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A question for fellow writers
W. wrote: "I think it is meant to sound condescending. People have a limited number of ways to respond to "I am a writer.""My that's a nice hobby."
"Who wrote it for you?" (answer "me, who reads it for you?"..."
W., you are correct. I write because it satisfies a need deep within my being. Write for one's self. Another thing that is important is to write the story that you want to write, not what "the market" or others want. Only you can tell your story.
W. wrote: "Ken wrote: "BB. wrote: "I'm interested to know what generation you think were the most skilled at grammar and spelling? Lots of women were still discouraged from reading and going to school in the ..."W., I was born in the 1970s and everyone went school and college in my generation. No exceptions.
Someone told me once:"The most important thing we can do as creatives is to keep producing work. Even if no one sees it, the fastest way to close the gap between our skill level and our ambitions is to keep producing work. Guys[or girls]like you and me do what we do because we love it. We are making intangible investments in our souls."
Haters gonna hate. Just keep writing.
A.W. wrote: "Someone told me once:"The most important thing we can do as creatives is to keep producing work. Even if no one sees it, the fastest way to close the gap between our skill level and our ambitions..."
Exactly. I write because I can't imagine not doing it. I have to get my story out. That's why I just grit my teeth and smile, when I get the "nice hobby" comment.
Millenial readers are alive and well! My demographics on Wattpad show that 38% of my readers there are teens. Considering that another 32% don't reveal their age, that is a huge chunk of my readers. (Wattpad is a teen-centric platform, so that doesn't necessarily translate to other platforms.)My kiddo, born in 1998 so not quite a Millenial, is highly dyslexic with multiple other learning disabilities. Texting, messaging, and gaming have been a huge boon for us, since those are the only things he will voluntarily read and write. Some of the stories contained in those games can be quite in depth!
He actually complains to me about his (neurotypical) friends' spelling and grammar and is often asking how to spell words to make sure he gets them right. His reading and writing skills have really blossomed since he started texting and other computer-mediated messaging.
I always enjoyed reading to him, and he has enjoyed listening to the Harry Potter series (several times over) and other teen fantasy series'. Now he is too old (in his mind) for mom to read to him, and too busy to make time together to read. However, the other day he said he missed being read to and asked me whether he could have books read to him on his phone, so I have introduced him to Overdrive!
Daniella wrote: "I was born in the 1970s and everyone went school and college in my generation. No exceptions. "Daniella, I can understand why you might be upset that your post has strayed from the original topic, but that sentence is an outright lie. Even assuming that you are speaking only of the US, where primary education is mandated by law, there is no law requiring a high school diploma and I know plenty of people who dropped out for a number of reasons. As for college, no, not all of us went to college with no exceptions. Secondary education is, sadly, a luxury in this country. Not everyone can afford it, even with scholarships, grants, and loans.
Mod
I feel my writing is a part of me, same as my arm is a part of me. It's not a hobby for me, it's as natural as breathing and eating. My mental health thanks me for writing :)
Regina wrote: "I feel my writing is a part of me, same as my arm is a part of me. It's not a hobby for me, it's as natural as breathing and eating. My mental health thanks me for writing :)"I understand exactly how you feel. A few years ago I tried giving it up all together. I wasn't nearly has happy as when I was struggling with my writing. It has paid off, I am published now and feel that accepting the fact that what I do away from writing is my job, or hobby, my writing though is the air I breath.
Kent wrote: "Regina wrote: "I feel my writing is a part of me, same as my arm is a part of me. It's not a hobby for me, it's as natural as breathing and eating. My mental health thanks me for writing :)"I und..."
For me writing is like breathing as well. It's something I have to do. I've struggled with self-doubt and rejections, but everyone kept telling me not to give up and to just keep writing. And that's exactly what I did. The persistence paid off. I'm very excited because in December I signed a three-book contract with Black Opal Books for the first novels in my mystery series. The first book will come out later this year. I don't know the exact date yet. It's in the editing process at the moment. In the interim, I'm working on the fourth book in the series. I've written 119 pages thus far.
