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A question for the writers amongst us...

Too funny.

I have always thought that "paying to be published" was a way of saying "I don't think I'm good enough, but I want to say 'I'm a published author'". (aka "vanity publishing").

I have always thought it was a scam with no possibility of return, other than "being published"...

One that I haven't signed up for (yet! :))

Also, I didn't realize there was an "Introduction" forum.

I will go check that out.

Thanks for the input, moto!
 
A place to get some instant feedback

Hi everyone! I just wanted to let people in this forum know about my historical fiction blog at emiliesvoice.blogspot.com. I'm trying to do something useful with it, which is have people send me short excerpts of their work to post on the site for comments. I encourage any of you writers to check out the blog and participate, if it appeals to you. The instructions are in a post, but basically you just e-mail me your excerpt (pasted into an e-mail) to susannedunlap@emiliesvoice.com, and I'll post one a week. People are allowed to critique, but not be nasty, and I won't print anything obscene or inappropriate in some other way.

So I hope some of you take me up on this (if you're working on historical fiction, that is).

Susanne
 
I write for myself, it can be fun to get other peoples opinions about what I'm writing though, but I get kind of nervous when someone else reads something I've written, it's so personal! Not that I write anything about myself, but it's like a drawing or a painting I've made, only I see it the way I see it. Everyone else doesn't.
 
Umbrella said:
I write for myself, it can be fun to get other peoples opinions about what I'm writing though, but I get kind of nervous when someone else reads something I've written, it's so personal! Not that I write anything about myself, but it's like a drawing or a painting I've made, only I see it the way I see it. Everyone else doesn't.
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I like your way of looking at it Umbrella, lots of people should take a leaf from your book
 
I agree with umbrella, but i wouldn't allow myself to change something from a readers perspective. That's me though, I feel a kick to the stomach when I feel submissive.

how cowardly or egotistical it may be to be stubborn in writing for yourself. remember: who is reading? and who does the writing?
 
Write from your heart, and follow your own voice--but remember that your voice can influence others, and that in the long run, you want them to understand exactly what you tried to say. Writers are people who make up bullshit and are praised for it, but as Stephen King said (not sure if this is a word for word quote), Fiction is the truth within the lie.

Be it a moral or just a good tale, writing for yourself is fine, but writing for others is divine.
 
It's difficult to make absolute distinctions between art and entertainment. Depends entirely on which subjective value system is in play.

I haven't written for a while, when I write I write fiction and (during the process) don't much care whether people see it as art, proper literature or entertainment. To see it as such during this time would detract from the enjoyment of writing and the spontaneity of the work.
Regarding it retrospectively I often feel I'd prefer my work to be less niche and more commercial because I'd like people to read it for whatever reason.

Writing fiction allows me to express myself and be creative and this is not incompatible with writing things that people want to read. However I would not change the character of what I write to please others. Improving my work is one thing, trying to write the way literary critics think you should when it isn't my style is something I probably won't do.

Commercial success and critical success don't always go hand in hand, I'd rather remain true to my own style and try my best to have the former (which gives you a lot of freedom creatively and professionally) than force myself to attain the latter. It's unlikely that I'll ever write anything that critics would appreciate on any level, I guess if you could do both, achieve commercial and critical success, then that's good going. That said, I'm not very commercial either but my writing style could go that way, as part of a natural progression, somewhere along the line.

Interesting thread Freya, thanks.
 
pooh_bah said:
trying to write the way literary critics think you should when it isn't my style is something I probably won't do.
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I can't think of anyone who writes the way literary critics think they should. Everyone writes in their own style. If you can't penetrate it, it's not for you. It's not that they are writing for critics. Given that each critic has their own tastes, it's an impossible task. And every reader (with the exception of Terry Goodkind readers) is a critic.

It's unlikely that I'll ever write anything that critics would appreciate on any level,
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Ever heard of Paul Ross. He'll give crap a good write up. You only have to look at the amount of stars he gives awful films. Imagine what he could do for the book world.
 
