This didn’t make me feel good. But I needed to read it. I will not stop writing but I will keep on calling myself a wannabe writer because let’s be honest, I will never get a dollar from it. Am I a con?
No, you're not. The 'cons' are those who want to make you believe there's an easy way to becoming a successful writer. I think you're well on your way to discovering there is no easy way.
Why? Self-publishing isn’t a con, it’s an effective way to get your work out there. You’re not deluding anyone or separating anyone from their money by making empty promises. It’s not at all related. Relax!
See, I know that in my head, and I stand by my decision, but it's tough out there. I'm so thankful for the community of genuine writers over here, however. Two years ago when I was struggling with a job loss and trying to find my footing, I spent far too much time in FB groups with "writers" like the ones you described in your piece. They weren't writing because they needed to write for themselves. They weren't writing to provide meaningful content. They were writing for the pure purpose of making money and it was SO frustrating to see them becoming financially successful at it while I was writing from my heart and bearing my soul and crickets. I appreciate a writing community here that encourages people to grow as writers, not just content creators. I wish I had moved over here two years ago instead of floundering in FB land.
It is tough out there, which is why I think we need to do all we can to make sure we find our own niches and have places to thrive. When the odds are working against us, the reason isn't always us--sometimes it's THEM. We're too ready to blame ourselves when one look at the competition--hordes of competition-- should tell us it's never going to be easy.
But is it worth the effort? I think everyone here believes it is. And here we are, talking about it.
I love that I've found this spot, too, just as you did. It took me a while, too, with too much time spent among those who saw worth only in the amount of money they could make. I was always uncomfortable there, even when I thought that's what I wanted. Going after the money meant writing what I thought someone else wanted rather than what I wanted. I'm past that now.
We would all love to be successful enough to quit our day jobs or move up in the world, but the odds are increasingly against us as the publishing world changes, and not for the better. So we have to find other ways and self-publishing, as I do here, works for me. I'm too damned old now to wait months or years for acceptance or rejection. I'm my own boss and I don't think I've ever been happier as a writer.
But at the same time, I get it that there are other writers who still need more, and that's where our community comes in. We all have different needs, we all have different problems, and we all have a voice. I want this space to be about writing and not marketing, but beyond that, anything goes. The hardest part of writing is believing in ourselves. I want that to be what we do best here.
I love research. I can get lost for hours upon hours researching a topic, tracking down every little bit of information. But then I have to write it up, massage it into shape, into something appealing to others. When I write I want to communicate the excitement of the search and discovery I experienced.
Yeah! I saw the novelist Jennifer Egan speak in Berkeley once. She was discussing her then-latest book, Manhattan Beach. She said she does 6-9 months of research until she feels ‘pregnant’ with language and then she ‘births’ that research onto the pages. That always stuck with me.
This is a wonderful quote and what wonderful advice. 'pregnant with language' I need to heed this today, to fill up the brain before tackling new writing up ahead.
“They’re the ones written by people who have no right to call themselves writers.”
Thank you for saying this. I wrote a piece about how everyone nowadays calls themselves a writer. I find it rather odd. No one disputes that a plumber, lawyer or doctor have a special skill set. Writing is a skill, a craft like any other. Yet you say that not everyone’s a writer and you’re now branded as ‘pretentious.’ People want to democratize Art. Ok. Fine. Sure. Free country. Go for it. But respect actual writers who’ve been taking this seriously for years and decades, who have an inborn talent. I’m glad Substack exists. I encourage all to express themselves. But there’s a massive chasm between fun posting on SS and being a serious writer. Just like there’s a difference between a freshman in collage studying medicine and an actual doctor. It may be pretentious to claim being a writer, but it’s artless and silly to claim you’re a writer because you simply happen to put words on a page.
That’s my contrarian view 😎
Btw: My two most recent posts are about editing and finding literary agents.
Thanks for your input, Michael. Always welcome. I've always seen writing as craft and art, even when I was a lowly freelancer for a weekly newspaper, so I can't relate to anything else. To each his or her own until the harm happens. That's what I'm trying to get at here.
It is a difficult one to opine on given I am a new / wannabe writer. I have bought a couple of books on writing, e.g. by Steven King and Natalie Goldberg. I plan on taking a creative writing course but deciding on the best option for me given full time employment. I have done a few Domestika courses which have helped a little. I am not sure what a seat at the head table would look like. The relatively young writers I have met on here - and this is the only community of writers I have at the moment, it needs to be pointed out - all strike me as rather humble and unsure in their abilities, never boastful. That includes myself, I would like to think. For me, and this may be a simplified view of the world, the newbies, who think are good but are not, will learn the hard way; trying to take someone else's seat will not be relevant for long, if they truly are that unskilled and self - assured for no reason. Having said that, is 'good' not rather subjective? One man's trash is another man's treasure, however the saying goes. I can think of a few successful, celebrated authors whose work I dislike (to put it very politely) but many others enjoy their craft. Is having a unique voice, which is something highlighted time and time again, the same as being 'good'? How do we measure 'good'? Whose view of 'good' gets to impact who sits at the table? I have no idea...
I really enjoyed it; great balance between a memoir and a manual of sorts. Are there any other books on writing you would both recommend? I had started Ursula Le Guin's 'Steering the Craft' and the exercises in it were ever so useful. However, I got to a point where I felt out of my depth and decided to park it, do some more research / learning and return to it when I can get the most out of the prompts. The other one on my shelf is Will Storr's 'The Science of Storytelling'.
Great points, Siya, and you can't go wrong with King and Goldberg! You're a new writer but not a wannabe, in that you're doing your homework and not just wishing upon a star. You're going in knowing there's a process and you're smart enough to take your time while doing the work.
