How did you know?

I'm not published but I'm going to answer anyway. Hope you don't mind.

In a way I think the fact I'm unpublished says a lot about my love of writing; haven't made it yet but I'm still trying.

How did I know this was for me? You know, it's not something I ever consciously chose. I've always loved reading, have written stories ever since I was capable of forming a coherent narrative.

I wouldn't be so wanky as to say it's a God-given commission, but I do feel compelled to write. I just love writing stories; it feels good. It makes a bad day good and a good day even better. I feel creative and useful to be honest!

Now, as to knowing what you want is what you're capable of? I believe that if someone wants something badly enough, they'll find a way to make it happen. Sheer wanting isn't enough to improve your writing of course, but the force of that wanting will drive you to do everything in your power to improve, thereby increasing your chances of making it.

I can honestly say there's nothing I want more than to make a career of writing, which is why I'm still doing it after so many knock backs.

Work hard. Acquire the necessary skill sets. Write. And write. And write some more. (don’t forget to read, while you’re at it.)

Sure, natural talent is an integral component. Do you think that Hendrix could play the guitar like he did after only two lessons? The more one practices, the better one gets.

Evolution takes time.

and there'll still be that uncertainty​

The concise answer is I've never not known.

Tenacity is part of getting published. Look at some of the works that are published. Kevin J. Anderson (the highest paid science fiction writer) had the record for the most rejections (by weight) than any other author. Big difference now, eh?

Ren said:

A question for the published authors here: How did you know this was for you, and that you could cut it?

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I'm not published either, but I'd guess that most of the published writers here only knew they could "cut it" when they actually got something published.

In my case, it's not so much a matter of knowing that it is or isn't for me, as it is in the dawning realization that I'm probably not for it.

caw

My mom told me a was too ugly for screen acting.



Then I shot her.

I don't believe anyone knows what hasn't happened. Believes, sure. Thinks they know, sure. But lots of people "know" they're going to get on American Idol and then get laughed off screen.

I believe I'll get published. I believe my agent will love my WIP and it will intrigue a publishing house into buying. I believe at some point in my life I'll write a bestseller.

But I don't KNOW anything.

I wasn't. Didn't think about it. But every time I gave a book report, had to make a speech or was FORCED to write something I had teachers, vice principals, uncles who were teachers and vice principals and my mother the psychotic librarian saying write some more. When I declined and picked up bass guitar and joined a rock band they wanted to write songs so I did, then they said you should write all the songs. and I said no, I'm not a writer.

Then I went to school because rock bands tend to fall down after so many people have unexpected offspring or screw each other's wives and end up working at local factories. Well, I hated working in a factory worse than I didn't really care for writing. The college instructors started jumping me. "Why aren't you writing? We have workshops, we have all this and it all costs money" So why should I go when you're telling me I already know how to write? I went to a couple, I saw that they weren't telling me anything I didn't already know. I gave them up because it turned into an ego thing with one English instructor. I would break the rules intentionally just to piss her off and prove it could be done.

So, I still felt I wanted to do something but really didn't know enough and I know a lot of dorks don't give you the time of day without some degree. Big deal. George W. Bush has a degree. I ask you, did it help at all?

So I went online and took some courses through Kennesaw State. But, I still don't take the writing all that seriously. I write because I discovered that once I was done with school projects and "have-to-write" stuff that it was a freaking blast and I could entertain myself for hours on end just being me.

Published? I published a poem in a newspaper when Charles Schulz died. That's about it.
I will be published. I just have to get around to worrying about it enough to go through the trouble of editing and "pleasing" people.

Love to write. Hate to edit. Hate people pleasing even more.
And now they hit me with this query letter thing! It's like a Rubik's cube with 666 sides!
I write because it amuses me and I would love nothing more than to spend my life doing that which amuses me.

Just because you've got a delectable man in your avatar doesn't mean you get away with not using paragraphs, Jerry.

Bah, I say. Bah and double bah!

Wait. That was bah thricely.

You know what I meant.

I'm a bahd boy.

Jerry B. Flory said:

I'm a bahd boy.

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Yeah. A regular little rebel without a pause.

Correct. I am no man o'pause.

