Are you a writer?

by Hortensia 30 Replies latest social entertainment

  • Hortensia
    Hortensia

    I think that at least a few of you are writers, maybe more. I mean honest-to-god working-for-money writers, writers with a small "w" rather than a capital "W." My experience is that writing is a lot like theater: a few stars at the top making the bucks, a middle level with lots of people who work hard and don't make much, and then a lot more hopeful people at the bottom who are trying to make a living writing with no luck so far.

    Tell me about it. What kind of writing do you do? The internet has created a bigger market for writers, I did a lot of writing for a content farm for a while, made my living from it. I've published some stuff, all non-fiction. The content farm stuff has dried up, but I've had some gigs writing content for smaller sites. I just finished a gig for a large textbook publisher, one chapter in a new edition of a widely published textbook. Not a lot of money, but I'll also get some credit, get my name out there a little more.

    I have a couple of nearly finished manuscripts, again non-fiction. One is a self-help book, one is a textbook.

    I used to belong to a group of writers who would post every day what their goals were, what they were doing to complete assignments, find new assignments, goals and struggles with their own projects. I miss it a bit. Would love to here from you JWN resident writers about your goals, successes, struggles.

  • Hortensia
    Hortensia

    For instance, have any of you participated in anything like Nanowrimo? www.nanowrimo.org/

    That's more for fiction writers, sort of a boot camp to get your novel started, even finished.

  • Phizzy
    Phizzy

    Thanks Hortensia, I have just started writing a novel, I started one for fun about a decade or more ago, but never finished it, my goal is to get this one finished and hopefully published in some form, and then to write the second one that is shaping in my mind, then return to my unfinished first attempt.

    We shall see, I am not confident it will be good enough for public consumption, but I hope so, I enjoy the creative process of writing any way, so nothing is lost if it gets nowhere as far as the public is concerned.

    Good luck with your writing, it must be great to earn ones living doing something you love to do, I hope to reach that heady height !

  • Vidiot
    Vidiot

    Hardly.

    I'm barely literate.

  • compound complex
    compound complex

    Greetings, Hortensia:

    Kudos for your publishing accomplishments!

    I do online as well as up-close-and-personal editing and proofreading for a number of already published writers. I have no desire to put out a hardcopy book myself. Too many of them for sale at Friends of the Library for a buck each.

    The immediacy of online writing and subsequent comments thereon suffice for me. Sometimes I hand out copies of my poetry to friends or post them on bulletin boards and telephone poles - !

    CHEERS!

    CoCo de la Plume

  • cedars
    cedars

    I guess you could call me a writer of sorts! I do aspire to write a book, but I find the idea daunting. I've written the first couple of pages of what might one day be my book, but I struggle to summon the enthusiasm to take it further. I think I will, but I need to be in the mood.

    Blog articles are perfect for me, because I can pick a subject and briefly attempt to explain it - which normally doesn't take very long. Non-fiction books are really a number of subjects bunched beneath one main subject in some sort of order, which is another matter entirely.

    I do find the idea of grammar and punctuation quite daunting when I allow myself to think about it for too long. One of these days I'm going to read compound complex's grammar thread from beginning to end and make sure I implement each and every one of his suggestions in my own writing! I have a feeling I will have my work cut out when that day comes, but it will all be worth while. The English language is a beautiful thing, and it needs to be preserved by being used properly.

    Cedars

  • Glander
    Glander

    I wrote technical specifications for many projects. For example, I would write the entire section 11400 of architectural specs. and bid docs. My rate was $75.00 per hour. Some boiler plate, but lots of specific detail that carried the responsibility for big repercu$$ions if wrong.

    But I know you are refering to creative writing. I do that for my own entertainment and share it occasionally.

    Many years ago I wrote gags for a successful cartoonist and made a few bucks, but that was more for fun than money.

  • flipper
    flipper

    HORTENSIA- I've become a songwriter in the last year, as I've written 16 songs now. Have not earned any $$$$ from it- however I'm hoping to do so in the future ! I'm in the process of gradually producing a CD with my son which probably won't be finished until the spring or summer of 2013. We are taking our time to do it right. So I guess you can call me a songwriter , but not a book writer. LOL ! Peace out, Mr. Flipper

  • talesin
    talesin

    Hort, there's a nice piece of writing here, posted by a new member a few hours ago.

    ....

    http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/jw/friends/242382/1/Seasons

    t

  • Glander
    Glander

    very nice...

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