What do you need to do to become a writer. Develop your literary talent all the time

19.04.2019

The profession of a writer seems amazing: a person creates the world, publishes books, and if they seem interesting, then he gets good money. Domestic practice shows that literary creativity It's more of a calling than a profession. In this article, we will figure out how to become a writer.

Who is the real writer?

Writer is a person who creates works intended for public consumption. For this type of activity, he receives remuneration. Another form of this activity is the recognition of a person by the writing community, critics, or obtaining another expert assessment.

Is it a hobby or profession

The writer must be:
    Able-bodied - there are hours of work between the ideas in the head and the book in the cover. Competent - not a single proofreader will correct a huge number of mistakes. Diligent - the ideas that have arisen must be able to be presented beautifully. To do this, you will have to spend many hours at the computer. Educated - many authors keep diaries in which they enter beautiful speeches, sensations, skits, etc. They will need this material for work. Be able to express their thoughts, feelings, mood.

A writer can be a person who has talent. Appropriate skills can be developed, a sense of style can be instilled. However, teaching a person to beautifully transfer an idea from head to paper is very difficult. But probably.

Is it possible to make money on this

Usually publishers pay 10% of the cost of a copy, and retailers make a 100% markup. The author receives approximately 5% of the value of the book on the shelf. Novice writers publish works in the amount of 2-4 thousand copies. If the fee per unit is 10 rubles, then from this amount you can get 40 thousand rubles. You can also sell books via the Internet, setting the price yourself. All profits will be fully owned by the author. The circulation will depend on the popularity of the work.

How to start a writing career

Writing, like any art form, is built on clear rules. To become a writer and make a living from this occupation, you will have to drive yourself into the framework of terms and topics. But first, a lot of work needs to be done. 1. Choose a genre and your style A correctly chosen genre is a 100% hit in target audience. Many authors feel that narrowing the work down to one genre will deprive them of potential readers. This thesis does not apply to novice authors. If the latter does not want to define the genre, then he confuses the potential reader, that is, the buyer. The reader wants to purchase a particular product. If in a matter of seconds the author cannot explain what book he created, then the reader will leave without buying. 2. Make at least 10 attempts Beginning and successful writers alike often face the challenge of maintaining their "unique" view of the world. Before reaching the writer's Olympus, one must study what humanity has already chosen. Then the author's view will become truly original. In an attempt to ignore the culture of mankind, the writer risks being left alone with his vision. You need to constantly write. Lots and everything, try to pick Right words. Try to keep a fresh look at literature. The best way to do this is to use wit. In order not to get lost halfway, you need to believe in yourself and your strengths, write as sincerely and well as possible. 3. Analyze the result Try to keep a fresh look at literature. It will depend on whether the reader wants to study your book and tell others about it. To do this, you need to compare your work with an essay. famous author. This move worked well with the editor. If a person at the first meeting says that he writes in the spirit of Saltykov-Shchedrin, then it becomes clear to publishers that they have an author who seeks to create an artistic and political satire. Finding style icons is important not only for comparison, but also for further learning.

4. Listen to the opinions of others Provide your work for study not only to the editor, but also to relatives. If they offer constructive criticism. Then you should listen to her. Unless you contacted the all-knowing "hacker". You need to be able to distinguish the opinion of amateurs, from people with professional and life experience, and listen to the latter. Then work on the mistakes, that is, on editing the style and the availability of the presentation. The editor's tips are very useful. Most often, he receives a raw product with a large number of errors. Its task is to correct the shortcomings and create a stylistically competent and light text. Sometimes it is quite sharp and tough. Because in many respects the final success of the book depends on the results of his work. 5. Listen to yourself - is it yours or not The success of the essay depends on the ability of the author to transfer the reader to the center of events. People don't care about the hardships you experienced as a child. If you can make the reader feel like what is happening, learn a lesson, then the book will be successful. Another question is whether you can do this in an accessible way as an author. You need to listen to your inner voice. 6. Keep writing no matter what Popularity is the result of painstaking work on the bugs. Becoming a writer is very difficult. Not everything depends on diligence and “training”. You can sit at least for 6 hours with a laptop and a voice recorder, but as a result you get a dull work. Not always the desire to write coincides with the talent of a person. If you make an effort, improve your skills, read a lot, write even more and try yourself in different styles, then the chance of success is greatly increased. 7. Come up with a pseudonym for yourself Author from nice name easier to remember. How to come up with an alias:
    Determine which part of the name you want to leave, for example, instead of Alexander - San. Choose a name that matches the genre. Initials are more suitable for a fantasy author, and “soft” names that will sound beautiful for a literary work. Think of a few beautiful aliases and give yourself time to study each one. Choose the one you like best.
8. Try to publish your creations Publishing a book costs a lot of money. Even after passing through a rigorous selection of works and adjusting the style, no one can provide a guarantee of cost recovery. In addition, the works of beginners are published in a small circulation. Therefore, editors advise starting with social networks and special online platforms. Electronic publishing saves the author from several degrees of stumbling: he himself can go out to his circle of readers and test various literary works. J. K. Rowling received 8 rejections before publishing the Harry Potter manuscript, and the Austrian publisher found the work of E. L. James "50 Shades of Grey" on a fan fiction forum.