This piece wasn't meant for new writers like you, and I hope I've made that clear. "Good' is a handy word but probably wasn't the best for me to use. 'Seasoned' may be better. We're not going to like everything we read along the way, but as writers we learn to analyze what works and what doesn't--for us. Once we're embarked on the writing process it's hard not to edit as we read. It's our cross to bear from then on, but it's all part of learning who we are and where we fit in.
This is a rant against the glut of 'writers' who fill up space, mainly because they've bought into the lie that anyone can do it. That's definitely not you. Thanks so much for your insightful and honest comment.
Thank you, Ramona, and of course. I like the discussions here.
I think the times in which we live - all of us at our respective ages - call for immediacy, e.g. of results, outcomes, etc., and there is a degree of expectation that something is owed to someone (not everyone feels that way but a percentage of people do). I tend to think persistence, determination and hard work sit at the core of, well, anything. Writing or otherwise.
What does not help either is the fact that whenever people see success in others, they assume it has come overnight. For a select few, this may be the case but, for most, this is the 10% of the iceberg above water. The 90% is hidden from view.
'Seasoned' makes sense and I did not mean to pick on your choice of word there, by the way :) Agreed, and I am only just beginning to understand that process. The urge to edit while writing is hard to ignore; it happens exclusively when I type on a computer. I prefer writing by hand for that reason and a few others.
I used to go to the store and pick up the magazine WRITER'S DIGEST. It had great articles about writing, and pieces written by editors and agents, and where to find them, and what to expect. A lot about the mechanics of writing. When it's all said and done, I found the one person I had to satisfy was myself. I spent years looking for my voice, only to discover that it was always there, right in front of me. I'm retired now, but when I was working, I'd get up at ungodly times to work on a story. And I never called them books. I can write 90,000 words and I'll still call it a story, because that's what it is to me. I write short stories that aren't so short. I'd get them published on line, but never with a magazine that wanted to pay me for them...but I didn't care. I write for me. I don't write what I think people want to read. I feel that if I put it out there, someone might like it and maybe even want to read something else. Take classes, read "how to" books, because you never walk away thinking that was a waste of time; there's always something in there that will strike a chord. If you like poetry, read poetry; if you like horror, read horror; read the classics; read prize-winning novels, but more than that, write.
Finding ourselves as writers may be the hardest part and take the longest, but in the end it's the most satisfying, wherever it lands us. That should always be our goal--being true to that writer within us.
Thanks, Ben. I am sure I have saved Writer's Digest as a bookmark. All I need to do is open it up! Print is always preferable, though, for I spend enough time in front of screens, as it is...I will look into it a bit more.
Yes, I am doing that now although it is not one story I am working on. I get up at 430 to do two hours before work. I attempt to do the same after work, too, but often my brain is fried at that point :) The earlier, the better for me.
The first thing about writing, is reading. I've read a lot of "shit writing", and I've read writing that has brought me to tears just for the sheer beauty of it. If you write something and it doesn't "speak" to you, you have to revise it, and then revise it again. I think some people write a piece and think that's it, that's as good as it's going to get, and then they self publish it--just because they can. And when no one reads it, they tell themselves it's because they don't "get" it. Maybe they don't get it because they don't like it? Maybe they don't like it because of the obvious grammatical errors? Writing is about using your senses as well--you have to feel the cold of the rain, because it's not just rain; it's about hearing the thunder rattle the windows of the small hillside cabin; it's when you taste the love that went into the food because it's more than just potatoes and gravy; you see the sunset as more than just colours, but colours on an artist's palette. Writing is about reaching into your soul, and touching someone's heart.
Ramona, yes, writing well is the work of a lifetime. You have to need it, to need to come back to it again and again. I become "me" when I write. Even when I am sick of it, tired and out of ideas.
"Learn to write uniquely. It’s the logical, necessary first step in order to lift us from the crowd. And it takes the most practice."
I totally agree, Ramona. It seems you, like I, embrace the process. I write something, and then spend an inordinate amount of time noodling around on it. It's part of my process. Sometimes I'm nitpicky ... sometimes I bleed on every word. But in the end, I think it's worth the effort.
You write "art and a craft deserving of attention and humility." I agree 100 percent. I enjoyed this piece and look forward to your next one. -- Jim
Jim, I started this blog yesterday and slept on it before completely tearing it apart to get it to where I wanted it. But I would never want anyone to feel sorry for me for having to do that, because the truth is, editing and revising are my favorite parts of my writing process. and it's a good thing, because I do it a LOT!
It's interesting that you've picked up on the two points I hoped would get some attention: writing uniquely and going at it with humility. I chose those two words carefully, so thank you for noticing!
Just a quick addendum, Ramona. I peruse the web all the time as I discover links to topics that interest me. It then surprises me how a much poor writing gets published. Wordy, repetitive, awkward mechanics.
By the way, I experimented with one of the new AI chat applications -- Jasper. I input a few ideas, dropped in some key words ... and sure enough, it spit out a coherent, very legible and grammatically correct treatise on the topic. But, you know what? I'm still a better writer! (lol)
I came to writing in the old days, before the internet and self-publishing, so almost all of the writing I was exposed to had been vetted by editors before it was deemed worthy of publishing. When I started, I knew I would have to please an editor if I ever wanted my work to see the light of day, so I didn't waste time on what would amount to journal entries or fantastical indulgences (which is what most early blogs were, at best).
While I didn't stick with someone else's ideas about what my writing should look like, that early training molded my own thinking and caused me to think like an editor before I hit the button to publish.
