Go ahead and call yourself a writer. It's not wrong. If you love it and constantly work hard at it, you are definitely a writer! It's not a hobby. The reason I say this is because there's this idea that unless you've been published you're not a writer. Don't buy into it. Writing like music, acting, or art, is all subjective. Just because this publisher or that agent didn't like it doesn't mean your work isn't any good. It just means those particular people didn't like it.
Now I'm not saying that you should avoid revision or learning proper technique, or that public opinion is always wrong. I'm simply saying that one man's opinion shouldn't define you or your work. So you're not a household name like John Grisham or J.K. Rowling, so what? You could be. Time is on your side. Be confident in your skills and abilities and just keep pounding the pavement. Wether you're planning to self-publish or attempt acceptance by literary agents, the important thing is not to define yourself by others descriptions.
Next, remember to treat your writing like a job. Even if you already have a 9 to 5 and you can't do it full time, work hard with the time you do have. Read other people's books or short stories, not to steal ideas but to see the different writing styles and techniques in action. Write, revise, edit and be open to criticism. Be mindful of the changes you make based on critiques. The end result will always have your name on it and you should be proud of the final product. Be careful not to compromise the story you want to tell, but never forget that sometimes changes can also improve things.
I'm getting a bit off topic here, so I'll restate my point and call it a day. Call yourself a writer. Dont be afraid of your accomplishment. Finishing a novel is something to be proud of. It's a long and difficult process. Write and write often. Work at writing the same way you work to earn your paycheck. It's not a hobby. For writers, writing is their life.
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Tuesday, October 8, 2013
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
Writer's Conferences
This is an excellent topic. I actually attended a writer's conference when my husband was stationed in Hawaii. The registration fees and travel can be a hardship if you don't have a lot of spare cash on hand, especially if the conference is far away. But I found the experience to be worth the trouble. You get the opportunity to meet accomplished writers from various fields. There are seminars you can attend. Some of the sessions may be helpful to you and others not so much. The good thing about it is you can make your own schedule and only attend the sessions that you think will be most beneficial to you.
The writers who attend are all at various stages of their career and writing process. Some haven't even started writing their book yet, while others are there to get feedback from other writers. And for those of you who have finished your work, literary agents are usually in attendance. For an added fee (yes in addition to your conference registration) you can get the opportunity to pitch your work to one. Yes, you are paying for the privilege but it's better than the query letter-rejection system that seems to be in place. The agent pitch sessions are highly sought after and tend to sell out quickly.
In addition to the standard conference session and the agent pitch option, some conferences offer something along the lines of mini-author bootcamps. They call them retreats or something along those lines. For another $500 to $5000, depending on where the conference is held and who is presenting at the retreat, you get the privilege of showing your work to a small group of like minded people. And by like minded I mean other writers. You each share your work in exchange for criticism which may improve your work before it's ready for publication.
The writer's conference is a learning tool, but it's also a networking asset. In the modern publishing climate, trying to get your work noticed by the reading public is a time consuming and often stressful process. You really need all the help you can get and who better to turn to than someone who as been down the same road? If you need support and encouragement, who better to offer it than someone who is in the same boat with you and paddling upstream with their bare hands?
The writers who attend are all at various stages of their career and writing process. Some haven't even started writing their book yet, while others are there to get feedback from other writers. And for those of you who have finished your work, literary agents are usually in attendance. For an added fee (yes in addition to your conference registration) you can get the opportunity to pitch your work to one. Yes, you are paying for the privilege but it's better than the query letter-rejection system that seems to be in place. The agent pitch sessions are highly sought after and tend to sell out quickly.
In addition to the standard conference session and the agent pitch option, some conferences offer something along the lines of mini-author bootcamps. They call them retreats or something along those lines. For another $500 to $5000, depending on where the conference is held and who is presenting at the retreat, you get the privilege of showing your work to a small group of like minded people. And by like minded I mean other writers. You each share your work in exchange for criticism which may improve your work before it's ready for publication.
The writer's conference is a learning tool, but it's also a networking asset. In the modern publishing climate, trying to get your work noticed by the reading public is a time consuming and often stressful process. You really need all the help you can get and who better to turn to than someone who as been down the same road? If you need support and encouragement, who better to offer it than someone who is in the same boat with you and paddling upstream with their bare hands?
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