Comments on: Writing for yourself http://barbarawklaser.mysterynovelist.com/2006/05/30/writing-for-yourself/ musings, thoughts, and writings of Barbara W. Klaser Fri, 08 Aug 2008 21:00:30 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=1.5.3-beta1 Comment on Writing for yourself by: How to Save the World http://barbarawklaser.mysterynovelist.com/2006/05/30/writing-for-yourself/#comment-3094 Sat, 10 Jun 2006 21:57:57 +0000 http://barbarawklaser.mysterynovelist.com/2006/05/30/writing-for-yourself/#comment-3094 <strong>Links for the Week - June 10, 2006</strong> Links for the Week - June 10, 2006

]]> Comment on Writing for yourself by: Brad http://barbarawklaser.mysterynovelist.com/2006/05/30/writing-for-yourself/#comment-3073 Sat, 03 Jun 2006 04:19:13 +0000 http://barbarawklaser.mysterynovelist.com/2006/05/30/writing-for-yourself/#comment-3073 I agree that one needs to write (especially fiction) for themself first, and worry about publishing, making money, etc. later. Everyone wants to be a writer nowadays. Everyone wants to make a living writing. The problem is, with litary fiction specifically, is that the market for literary fiction is rapidly shrinking. At the same time, the number of people producing it is on a dramatic increase (and can be seen by the number of MFA programs popping up and the sheer number of entries a writing contest will receive). Today, more than ever, a writer has to write for the sheer love of the craft, otherwise they'll get bored and move on to something else (and never make a dime from it). This is a really good post and I'm adding the blog to my favorites. Check my website out at: <A Href="http://www.bradsworld.com">Brad's World</A> (sorry for the self-promotion) I agree that one needs to write (especially fiction) for themself first, and worry about publishing, making money, etc. later. Everyone wants to be a writer nowadays. Everyone wants to make a living writing. The problem is, with litary fiction specifically, is that the market for literary fiction is rapidly shrinking. At the same time, the number of people producing it is on a dramatic increase (and can be seen by the number of MFA programs popping up and the sheer number of entries a writing contest will receive). Today, more than ever, a writer has to write for the sheer love of the craft, otherwise they’ll get bored and move on to something else (and never make a dime from it).

This is a really good post and I’m adding the blog to my favorites.

Check my website out at: Brad’s World (sorry for the self-promotion)

]]> Comment on Writing for yourself by: Susan http://barbarawklaser.mysterynovelist.com/2006/05/30/writing-for-yourself/#comment-3072 Fri, 02 Jun 2006 18:29:23 +0000 http://barbarawklaser.mysterynovelist.com/2006/05/30/writing-for-yourself/#comment-3072 Great post. Writing for myself is the only way I can get myself to write anything - even if it is *just* for my website. If I don't give a damn, I can't get the umph up to write about it. Even the teaching type of writing - I have to care about the subject, want to point something out - make it clear, give mundane things a new twist, whatever... there needs to be a *need* to express it, even if it is only for me to find out what is underneath so that I can detach or release. Great post. Writing for myself is the only way I can get myself to write anything - even if it is *just* for my website. If I don’t give a damn, I can’t get the umph up to write about it. Even the teaching type of writing - I have to care about the subject, want to point something out - make it clear, give mundane things a new twist, whatever… there needs to be a *need* to express it, even if it is only for me to find out what is underneath so that I can detach or release.

]]> Comment on Writing for yourself by: violetismycolor http://barbarawklaser.mysterynovelist.com/2006/05/30/writing-for-yourself/#comment-3068 Fri, 02 Jun 2006 05:06:55 +0000 http://barbarawklaser.mysterynovelist.com/2006/05/30/writing-for-yourself/#comment-3068 I think that writing for yourself is the only way to go. That way it is really satisfying, I would think. I think that writing for yourself is the only way to go. That way it is really satisfying, I would think.

]]> Comment on Writing for yourself by: susan http://barbarawklaser.mysterynovelist.com/2006/05/30/writing-for-yourself/#comment-3066 Thu, 01 Jun 2006 21:25:47 +0000 http://barbarawklaser.mysterynovelist.com/2006/05/30/writing-for-yourself/#comment-3066 Excellent post. If you want to sell your work, or let's put it this way, have as many people as possible read it, not only should it be something you're dedicated to but it should have mass appeal as well. You may feel passionate about your great aunt Hannah's ordeal in Idaho, but unless others can relate, it won't sell. Trends need be followed and the markets watched if one wants to be published--that's how the agents look at it. But no writer really wants to write something that no one else will want to read, unless it's in his diary. Love of what you're doing and need to share the words, I think, is the right combination. Excellent post. If you want to sell your work, or let’s put it this way, have as many people as possible read it, not only should it be something you’re dedicated to but it should have mass appeal as well. You may feel passionate about your great aunt Hannah’s ordeal in Idaho, but unless others can relate, it won’t sell. Trends need be followed and the markets watched if one wants to be published–that’s how the agents look at it. But no writer really wants to write something that no one else will want to read, unless it’s in his diary. Love of what you’re doing and need to share the words, I think, is the right combination.

