lot of time with detailed descriptions. Be concise. His sword flashed through the air, toward Duncan's left shoulder. Duncan parried, raising his blade to deflect the blow. I know what a sword looks like, so now is not the time to tell me the story of the fancy hilt. Don't put that stuff in the middle of an action scene, because it will only drag at the pace.
Keep it snappy and quick and just descriptive enough to visualize, and it will feel more exciting. Balance action scenes with more lengthy dramatic and descriptive scenes elsewhere in the book, and the overall pace won't feel too rushed. Writing a good action scene will help you write a great book.
January 14, 2014
Writing 101: Do You Really Want Writing to Be Your Job?
Various studies and focus groups and research (and by research, I mean Twitter) show that many authors and would-be authors hope to one day write books full-time to earn 100 percent of their income. And maybe that's a flawed plan...because most novels don't make that much money.
Dead...and Hating It
I don't want to get too gothic, or anything, but there's a long list of authors you've heard of who died penniless. Poe, Oscar Wilde, Herman Melville (author of Moby Dick)...I could go on. Writing novels isn't likely to net you a lot of money, unless you write a lot of them or you write at least a few of them that hit really, really, really big.
If you sell 1 million copies of anything, you're a huge success. But you're probably not ready for retirement. In order to be a best-selling, full-time novelist, you're going to have to sell in the neighborhood of 100 million copies...of more than one book. That's the reality, because you don't make much money per book whether you self-publish or walk the traditional publishing path. In fact, in traditional publishing you're likely to make much less so you must sell much more.
Nor will writing gain you love. Emily Dickinson, Jane Austen, Jonathon Swift and John Keats wrote with romantic, poetic language that touched the soul. All died single.
Give yourself a quick reality check before you think about writing as a full-time job. Go look at how many books are on Amazon. Now make a list of all the rich and famous authors you know. The ratio is going to be something close to 100,000,000 to 1, and I'm being really generous.
Making a full-time living from writing novels is very difficult. It takes a great deal of hard work and lots of luck. You have to write and market and write and market, and if you have a whole lot of support and people working with you then it's possible...for a rare few.
But making a full-time living from writing...now, this is much more possible.
The Everyday Writer
Traditional mediums like newspaper and print magazines are difficult to break into, and they're becoming a dying breed so it's harder than ever. But the Internet offers lots of wide-open opportunities for writers. There are many jobs out there for creative writers, bloggers, freelancers, copywriters and technical writers. You have to work a lot to make money. You have to establish good contacts. And you have to look for new jobs all the time. But writing full-time is possible, and while you're at it you can supplement your income and build your fan base with novels you scratch out on the side.
But you have to ask yourself if you really want writing to be your job. No matter which road you try to take, you have to work hard. You will probably have to work 7 days a week, holidays as well. You must spend lots of time on non-writing tasks, like social media, and sometimes that can feel like a pain. You will be building a persona and putting yourself out there, and when you put yourself out there you open yourself up to all the criticism the Internet has to offer (and it's an infinite wellspring).
It's lonely to write, and it can be hurtful. It requires a lot of hard work and you're going to take a lot of ribbing from friends and family who think you have it easy, somehow. You're going to get fired from jobs. You're going to have to fight to get your money, sometimes. You're going to read comments that hurt and you're going to suffer disappointments. But you're also going to be writing full-time, and for some that totally balances the scales. Now you have to figure out if that's enough balance for you.
Dead...and Hating It
I don't want to get too gothic, or anything, but there's a long list of authors you've heard of who died penniless. Poe, Oscar Wilde, Herman Melville (author of Moby Dick)...I could go on. Writing novels isn't likely to net you a lot of money, unless you write a lot of them or you write at least a few of them that hit really, really, really big.
If you sell 1 million copies of anything, you're a huge success. But you're probably not ready for retirement. In order to be a best-selling, full-time novelist, you're going to have to sell in the neighborhood of 100 million copies...of more than one book. That's the reality, because you don't make much money per book whether you self-publish or walk the traditional publishing path. In fact, in traditional publishing you're likely to make much less so you must sell much more.
Nor will writing gain you love. Emily Dickinson, Jane Austen, Jonathon Swift and John Keats wrote with romantic, poetic language that touched the soul. All died single.
Give yourself a quick reality check before you think about writing as a full-time job. Go look at how many books are on Amazon. Now make a list of all the rich and famous authors you know. The ratio is going to be something close to 100,000,000 to 1, and I'm being really generous.
Making a full-time living from writing novels is very difficult. It takes a great deal of hard work and lots of luck. You have to write and market and write and market, and if you have a whole lot of support and people working with you then it's possible...for a rare few.
But making a full-time living from writing...now, this is much more possible.
The Everyday Writer
Traditional mediums like newspaper and print magazines are difficult to break into, and they're becoming a dying breed so it's harder than ever. But the Internet offers lots of wide-open opportunities for writers. There are many jobs out there for creative writers, bloggers, freelancers, copywriters and technical writers. You have to work a lot to make money. You have to establish good contacts. And you have to look for new jobs all the time. But writing full-time is possible, and while you're at it you can supplement your income and build your fan base with novels you scratch out on the side.
But you have to ask yourself if you really want writing to be your job. No matter which road you try to take, you have to work hard. You will probably have to work 7 days a week, holidays as well. You must spend lots of time on non-writing tasks, like social media, and sometimes that can feel like a pain. You will be building a persona and putting yourself out there, and when you put yourself out there you open yourself up to all the criticism the Internet has to offer (and it's an infinite wellspring).
It's lonely to write, and it can be hurtful. It requires a lot of hard work and you're going to take a lot of ribbing from friends and family who think you have it easy, somehow. You're going to get fired from jobs. You're going to have to fight to get your money, sometimes. You're going to read comments that hurt and you're going to suffer disappointments. But you're also going to be writing full-time, and for some that totally balances the scales. Now you have to figure out if that's enough balance for you.
