Greg Van Eekhout
It depends on the severity. Obviously, frequent showering and deodorant can help. And some stores sell special travel clothes that wick away moisture. But if it's really bad you should consult an endocrinologist.
Oh, you said aspiring. I thought you said something else.
Seriously, if you aspire to being a writer, you probably already are a writer. Writers are people who write. Nobody can tell you you're a writer, nobody can tell you you're not a writer. You're a writer because you're a person who writes.
If you want to be a *published* writer, you can certainly go the self-publishing route. Nobody can stop you. You can pretty much write whatever you want, however you want, and make your work available to readers. There are few obstacles in your way, although not having obstacles isn't a guarantee of success, even on a small scale. Self-publishing is a route, not a shortcut.
If you want to be a traditionally published writer, which is the kind of writer I am, it's a bit more complicated, especially when it comes to novels. You need an agent who can sell your book to a publishing company willing to pay you and to invest money in publishing your book and getting it onto bookshelves. I go this route because it's working for me. I'm getting paid, publishers are doing a good job of printing and publishing my books, and I get a great deal of satisfaction from seeing my books as tangible objects on bookstore shelves.
It's easy to get distracted and discouraged by the whole publishing business, so it's really important to focus on the writing. Nobody wants to read or publish an unfinished book. Nobody wants to read or publish a book written without care, without intelligence, without craft, without heart.
So immerse yourself in words. Read a lot. Write a lot. You're going to spend a lot more time writing books than doing the stuff involved in publishing books, so if you're not getting satisfaction or enjoyment form the act of writing, you're not going to be happy.
And if writing isn't making you happy, it's okay to quit. There's no shame in it. There are easier ways to make money, and there are plenty of other ways to find fulfillment. But if writing does make you happy, at least enough of the time, enjoy the journey, and good luck.
Oh, you said aspiring. I thought you said something else.
Seriously, if you aspire to being a writer, you probably already are a writer. Writers are people who write. Nobody can tell you you're a writer, nobody can tell you you're not a writer. You're a writer because you're a person who writes.
If you want to be a *published* writer, you can certainly go the self-publishing route. Nobody can stop you. You can pretty much write whatever you want, however you want, and make your work available to readers. There are few obstacles in your way, although not having obstacles isn't a guarantee of success, even on a small scale. Self-publishing is a route, not a shortcut.
If you want to be a traditionally published writer, which is the kind of writer I am, it's a bit more complicated, especially when it comes to novels. You need an agent who can sell your book to a publishing company willing to pay you and to invest money in publishing your book and getting it onto bookshelves. I go this route because it's working for me. I'm getting paid, publishers are doing a good job of printing and publishing my books, and I get a great deal of satisfaction from seeing my books as tangible objects on bookstore shelves.
It's easy to get distracted and discouraged by the whole publishing business, so it's really important to focus on the writing. Nobody wants to read or publish an unfinished book. Nobody wants to read or publish a book written without care, without intelligence, without craft, without heart.
So immerse yourself in words. Read a lot. Write a lot. You're going to spend a lot more time writing books than doing the stuff involved in publishing books, so if you're not getting satisfaction or enjoyment form the act of writing, you're not going to be happy.
And if writing isn't making you happy, it's okay to quit. There's no shame in it. There are easier ways to make money, and there are plenty of other ways to find fulfillment. But if writing does make you happy, at least enough of the time, enjoy the journey, and good luck.
More Answered Questions
Haddayr
asked
Greg Van Eekhout:
How do you approach your adult fiction as opposed for that for kids? I certainly notice a difference in tone, and I'm guessing there are some things you can't do in one or the other for marketing reasons, but I guess what I mean is literally how you approach it? Mindsetwise. "I just write what I wanna" is obviously an acceptable answer, but it will make me have a sad.
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