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How does one transition from...

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authenticfarm
Piet
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1How does one transition from... Empty How does one transition from... Mon Apr 22, 2013 8:26 pm

Guest


Guest

How does one transition from a constant state of 'considering it', to either doing it or not?

I have struggled for years with my writing. I am a most wonderful self-depricator, and have always had some incessant need for confirmation of my downfalls. In general, my writing has not received those confirmations. I've been asked, numerous times, "Why don't you write a book?" and "Why don't you publish your poetry?" My response is usually somewhere along the lines of 'because I suck' and in more words people generally say "Oh pish posh!" in some spiffy, non-existent English accent. In regards to a book I was half way through writing and abandoned, I was told "This is very Anne Rice-ish." For the first time in my life, I was insulted when someone commented on my writing. I abhore Anne Rice, and any other authors who dog and cat their readers.

I've toyed with a blog here and there; I always say "I won't let this blog fall by the wayside." It does. Then I say: "I'll never start another blog again." I do.

About a week ago, maybe two or three, the title for a book popped into my head. I've written the whole book 9 or 10 times in my head but I never write down the good stuff. By the time I remember to do so, or find myself willing to be bothered, it never sounds right, I get frustrated, tear it apart and go cry in a corner like a two year old. Though I'm ashamed by how I am, I'm not afraid to admit it. There's an intense probability I need therapy for my lack of self worth, however I haven't sought it; perhaps I don't find myself worth the effort. There's a thought.

However, I am babbling, and that's not what this is about (I think). How do I transition from the thinking about it to the either doing it or giving it up once and for all and shut that nagging in my head up. I've asked these questions to try and make the move:

Q: Why?
A: Why not?

Q: Why not?
A: Because who would read it?

Q: Who would read it?
A: Probably no one.

Q: Why do you think that?
A: I'm not sure.

Q: What if someone did buy it?
A: That'd be awesome, but would they like it?

Q: Would they like it?
A: I don't know.

This is the constant cycle I run through and I'm hoping I'm just asking the wrong questions due to my incessantly negative mindset. [Just change it! Eff Ewe, that's like telling a heroin addict to just stop shooting up.] I want to write because I want to have some supplemental income coming in from a hobby, maybe make someone smile by reading something I wrote. Books like Made From Scratch, Possum Living, The Feast Nearby and The Quarter Acre Farm all inspire me, but not enough to get me past me.

Have you done something like this before? Back and forth over a nagging decision of something you want to do and either don't make time for or don't find yourself 'good' or 'qualified enough' to do? How'd you make the final decision?

2How does one transition from... Empty Re: How does one transition from... Mon Apr 22, 2013 8:38 pm

Piet

Piet
Addicted Member
Addicted Member

If my mind is set on something, I GO FOR IT. My advice to you: JUST DO IT. If you don't, you will forever and ever question yourself: WHAT IF?? You never know unless you do it and at least YOU TRIED!!

http://pvgflemishgiants.tripod.com/

3How does one transition from... Empty Re: How does one transition from... Mon Apr 22, 2013 8:45 pm

Guest


Guest

You'll know when it's right ..........as long as you question it ,you're still are unsure and the need to get past that point is what they call the breaking point .It happens to some ,and many are left with there torment which haunts there minds .Self worth is what you find in your writings ? at least I do .......it's my own relem as is yours to you .Sometime it takes years ? but worth the wait ! Dabble with it ,feel it out ,once it finds you you'll know .........and then the journey begins Wink

4How does one transition from... Empty Re: How does one transition from... Mon Apr 22, 2013 8:48 pm

authenticfarm

authenticfarm
Golden Member
Golden Member

Just sit down and write. Don't go back and edit. Don't go back and change your story. Just write. Spit it all out onto the screen. Then, when it's done, save and close. Leave it for awhile. Come back to it in a few weeks or a few months. Do you like it? Then polish it and get some trusted friends to read it and offer suggestions and catch your spelling mistakes. Still like it? Send some queries to publishers.

Don't like it? Start again.

http://www.partridgechanteclers.com

5How does one transition from... Empty Re: How does one transition from... Mon Apr 22, 2013 9:04 pm

heda gobbler

heda gobbler
Golden Member
Golden Member

What have you got to lose?

http://www.tatlayokofold.com

6How does one transition from... Empty Re: How does one transition from... Mon Apr 22, 2013 9:44 pm

Guest


Guest

I'll be self published, I have an account with a self publishing company that sells direct to amazon, barnes and noble, chapters and so on. Strange, I go looking for rejection, but make a point of not having to go through it if I decide to actually publish.

