Have a student at home? Keep them writing. 20 minutes a day is sufficient. I’m having my oldest daughter journal about her day-to-day life during this historical moment. In 30 years, I’m sure she’ll find it fascinating. My youngest is doing the same, but mostly in picture format.
“Why do you think you’re so important, anyway? Seriously, how big of an ego must you have to believe people actually want to read your thoughts? It’s not like you’re an expert, right?”
These are ruminations we all have when we try to write–myself included. The truth is, this can feel like a futile, pointless endeavor at times, especially if you’re struggling to find a large audience. I venture to guess that many of us have considered calling it quits–again, myself included.
So why do we keep writing?
That’s the real question, isn’t it?
I can only speak from my own perspective, but I believe many of you will share my outlook. I keep writing for two very specific reasons.
The first reason is that I’m stubborn. I like to write, damn it! I enjoy this process! Is it time-consuming? Yes! Frustrating? Yes! Hard! You bet! But, believe it or not, it brings me joy. I like creating. Watching words flow from my fingertips onto the page is a magical, thrilling experience. Quit writing because I’ve yet to find a broad audience? No way! There’s no quitting, but there’s plenty of stubborn.
Secondly, I firmly believe I will one day catch on. I’ve got a small, loyal following, and those wonderful people help to keep me on track. It never fails–when I’m feeling down, I’ll notice a new, positive review, or I’ll have a kind remark sent to me via social media, on this website, or in an email. If this small group of readers, whom I deeply respect as an intelligent audience, if they find something redeeming about my writing, then surely more people will, too. I honestly believe that.
So, yeah, right now, relatively speaking, nobody cares about my writing. But one day–one day–I’ll be an overnight success story. Never mind this overnight success is currently on its thirteenth year.
Nobody cares about your writing … until they do.
And when they do, all that time, all that effort, all that heartache, all that passion–it will all be worth it.
So believe in yourself.
Keep writing.
Write your reviews, your songs, your opinion pieces, your fiction, your editorials, your poetry, your plays–write and never quit!
Because they will care about your writing.
It’s just a matter of time.
Believe in yourself, and they will soon believe in you, too.
(Did you enjoy this article? Check out Scott William Foley’s latest book HERE!)
In this last book of the Dr. Nekros saga, you will experience reunions, betrayals, final confrontations, reappearances, deaths, and reconciliations. Every epic must end, and so concludes that of Dr. Nekros, Zetta Southerland, and the demon Xaphan.
There’s an old saying that you can’t go home again. But that phrase is in direct contradiction with the popular scribe’s adage to “write what you know.”
When trying to come up with ideas, look no further than your past. If you are a fiction writer, your life’s experiences are amazing and worthy of exploration. Obviously, I’m not suggesting that you give us a word-for-word reenactment of what actually occurred. But in regards to theme, regret, what-ifs … the past is a powerful writing prompt.
I firmly believe most fiction writers use some kind of personal experience with each and every piece of writing that they create. The trick is not to get too constrained by the facts. A writer must always be willing to fictionalize. A writer needs to know when it’s the proper time to embellish, embolden, and flat-out lie.
Here are a few personal examples. My short story “Bitterness” is about a young boy trapped inside of a closed camper by his older brother. This absolutely happened to me in real life. The ending is fabricated, but much of the story is based on truth–just embellished a little. “Childhood Demons” is based upon the fact that I used to see creepy demon faces in the wood paneling of my bedroom. That’s the basis of the story, but everything else is (thankfully) complete fiction. My dad once told me about how, when he and my mother were newly married, he had to rescue the family dog and her puppies from an area flooding under their trailer. This sparked the idea that turned into “Mother’s Day.”
A few ideas I’ve lately been bouncing around include the time a coach asked me why I quit high school basketball–I lied through my teeth to him. Another potential story is about when a drunk knocked on my apartment door in the middle of the night and insisted the apartment belonged to him. Finally, I think a funny story could be about the time I got smart with a telemarketer and they got even more aggressive with me. These are just ideas. Who knows if I’ll follow through with them?
The point is, everyday something happens in your life that could be a story. Take an event, turn up your imagination, and ask, “What if?” What if I’d fought back against that bully? What if I’d taken that amazing job offer? What if I gave that homeless person a dollar?
Our lives are ripe with possibilities. We live the literal, but the imaginable is infinite. So … what’s your story?
(Did you enjoy this article? Check out Scott William Foley’s short stories HERE!)
