How Do I Start As An Author?

[USMCWolf]

So I am a pfc in the marine corps and am about to go to okinawa Japan for my first duty station.  I really want to be an author ,because i have always loved to write and seem to be moderately decent(or no one wanted to hurt my feelings ) My question is what should i do to start?  Any help or suggestions would be appreciated!                                                                             
                                                                                                                              Thanks!
 

[Starbeam]

Read a lot. Write a lot. Read a lot about writing. Jim's livejournal is good, and so is On Writing by Stephen King.

[meg_evonne]

Hi and welcome to this thread. Travel safe with laptop in hand.

Because of you, (thank you!) I dropped backwards to find Jim's livejournal link. As Starbeam mentioned, it is the best place for any writer to start, study, enjoy.  Best news? There was a new KIB ( Kick in the butt) motivator. Here's the link. Start with Nov. 3, 2011. Then bop all the way back to the beginning and start reading.  Here's the link. Bookmark it. http://jimbutcher.livejournal.com/

Finally, write because you must, because your heart and soul require it, and write first and foremost for yourself. Getting published might be important to some, but it is the journey that counts in my opinion. Write so that every piece you work on is better than the last one. Be working on your next piece as you work your way through the present one. Plan on having a basket full of eggs, not one golden one. Yes, edit. Yes, re-write, but don't get stuck in one manuscript.

Then start reading books about the writer's craft, attend classes online about the craft, and find fellow writers who actively work on improving their craft. Treat your new knowledge with care and give it the respect it deserves. Don't be selfish and share what you learn with others.

Then read fiction critically. READ. READ. READ. DISSECT. DISSECT. DISSECT. Fill the books you read with handwritten notes and highlighter marks. The day will come that you begin to say, "I would have done this." or maybe, "If the author had done this, then it would have made me feel this way." Look for the writer tool box tricks as you read so you say, "Wow, s/he did this because it created this emotion, or this beat pattern because it made my heart match it, or look how I just read three descriptive paragraphs and I couldn't put it down because it was so freaking awesome. Then figure out how s/he did it."  ABSORB. ABSORB. ABSORB.

Connie Willis says to watch bad movies, not good ones, and figure out where they went wrong. Know that learning to be the best story teller you can be will improve your writing, because you will learn how to hold your reader in your hand. Once you have them, never let them down and always treat them with respect.

Know that every time you reach your goal, there will always be another mountain on the other side--none of them easy. Enjoy the view, then turn around and start on the next. Bless your muse, your god, whatever that gave you the desire to simply write.

No where here have I mentioned being published. Instead, make being the best writer you can be your goal. Eventually, you will realize that you've reached a point that it is time to start studying the publishing industry. Then it becomes a huge game, but while you play it--keep writing.

[trboturtle]

Write, write, and write some more.....

A lot of people (Like me) started writing fanfiction and have moved on from there. Fanfiction, while not sellable, does have the advantage of allowing the author to take established characters and situation and play around with them. I think fanfiction is a good palce to start, but YMMV.

Right now, I'm writing stories set in the Battletech Universe -- everything else has been established, so I can concentrate on plot and characters. After twenty-five years of RT existence, there's a LOT of background about the universe, its factions and technologies that I can use to create stories. From fanfiction, you see what you need when you worldbuild your own universe.

Keep notes on what you like and what you don't when you read. When you read a scene, think "How would I have written the scene?" and maybe actually rewrite it.

Read not only fiction, but non-fiction. If you are writing science fiction, read some science books to get a feel for the things you have to account for in say, FTL travel. Since you're military, you have knowledge of military matters (Chain of command, your job, TOE of your unit). If writing a story with sword play, read about it (Or even better, train in swordplay). Have a working knowledge of many areas that you think you'll need to write your story. I have a large reference section in my personal library, and the internet can help if you don't have the right books or knowledge....

and keep writing!

Craig

[Starbeam]

Another couple good resources, especially if you're writing genre, are the Writing Excuses podcast, and the Once and Future podcast.  If I remember, I'll get the links to those when I get home, unless someone does it first.

[whingnut]

Another couple good resources, especially if you're writing genre, are the Writing Excuses podcast, and the Once and Future podcast.  If I remember, I'll get the links to those when I get home, unless someone does it first.

My lovely wife got sidetracked, as she sometimes does, and forgot to get you some links so I will help out

writing excuses
http://www.writingexcuses.com/

and

The Once And Future Podcast
http://www.antonstrout.com/Once___Future_Podcast.html

both have a LOT of good info by and from people in the business both from the publishing side and the authors side and in the case of O&F BOTH sides as Anton Stout is published and also works for Penguin Group.

Enjoy and Thank you for your service!

[MClark]

Interesting comment about bad movies, meg. I went thru a spell a few years ago where I was obsessed with zombie movies and I watched a bunch of them. Comparing them to Casablanca (my favorite movie) or even Gamers: Dorkness Rising (not as good as Casablanca) really showed how bad most zombie movies are, and how I would do it differently.