Good point about each critic having their own personal tastes. But there is a trend to push certain types of books onto the public and certain books are seen as being more ‘literary’ for very arbitrary reasons.
Marketing plays a huge role and I think most critics are susceptible to trends like everyone else. However they’re in the position to discuss their views in places – newspapers, TV, magazines etc. – that the average reader and critic cannot, and with a certain amount of authority, therefore their views often influence people’s choices, tastes and indicate what people *should* be reading.
On the other hand, there is so much choice out there nowadays that many people probably value the role of critics in guiding their choices.
Ignore me, I’ve got a negative attitude towards most literary critics – especially ones who write for the papers (what used to be the broadsheets). I don’t often read good reviews of books I like and the reviews I do read are often of books I’d never pick up. Then again some of the very commercial chick-lit that’s not always favourably reviewed drives me insane too.
There’s clearly no pleasing me. ; )

Let's hope there'll be some kind soul who'll give my unique style of crap a good write up one day.
 
pooh_bah said:
there is so much choice out there nowadays that many people probably value the role of critics in guiding their choices.
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I would say that the greater percentile are probably guided solely by 3 for 2 offers at the mouth of larger bookstores than by critics. Secondly, by book group choices, which tend to be found within the 3 for 2s. If anyone's using critics for their choices it's probably because they actively seek literature above and beyond the (mostly) tat that Waterstones sells spots to.
 
Writing for Whom

I write to make myself laugh. I think appealing to an imagined audience is possible while staying true to one's own voice and impulses. Part of the challenge is to win and keep attention but trying to write for everyone is the worst mistake an author can make. It stultifies creativity and innovative freedom. Not to say that we should disregard all attempts at relating but that we relate as ouselves. The best writing is very certainly art.
 
Keep your integrity

Hi!

That´s a very important question for me as I want to become a writer. Question, can you call yourself a writer even if you haven´t been published yet? I´ve been writing ever since I was very young and before I could write I made up oral stories about animals and forests, etc. But I only recently started sending away manuscripts. I don´t know what the editors think about my book, yet. It´s a long waiting before you get an answer. In Sweden I´ve heard it´s very difficult to get published, but that shouldn´t let you down. It´s not always the good and innovative ones that are chosen.

I definitely think you should keep your integrity and don´t sell out. Remember why writing is so important for you. For me it´s a need like eating and sleeping. Without it I wouldn´t feel like myself. But, I do think it´s necessary to know quite a lot about what sort of books get published. A couple of years ago I would regard that view as selling out. Now I´ve started to think about it when I write. Although, I would never adapt completely and write something I thought would be success, an easy forgettable novel, that I thought was crap! That would be too cynical. But even if I write for myself in the first place I also want others (not everyone, that is too much to ask, but some) to appreciate it. Because of course I want to get published.
 
Yes, I know this thread was started years ago and hasn't been touched in a while.

I think most folks consider Shakespeare's writings as art. However, I'm sure in his day he was considered entertainment. I'd also have to guess that he wrote for himself. He must have loved writing to do it so well.

At the same time considering the popularity of his work, he must have also done it with the intent it would be read (or in the case of the plays, the performance would be seen.)

What a person writes can be both art and entertainment.

And I think many writers write for themselves for the pure love of writing .... and at the same time, being also a storyteller, intend to have audience read it.

 
Totally agree, Elf. A writer must write for him or herself first, but most writers do want an audience for their work at some point. I love people reading my work, commenting and discussing it.
 
I do both. I write for myself because I enjoy it, but I also make it to make other people happy who read it, to make them enjoy it and want to read more. I love it when people tell me they love my work, because well it's good for my ego (lol) and I know that they enjoyed it.
 
Writing to stay sane

I write because I feel really weird if I don't. So that part is for myself - I started writing when I was a kid (don't ask how young, 'cause I don't remember) and had no idea it was something you could actually make money at. I was kind of a stupid kid.

Of course the notion of entertainment comes into play, because I also feel if no one reads what I scribble into my computer, what's the point? You know, besides "Dear Diary" and all that. I want people to have fun with whatever it is I slap together; I want to share ideas, tell a story, creep you out, make you laugh. Luckily, that's exactly what I like to write. I don't have to think about what "the masses" might or might not dig, 'cause I tend to dig that stuff, too.
 
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