Valuable things you've learned. (older thread)

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KTC

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1) Write like your face is on fire.
 

Susan Breen

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What I've learned is that writing isn't just about me telling a story to myself, but about me telling a story to a reader, and so I try to keep that imaginary reader alongside of me as i'm writing and I try to make sure I'm not boring her. Also, I would agree that you can't edit what you haven't written. And don't give up.
 

Mud Dauber

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1.) Whenever you hit a bump or a mental block in your story, try switching to longhand, even for just one scene.

2.) Whenever you're in an annoying situation with either your own family, or your in-laws... sit back, smile, and think, "Ah, yes. Someday this will make excellent fodder for my novel.";)
 

AndreaGS

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1) Just because one person's way of working doesn't work for you, doesn't mean you can't be a writer. Try other methods for getting the book done, and if all else fails, make up your own method!

2) It's ok to break writing rules. But first, you should know the rules, and know EXACTLY why you're not supposed to break them. Sometimes, breaking the rules is the only way to get the effect you want.
 

HourglassMemory

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Something I've found recently.
Even if you're writing a big epic, a long story, once you have the first draft it doesn't look so daunting and extended. Something that might be in your mind before you go through the whole thing.
 

johnzakour

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It helps to get buy during the dry years when you aren't making any cash, especially with the medical insurance and such.

If my wife didn't have a real job I think it's safe to say I wouldn't be writing my 18th, 19th and 20th (not counting the 5 I wrote for book packagers) books now. Her having the real job gave me the flexibility I needed to focus on my writing. Now we need one of these movie options to turn into a full blown movie so SHE can take a year or two off if she'd like.
 
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III

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What I've learned so far:
  • Don't get too down when you get negative feedback or hit a roadblock. They're unavoidable.
  • Savor the small victories.
  • Writing a story timeline can preclude many mistakes.
  • Writing should be a joy, even when it's not fun.
 
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It helps to get buy during the dry years when you aren't making any cash, especially with the medical insurance and such.

If my wife didn't have a real job I think it's safe to say I wouldn't be writing my 18th, 19th and 20th (not counting the 5 I wrote for book packagers) books now. Her having the real job gave me the flexibility I needed to focus on my writing. Now we need one of these movie options to turn into a full blown movie so SHE can take a year or two off if she'd like.

I don't have a Significant Other, and I do all right on my own. There's no way in hell I'd want to live off a man while waiting to make money from my writing. Or even after then. It's possible to support yourself and write at the same time. Not always easy, but still possible.
 

johnzakour

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I don't have a Significant Other, and I do all right on my own. There's no way in hell I'd want to live off a man while waiting to make money from my writing. Or even after then. It's possible to support yourself and write at the same time. Not always easy, but still possible.

Not saying it's not possible. Just saying in my case it worked better. Doing the day job, plus being an paramedic at night just wore me out too much to write.

Besides I wasn't living off my wife (at least I hope I wasn't) I was being a "house dad" which got me a lot of weird looks when we were living in Costa Rica. It's like, "excuse me, you do what?" (Except in Spanish) The guards at one of the embassies would always giggle at me when I walked by pushing my son in a baby carriage (I may be a big guy and a judo instructor but they had guns so they felt secure laughing.) So I paid my dues. ;-)



One of the best days of my life was telling my boss, "I have to quit because I feel the job draining my soul." (Okay I was bit dramatic.) Believe me web gurus make a lot more money than starting writers but it's a decision I am glad I made. Hopefully over 100K readers are too! I really believe I couldn't have done any of it if my wife didn't have the real job. I'd still be on book 2. (Instead of having 4 books coming out in 08.)

We all do things differently.
 
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preyer

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do you have good health insurance? kids? you have to factor in the fact that for one person it's 'not always easy,' but could you stretch out your earnings to cover two people for years and still have a comfortable lifestyle, meaning ramen noodles aren't a mainstay of your diet? i assume that in scotland you've got state-run health care, but in america it's not like that at all.
 

III

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Besides I wasn't living off my wife (at least I hope I wasn't) I was being a "house dad" which got me a lot of weird looks when we were living in Costa Rica.

I'd walk around with a "Kick Me" sign on my back for the rest of my life if it meant I could be a house dad. :D
 
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do you have good health insurance? kids? you have to factor in the fact that for one person it's 'not always easy,' but could you stretch out your earnings to cover two people for years and still have a comfortable lifestyle, meaning ramen noodles aren't a mainstay of your diet? i assume that in scotland you've got state-run health care, but in america it's not like that at all.

Why would my earnings have to cover two people? Could they not work too?
 

blacbird

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What I've learned so far:
  • Don't get too down when you get negative feedback or hit a roadblock. They're unavoidable.
  • Savor the small victories.
  • Writing a story timeline can preclude many mistakes.
  • Writing should be a joy, even when it's not fun.

What small victories?

caw
 

johnzakour

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I'd walk around with a "Kick Me" sign on my back for the rest of my life if it meant I could be a house dad. :D

It took a while to get use to (being a manly man and all ;-) ) but now I really enjoy it. Especially since my son is now in those teen years. It's good I can be around the house ALL the time just in case.
 

III

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What small victories?

caw

Writing a scene you're happy with. Hearing from a reader who liked what you wrote. Finishing a book or a difficult chapter. Capturing a piece of magic. Creating a character who comes to life in your mind. Whatever floats your boat, really.

And J.Z., yes I'm jealous, but begrudgingly glad for the freedom of your soul.
 

preyer

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let me rephrase it then: could you support yourself and your painter husband if that's all he did? assuming of course he's like most painters and poor. (maybe painters aren't the best example, but it'll do on the surface, i hope.) or could you support yourself and a child (let's say the father was run over by a leprechaun stampede, stabbed by mugging unicorns and finally ripped apart by drunken irish grizzly bears)?

granted, i can't honestly say there's no truth to the 'starve a dog and it'll work for you' mentality, but is that really the best we can hope for, that we achieve the exalted status of hungry mutts?
 

CheshireCat

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let me rephrase it then: could you support yourself and your painter husband if that's all he did? assuming of course he's like most painters and poor. (maybe painters aren't the best example, but it'll do on the surface, i hope.) or could you support yourself and a child (let's say the father was run over by a leprechaun stampede, stabbed by mugging unicorns and finally ripped apart by drunken irish grizzly bears)?

granted, i can't honestly say there's no truth to the 'starve a dog and it'll work for you' mentality, but is that really the best we can hope for, that we achieve the exalted status of hungry mutts?

I've been able to support myself for a good many years now, even bought my first home twenty-five years ago -- and paid for it. I'm not saying it wasn't a struggle, and there were times when cheap groceries were the order of the day and car and/or mortgage payments were late (I paid a not-so-small fortune in finance charges over the years), but I made it on writing novels alone.

As I've said before, I wouldn't recommend it to someone with dependents (of whatever gender or age), because it's a risky way to make a living and the future is always, always uncertain.

But it certainly can be done. And it's worth noting that all my hard work paid off in a much, much higher standard of living and the only sort of security a writer can really know: investments not related to my writing producing a revenue stream.
 
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See, that's the thing - a car? Mortgage?

Money can't be that tight if you can afford a car and a mortgage. One could get by on public transport and rented accomodation if it weretruly necessary.
 
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