It's too easy today to just hit 'publish', and that's a big part of the problem. It's not something we should try to get used to. Not if we expect good writing to prevail.
This is exactly why I so often marvel when someone hears I'm a writer and then they say, "Oh, I've got a book idea that I'll eventually get around to writing."
One never gets around to writing a book. One has to put in a lot of what a friend calls "Ass in chair time." You don't do that "eventually."
I know. Doesn't it just make you want to barf? Or, 'Yeah, I did some writing in college. I should send it to you.' As if suddenly we're peers, on equal footing, when I've done the work and they haven't.
Oh, the whole advice thing! LOL. I am more than happy to share what I've learned with folks. But only once they've at least put in some of their own effort. We've had people come to us out of the blue and say, "Can you teach me how to write a Substack?"
Um, no.
Now if they come to me and say, "I've been reading Writer Everlasting and reading about Substack and I have a question, if you don't mind," then we're all good.
Yes, sharing what I know and have often learned the hard way is a joy when I'm in the company of someone who genuinely wants to know those things, but I'm not wasting my time coddling someone who sees it as nothing more than passing the time of day. Gah! I could be off writing some real stuff!
You are kind and generous, Michael, and I can see you putting your whole heart into answering that question. (Oh, and thanks for the shout-out!)
This one definitely got me thinking. Do we fault the con artist upstarts for scamming the newbies or do we fault the newbies for having the hubris to think more of their writing than is deserved? And, at what point do we cross the rubicon between aspiring and achieving? In Kindred Spirits (https://elizabethbeggins.substack.com/p/kindred-spirits) I acknowledge my first anniversary as a Substacker while also confronting my imposter syndrome. Even after 45 years of honing this craft, I sometimes hesitate to call myself a writer.
Not many of us will reach King or Goldberg status though some are deserving, and there's no telling how much effort we will have to invest along the way. Like you, I'm irritated by the ones making money off other's visions for success. I'm not a fan of the unscrupulous. But, I don't think any amount of advice is going to curb the human tendency toward audacity and gullibility. The ones who need to heed those lessons aren't in the room.
I supposed the fault goes to both of them--the con and the conned. You can't have one without the other. If I could figure out how to spare the conned that much grief in any other way but telling the truth, I still wouldn't do it. Telling them the truth about what really lies ahead is a service to them. It'll save them a lot of time and heartache down the road.
But, Elizabeth, I just read your piece at Kindred Spirits and I highly recommend it to everyone. You've captured something special, your voice is, yes, unique, and the poem at the end, that heartbreaking poem full of hope was, I hate to say it, perfect. Thank you for sharing it here.
A service, indeed; you are among the best-suited to provide it. And, thank you so much for reading that post. I'm honored and pleased that it resonated. It means a lot to know that my words find connection among thoughtful, skillful folks like you.
About your last line: exactly. But there is some merit in pointing all of this out instead of pretending it's okay. To those of us who work at this it's never okay and we might as well talk about it.
Are we hurting someone's feelings? as you've suggested, they're not paying attention. (Quick note: moments after I published this piece, I got notice that someone had cancelled their subscription. I'll always wonder if I struck a nerve.)
It's an industry, the con and the conned. No different to any other industry, and these days more enabled by our online lives. Is the online and offline writing industry more irksome than any other con? There's always a demand.
A newbie writer isn't seasoned, by definition, but they might have promise, they might be good. Is there a time span or level of effort signaling that must be attained before a claim to legitimacy?
I've come across a 'first line' feedback forum, which left me embarrassed and sad, but otherwise did me no lasting harm. (Although, it could potentially be scaring for anyone with a genuine compulsion to write.)
Caravaggio picked up a paint brush when he was 16 years old. Hs first painting is still exhibited, and it's breathtaking (I've seen it in real life, alongside examples of his seasoned contempoary imitators, whose works would be nice enough, if not shown side by side with Caravaggio).
More than 1.7 million self-published books each year, with most selling no more than five copies. That's a lot of writing hanging in the ether for no purpose. I don't know what to make of it. I'm not their market, but neither is anyone else.
Romance novels sell in the hundreds of millions each year. It's not edifying, but that's what readers buy. Real, seasoned writers author those books, but it's all excrement to me.
It is an industry. That’s the problem and that’s my point. It’s an industry based on false promises and easy fixes—all lies. Should we expose it or should we accept it? It shouldn’t be hard to figure out where I stand, and I’m glad I’m not alone.
About Caravaggio. You may have seen his ‘first painting’ but you didn’t see his first effort. I doubt very much he was a savant. He was surely gifted but there was learning involved. He didn’t just pick up a brush for the first time and produce the painting you saw. Or am I missing your point?
What's being exposed, exactly? That young and old believe they can watch a series on YouTube and learn how to write in 20 easy steps, with a perfect grasp of the three act structure, and an understanding of the usual archetypes? They can also learn how to invest in crypto in three easy steps, or learn about the evils of vaccinations. I don't think any of this is a newsflash. Yes, the medium is the message, but snake oil selling was just as effective, albeit, reaching a smaller audience, when the ads were on the back of a trashy magazine.
There's no cure for the incompetent and unaware. Millions of people think they can be writers. Millions more aspire to being 'influencers'. We are living in an asinine era.
I don't think we're in disagreement on any of that. All true. So, no, it's not new, but it does require discussion when so many serious, working writers are ready to throw up their hands at the unfairness of it all.
My focus here is to listen to and encourage writers. Real writers. People who work at it. We are, indeed, living in an asinine era. It's soul-crushing at times, but we don't have to face it alone.
