Becoming a Novelist., is it even a worthwhile aspiration?

[Lonely in BC]

Yes it is. I have a good friend who published last year. She's sold a few hundred books and couldn't be more thrilled- it would be ZERO if she hadn't made the effort. It was a labor of love and she is already at work on the next one.

I have two copies- the one I read (and enjoyed), the other one is my signed copy going into a case I'm making to show her the next time she visits.

 

[Anonymous Rex]

Hopefully it's worthwhile, because it's what I want to do as well.

Depends really on why you want it, and what you'd settle for.

If you decide you'd like to write the next big sensation and make millions, that's probably unlikely, and a bad reason to get into writing, but you probably know that!

If it's for the creativity, and the sense of creating something, then it's worthwhile writing for the sake of writing.
I have a load of half finished stories, they tend to turn out not as well as the rough idea that starts them off, and I get disillusioned. When it goes well though, it feels fantastic, creating my own little world in a way that's really fun - and if I could get it right more consistently, that'd be amazing.

Being able to write professionally - spending the whole day writing things I feel proud of and that I know people look forward to reading, would be absolutely amazing, and my dream.

From my knowledge of the writing industry, a lot of writers earn either their main money or side money as teachers and journalists, or reviewing new books/films etc. amongst other things.

It might not be possible to get the exact dream version of being a novelist that you want from life, but with enough hard work, you can probably get something close.

 

[Mouse]

I'm starting to come up with stories, fiction stories, but I feel as though my aspirations might not be worth it because fiction writers get paid on commission. Kinda like how a fine art artist is paid.

Which probably means living in poverty.

-_- my dreams seem dashed. It seems as though I'd need to practice writing fiction every day to be any good and that's still no guarantee??

I write because it is a calling, chiefly a gift bestowed upon me by a loving father since sadly passed away. I earn money from my scribblings with work supplied my by my literary agent, but it is not enough to pay the bills.

I have to work although only part-time to supplement my income, so in a way what you said about 'living in poverty' is only true if you don't find alternative work.

Never give up hope, only you must self-train or attend evening classes to attain a higher level of journalism. Do not rush it, as the art of writing needs to be honed. This is why evening classes or a paid subscription to, eg. The Writers' Bureau could greatly help. I recommend you a couple of good books to help you learn the craft of writing:

The Fiction Writer's Handbook by Nancy Smith
Writing a Novel and Getting Published (Teach Yourself: writer's library)

Both these useful books can be found second-hand with either:

http://www.abebooks.co.uk/

http://www.abebooks.com/

Tip: If you get the dreaded writer's block, go do some physical exercise, like go for a walk. I find chopping logs a wonderful way to overcome 'the block'.

Never give up. For if writing is your calling, you will be driven.

Happy Christmas to you.

Love, Anna Mouse

 

[Rebelwithoutacause]

I get depressed about this all the time,
how the hell do you get published? can anyone tell me?
So annoying

 

[Mouse]

I get depressed about this all the time,
how the hell do you get published? can anyone tell me?
So annoying

You need to find a literary agent. This means submitting your best work to them, and enclose a stamped addressed envelope to ensure they will return it.

Give a brief resume about you, pin a recent picture of you (optional but it helps the literary agent get a visual on you), what genre you hope to be published in. But be prepared for refusals.

That is how I did it. Took me 30 attempts. Never give up.

Anna Mouse

 

[LeaningIntoTheMuse]

Every single famous author had to go through refusals in order to make it. Same with any other career in the entertainment industry.

Keep your head up.

 

[blackdot]

Being published is more about the self-gratifying experience of knowing you have something out that that other people might read.

I've thought of writing things but I'm not a "words" person. Things sound great in my head but on paper they are just bland nothingnesses.

 

[IgnoredOne]

The only thing I really wish to impart is that most aspring "writers" have little idea just how much work and discipline it is. It is a passion, but like any abiding relationship, it takes work and dedication beyond what most individuals honestly comprehend.

Its not just having an idea, its having an idea and expressing it in the best possible way, all while working as fast as you can against deadlines even as you are plagued a tendency to delay. You will write beautiful prose, and then you will review them, realize it doesn't fit the overall coherence and destroy them. If you're lucky, you can save them for a scrapbook for later use.

Its heartrending work and certainly not for the thin-skinned. People will view your precious ideas and tell you that it is horse dung. You will forever be gripped by the thoughts of how you could have better shaped or written it, about the ideas you had to exclude, the characters that you did not develop, or the world that is but half-formed and glimpsed. That is what makes it beautiful, but its not for the weak-willed.

 

[MadMonkè]

at least you know what you are good at....

now its just a matter of implementing it.
publishing novels are a channel of distribution of writting...

are there any other ways?
I know you didnt ask.. just helping you brain storm..

do you have any stories that you can share?... for free?