Woman As Art
Are you a writer? I’m a writer. Being a writer is not easy. Being a good writer is even more difficult.
To be a good writer you should love to read. Some aspiring writers don’t love to read or don’t read that much. They just want to write.
There is a quote of Frederick the Great, the Prussian King and one of the great military commanders of the 18th century, that goes something like “Many want to lead without knowing how to follow.”
I am not endorsing militarism. I’m just quoting wisdom.
I think there are too many writers who want to get published without doing the work of learning how to write. It’s like wanting to be a doctor without going to medical school.
Reading good writing is part of a writer’s education.
English: Dy Plambeck, a Danish fiction writer. Dansk: Dy Plambeck, dansk forfatter. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
And then a writer should learn the tools of his or her trade: grammar, spelling, punctuation, clarity, diction, syntax and so on…
Anytime a writer takes a class or a workshop, the writer is investing in his or her talent. A degree in writing is nice, but it’s not necessary. A degree can get you a job teaching writing.
Then there’s perseverance. I would guess that most writers fail as writers because they simply give up. How long should you give yourself to succeed as a writer? The question is irrelevant.
Writing is a journey. It’s a life style.
Just know that 99.9% of writers do not make a living at writing. Then you will be okay.
Writing is a craft. And like any craft, you have to put in the time and effort to learn your craft.
*****
The Pittsburgh Flash Fiction Gazette is an online magazine of serious writing and brazen sexuality.
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Life, The Writer And The Struggle To Keep Writing
Woman As Art
The Old Soldier would like to address the writers in the audience, especially all the aspiring writers. I have some tough love for you.
If you are truly serious about being a writer, if writing is not something you want to do, but is something you cannot stop from doing, then you are already a writer.
But you are going to pay a high price.
First off, you will probably not be able to make a living as a writer. You will be lucky if you make any money at all from your writing. So, you have to position yourself so that you do not have to depend on your writing for an income.
Secondly, you will have to continuously upgrade your skills as a writer. This means constantly reading more successful writers and constantly working at the tools of your trade: grammar, spelling, punctuation, clarity, diction, syntax…you get the idea.
Writer’s Block 1 (Photo credit: OkayCityNate)
And number three, you will have to persevere at your trade maybe for years before you feel that you are accomplishing anything as a writer.
This is not to say that as a writer you won’t have little victories along the way. For 99% of writers, little victories will make up their entire careers as writers.
That’s it. That’s all I have to say. This is just to remind you that being a writer is not a destination. It’s a journey. Enjoy the journey. It’s one hell of a ride.
*****
The Pittsburgh Flash Fiction Gazette is an online magazine of serious writing and brazen sexuality.
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