Valid arguments everyone. People seem super split on it.

7How does one transition from... Empty Re: How does one transition from... Mon Apr 22, 2013 11:22 pm

uno

uno
Golden Member
Golden Member

I write.
Late at night when I'm overtired I also seem inspired.
I pound away on the key board.
This is good. This is very good. This is some of my best stuff ever.
I go to bed chuffed. I churned out some top notch prose.

In the morning, get up feeling accomplished. Make coffee. Look outside and see the world in that writerly way that only those who are gifted with words can see the world.
Find last night's offerings.
Read them
Choke on coffee.
Oh my Gordon. Oh my Gordon, did I write this? This is bad. This is crap. Thank GORDON no one read this, I can't believe it!
Wad inspirational ditty into a ball and toss it in the furnace.
Slam the furnace door. Good riddance to rotten writing!

Sweetened, except for a few tweaks, we share the same process.

This is going to sound discouraging, but I have also been encouraged to write and first question is a)what should I write and b) for whom should I write it? Readership and distribution of the written word are undergoing huge changes at this point in history. It is possible for you to self publish to the e.reader crowd. Many writers now bypass paper altogether. Getting an unsolicited manuscript looked at, let alone accepted is even more of a monumental task now than it has ever been.

And yet it seems everyone and their dog is self publishing to e.reader format and SELLING! And idiots like me like to cruise the cheap book sections and many that I buy for 99 cents are drek, but I have lucked into the odd gem and so I will keep taking a chance on the unknown offerings of unknown writers because I believe there is more talent out there than we can begin to imagine.

So I would encourage you to write your blog, investigate self publishing to the e.reader market because I am not the only person who is eager to take a cheap chance on an unknown writer. But be sure you write stuff that makes YOU happy. You cannot write for a target audience, you have to write for yourself and hope your work is happily found by like minded people. YOU are the target, let your audience discover you.

As a writer all you can do is lay your cards on the table and readers can accept or reject, over which you have no control. So write what you would like to read. Write for your own approval and no one elses. Because no one lives inside your skin but you.

8How does one transition from... Empty Re: How does one transition from... Tue Apr 23, 2013 6:31 am

Fowler

Fowler
Golden Member
Golden Member

Every writer edits. Tolkien edited for years. Stephen king says that your second draft is your first draft minus 10%. Get it down before you forget it.

9How does one transition from... Empty Re: How does one transition from... Tue Apr 23, 2013 6:31 am

CynthiaM

CynthiaM
Golden Member
Golden Member

Oh girl, try to change the feelings you have of low worth. Things shine through, do you know that? I seen many a time where I thought to myself about you, ah, this girl has a talent for writing, it shines through. There are others that have talents like this, and they should be shared, a few people on our forum come to mind, and you all know who you are. don't know if you will ever change who you are, so you must be accepting, goods, bads, faults, pluses, then you work with that. You may be surprised how many people actually would love to read something you have written. Do go for it, and why not, do you have anything to lose? I too have been told that I should write a book on things that I write about. I too have that feeling of "whatever", and really, would anyone read or care? Bet your bottom dollar, yours would be read, and so would mine. I could never make a book because I would never want someone else to edit what I have said. that would change what I had said. And my skills at grammar and English are not that great to begin with and things I wrote would be brutalized with correction. So I can't go there. Unless...unless....unless....I could get over that and not allow any correction and write straight from the heart, spelling, grammar, everything like that..non-corrected, just ramblin' from a country girl...Sweetened, let go of this feeling that your writing is not wonderful, give your gift to others, most people love gifts, and these should be given, not selfishly kept in (and not saying you are selfish, but that is such a good word to describe some things I love you ). Have beautiful days, CynthiaM.

10How does one transition from... Empty Re: How does one transition from... Tue Apr 23, 2013 8:04 am

Guest


Guest

Thanks guys. A lot of it is 'just go for it' I suppose hey?

Cynthia, should you decide you want to publish something unchanged, you can publish under my lable, unedited if you like, just saying. Thats the great thing about self-publishing, no one can tell you "it's not right."

I guess we'll see hmm.

11How does one transition from... Empty Re: How does one transition from... Tue Apr 23, 2013 8:15 am

heda gobbler

heda gobbler
Golden Member
Golden Member

I think there has to be a balance - a big enough ego to just go for it, enough self awareness to edit well.

http://www.tatlayokofold.com

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