There’s a mythical tale about the writer who wrote, uninterrupted, day after day after day. The world outside stayed away, society kept at bay, and the writer wrote what he may. Inspiration struck, which was always his luck, and nothing he ever wrote sucked.
Yeah, no.
That’s not the real world. If you’re a writer waiting to only write when afforded uninterrupted time, I’ve got some harsh words for you: you will either never write, or you will never truly live.
For example … My daughter had some friends over tonight to watch a movie. During that time, my wife spent special time with our youngest child. Between getting drinks, making popcorn, checking in, etc., I edited my latest work. Did I have to stop every so often? You bet. At this very moment, I’m the only one awake in my house. It’s eleven at night. I wanted to write this article today. But, I wanted to first edit that other piece as well. So here I am.
My point is, writing is like regular exercise. You have to be committed to it, you have to want to do it, and you have to fit it in wherever your schedule allows. It’s rare that I get more than thirty minutes uninterrupted at a time when home. Sometimes I piecemeal a simple story or article throughout the course of an entire day. Ten minutes here, five minutes there–it adds up. Is that ideal? No, of course not.
But for me, the ideal is being an engaged father, an attentive husband, a good friend, and an active participant in this thing called life. I will never sacrifice those things for uninterrupted writing time.
Maybe if I ever hit it big time and could afford to stay home and write while my kids were at school, maybe then I could get those large chunks of uninterrupted writing time, but I enjoy working full-time. My career as a high school English teacher fulfills me deeply, and it allows me to immerse myself in many different points of view and walks of life. I feel as though working in a public school grants me the privilege of understanding the entire scope of modern day society.
I’ve been more productive in terms of writing these last two years than ever before, and I’ve also been at my busiest. I work my writing in whenever I can. It isn’t always pretty, and it’s usually never uninterrupted, but it happens because I want it to.
That’s the crux of what I want to say: writers must want to write. Regularly. Faithfully. Even zealously. It’s work. It’s fun work, to be sure, but it’s work.
So, please, don’t fall prey to the myth. Stop waiting for the perfect time to write and just start writing.
Get to work.
(Did you enjoy this article? Check out Scott William Foley’s short stories HERE!)
I’ve noticed that authors have a great deal of difficulty doing something rather necessary — naming characters. Names have such power that this endeavor should never be taken lightly. After all, the name an author assigns a character will likely outlast the author him or herself, especially if the piece catches on. Can you imagine Hannibal Lecter by any other name? Or Hermoine Granger?
On a personal note, I have struggled with this venture as well. Here are four strategies I’ve developed over the years that have always proven helpful. This doesn’t have to be limited to naming literary characters, by the way. Feel free to take advantage if looking to name a pet or child.
Naming a character can sometimes become an overwhelming endeavor. I hope these four strategies are useful so that you can get on to the most important thing — actually writing!
I once read that Stephen King loves to listen to rock music while he writes. Unfortunately, I can’t do that. I get too distracted by lyrics and, well, words.
However, I do actually love to listen to music while I work. For me, scores work well.
When I say “score,” I’m talking about movie music. Not the soundtrack, those tend to have songs with words. I’m actually talking about the music you hear during the movie. I guess you could call it the background music.
Oftentimes the score of a movie is filled with emotion and can really help with my pacing of a story. The natural cadence of the film score correlates well with my own sense of rising and falling action. Sometimes I’ll save an especially resonate song for an important scene, a scene that needs me in a heightened emotional state.
My scores of choice? I currently adore the Cloud Atlas score. It is fantastic. I’m also a big fan of Last of the Mohicans, Tron: Legacy, Thor, The Fountain, any Doctor Who from 2008 on, Pan’s Labyrinth, and the last three seasons of Sherlock.
Scores allow me to remain engaged but not distracted, which is perfect for my writing style.
Even if you’re not a writer, do you have a favorite score? Please do share!
We live in amazing era in that we can all be writers. If you want to write, the only thing stopping you is you. Seriously.
I get asked quite often how one goes about getting published. There are so many different avenues to getting published, it’s always difficult to answer the question succinctly.
The first thing you need to determine is your end goal. If you seek traditional publishing, you really do need to go about things differently. If you want only an audience for your writing and don’t necessarily care how you acquire one, the field is wide open.
Let’s talk about the traditional publishing world first.
Before I do, though, know that there is an exception to every rule. I’m speaking in generalities.
Typically, in order to break into the traditional publishing world you do one of two things. You research publishers who may want your work, you send a cover letter or query letter, you wait to hear back, and at that point they may reject you or ask for the actual work. From that moment on, you may have an editor assigned to you, you make changes requested by the editor, and you negotiate terms. That’s a simplified version, of course.