Yes, we’re in vigorous agreement. The delusions of others can do actual harm, but the writing cons and the skill-impaired are too far gone (and have, I’ve noticed recently, incorrectly appropriated ‘indie’ writer as a self-aggrandizing label). It’s much like yelling at thousands of people at a Tony Robbins seminar that they might not be transformed or become billionaires, so step away from the Kool-Aid.
The writing and publishing worlds have always been unfair, and it’s worse, far worse, nowadays. Why write at all? Yes, the despair is real, and not for illusory reasons.
Thanks for your piece! Totally agree with you. Writing takes - writing! I think a recent post on did on my Rocky Point newsletter, "Waiting for...?" fits right in with your thoughts.
Such interesting thoughts, Ramona as I struggle to keep the heads of my indie-published books afloat in a sea of other writings.
I have ceased reading 'advice' from the current gurus for better or worse.
I just get on with it, do what I need to eventually present the polished words to the world and then try to avoid that awful part of being indie which is pimping my work. I'd rather go word-hunting, to be truthful.
But there are a couple of major experiences in my writing life which were and remain my powerhouses.
1. Submitting my first ever manuscript (in the early 2000's) to a literary consultancy in London. They saw something in my work and style, even though the eventual story became the one you put in the bottom drawer.
The next ms also went under their care and became my first published book. I worked with them for three years on that one and yes, it cost me money, but it was real-time coaching from a real set of voices and I will never forget it. I would return to them tomorrow... Cornerstones Literary Consultancy.
2. On the consultancy's suggestion, I joined a writers' online review site (funded by the UK's creative arts programme) and had hardcore reviews which sometimes hurt but taught me grit and determination. And I'm lifelong friends with some of the writers I met. That was called YWO.com back in the day.
3. Competitions. They truly do sort the wheat from the chaff and if one is successful after being judged by professionals from the publishing trade, writing academics and a core of the reading public, then I think one is making progress.
4. Substack. Is teaching me weekly discipline. I'm in awe of some of the things I read and feel like a very poor and illiterate cousin, but perhaps through time, I will improve.
5. Never having expectations. I never expect to be great nor will I seek greatness. I just love words - words are like chocolate to me. (And I am a chocoholic!) and when I string a near perfect line together, endorphins are released and all's right with the world.
Cheers and thank you for your post and also for the interesting commentary.
Thanks, Prue, and congratulations on doing it the right way for you, saving yourself a lot of time and grief. It may have taken you longer than many new writers want to even think about, but each step along the way allowed you to grow and learn and advance.
I'm guessing there were many things you avoided, sensing they weren't useful for you, and that's a big part of our learning, as well.
I so agree with #4 and #5. Substack is the place I've been waiting for. I learn so much just by reading some of the most amazing writers I've ever come across. And as for expectations--it depends on what they are.
Do we expect to become better writers? Sure. We wouldn't go on if we didn't.
Should we expect to become rich and famous? Only in our dreams.
Should we expect to make a living at it? It depends. Are we training for specific writing jobs or are we expecting magic to happen once we've grasped the usage of words?
I think 'no expectations' is a much healthier way to live. And if it happens, hooray!
Yes, yes, yes. I may be an English teacher with a masters degree in rhetoric and composition who has been blogging for 10 years, but I'm always learning. I'm always growing. I get so frustrated when I see writers with way less skill than myself get recognized. I hate the hustle culture that is all about how you can easily use blogging to make money, but the writing isn't good or engaging but they know how to play the game and so they are "successful". I want to write. I want to impact people with my words. I want to leave a legacy. That doesn't mean fame and fortune, but I at least want a seat at the end of the table.
I had actually started a piece a few weeks ago (one of MANY in my drafts folder, ha!) with the premise "Everyone can write, but should you?" This piece gave me a lot to think about regarding what I want to say. I will definitely cross AND use this refer to this newsletter post in what I'm writing. I don't believe we are gatekeeping. Instead, we want to see everyone pursue excellence in writing. If you are going to write and see yourself as a writer, work to always improve your craft. That's all I'm asking for 😊
Looks like you’re doing it your way. Go for it.
This didn’t make me feel good. But I needed to read it. I will not stop writing but I will keep on calling myself a wannabe writer because let’s be honest, I will never get a dollar from it. Am I a con?
No, you're not. The 'cons' are those who want to make you believe there's an easy way to becoming a successful writer. I think you're well on your way to discovering there is no easy way.
That's progress!
❤️❤️❤️
Ha! I feel like a fraud for self-publishing right now 😬
Why? Self-publishing isn’t a con, it’s an effective way to get your work out there. You’re not deluding anyone or separating anyone from their money by making empty promises. It’s not at all related. Relax!
See, I know that in my head, and I stand by my decision, but it's tough out there. I'm so thankful for the community of genuine writers over here, however. Two years ago when I was struggling with a job loss and trying to find my footing, I spent far too much time in FB groups with "writers" like the ones you described in your piece. They weren't writing because they needed to write for themselves. They weren't writing to provide meaningful content. They were writing for the pure purpose of making money and it was SO frustrating to see them becoming financially successful at it while I was writing from my heart and bearing my soul and crickets. I appreciate a writing community here that encourages people to grow as writers, not just content creators. I wish I had moved over here two years ago instead of floundering in FB land.
It is tough out there, which is why I think we need to do all we can to make sure we find our own niches and have places to thrive. When the odds are working against us, the reason isn't always us--sometimes it's THEM. We're too ready to blame ourselves when one look at the competition--hordes of competition-- should tell us it's never going to be easy.
But is it worth the effort? I think everyone here believes it is. And here we are, talking about it.
