Writing from a professional perspective
Posted: 07 Mar 2016, 17:01
I'd like to offer some suggestions for newbie writers who are essentially just picking up the quill...
I recommend that you approach your writing from a professional standpoint and perspective.
What do I mean? I mean that you should write as if your new story or book or essay were going to be published and will become a NYT bestseller, with lots of great publicity and a generous contract.
Now, of course, if all you're writing is a blog or a "dear diary" then you can forget this. If your writing is meant only for yourself and a few close friends, then okay, don't concern yourself about spelling or grammar or good composition. Just write the info and email it to those half dozen pals or save it in a desk drawer or copied to a thumbdrive. Because it doesn't really matter if the writing is rough and there are errors.
But if you're instead writing for publication, even if it's self publication, you should, I believe, approach your writing as if you're a famous novelist with a large base of fans who are eagerly awaiting your next story. And of course your publisher has just sent you an advance check for $50,000.
Why? Because even if you self publish or your story or novel is picked up by a small conventional publisher for a very teeny advance and modest royalties, if you write as if you're a top rated novelist, you will be persuaded to work hard to ensure that your writing is the best possible, that it's free from any mechanical errors, that every word and phrase and sentence is carefully crafted, and that every page glistens with superb writing.
It's the attitude toward professionalism that matters, I think. And if you maintain that objective and vision, your writing will improve vastly.
Your thoughts on this?
I recommend that you approach your writing from a professional standpoint and perspective.
What do I mean? I mean that you should write as if your new story or book or essay were going to be published and will become a NYT bestseller, with lots of great publicity and a generous contract.
Now, of course, if all you're writing is a blog or a "dear diary" then you can forget this. If your writing is meant only for yourself and a few close friends, then okay, don't concern yourself about spelling or grammar or good composition. Just write the info and email it to those half dozen pals or save it in a desk drawer or copied to a thumbdrive. Because it doesn't really matter if the writing is rough and there are errors.
But if you're instead writing for publication, even if it's self publication, you should, I believe, approach your writing as if you're a famous novelist with a large base of fans who are eagerly awaiting your next story. And of course your publisher has just sent you an advance check for $50,000.
Why? Because even if you self publish or your story or novel is picked up by a small conventional publisher for a very teeny advance and modest royalties, if you write as if you're a top rated novelist, you will be persuaded to work hard to ensure that your writing is the best possible, that it's free from any mechanical errors, that every word and phrase and sentence is carefully crafted, and that every page glistens with superb writing.
It's the attitude toward professionalism that matters, I think. And if you maintain that objective and vision, your writing will improve vastly.
Your thoughts on this?