Lois’s answer to “Ask#2 ~ In short, please help me know that choosing to write could possibly create something for me…” > Likes and Comments
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Chris - I'm 66, and have written nearly all my life, starting at around age 18. I've written several very bad novels, a play that was understandably never produced, and a screenplay that had good ideas but poor execution. I've written several history books, and only a year ago published one. All of that writing was practice. it is what one has to do to learn the craft, especially if one went to Ohio State and didn't do well in English class. One can not become a writer without writing. Looking for an audience? it will be difficult to find people who will read your drafts, but with the internet, it is a lot easier than it used to be. None of us start with an audience, unless you have some other major claim to fame. Best of luck with your writing, and keep at it. Write and discard the bad stuff and write more better. - David
"It is perfectly possible to write for oneself, for one's own pleasure " Thank you for saying that. I've been writing poetry for about 60 years and have sometimes thought about publishing, but I never put enough work into it to make it happen. I still may not get published, but now I don't feel guilty. I'll just write for myself, and the occasional friend who actually reads my stuff.
So happy!
Judy Chicago gave a talk in which she said that the benefit of making art was that you got to make art. That makes sense to me. My joy has been in recognizing what I want to do and pursuing it. I like working with clay.
I’m 70 and have always wanted to write fiction. But storytelling doesn’t come naturally to me, so my occasional attempts in the past got nowhere and didn’t come close to satisfying myself, let alone anyone else. There is a theory that anyone can learn to write fiction, given sufficient persistence and hard work; but I don’t know whether it’s true, and I wasn’t willing to invest so much work for a very uncertain return. I can write English, well enough that I’m paid to do it; but when writing fiction I have no idea why my characters should do one thing rather than another—so, to use a metaphor, I can’t get onto the bicycle without falling off. If you can write fiction that satisfies yourself, you’re way ahead of me and may be justified in continuing.
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David
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Nov 26, 2016 04:32AM
Chris - I'm 66, and have written nearly all my life, starting at around age 18. I've written several very bad novels, a play that was understandably never produced, and a screenplay that had good ideas but poor execution. I've written several history books, and only a year ago published one. All of that writing was practice. it is what one has to do to learn the craft, especially if one went to Ohio State and didn't do well in English class. One can not become a writer without writing. Looking for an audience? it will be difficult to find people who will read your drafts, but with the internet, it is a lot easier than it used to be. None of us start with an audience, unless you have some other major claim to fame. Best of luck with your writing, and keep at it. Write and discard the bad stuff and write more better. - David
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"It is perfectly possible to write for oneself, for one's own pleasure " Thank you for saying that. I've been writing poetry for about 60 years and have sometimes thought about publishing, but I never put enough work into it to make it happen. I still may not get published, but now I don't feel guilty. I'll just write for myself, and the occasional friend who actually reads my stuff. So happy!
Judy Chicago gave a talk in which she said that the benefit of making art was that you got to make art. That makes sense to me. My joy has been in recognizing what I want to do and pursuing it. I like working with clay.
I’m 70 and have always wanted to write fiction. But storytelling doesn’t come naturally to me, so my occasional attempts in the past got nowhere and didn’t come close to satisfying myself, let alone anyone else. There is a theory that anyone can learn to write fiction, given sufficient persistence and hard work; but I don’t know whether it’s true, and I wasn’t willing to invest so much work for a very uncertain return. I can write English, well enough that I’m paid to do it; but when writing fiction I have no idea why my characters should do one thing rather than another—so, to use a metaphor, I can’t get onto the bicycle without falling off. If you can write fiction that satisfies yourself, you’re way ahead of me and may be justified in continuing.