I've actually have the opposite happen to me. When I tell someone that I am on my second novel, they look at me sideways and says, "Really?" As if I can't put two sentences together. Or they will say something along the lines of "Wow, I didn't know you could write". Excuse me??!!
Lorine, you have to ignore people like that. They're probably jealous and trying to diminish your accomplishments. You have to believe in your own abilities and press on. In addition, you have to write the story that you want, not what "the market" or others want.
Believe me, Daniella, I try. And most days I do brush it off but then when it catches me on one of my week days, I do question myself and whether or not I can really do this. And then those voices of doubt starts singing in my head.
You are so right B.B, thank you. Most times I just ignore them but sometimes it is hard. But I just remind myself that I have accomplished something that most people only dream about. Thanks for the pep talk.This is why I LOVE this group soo much, it is almost like therapy but you don't have to pay for it :)
Mod
So maybe the next time someone says "I didn't know you could write. . ." try taking it as a compliment. Perhaps they're merely insinuating that they understand that it's incredibly difficult and they didn't realize that you had the determination (or the desire) to tackle such a daunting task.
And again, people have a difficult time understanding that something that is not interesting to them could be interesting to someone else. Try not to take offense. Think about something that they enjoy that you don't particularly enjoy. Same concept.
And this is coming from the Queen of Sensitivity. I take offense and overthink so much that people say to me. But the more and more I talk to people, I'm understanding that most of the negativity is coming from me and my doubts about myself and my qualifications or skill level. Some people are just generally surprised (including my family) at what I do.
This post is not meant to defend anyone who is actually be condescending to anyone else -- I'm just trying to say that some people may not intentionally be trying to be rude.
I totally understand what you are saying Ann and I agree with you on most of it. But you can tell when someone is giving you a compliment or is amazed that you can forma a coherent thought. And trust me, they didn't mean it in the nice way. A lot of people have been generally supportive of me but there are those handful that just scowl their faces at me when I tell them.
Lorine wrote: "I totally understand what you are saying Ann and I agree with you on most of it. But you can tell when someone is giving you a compliment or is amazed that you can forma a coherent thought. And t..."Those people probably just want to break others down because they're unhappy with something(s) about their own lives.
Mod
See that's the thing I'm loving about being an author and meeting others, some of the most observant people I've known, and this is a lesson only learned from LOTS of people watching, or by the grace of being lucky enough to have it gifted to you at birth.
Charles wrote: "Lorine wrote: "I totally understand what you are saying Ann and I agree with you on most of it. But you can tell when someone is giving you a compliment or is amazed that you can forma a coherent ..."Some people aren't happy unless they are are making other folks miserable.
Riley wrote: "Charles wrote:"Those people probably just want to break others down because they're unhappy with something(s) about their own lives."See that's the thing I'm loving about being an author and meet..."
Someone told me once, that if you read a lot of books, you can read people as well.
It was actually the only thing they ever told me that made any sense.
Charles wrote: "Riley wrote: "Charles wrote:"Those people probably just want to break others down because they're unhappy with something(s) about their own lives."See that's the thing I'm loving about being an a..."
Charles, that's absolutely true. When you read, you are exposed to many different characters and the positive/negative motivations behind their actions. As a result, you can recognize these when you people in "real life." Human nature doesn't change. You just have to recognize the good and the bad in people, and adapt accordingly. For us as writers, our self-doubt is brought to the fore when we receive negative and condescending comments. During those times, though, we have draw on our own willpower and the support of our friends to press forward and do what we really love. Ultimately, writing is what sustains us and our "raison d'etre" as the French would say, or our "reasoning for being."
Daniella wrote: "I have a question for my fellow writers. It really bothers me when I tell people that I'm writing a mystery series and they say, "That's a nice hobby." I feel it's so condescending and dismissive. ..."Yes, it does brother me sometimes but like other people have said, I don't think the general public knows really how hard writing a book is. I just let it roll off my back and move on.