The second option is that you send a cover or query letter to a literary agent and wait to hear back. They may reject you, or they may want to see more. If they take you on, you negotiate terms and then they sell your book on your behalf. Of course, they take a percentage of the sale. Again, this is a very simplistic explanation, but basically the core of the matter.
There are several different kinds of terms you need to negotiate, but chief among them are copyright issues. Do you still retain the right to your work, or are you selling the rights? If you sell the rights outright, the work is no longer yours. You may receive royalties, but you no longer have any claim to the work from a business standpoint. What are your film option rights? Is there an expectation for future books?
There are many ways to circumnavigate this process. For example, some authors submit to small magazines and anthologies and eventually get noticed by a literary agent or publishing house and are wooed. This is rare, but even if it doesn’t result in a book deal, it’s also a great way to build an audience and build credibility in the publishing world.
The Writer’s Market is a fantastic way to figure out what publishers or literary agents may want your work. Be aware though, that everyone uses this book, and so the houses and agents listed are probably overrun with material.
If you’re thinking to yourself that this all sounds incredibly time consuming, you’re absolutely right. A single book or short story can take years to sell. Many have given up due to impatience alone. For the dedicated, though, that eventual approval from the traditional publishing world can be incredibly gratifying.
In the old days, this was about your only option. Some self-published – Walt Whitman is a famous example, but this wasn’t necessarily an easy avenue to pursue, either.
But here we are, 2014, and if you want to share your writing, you can do so right now. Seriously, like right now. As in before the end of the day.
Let’s run through your possibilities.
If you want to self-publish, there are many companies to help you do just that. Though similar to a vanity press, it’s not exactly the same. Self-publishing companies are often print-on-demand and will take as much or as little money as you’re willing to pay. For a hefty amount, you can get all kinds of services, the same services you get from a traditional publisher. However, if you’re on a budget, you’ll get very basic services that are still quite nice, but leave a lot of room for error on the author’s part. For example, editing cost extra. If you’re confident you don’t need an editor, you don’t need to pay for the service, but let me tell you, everyone needs an editor. Find one.
Most companies will provide a cover artist, a bar code, typesetting, and listing with all the major online retailers. You should retain all rights to your work, and you can often buy your own book at a 40% (or better) discount. The print-on-demand feature means that the book is published on an individual basis with each order. This eliminates warehousing costs. The print-on-demand self-publishing company will often pay royalties as well. But here’s the thing – unless you pay exorbitant amounts of money, the advertising, the promotion, the book tour, etc. all falls squarely on your own shoulders. You may have this beautifully written book, but if you don’t seek an audience, you will be a writer for only one day. The topic of promotion is an entirely different conversation, and one I’m happy to have, but not in this post.
One thing to keep in mind, however, is that traditional publishers often want first-time publishing rights. This means that if your book has appeared anywhere in the market in any format, you’ve eliminated your chances with the traditional market. There are exceptions to this rule, of course, especially if a traditional publisher thinks there is money to be made, but more often than not it’s a deal-breaker.
Also, realize that there are many, many publishers out there posing as traditional publishing houses that subcontract your book through a print-on-demand company. Do your research. Don’t get caught off guard. Protect yourself.
Let’s say you don’t want to pay any money at all – you just want to share your work. Well, this is easier than ever before.
Both the Nook and the Kindle allow for digital self-publishing. You typically get around twenty-five cents on the dollar, and, once more, you do all the editing, etc, but if you feel confident with this platform, it can be tremendously effective. Be aware, though, that they will require a bank account and social security number. This is purely for royalty purposes and I’ve never heard of any nefarious practices, but some aren’t comfortable with sharing this kind of information. You can always open a separate checking account if you’re worried.
Another option are blogs. Blogs allow you to publish for free online. For example, my website is a blog. I pay for a domain name (which costs less than $20 a year), but I don’t even have to do that. I use WordPress. Blogs are capable of doing more and more with each passing year. I’m amazed at all the functions WordPress utilizes. You could absolutely publish your story chapter by chapter or as a whole on a blog, and it would cost you nothing. However, the editing, the promotion, etc. all falls on you. Plus, once your work is out there for free, it’s out there. Think long and hard before you publish online.
Maybe you don’t even want to go to that much trouble. If you have a Facebook page, there is an option for “notes,” which is basically a blog feature. It functions much the same and, because you can secure it, only your contacts can view it.
