A_MacLaren

Maybe I'm going crotchety in my old age, but as I recall this used to be a site for writers. People who wrote, then asked for opinions. These days all I ever see is thread titles like 'Should I even try?' and 'You Decide!!!'. 'What's your opinion?' 'Is this good enough??!!!', 'Need help with motivation!!!.

I might be being unsympathetic, but for the love of god, grow some creative cajones and put the pen to the paper! (Sidenote: Now that's alliteration!)

If you want to be a writer, the first step, the middle step and the last step is writing. Before you need advice, opinions, help and criticism you need to write. It's the most important thing. It pretty much the only thing.

erotic_cookie

Great advice!

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Mike C

Couldn't agree more. Write your heart out, it doesn't matter what. There's nothing you can do that can't be fixed on the rewrite.

The answer to 'can I?' and 'should I?' is yes.

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Hakeem

Nicely said... kind of rebellious on the generations of TODAY..

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A_MacLaren

I don't know if Hakeem's comment was a joke or not, but I'm 19. Just thought it was worth pointing out that I'm not a sixty-year-old with a bitter heart and a head full of bad memories picking on the youth of today.

SilkFX

Who here is picking on the youth of today? Not me, I hope. Though I will say this: MacLaren, at 19 aren't you kind of young to be talking about "getting crotchety in your old age"? Because if you're old, I need to just be put in my grave right now. <--just poking fun

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Hakeem

hehe... Maclaren... in september I'll be 18! I was just joking that's it.. NOT on your opinion on the stupid threads that pop up sometimes, where the person wonders what kind of pen best rolls on paper, because I hate those things too...

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mwd

But ... I thought that if I made sure to get all the best ideas/guidance/software, my novel would just write itself for me? You mean I have to actually put in effort?

Bah.

edit: Seriously though, this reminds me of a Bukowski poem: http://bukowski.net/poems/makes.php

Hakeem

hehe... Maclaren I'll be 18 in september! I was just joking that's all.. and not joking on your opinion, I myself also hate those annoying threads that pop up from time to time where the person wonders what pen will roll best on the note paper he has!

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Glfralin

Well MacLaren I'm am getting old and crotchety at 50. But you make a very good and mature point. I think we all have misgivings about "what is good enough". But whatever age, the point is valid and I'm glad someone of youth said it instead of a crotchety old woman.

Aevin

That's a little harsh ...

Have you even been to the critique forums lately? They're bustling!

I'm writing quite a lot. In "Should I even try," I asked for an opinion because I needed one. Granted, I was a little down at the time, but still ... I needed to know if the type of story I was working on would stand a chance at publication.

I wrote the story. I asked for advice. And I received it--many thanks to those who responded, it was more helpful than you know.

What isn't helpful is being insulted for my insecurities by someone who is confident enough not to have them. People get enough of that from grade school bullies.

The point is ... I'm writing constantly, and I still have extreme doubts, no matter how many people seem to enjoy my work. So, when others have the same kinds of doubts, I'm willing to help in any way I can. Sometimes, the best way of improving a writer's skill is to help, not with technical things, but with self-confidence.

As for this thread ... It feels to me like a knife in the back and another blow to those insecure people who only barely ask for help when they need it. Instead of posting and being reassured, they'll heed your advice and stew about their insecurities in private.

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cecilia

oh geez, lets not start on the youth thing-pleaseee!
(begs on knees) I get enough of that at college!

How about we all write at least five hundred words then and post it on here and then pledge to write at least (a certain amount depending on your circumstances) a day/week....as I read somewhere,(no copyright infringement intended) - 90% of success is turning up. So we best arrive (sorry I know that bit was corn cheese with cheddar on top). Speak soonies with a written passage!
lots of luv cecilia xxx

PS-HAIL A MCLAREN FOR THE SIMPLE WISDOM THAT REMINDS US WHY WE ARE ALL HERE!

pps- was it woody allen??

ppps- oh yeah iremember now I read it in my jack hefferon book

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cecilia

hm drak aevin, you do have a real point, I am always wondering-is it original enough? will people be actually interested? is this of any interest to anyone? I try to write for myself but thats near to impossible when writing is meant to be read, you cant help but write for an audience sometimes. Iam sorry my good fellow I near saw your post, I missed it. ooh i'm all in a quandry now of conflicting opinions!!

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mwd

Then I don't think this thread was addressed to you, was it?

It's one thing to seek critique or advice on something you've done. It's quite another to ask, "Should I do it?" or "Is this idea good enough?", because the fact is that until it's down on paper, there's no way of knowing whether it's going to be good.

Some stories with good ideas and great intentions, turn out badly. Other stories that start with silly ideas, or are written just on a lark, turn out well. No one is an oracle. No one can determine what is or what isn't going to work before they see it, and when you ask for advice before having written anything, that's basically what you're requesting: fortune telling. You're asking for someone to guess at how good it's going to be.

But I don't think people should focus on, "How good is this going to be?" but rather "How good can I make it?"

cbrmale

A former Prime Minister of Australia once made a flippant comment that 'life wasn't meant to be easy'. I admit that every time I see a thread that is titled 'I can't get motivated' or 'how much do you write' or 'where do I start' or similar, I just don't bother to read. Life wasn't meant to be easy, and you either take something on and do it, or you don't. Particularly for a hobby, why do you need to struggle for motivation?

In the real world, in job and career, your employer isn't going to wait around for you to get motivated! My career, I got dumped into a big job at an early age and I was expected to do what I did. I took on more responsibility with subsequent jobs and while I value my personal time more than my work time, I never shirk when it comes to taking on challenges.

Same with writing, when I write I do it to the best of my ability, and I work and refine the finished product until I am confident that I can hand it to anyone and they will find it a good and interesting read. I don't need motivation to produce something of quality, because I do it for myself, my own satisfaction and my own self-esteem.