I love that I've found this spot, too, just as you did. It took me a while, too, with too much time spent among those who saw worth only in the amount of money they could make. I was always uncomfortable there, even when I thought that's what I wanted. Going after the money meant writing what I thought someone else wanted rather than what I wanted. I'm past that now.
We would all love to be successful enough to quit our day jobs or move up in the world, but the odds are increasingly against us as the publishing world changes, and not for the better. So we have to find other ways and self-publishing, as I do here, works for me. I'm too damned old now to wait months or years for acceptance or rejection. I'm my own boss and I don't think I've ever been happier as a writer.
But at the same time, I get it that there are other writers who still need more, and that's where our community comes in. We all have different needs, we all have different problems, and we all have a voice. I want this space to be about writing and not marketing, but beyond that, anything goes. The hardest part of writing is believing in ourselves. I want that to be what we do best here.
I love research. I can get lost for hours upon hours researching a topic, tracking down every little bit of information. But then I have to write it up, massage it into shape, into something appealing to others. When I write I want to communicate the excitement of the search and discovery I experienced.
Yes! Thank you! The mark of a true writer is when we learn to love the work.
Yeah! I saw the novelist Jennifer Egan speak in Berkeley once. She was discussing her then-latest book, Manhattan Beach. She said she does 6-9 months of research until she feels ‘pregnant’ with language and then she ‘births’ that research onto the pages. That always stuck with me.
This is a wonderful quote and what wonderful advice. 'pregnant with language' I need to heed this today, to fill up the brain before tackling new writing up ahead.
Yes!!! ❤️
“They’re the ones written by people who have no right to call themselves writers.”
Thank you for saying this. I wrote a piece about how everyone nowadays calls themselves a writer. I find it rather odd. No one disputes that a plumber, lawyer or doctor have a special skill set. Writing is a skill, a craft like any other. Yet you say that not everyone’s a writer and you’re now branded as ‘pretentious.’ People want to democratize Art. Ok. Fine. Sure. Free country. Go for it. But respect actual writers who’ve been taking this seriously for years and decades, who have an inborn talent. I’m glad Substack exists. I encourage all to express themselves. But there’s a massive chasm between fun posting on SS and being a serious writer. Just like there’s a difference between a freshman in collage studying medicine and an actual doctor. It may be pretentious to claim being a writer, but it’s artless and silly to claim you’re a writer because you simply happen to put words on a page.
That’s my contrarian view 😎
Btw: My two most recent posts are about editing and finding literary agents.
Michael Mohr
‘Sincere American Writing’
https://michaelmohr.substack.com/
Thanks for your input, Michael. Always welcome. I've always seen writing as craft and art, even when I was a lowly freelancer for a weekly newspaper, so I can't relate to anything else. To each his or her own until the harm happens. That's what I'm trying to get at here.
Yep. I get you loud n clear. 100% my own opinion 🙏
It is a difficult one to opine on given I am a new / wannabe writer. I have bought a couple of books on writing, e.g. by Steven King and Natalie Goldberg. I plan on taking a creative writing course but deciding on the best option for me given full time employment. I have done a few Domestika courses which have helped a little. I am not sure what a seat at the head table would look like. The relatively young writers I have met on here - and this is the only community of writers I have at the moment, it needs to be pointed out - all strike me as rather humble and unsure in their abilities, never boastful. That includes myself, I would like to think. For me, and this may be a simplified view of the world, the newbies, who think are good but are not, will learn the hard way; trying to take someone else's seat will not be relevant for long, if they truly are that unskilled and self - assured for no reason. Having said that, is 'good' not rather subjective? One man's trash is another man's treasure, however the saying goes. I can think of a few successful, celebrated authors whose work I dislike (to put it very politely) but many others enjoy their craft. Is having a unique voice, which is something highlighted time and time again, the same as being 'good'? How do we measure 'good'? Whose view of 'good' gets to impact who sits at the table? I have no idea...
King’s On Writing is fantastic ❤️
Yes, it may be one of the best. I go back to it time and time again.
I really enjoyed it; great balance between a memoir and a manual of sorts. Are there any other books on writing you would both recommend? I had started Ursula Le Guin's 'Steering the Craft' and the exercises in it were ever so useful. However, I got to a point where I felt out of my depth and decided to park it, do some more research / learning and return to it when I can get the most out of the prompts. The other one on my shelf is Will Storr's 'The Science of Storytelling'.
I don't know if you saw the link I provided above, but I've written about some of the writers who have influenced my learning.
https://writereverlasting.substack.com/p/want-to-be-a-writer-start-with-the
And this one: https://writereverlasting.substack.com/p/why-zinssers-writing-well-still-persists
And this: https://writereverlasting.substack.com/p/rhythm-and-flow-how-three-famous
I hope others here will comment with their own favorites. That would be fun.
Fabulous, thank you Ramona. I missed it the first time around, apologies. I will save all of these to read 🙂 Thank you for your help!
I'm feeling the need to reread it right now.
Great points, Siya, and you can't go wrong with King and Goldberg! You're a new writer but not a wannabe, in that you're doing your homework and not just wishing upon a star. You're going in knowing there's a process and you're smart enough to take your time while doing the work.
This piece wasn't meant for new writers like you, and I hope I've made that clear. "Good' is a handy word but probably wasn't the best for me to use. 'Seasoned' may be better. We're not going to like everything we read along the way, but as writers we learn to analyze what works and what doesn't--for us. Once we're embarked on the writing process it's hard not to edit as we read. It's our cross to bear from then on, but it's all part of learning who we are and where we fit in.
