Six Common Questions About a Writing Career
So, you're considering writing a book or becoming an author, but you're unsure where to start. Let's address some of the most common questions I receive as the founder of the Killer Nashville International Writers' Conference; the #1 voted writers’ conference in the U.S., according to The Writer.
Do I need an M.F.A. or Ph.D.?
No. You only need these five things: You need to love to read, love to write, love people, love stories, and be curious. Sure, a college degree in writing or literature opens up the past tomes to you, but you can do that on your own. Writing is a solo activity in its first and following drafts, so no one will force you to do it. You must love to write so you’ll sit down and do it daily. It would be best if you were fascinated by how people work and what makes them tick and want to incorporate those traits into your written characters. It would be best to be fascinated with stories, learn how and why they work, and practice integrating the hows and whys into your work. Most importantly, you must be curious because your curiosity will lead you into previously unexplored areas and give you the original voice everyone is looking for.
Do I need to be born rich? Do I need money set aside?
Being a writer is relatively cheap—the start-up is nearly nothing. You need something to write on (paper, screen, iPad) and with (pen, pencil, keyboard), and you need to be able to print out your work (if required, as many outlets now only want electronic files). The primary investment you are going to have to make is your time. None of these costs much money. You need no money set aside to write. I have talked with writers who will work hard for a year and then take a year off to write their Great American Novel. Save yourself the effort. Get up a few minutes early, stay up a few minutes later, or spend some time writing during your lunch break—there is no need to take time off. There is no need to postpone your writing until you have more money. Please do it now.
Do I need to know people and have connections?
We are all born knowing no one. Celebrity children can rarely meet the talents of their celebrity parents. We all have our abilities; these abilities, along with our intentional efforts, open doors and introduce us to who we need to know. You can know anyone. You must be willing to put forth the effort to do so. So, do you need connections? Yes. Do you have to have them when you start? No. There are numerous ways to make connections. For instance, you can contact authors whose work you admire, attend writing workshops and conferences (such as Killer Nashville), and ask for introductions through friends. These are effective ways to meet the people you need to know to propel your way to the top.
I’m not a college kid anymore. Should I even think about a writing career?
At Killer Nashville, we have had success stories from people in the middle ages onward. You don’t have to be a kid. We live in a world that fantasizes and idolizes youth. Still, reality and experience say it takes anyone ten to twenty years to learn how to write a great sentence, just as it takes ten to twenty years for any medical student to become a decent doctor eventually. We forget the apprenticeship. What is the apprenticeship for a writer? Life. If you’ve lived longer, you have more to pull from and a balanced perspective you might not have had when you were twenty-one. Enjoy your age, whatever it is, and jump into writing (and publishing) if that is your passion. If you’re good, there is a place for you.
How much risk is involved in writing?
Financially, no risk at all. Time, no risk at all if writing is something you genuinely love. If you’re doing it for money, there is a risk because there is no guarantee that the novel you’re writing right now might not end up as a 'trunk novel' (a novel in a drawer, i.e., a book that never gets published) rather than a published novel. If you write for the right reasons, then there is no risk. Instead, you’ll find fun, entertainment, new ideas (remember curiosity), and a pleasurable and productive way to spend your time. Some people like the puzzle of doing crossword puzzles; I like to write, same thing. Check your motives. If you aim to be rich and famous, you’re in it for the wrong reason. If your goal is to see what stories you can tell, and then whatever happens after that is icing on the cake, you are in the proper vocation.
Can I quit my job to write?
Yes, but why do you need to, and how are you planning to support yourself? We think of writing as an all-day activity. For the rare few, it is. For most, though, about two to four hours a day is about all any good writer has in him, and then he needs to do something else. You don’t need to think you need a forty-hour week to become a writer. If you can snatch fifteen minutes here, thirty minutes there, or two hours each day of your weekend, then you’ve got all you need to write…and you can continue with your paycheck from your regular job until you come to the point that you might (or might not) decide to retire from your other job to write full-time. If so, you’ll know when that time comes without me telling you.
So, there you have it. No degree is required, and no ancestral lineage is required. You don’t need connections, and you can start at any age. There is no risk, and you don’t need to change your financial lifestyle to do it. If you’ve got a story you want to tell, that seems win-win.
So, what's stopping you? If you have an idea, there's no better time to start now. What will you write today?
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