Akaluv wrote: "Yes, it does brother me sometimes but like other people have said, I don't think the general public knows really how hard writing a book is. I just let it roll off my back and move on."I think this is probably because it can take years to write a book, but it can be read within a week.
Philip wrote: "Akaluv wrote: "Yes, it does brother me sometimes but like other people have said, I don't think the general public knows really how hard writing a book is. I just let it roll off my back and move o..."That is very true :/
Victoria wrote: "Helen wrote: "I also write full time now. But that said it is because I´m in a good situation with no debt, no kids who need college funds or diapers. I have the ability to spend the time even thou..."I've gotten this comment too.
I'm 67 years old and just getting started. One book of poetry published, another mostly written and nearly finished draft of my debut novel.
Mod
Years ago when I told people I was writing a novel, I would often get a response that really bugged me. People would ask, "How many pages is it?" or "How many pages will it be?"
I'm not sure that response would bother me anymore, but it sure did back then. I could never figure out why it mattered how long a novel is or would be. But, I'm guessing it speaks to the one reason many people would never consider writing a novel. They just don't have the patience to sit and type and type and type and then type some more.
Mod
Years ago when I told people I was writing a novel, I would often get a response that really bugged me. People would ..."
I know people that won't pick up a book if it's longer than 60 pages. One of them claims to be the "Biggest Harry Potter fan ever" and she's never read one of the books.
Victoria wrote: "Helen wrote: "I also write full time now. But that said it is because I´m in a good situation with no debt, no kids who need college funds or diapers. I have the ability to spend the time even thou..."I actually had someone come into the office where I work and saw my flyer that I put up to help promote. And he then asks me "WOW, you wrote a book. Then what are you still doing working here?" To which I politely replied, "paying my bills."
Greg wrote: "I'm 67 years old and just getting started. One book of poetry published, another mostly written and nearly finished draft of my debut novel."Greg, That's wonderful. I wish you the best of luck and success.
Oh yeah! But after a while you get to see the humor of it. I've been a writer almost my entire professional life. I always enjoy the implication that what I do is either a hobby or easy, or both. My favorite comment from others is, "Oh, one of these days I'll take the time to write a book." To which I invariably answer, "Great idea! Take a weekend or two off to do it."
Hi Greg--67? Congratulations! I'll be 80 in June and have written 6 novels and a family history in the past few years. My website is www.ruthchoward.com """""""Writing is my passion and I hope I can keep at it for a long time to come, or until the end--=whichever comes first. :-))
I write, like many of you because just like eating, or breathing it is something I need to do to live. But it's one of those few things that any one of us might leave that can live on forever. Just think about the ancients that left their mark in stone that told their stories. Let that put your Hobby in perspective.
I am new to this group but I've been writing since the 1970's and broke into (and immediately fell out of) print in 1988 when St. Martin's Press was taking a flyer on new writers. Over the years I've found that for what I write, it's essential to have the books available over time so that you can (by working like a maniac at self-promotion) get the books in front of readers who will enjoy them.Writing is the cheapest form of psychotherapy out there. But the publishing business is a whole 'nother animal. Shutting up for now. But I put together a YouTube thingie (another tentative experiment in book promotion) on "5 Reasons to Write, Aside from the Mandatory Insanity" that explains why I can't seem to stop doing this despite a not-spectacular track record. At the link below if you're into that sort of thing.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzje...
I agree with a lot of the posters here. Most people who are not into writing books view it as a "whatever" thing. This is because writing, like most professions, is self-selective, and with the advent of self-publishing the feeling is "big whoop. Anyone can publish." However, I have no intention to quit and I hope no one else here does either.
I got three books published between 1979 and 1989, all with major publishing houses. Then zip for a few decades. Things have changed. I am slowly coming to terms with self-publishing and the fact that the Big 6 (or is it Big 5 now?) are for the most part publishing crap. I long for the good old days when writers wrote and P.R. people did the public relations. Now a writer has to do both. I positively detest having to blow my own horn but there's no other way, so toot toot!
Ruth1503 wrote: "Hi Greg--67? Congratulations! I'll be 80 in June and have written 6 novels and a family history in the past few years. My website is www.ruthchoward.com """""""Writing is my passion and I hope..."