This is a rant against the glut of 'writers' who fill up space, mainly because they've bought into the lie that anyone can do it. That's definitely not you. Thanks so much for your insightful and honest comment.
Thank you, Ramona, and of course. I like the discussions here.
I think the times in which we live - all of us at our respective ages - call for immediacy, e.g. of results, outcomes, etc., and there is a degree of expectation that something is owed to someone (not everyone feels that way but a percentage of people do). I tend to think persistence, determination and hard work sit at the core of, well, anything. Writing or otherwise.
What does not help either is the fact that whenever people see success in others, they assume it has come overnight. For a select few, this may be the case but, for most, this is the 10% of the iceberg above water. The 90% is hidden from view.
'Seasoned' makes sense and I did not mean to pick on your choice of word there, by the way :) Agreed, and I am only just beginning to understand that process. The urge to edit while writing is hard to ignore; it happens exclusively when I type on a computer. I prefer writing by hand for that reason and a few others.
I used to go to the store and pick up the magazine WRITER'S DIGEST. It had great articles about writing, and pieces written by editors and agents, and where to find them, and what to expect. A lot about the mechanics of writing. When it's all said and done, I found the one person I had to satisfy was myself. I spent years looking for my voice, only to discover that it was always there, right in front of me. I'm retired now, but when I was working, I'd get up at ungodly times to work on a story. And I never called them books. I can write 90,000 words and I'll still call it a story, because that's what it is to me. I write short stories that aren't so short. I'd get them published on line, but never with a magazine that wanted to pay me for them...but I didn't care. I write for me. I don't write what I think people want to read. I feel that if I put it out there, someone might like it and maybe even want to read something else. Take classes, read "how to" books, because you never walk away thinking that was a waste of time; there's always something in there that will strike a chord. If you like poetry, read poetry; if you like horror, read horror; read the classics; read prize-winning novels, but more than that, write.
Finding ourselves as writers may be the hardest part and take the longest, but in the end it's the most satisfying, wherever it lands us. That should always be our goal--being true to that writer within us.
Thanks, Ben. I am sure I have saved Writer's Digest as a bookmark. All I need to do is open it up! Print is always preferable, though, for I spend enough time in front of screens, as it is...I will look into it a bit more.
Yes, I am doing that now although it is not one story I am working on. I get up at 430 to do two hours before work. I attempt to do the same after work, too, but often my brain is fried at that point :) The earlier, the better for me.
I used to love getting up early to write. There are no distractions. Of course, it's a lot easier now that I've retired. (The wife's still working.)
Awesome 😎
The first thing about writing, is reading. I've read a lot of "shit writing", and I've read writing that has brought me to tears just for the sheer beauty of it. If you write something and it doesn't "speak" to you, you have to revise it, and then revise it again. I think some people write a piece and think that's it, that's as good as it's going to get, and then they self publish it--just because they can. And when no one reads it, they tell themselves it's because they don't "get" it. Maybe they don't get it because they don't like it? Maybe they don't like it because of the obvious grammatical errors? Writing is about using your senses as well--you have to feel the cold of the rain, because it's not just rain; it's about hearing the thunder rattle the windows of the small hillside cabin; it's when you taste the love that went into the food because it's more than just potatoes and gravy; you see the sunset as more than just colours, but colours on an artist's palette. Writing is about reaching into your soul, and touching someone's heart.
Yeah!!! Writers are first off ambitious readers ❤️
Yes, Michael. I found this out when I was very young. I'm 67 now, and it's still true.
🙌💯
Well, Ben, I see I may have written this just so I could read a comment like this one.
Yes, yes, and then some. It's a process and reading to discover and to analyze comes first. Then self-awareness has to settle in.
Am I going to fake my way through this, wasting a lot of time and taking up space, or am I going to buckle down and do the best work I can do?
You've answered that beautifully.
Thank you for that.
As a high school English teacher, I can't agree more. My students would be such better writers if the would just READ.
Exactly
Ramona, yes, writing well is the work of a lifetime. You have to need it, to need to come back to it again and again. I become "me" when I write. Even when I am sick of it, tired and out of ideas.
"Learn to write uniquely. It’s the logical, necessary first step in order to lift us from the crowd. And it takes the most practice."
I totally agree, Ramona. It seems you, like I, embrace the process. I write something, and then spend an inordinate amount of time noodling around on it. It's part of my process. Sometimes I'm nitpicky ... sometimes I bleed on every word. But in the end, I think it's worth the effort.
You write "art and a craft deserving of attention and humility." I agree 100 percent. I enjoyed this piece and look forward to your next one. -- Jim
Jim, I started this blog yesterday and slept on it before completely tearing it apart to get it to where I wanted it. But I would never want anyone to feel sorry for me for having to do that, because the truth is, editing and revising are my favorite parts of my writing process. and it's a good thing, because I do it a LOT!
It's interesting that you've picked up on the two points I hoped would get some attention: writing uniquely and going at it with humility. I chose those two words carefully, so thank you for noticing!
Jim, I'm so glad I'm not alone in doing this! I go over everything I write numerous times and make lots of edits.
Just a quick addendum, Ramona. I peruse the web all the time as I discover links to topics that interest me. It then surprises me how a much poor writing gets published. Wordy, repetitive, awkward mechanics.
By the way, I experimented with one of the new AI chat applications -- Jasper. I input a few ideas, dropped in some key words ... and sure enough, it spit out a coherent, very legible and grammatically correct treatise on the topic. But, you know what? I'm still a better writer! (lol)
Stay well! -- Jim
I came to writing in the old days, before the internet and self-publishing, so almost all of the writing I was exposed to had been vetted by editors before it was deemed worthy of publishing. When I started, I knew I would have to please an editor if I ever wanted my work to see the light of day, so I didn't waste time on what would amount to journal entries or fantastical indulgences (which is what most early blogs were, at best).