Three words: leap of faith. That is, I didn't know if I'd succeed, but I knew I wanted it enough to keep plugging.

My first drafts (and second, and third, and...) are almost always really ugly, but over the years I figured out that if I just kept rewriting scenes...paragraphs...sentences, I could refine them into what I wanted them to be.

You could give up, or you could believe the pretty image in your head that you can't get down on paper is just one more revision (or ten...) away.

By all means, Ren. Bah. Born to be bah. bebah baloobah
Quick, Ren! Run! It's Uncle Bahb! and been drinking!
Pretend you're a sheep! Bah! No. Strike that. It's Uncle Bahb. Don't pretend you're a sheep.
Bah, but do it quietly.Bah

blacbird said:

I'm not published either, but I'd guess that most of the published writers here only knew they could "cut it" when they actually got something published.

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Exactly right for me. I've always wanted to be published. I've always hoped to have a career at this. I don't think I ever once knew it would happen. Sometimes I still don't believe it's happening.

But I love telling stories, and even if another year had gone by without an agent or a deal, I'd still be telling them. To myself, if no one else.

I've always been a story teller but I was wary of putting my tales down on paper. I was sure I couldn't transfer that energy into writing. So I tried it and found I was right. But I enjoyed doing it and others enjoyed reading my short stories. So I kept working on it. I wrote four novellas (but they are only now with a publisher being considered for publication).

Then I wrote The Gatekeeper. I knew from the start it was the one I really wanted to have published but it was not well written. It didn't flow and there were dead patches. So I made the decision that many scenes I liked personally would have to go. I edited ruthlessly until I had an action-packed story. I surprised myself. Then I secured a contract with a publisher giving them Australian rights for three years. After one year I'd written the sequel and had it accepted for publication. Now they are going to be published in Canada next year. I'm half way through writing the third and have five pre-orders for it already.

So to stop waffling and answer your question, I wrote what I liked writing and what gave pleasure to others, and my desire to be published came out of that. Once I wanted to be published I did all I could to improve my writing. I wasn't a member of AW then - what a pity! I've have saved a lot of time and effort if I'd read what I've since read in the forums and if I'd presented parts of the original work to SYW.

Ren said:

How do I know whether what I want is what I am capable of?

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Part One: Do I enjoy writing and telling stories? CHECK.

Part Two: Do my [beta] readers enjoy the stories?


If Part One and Two both agree, then you have something going on. But do choose your beta readers carefully. Some people will tell you what you want to hear except to be honest. Some people may be too brutal for you to hear the truth.

When I first started writing The Pacific Between, I didn't know if I would or could publish it. I just wanted to finish a novel, as a test for myself. That's PART ONE of my process. I found that I enjoyed it very much.

It wasn't until I let some trusted people and an editor read it that I accomplished PART TWO -- the moment of truth came when they told me they forgot to correct my mistakes because they were too into the story, that it read like something they might find in a store. That's why I realized I might really have something here.

A lot of PART TWO is based on other people's opinions, though. So do you trust these people's opinions? Are they objective enough to have any merits? Are you basing your entire self-worth as a writer on other people's opinions? Or do you really, deep inside yourself, know it is something you're both capable of and want to do?

Personally, I think you need both. If you only have part one, it's good enough to make yourself happy, to write what you want. There's nothing wrong with that. Many people write for pleasure and self-fulfillment. But if you want to be published, you have to accomplish Part two to some extent, because being published is about reaching readers, about communicating with someone who are not you, your family, or friends, but someone who may be willing to pay for your work.

Part one is about self-fulfillment. Part two is about honoring that writer-reader contract. (and they're not always mutually inclusive)

Mumut said:

I wrote what I liked writing and what gave pleasure to others,

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Great idea if you can do both. Problem is, I can do the first, but not the second.

caw

blacbird said:

Great idea if you can do both. Problem is, I can do the first, but not the second.

caw

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You're not "other people" -- so how do you know for sure?

I knew when I spent more time writing than I did doing "important" things, like homework. Also (even though this is dangerously close to what maestrowork said), I knew when I realized that:
a.) I love writing
and b.) I'm good at writing.

d&f.

maestrowork said:

You're not "other people" -- so how do you know for sure?

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I have received no information indicating anything to the contrary.

caw