Congratulations to both of you. I'll be 70 later on this year, and I think my writing is better than ever. It keeps you sharp and on your toes.
Congratulations to both of you. I'll be 70 later on this year, and I think my writing is better than ever. It keeps you sharp and on your toes.
Ken wrote: "Ruth1503 wrote: "Hi Greg--67? Congratulations! I'll be 80 in June and have written 6 novels and a family history in the past few years. My website is www.ruthchoward.com """""""Writing is my p..."rIGHT ON, ken! Do you have a website?
Daniella wrote: "I have a question for my fellow writers. It really bothers me when I tell people that I'm writing a mystery series and they say, "That's a nice hobby." I feel it's so condescending and dismissive."I believe your assessment is correct. This is not a hobby for most writers. This is life. We bleed ink and sweat correction fluid. We inhale others' written works and exhale our own. Writing is as much a part of us as our hearts, which beat like keys pressed on a typewriter.
Writing a book and being a writer are drastically different. While I wish more people understood what it is to be a writer-for-life, I think empathy is the only way to reach that understanding.
Of course, that's just my opinion. :-)
Mod
You reminded me of one of my favorite quotes about writing.
"There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed." -- Ernest Hemingway
Dwayne wrote: "Jessica wrote: "We bleed ink and sweat correction fluid."You reminded me of one of my favorite quotes about writing.
"There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and blee..."
That would make a good discussion thread, quotes about writing.
Ken wrote: "Yes. www.kendoggett.weebly.com"love your website--not a SF fan but willing to learn! trying to decide which book to read first.
Check www.ruthchoward.com - Stand Your Ground
Ruth wrote: "Ken wrote: "Yes. www.kendoggett.weebly.com"
love your website--not a SF fan but willing to learn! trying to decide which book to read first.
Check www.ruthchoward.com - Stand Your Ground"
Thanks. I already looked at yours, and it looks interesting and very professional.
love your website--not a SF fan but willing to learn! trying to decide which book to read first.
Check www.ruthchoward.com - Stand Your Ground"
Thanks. I already looked at yours, and it looks interesting and very professional.
Ken wrote: "Ruth wrote: "Ken wrote: "Yes. www.kendoggett.weebly.com"love your website--not a SF fan but willing to learn! trying to decide which book to read first.
Check www.ruthchoward.com - Stand Your Gr..."
Which of your books do you think would be a good introduction to your stories and style?
For anyone not familiar with the language or tropes of the SF genre, the easiest of my books to get into would be Places Of Time. Most of the stories in the collection were written years ago and published in various magazines, and this is the first time that they have been collected in one place. The title story is new, and I think the best of the lot, but others may have a different opinion. I'm about to publish a 2nd-edition version of Ship of Storms so I don't advise buying it until the new one appears, along with a new cover. My newest work is To Summon The Blackbird but certain assumptions SF readers take for granted may be a little puzzling for non-SF readers. Thank you for your interest.
Thierry wrote: "I got three books published between 1979 and 1989, all with major publishing houses. Then zip for a few decades. Things have changed. I am slowly coming to terms with self-publishing and the fact t..."Thierry, I agree with you completely. A lot of the books that the "big houses" publish are awful. I know I'm subjective, but I look at some of this stuff and say, "I know my writing is so much better. How did this get published?" Another frustrating thing is that the "big houses" won't even look at you if you don't have an agent. How could some of these writers, who can't write for their lives, have gotten an agent and I'm still struggling to find one? As for promotion, that should be the responsibility of PR people. A writer's job is to WRITE.
Support for Indie Authors
Books mentioned in this topic
Places Of Time (other topics)Ship of Storms (other topics)
To Summon The Blackbird (other topics)
Always interesting it is to me the generalizations made about the ancient times of the 50's and 60's by those not of those times. Please be aware it was a time of very rapidly expanding wealth, education and culture coming as it did after an entire generation of poverty, want, and national service. Check your numbers. Males=Females in college admission