While I didn't stick with someone else's ideas about what my writing should look like, that early training molded my own thinking and caused me to think like an editor before I hit the button to publish.
It's too easy today to just hit 'publish', and that's a big part of the problem. It's not something we should try to get used to. Not if we expect good writing to prevail.
This is exactly why I so often marvel when someone hears I'm a writer and then they say, "Oh, I've got a book idea that I'll eventually get around to writing."
One never gets around to writing a book. One has to put in a lot of what a friend calls "Ass in chair time." You don't do that "eventually."
I know. Doesn't it just make you want to barf? Or, 'Yeah, I did some writing in college. I should send it to you.' As if suddenly we're peers, on equal footing, when I've done the work and they haven't.
Oh, the whole advice thing! LOL. I am more than happy to share what I've learned with folks. But only once they've at least put in some of their own effort. We've had people come to us out of the blue and say, "Can you teach me how to write a Substack?"
Um, no.
Now if they come to me and say, "I've been reading Writer Everlasting and reading about Substack and I have a question, if you don't mind," then we're all good.
Yes, sharing what I know and have often learned the hard way is a joy when I'm in the company of someone who genuinely wants to know those things, but I'm not wasting my time coddling someone who sees it as nothing more than passing the time of day. Gah! I could be off writing some real stuff!
You are kind and generous, Michael, and I can see you putting your whole heart into answering that question. (Oh, and thanks for the shout-out!)
This one definitely got me thinking. Do we fault the con artist upstarts for scamming the newbies or do we fault the newbies for having the hubris to think more of their writing than is deserved? And, at what point do we cross the rubicon between aspiring and achieving? In Kindred Spirits (https://elizabethbeggins.substack.com/p/kindred-spirits) I acknowledge my first anniversary as a Substacker while also confronting my imposter syndrome. Even after 45 years of honing this craft, I sometimes hesitate to call myself a writer.
Not many of us will reach King or Goldberg status though some are deserving, and there's no telling how much effort we will have to invest along the way. Like you, I'm irritated by the ones making money off other's visions for success. I'm not a fan of the unscrupulous. But, I don't think any amount of advice is going to curb the human tendency toward audacity and gullibility. The ones who need to heed those lessons aren't in the room.
I supposed the fault goes to both of them--the con and the conned. You can't have one without the other. If I could figure out how to spare the conned that much grief in any other way but telling the truth, I still wouldn't do it. Telling them the truth about what really lies ahead is a service to them. It'll save them a lot of time and heartache down the road.
But, Elizabeth, I just read your piece at Kindred Spirits and I highly recommend it to everyone. You've captured something special, your voice is, yes, unique, and the poem at the end, that heartbreaking poem full of hope was, I hate to say it, perfect. Thank you for sharing it here.
A service, indeed; you are among the best-suited to provide it. And, thank you so much for reading that post. I'm honored and pleased that it resonated. It means a lot to know that my words find connection among thoughtful, skillful folks like you.
About your last line: exactly. But there is some merit in pointing all of this out instead of pretending it's okay. To those of us who work at this it's never okay and we might as well talk about it.
Are we hurting someone's feelings? as you've suggested, they're not paying attention. (Quick note: moments after I published this piece, I got notice that someone had cancelled their subscription. I'll always wonder if I struck a nerve.)
If you did, it's a shame the response was to run in the opposite direction instead of meeting the challenge head on.
It's an industry, the con and the conned. No different to any other industry, and these days more enabled by our online lives. Is the online and offline writing industry more irksome than any other con? There's always a demand.
A newbie writer isn't seasoned, by definition, but they might have promise, they might be good. Is there a time span or level of effort signaling that must be attained before a claim to legitimacy?
I've come across a 'first line' feedback forum, which left me embarrassed and sad, but otherwise did me no lasting harm. (Although, it could potentially be scaring for anyone with a genuine compulsion to write.)
Caravaggio picked up a paint brush when he was 16 years old. Hs first painting is still exhibited, and it's breathtaking (I've seen it in real life, alongside examples of his seasoned contempoary imitators, whose works would be nice enough, if not shown side by side with Caravaggio).
More than 1.7 million self-published books each year, with most selling no more than five copies. That's a lot of writing hanging in the ether for no purpose. I don't know what to make of it. I'm not their market, but neither is anyone else.
Romance novels sell in the hundreds of millions each year. It's not edifying, but that's what readers buy. Real, seasoned writers author those books, but it's all excrement to me.
It is an industry. That’s the problem and that’s my point. It’s an industry based on false promises and easy fixes—all lies. Should we expose it or should we accept it? It shouldn’t be hard to figure out where I stand, and I’m glad I’m not alone.
About Caravaggio. You may have seen his ‘first painting’ but you didn’t see his first effort. I doubt very much he was a savant. He was surely gifted but there was learning involved. He didn’t just pick up a brush for the first time and produce the painting you saw. Or am I missing your point?
What's being exposed, exactly? That young and old believe they can watch a series on YouTube and learn how to write in 20 easy steps, with a perfect grasp of the three act structure, and an understanding of the usual archetypes? They can also learn how to invest in crypto in three easy steps, or learn about the evils of vaccinations. I don't think any of this is a newsflash. Yes, the medium is the message, but snake oil selling was just as effective, albeit, reaching a smaller audience, when the ads were on the back of a trashy magazine.