[Paynesgrey]

Write, write, and write some more.....

A lot of people (Like me) started writing fanfiction and have moved on from there. Fanfiction, while not sellable, does have the advantage of allowing the author to take established characters and situation and play around with them. I think fanfiction is a good palce to start, but YMMV.

Right now, I'm writing stories set in the Battletech Universe -- everything else has been established, so I can concentrate on plot and characters. After twenty-five years of RT existence, there's a LOT of background about the universe, its factions and technologies that I can use to create stories. From fanfiction, you see what you need when you worldbuild your own universe.

Keep notes on what you like and what you don't when you read. When you read a scene, think "How would I have written the scene?" and maybe actually rewrite it.

Read not only fiction, but non-fiction. If you are writing science fiction, read some science books to get a feel for the things you have to account for in say, FTL travel. Since you're military, you have knowledge of military matters (Chain of command, your job, TOE of your unit). If writing a story with sword play, read about it (Or even better, train in swordplay). Have a working knowledge of many areas that you think you'll need to write your story. I have a large reference section in my personal library, and the internet can help if you don't have the right books or knowledge....

and keep writing!

Craig

Second that.  Fanfic allows you to use a pre-made world to allow you to focus on particular aspects of writing without juggling world building at the same time.  For example, to practice capturing an iconic character's "voice" and, well, character... allowing you to learn how to be consistant with the voice and portrayal of your own original characters later on. 

It's like how art students will be assigned first to sketch with accuracy a pre-existing artwork, and then they'll be assigned to do a more detailed version, even a reproduction of the piece... and finally to explore different styles the piece could have been done in.  It allows you to practice your technical skills with some training wheels, basically.  Nailing down composition, brush technique, mastering the quirks of the chosen medium (water, oils, chalk, etc), giving them a full toolbox to work from when they're ready to tackle totally original work.

And it can be fun.

[Snowleopard]

I started with fanfic and then moved into my own Universe.
As PG and others say - a good way to learn the rules.
And, I'll reiterate it, write, write, and write some more.
Good, bad, indifferent - it's the way you learn.
Or as a writer once said - "Get Black on White".
Good luck by the way.  If there's anyway we can help let us know.
 

[meg_evonne]

Love the santa hat Snowleopard!

[Snowleopard]

Thanks - figured it was time to look a little more festive.

[The Deposed King]

My advice is you can't let anyone stop you.  On top of that the worst enemy in this battle is not anyone on the outside.  Your worst enemy is yourself.

As I started wanting to be a writer.  My first enemy was my inability to write fast enough.  My mind would race ahead and my twenty words a minute couldn't keep up.  I'd get discouraged and stop.  Then I was blessed to meet my future wife and cursed to be separated for a year while we worked on the fiance visa.  My writing speed improved.

Then my enemy became all the people who'd just say I couldn't get through the first chapter it was so roughly written but didn't actually help me fix it.  But really the problem was with myself.  I needed to focus on my inability to write cleanly.  I was discouraged and stopped again.  That is still a failing of mine but I'm both better at it and able to cope and find work arounds.  For instance my brother is helping me and I'm focusing more on books from established authors.  I open them not to read but to see how they constructed their dialog and paragraphs.

Then my next enemy was all those cheap kindle books out there I could read for less than a buck.  Who wants to take the laborious time needed to write a book when there was all this fun stuff to read out there.  But you guessed it again.  I'm the problem.

I think its the same thing with editors and agents and all that.  Its not that blasted editor who won't give you a chance or people online who won't tell you what to do.  All of that can either be found on the internet from a few hours of searching or honestly your work isn't worthy yet.  Self-domination is the key.  You must master yourself and refuse to let your discouragement, your lack of inspiration or any discouraging comments from others slow you down.  And in this day and age there is no excuse for blaming the editor, or agent or cover artist, for the reason you can't publish a book.  Any yahoo with a lap top can post their book on Amazon for 'free' and then your works aren't in the hands of some (dirty so and so _____ insert name) its directly in the hands of your readers.  And son if you want to blame the consumers for not liking your works, then you are looking at the wrong business and need to rethink things.


The Deposed King

[USMCWolf]

Thank you to all of you that took the time to reply to my question. Sorry I haven't responded sooner, but my life got very busy once I arrived on Okinawa. All of your advice was very helpful as well as the links provided.One day, I hope to write well enough to reflect all the help given to me.

[trboturtle]

If you want advice, go here: http://kriswrites.com/business-rusch-publishing-articles/the-business-rusch-publishing-series/ When/if you want to start writing as a business...

Craig

[Darwinist]

Best advice I can give but always never seem to follow: Depending on the genre, if your character is in a jam that you can reasonably see a way out of from a mile away, go back and break his/her legs.®

/not really trademark
//slashies are fun