For Those Who Would Write…

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Writing is a difficult thing to accomplish at times. Few have the ability to write, fewer still have the ability to write well. Most have to work very hard at writing, but occasionally, a writer comes along who is naturally gifted.

Every now and then, I have a student in my office who is really impressive with his or her writing skills. The shocking thing about some of these unpretentious souls is that they do not realize how well they write. I have to say to them, “You write very well.”

“Thanks,” is the usual response.

“Did you ever think about writing for a magazine?”

“No, not really.”

“Why not?”

Here is where they pause. Some have never thought of writing for money, some have no idea of where to start, others do not realize there are entities out there willing to pay money for good writing. Sometimes the answer is, “I don’t think it would be worth it.” This is where I drag them out of my office and into the hallway to the bulletin board outside my door. I point to an article.

“See this? Two hours worth of research, writing, editing, and re-write. Five hundred bucks.” They look at me a little stunned and then they look again at the 800-word piece.

“Five hundred dollars?”

“Yep.”

“You’re kidding. That’s $250 an hour!”

“Yep.”

Sometimes, but rarely, I can be a man of few words. I fully take pleasure in watching their faces when they make the connection between the work and the pay and then have that wonderful, “Ah-ha!” moment.

“Which would you rather do? Work some menial job for $12 an hour, or attain some form of professional recognition writing at a rate of $50 to $500 an hour?”

I really enjoy watching young people when they “get it.” All of a sudden, their minds open to an array of endless possibilities. Their eyes become so bright, their smiles so wide. They immediately get the connection between being able to communicate in writing and their chosen professional field—whatever their craft might be.

After the initial shock wears off, they start asking questions about how to begin earning money from working as a wordsmith. I tell them the basics about the writing craft, the nuts and bolts of writing for money, and then I tell them about Writer’s Market.

I explain that writersmarket.com is not a free site; then in the same breath, I say it is the best use of $40 for most writers—as well as being tax deductible.
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Tools for the Writer

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What kind of tools do you need to write? At the low end of the scale, nothing more than a few sheets of paper and a couple of pencils. On the high end of the scale, an expensive computer with all kinds of peripheral equipment such as printers, scanners, and more. Between the two, a writer can find exactly what he or she needs to accomplish their writing requirements, as well as fit their budget.

The purists among writers would use the paper and pencils, or maybe a typewriter. The more prolific writers have discovered computers. The difference between the old way and the new is speed. Speed in production that is, writing itself still remains a slow process because of the editing, re-writing, and revisions.

It is in the process of editing and re-writing in which the computer shines. Editing and re-writing using the paper process is more laborious and consumes a lot of paper; on the computer screen, the touch of a key can change the text, rearrange words, or move paragraphs. The writer can change the writing as many times as they wish and when printed, there is little waste of paper.

Another area in which owning and using a computer is beneficial for the writer is in research, communications, and business. For these reasons, a serious writer should invest in a computer. In addition to serving as a writing tool, the computer can also store important papers in electronic format for easier organization; spreadsheets can be used for tracking writing projects, income and expenses, taxes, and deadlines; financial software is useful for banking and online bill-paying; and when you think you have writer's block, you can play a game of chess.

Regarding research, the Internet is a wonderful tool for writers. With the click of a mouse button, a writer can research the electronic files of the Library of Congress from the comfort of their own writing office. Not only can you research the LOC, there are numerous universities which allow public research in their databases.

Email, for communications, is an absolute must for writers. The purists, the old-fashioned writers, they like the feel and smell of paper. They write their query letters very carefully, take great pride in folding the page just right into the perfectly addressed envelope, and apply the stamp. Then they wait for the mailing process to work. Sometimes they wait forever.

More editors and publishers accept electronic query letters. As timeliness becomes critical to magazine articles, rapid communication between editors and writers is essential. Nothing can beat the lightning speed transmission of a well written email. While one writer waits by the mailbox for a response from an editor, the modern-day journalist will query, write, and publish the same article.

If you are one of those people who has no desire to move into the 21st Century and learn how to use computers, think about this: all living species (including writers) must adapt to change or die. Learning to use a computer may be frustrating at first, but after you get the hang of it, you will quickly realize it does indeed, make your job easier.
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Being Remiss, or Too Busy in Life

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Every now and then, I am reminded of things I need to keep doing. One is posting to this blog. My reminder came by way of Michael O’Neal this time, one of the new writers whose book we will soon publish at http://bluewaterpress.com.

In his email, Mike said, “Having read a number of books by bestselling authors I have come to decide (in my humble opinion) that success in writing, like in any other entertainment field, seems to depend more on successful marketing that talented writing.”

He is absolutely right.

And in the clarity of his opinion, he forces me to look squarely into the face of my lack of discipline, my inattention to this blog. And I have excuses, all kinds of excuses, some good, some not so good.

The bottom line is this. If you are going to be a writer, you must write. No matter how much life gets in the way, you must write. If you are a true writer, nothing is going to stop you; you will write.

OK, so for my excuses… “The dog ate my homework…” ? Give a read tomorrow and I will tell you about the greatest homework excuse I have ever heard – in all my life!

And for my real excuse… Actually, I have been writing. Just not on this blog. During this year, I put out four academic titles, and I am on the verge of finishing a book I hope will help high school students and college freshmen make important decisions in their lives. Be on the lookout for PSST!! Wanna Know a Secret?
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So you want to write

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OK, so how many new writers are out there? More importantly, what are your perceptions on being a writer? And for the most essential question – can you write?

Many believe all you have to do is sit down and write. Then someone will miraculously pay to read what you have written. In a perfect world…, yes, maybe. In the real world, this scenario is about as far from the truth as you can get.

Let’s investigate the question in the first paragraph. Can you write?

I have talked with high school students and graduates, college graduates, and graduate students all of whom thought they could write. Additionally, I read what they were writing and, well, some can, some can’t.

How do you learn to write? Did you pay attention in your English courses? Do you understand the basics of sentence construction? Do you know how to use adverbs and adjectives? Can you answer the question, what is a verb? How is your spelling? Can you place punctuation properly? Do know what alliteration is and how to use it well? What is personification?

Yes, these are some of the very basic questions about writing, but being able to construct a sentence is of little consequence if you are unable to think analytically and logically. This is the crux of the writing business – getting your ideas across to others in a way they can understand exactly what you are trying to convey.

There is also another important aspect of writing: being able to tell the story. I remember when I thought of becoming a writer. I was in the second grade, still learning how to read.

I was reading a children’s book actually illustrated by my uncle, James Caraway. I can remember holding the book in the hallway of our house and talking to my mother about writing.

“Mom, do the people who write these books make money?”

My mother looked at me and with all her wisdom said, “No, not really.” Later, after I developed researching skills, I would discover there was a lot of truth to what she said. I would also think, Mom didn’t tell me the whole truth…

Actually, my mother did not know the truth and the truth lies somewhere between not making any money and pulling in $37 million dollars a year. It all boils down to how well you write, how well you promote, and how well the public accepts your ideas and writings.

One important thing to bear in mind about working as a writer is this: it is some of the hardest work one can engage in. It is lonely, it is laborious, it seems to never end.

Oh, yes, and did I also say it is rewarding? It is – beyond anything you can imagine.

jC