]]> Comment on Writing for yourself by: Barbara http://barbarawklaser.mysterynovelist.com/2006/05/30/writing-for-yourself/#comment-3063 Thu, 01 Jun 2006 00:28:12 +0000 http://barbarawklaser.mysterynovelist.com/2006/05/30/writing-for-yourself/#comment-3063 Eric, you said: "I guess I’d waste months writing something I didn’t like, but somebody’d have to offer me a million up front!" I feel the same way. I wrote for a paycheck for many years, and the paycheck was pretty much guaranteed, so it was a secure, worthwhile endeavor. But now that my time is my own, it's another matter. I read advice that says follow the market, but to me that sounds like a guarantee of always being a step behind the market, letting someone else lead the way---no doubt someone who's writing exactly what he or she wants. This attitude of writing only what I feel passionate about is freeing. Hey, it worked for Anne Rice. Your Byzantine mysteries definitely have their niche, which I hope grows as more people discover them. The Victorian Occult thriller sounds intriguing. Eric, you said: “I guess I’d waste months writing something I didn’t like, but somebody’d have to offer me a million up front!”

I feel the same way. I wrote for a paycheck for many years, and the paycheck was pretty much guaranteed, so it was a secure, worthwhile endeavor. But now that my time is my own, it’s another matter. I read advice that says follow the market, but to me that sounds like a guarantee of always being a step behind the market, letting someone else lead the way—no doubt someone who’s writing exactly what he or she wants. This attitude of writing only what I feel passionate about is freeing. Hey, it worked for Anne Rice.

Your Byzantine mysteries definitely have their niche, which I hope grows as more people discover them. The Victorian Occult thriller sounds intriguing.

]]> Comment on Writing for yourself by: Eric Mayer http://barbarawklaser.mysterynovelist.com/2006/05/30/writing-for-yourself/#comment-3057 Wed, 31 May 2006 18:20:31 +0000 http://barbarawklaser.mysterynovelist.com/2006/05/30/writing-for-yourself/#comment-3057 I think we each need to find the balance between ourselves and a potential audience that suits our goals and reasons for writing. People write diaries just for themselves, with no intention of communicating with an audience. In that case they can write however they please. Some witers are, it seems, only interested in gaining the largest possible audience, in which case they need to disregard their own predilictions and write in a manner suitable to that potential audience. I doubt anyone's taste is precisely in line with the sort of lowest common denominator that will appeal, to some extent, to millions. Some writers are probably lucky in that what they really like is closer to what the mass market wants but we all need to decide how much we write for ourselves, how much we write for an audience, and what size and shape we conceive our audience to be. The Byzantine mysteries are not written for a huge audience. We have tried to write them in a more palatable manner as the series has continued but there's no way we could make them potential bestsellers and retain what we enjoy in them. We were lucky to find a small publisher. Our recent Victorian Occult thriller we wrote exactly to suit ourselves and have fun doing. It was indeed great fun to write compared to the last Byzantine mystery. I think it is our best work. Not a hint of interest in it so far. I guess I'd waste months writing something I didn't like, but somebody'd have to offer me a million up front! I think we each need to find the balance between ourselves and a potential audience that suits our goals and reasons for writing. People write diaries just for themselves, with no intention of communicating with an audience. In that case they can write however they please. Some witers are, it seems, only interested in gaining the largest possible audience, in which case they need to disregard their own predilictions and write in a manner suitable to that potential audience. I doubt anyone’s taste is precisely in line with the sort of lowest common denominator that will appeal, to some extent, to millions. Some writers are probably lucky in that what they really like is closer to what the mass market wants but we all need to decide how much we write for ourselves, how much we write for an audience, and what size and shape we conceive our audience to be.

The Byzantine mysteries are not written for a huge audience. We have tried to write them in a more palatable manner as the series has continued but there’s no way we could make them potential bestsellers and retain what we enjoy in them. We were lucky to find a small publisher. Our recent Victorian Occult thriller we wrote exactly to suit ourselves and have fun doing. It was indeed great fun to write compared to the last Byzantine mystery. I think it is our best work. Not a hint of interest in it so far. I guess I’d waste months writing something I didn’t like, but somebody’d have to offer me a million up front!

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