Good Morning,
It's a beautiful day in Northern Arizona and I wanted to share a comment made by a forty two year old man. I mentioned I was an author. He asked if I was published. I said yes. Then he nonchalantly informed me that everybody was into that now. As if it was no big deal. At first I was put off by the comment. Then I remembered when I first started playing golf another friend made a similar comment that everybody was into golf.
As for writing, it is more work than anyone can imagine. No one can just sit down and write a book. Unless of course you have a degree in journalism. Even English majors find it difficult.
In the beginning, I spent a great deal of time taking colleges courses designed for writers. Not to mention the continuing education classes offered by many. I have written four books and I still continue to learn and try to improve my skills. A writer's job is never done. It would compare to medical personnel who continually update their skills for better patient care.
I would love to know what you think.
Cierra James
www.cierrajamesauthor.com
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I majored in English and retired as a technical writer. While I knew how to craft a sentence, I didn't know about the craft of writing. POV, GMC, character arc, story arc...you get the picture. I had a lot to learn, but the learning curve of any good writer is continual.
ReplyDeleteYes, there are a lot of writers out there who skip the vetting and editing process by self-publishing on Amazon and the like. Some books are good; some aren't. A small number of books are downloaded almost as soon as THE END is typed with little or no editing. This arrogance or negligence tends to reflect poorly on all of us who either hire someone to edit or go through the editing process with a publisher.
This practice is not limited to romance writers or eBooks. But it is limited to those writers who don't take their craft seriously. There's more to writing a book than creating word count. It's hard work, yet mentally stimulating. I'd venture to say the man who poo-poohed your being a writer was someone who had no clue. Ignorance never wins any points or sets imaginations on fire.
I originally planned to go into journalism, but decided fiction writing would be more fun, so majored in English in college to hopefully cover both. I did have to drop out of college after getting married and having my first baby. I was working full time back then and just couldn't handle it all. That said, I never stopped learning how to craft a good story. I started with correspondence courses, then when the internet came along, I took a slew of writing workshops. Even after having several novels published, it's never easy starting on the next, and trying to earn a living at writing is elusive at best. The people who think writing is easy don't know what they're talking about. Yet, it seems everyone has a self published ebook out now.
ReplyDeleteAs a medical professional and a writer, I couldn't agree more. In my day job (mammographer/radiographer) I must get 24 continuing ed credits every 2 years or risk losing my credentials--not to mention falling behind on the rapidly changing new technologies. As a writer, I must keep writing to hone the craft and attend workshops to know what editors and agents are searching for. Then, there's the reading. It's not just for fun anymore. I read to see the current trends to make sure those wonderful stories in my head are going to appeal to more than just 51 year old married women with grown daughters. lol!
ReplyDeleteAh yes, the "everyone is doing it" argument. Perhaps you should have asked how many different books are published by the everyone-is-doing-it author.
ReplyDeleteI didn't go to college to learn about anything I've chosen to do in my eclectic working life. I didn't have the luxury of time to learn how to balance books for several companies including our own consulting business. People just expected me to do the jobs. So I did. I established my own consulting business too. I advanced to management in an international cosmetics company. We bought an avocado/orange grove and learned to farm and market, on the job. I wrote news and human interest stories for newspapers. I've applied this same approach to writing fiction. Jumped in, and I've learned on the job. I learn something new with every book I write and sell.
Except for raising children, writing books is the hardest job I've ever attempted. And for as long as I can write and continue to sell stories that people are willing to pay to read, I'll continue.
I like your lovely blog site Cierra.
ReplyDeleteThanks you Vonnie, Susan, Lilly, Joyce and Calisa for visiting and commenting. I see we all seem to feel the same. Happy writing. May your sales be many and your troubles few.
ReplyDeleteLoAnna/Cierra
I taught English lit. When I retired from teaching, I 'thought' I could sit down, whip out a best-seller in a week. Ha! The joke was on me. It takes me longer to write a book than a reader can read it. I've had those same remarks that 'anyone' can write a book. I just smile and nod my head. I don't want to burst their bubble.
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