Finally, don’t discount your good old word processor. Software provides you some amazing format and font choices, so you could create your book, print it, run copies, and hand it out by hand. You could even email it as an attachment. Worried about people stealing it if you send it electronically? You probably don’t need to concern yourself with that, but some word processor programs such as Microsoft Word allows you to publish your document as a PDF, and this can restrict any sort of electronic edits (such as changing the author’s name).
There are so many more possibilities, but these are some of the major choices. Just be aware, and I can’t emphasize it enough, once your work is out there, it’s out there, and when this happens the first-time publishing rights are exhausted. If there is any part of you that thinks you want to seek traditional publishing, be patient, put in the time, and play the waiting game. Traditional publishers want to maximize their profit, and that’s very hard to do if the work is already out there for free.
So for better or worse, we can be writers. Whether it’s just for one day is entirely up to you.
I’ve got a book signing coming up soon (more on that later), and there’s a strong chance I’m going to speak to many people looking for writing advice.
Of course, there are many, many things I recommend you do should you desire to write, but perhaps the biggest piece of advice I have for any prospective or current writers is to read.
Yes, it’s that simple.
Read.
A lot.
Chances are, if you want to write you already are an avid reader, but even so, do not underestimate the power of reading. Reading voraciously exposes you to other authors’ style, vocabulary, pacing, characterization, plot structure, etc. You’ll find some styles more inspiring than others, and you may even strive to emulate those authors.
Notice that I did not say “copy.”
For example, if you read my work, you realize that I tend to write about fairly realistic science fiction or fantasy. Meaning, my stories seem very much set in the real world except for an occasional demon or robot going about his daily business.
Interestingly enough, the authors I most enjoy reading include Paul Auster, Michael Chabon, Cormac McCarthy, and Annie Proulx. For the most part, these authors do not specialize in fantasy or science fiction. However, I love Auster’s brilliantly compact writing. Chabon is a master at description. McCarthy builds tension like no one else. Proulx never fails to capture the essence of emotion. Though we rarely operate in the same realms, I never fail to learn something about craft when I read these authors. Best of all, they write kick ass books.
There isn’t much I won’t read, and I think I’m a better writer for it.
So that’s my biggest piece of advice. Start reading more. Read as often as you can. Be warned, however, when reading through the lens of “author,” you’ll become far more critical and may actually realize you hate your favorite author’s bad habits. I can’t stand the words “was” or “had,” so every time I see an author use either of them, I cringe.
Enjoy your reading!
I’m at a stage in my life now when I don’t get any one thing done at any one time. I have to “chunk” everything – especially my writing. Because of my “finish it bit by bit” approach, it can sometimes take weeks to finish even a relatively short story. Amidst my family, my professional obligations, my Master’s work, and anything else that happens to arise, I’ve got a lot going on almost always. To start a story, then find that I can’t get back to it until a day or two later, can prove disastrous when it comes to “flow.”
To combat this, I do something very important that I believe all writers of any genre should do – I outline. I hear you groaning, but outlining is an instrumental tool in the prewriting stage for a variety of reasons. It helps you flesh out characters, establish pacing and/or beats, and allows the opportunity to figure out what works and what doesn’t before you’ve even touched a keyboard (unless you outline on a keyboard, of course). Most importantly, it gives you a view of the big picture. Sometimes I’ve known the exact way a story ends thanks to my outline, and sometimes I’ve only known a vague idea of how the story ends thanks to my outline, but I’ve always had some idea of the ending, and that’s essential.
Knowing the ending before a writer starts actually writing the story provides a far better experience for both the writer and the reader. It saves the writer a lot of time, and it can’t help but result in a tighter, more deliberate story for the reader to digest.
We’ve all read those books where it seemed as though the story didn’t have any idea where it headed. That’s fine in some cases, especially if it’s a pure character study or experimental, but I believe every moment of a story or novel should work towards a conclusion. It may work in a small way, but it must serve a purpose. Just as life sometimes grants us great happiness or terrible tragedy, we can always trace a chain of events leading to either upon reflection. A story should be no different. A path, even if chaotic, should be discernible to a reader after finishing the story.
How should you outline? Who cares, just do it! Use the tedious style we teach in school or do it on restaurant napkins, wipe boards, post-it notes, whatever! I prefer notebooks, personally. I also believe in sketching characters and settings, so the notebook affords me that opportunity as well, but that’s a topic for another time.
New writers love to just start typing and see where the story takes them, and if you have time for that, then have fun. For me, though, the way life is at the moment, I have to make every second count, so working through an outline with lots of notes and messy arrows and sketches is exactly how I get myself ready to be the most productive when it comes time to actually write.