There's no cure for the incompetent and unaware. Millions of people think they can be writers. Millions more aspire to being 'influencers'. We are living in an asinine era.
I don't think we're in disagreement on any of that. All true. So, no, it's not new, but it does require discussion when so many serious, working writers are ready to throw up their hands at the unfairness of it all.
My focus here is to listen to and encourage writers. Real writers. People who work at it. We are, indeed, living in an asinine era. It's soul-crushing at times, but we don't have to face it alone.
Again, that's my point.
Yes, we’re in vigorous agreement. The delusions of others can do actual harm, but the writing cons and the skill-impaired are too far gone (and have, I’ve noticed recently, incorrectly appropriated ‘indie’ writer as a self-aggrandizing label). It’s much like yelling at thousands of people at a Tony Robbins seminar that they might not be transformed or become billionaires, so step away from the Kool-Aid.
The writing and publishing worlds have always been unfair, and it’s worse, far worse, nowadays. Why write at all? Yes, the despair is real, and not for illusory reasons.
Funny. I just realized I had two unsubscribes after my last post -- the one about not being a sports fan. We just never know... :D
Thank you for the link, Elizabeth. A resonant newsletter to which I am now subscribing.
Thank you. Delighted to have you in the Scratch fam! :)
Wise advice.
“Learn to write uniquely. It’s the logical, necessary first step in order to lift us from the crowd. And it takes the most practice.”
Love that.
Bill, it took me a while to realize how all-important that step was. I hope I've saved somebody some time. Or maybe they were already wiser than me.
Thanks for your piece! Totally agree with you. Writing takes - writing! I think a recent post on did on my Rocky Point newsletter, "Waiting for...?" fits right in with your thoughts.
https://jordanjankus.substack.com/p/waiting-for
OH, yeah! I can relate! I've just subscribed to your newsletter, Jordan. I've been over there reading and I almost forgot to come back!
Thanks very much for subscribing, Ramona!!
Such interesting thoughts, Ramona as I struggle to keep the heads of my indie-published books afloat in a sea of other writings.
I have ceased reading 'advice' from the current gurus for better or worse.
I just get on with it, do what I need to eventually present the polished words to the world and then try to avoid that awful part of being indie which is pimping my work. I'd rather go word-hunting, to be truthful.
But there are a couple of major experiences in my writing life which were and remain my powerhouses.
1. Submitting my first ever manuscript (in the early 2000's) to a literary consultancy in London. They saw something in my work and style, even though the eventual story became the one you put in the bottom drawer.
The next ms also went under their care and became my first published book. I worked with them for three years on that one and yes, it cost me money, but it was real-time coaching from a real set of voices and I will never forget it. I would return to them tomorrow... Cornerstones Literary Consultancy.
2. On the consultancy's suggestion, I joined a writers' online review site (funded by the UK's creative arts programme) and had hardcore reviews which sometimes hurt but taught me grit and determination. And I'm lifelong friends with some of the writers I met. That was called YWO.com back in the day.
3. Competitions. They truly do sort the wheat from the chaff and if one is successful after being judged by professionals from the publishing trade, writing academics and a core of the reading public, then I think one is making progress.
4. Substack. Is teaching me weekly discipline. I'm in awe of some of the things I read and feel like a very poor and illiterate cousin, but perhaps through time, I will improve.
5. Never having expectations. I never expect to be great nor will I seek greatness. I just love words - words are like chocolate to me. (And I am a chocoholic!) and when I string a near perfect line together, endorphins are released and all's right with the world.
Cheers and thank you for your post and also for the interesting commentary.
Thanks, Prue, and congratulations on doing it the right way for you, saving yourself a lot of time and grief. It may have taken you longer than many new writers want to even think about, but each step along the way allowed you to grow and learn and advance.
I'm guessing there were many things you avoided, sensing they weren't useful for you, and that's a big part of our learning, as well.
I so agree with #4 and #5. Substack is the place I've been waiting for. I learn so much just by reading some of the most amazing writers I've ever come across. And as for expectations--it depends on what they are.
Do we expect to become better writers? Sure. We wouldn't go on if we didn't.
Should we expect to become rich and famous? Only in our dreams.
Should we expect to make a living at it? It depends. Are we training for specific writing jobs or are we expecting magic to happen once we've grasped the usage of words?
I think 'no expectations' is a much healthier way to live. And if it happens, hooray!
Thank you for this discussion. It provides structure to what I want to do and leads me to think l am at least on the right track with a ways to go.
Yes, yes, yes. I may be an English teacher with a masters degree in rhetoric and composition who has been blogging for 10 years, but I'm always learning. I'm always growing. I get so frustrated when I see writers with way less skill than myself get recognized. I hate the hustle culture that is all about how you can easily use blogging to make money, but the writing isn't good or engaging but they know how to play the game and so they are "successful". I want to write. I want to impact people with my words. I want to leave a legacy. That doesn't mean fame and fortune, but I at least want a seat at the end of the table.
May I cross-post this?
Hi Sarah, sorry it took a while to get back to you. Thanks, as always, for your input. 'Hustle culture' is exactly, painfully accurate.
And yes, you certainly may cross-post this!
I had actually started a piece a few weeks ago (one of MANY in my drafts folder, ha!) with the premise "Everyone can write, but should you?" This piece gave me a lot to think about regarding what I want to say. I will definitely cross AND use this refer to this newsletter post in what I'm writing. I don't believe we are gatekeeping. Instead, we want to see everyone pursue excellence in writing. If you are going to write and see yourself as a writer, work to always improve your craft. That's all I'm asking for 😊
Me too!