9. Hold a literary evening of your work Another way to find your reader and listen to the critics is to participate in literary evening works. First, you should visit the event of a famous author, get acquainted with the "literary elite", listen to hot topics. The evening follows two scenarios: either fans read the author's favorite works, or the "idol" himself reads new works. Meetings are also practiced at which authors who write in different directions. Aspiring creators at such events share their sketches and listen to the opinions of professionals, including literary critics. To become a writer, you need great talent and self-discipline. It is necessary to clearly understand what kind of prose you want to receive, to have an example before your eyes and follow it. The most difficult thing for a writer is to complete the work. This cannot be done without patience. Everything is really good books astounded by their veracity. The reader seems to experience all the events and emotions himself. Only a good writer can give all this to people.

If you want to write a novel in three parts but don't know where to start, just sit down and start writing. This is the main advice that can be given to a beginner. This includes not only the creation of works, but also keeping diaries, blogs, letters to relatives, etc.
    It is not necessary to describe events in chronological order. The writer is the creator! First you can come up with an ending, and then the story itself. The Russian language is very rich. Try to use unexpected metaphors and comparisons when creating works. It is very difficult to keep more than three characters in your head. So it's better to create short description to each of them. Names should be chosen that are different from each other, but at the same time characterize the characters. Works with unexpected endings are strongly embedded in memory and evoke a lot of emotions. The finished work should be given to someone to read. If it is not possible to use the services of proofreaders, it is better to give the work to friends and acquaintances, but do it anonymously in order to get an objective assessment.
This is how Stephen King creates his works. The author needs to have two copies of his work: a draft and a final version. The first must be created without anyone's help for closed door. It will take time to transform all expressed thoughts into a work. At that time, the writer advises to completely change the type of activity or leave to rest. The book should lie down for at least six weeks in a closed box. After the specified time, the first corrections to the text are carried out: all typos and inconsistencies are corrected. the main objective re-reading the work - to understand whether the text is completely connected. The formula of the second copy of the manuscript = First option - 10%. Only after reaching this proportion, the book gets on the table to the proofreader.

How to quickly want to write if the muse has left you

Anyone can leave inspiration. How to be in this case:
    Are you worried about some burning question? Try to understand it yourself and help others to do it. Stephen King recommends writing for one ideal reader. After all, it is no coincidence that the books that have come down to us from ancient times are a letter to one person (“To Myself” by M. Aurelius). There are no bad sketches. The task of the writer is to polish the text well. The source can be anything. Trust your intuition. Inspiration can come at any moment. Try to grab onto it and use it to the maximum, and then work with the result. One more nuance: inspiration comes during work. Work at 110%. Write about what interests you personally. Then other people will find something familiar in the written.

Develop your literary talent all the time

The job of an author is not to create ideas, but to recognize them. There is no Repository of Ideas or Bestseller Island. good ideas literally come from nowhere. The author's task is to recognize them. When a poet writes, he creates an essay for himself, when he corrects it, he creates it for readers. At this point, it is important to remove all unnecessary. Then the work will become interesting for other readers. The writer must develop his lexicon. But by reading. A spelling dictionary is best placed on a shelf with tools. Stephen King believes that any work can be spoiled by adding a bunch of long words to it. The author should express thoughts quickly and directly. A good description is the key to success. It is an acquired skill that can only be learned by reading and writing a lot. Description is a visualization of an object, characters, objects, which begins with the words of the author and must end in the imagination of the reader.

How to be a good children's writer

Creating children's books is a trendy but challenging endeavor. The perception of a child is not the same as that of an adult. They do not need trendy, but interesting books. A poet of children's books has a great responsibility. They should not contain violence, cruelty, bullying. The children's psyche is not yet formed, so it is difficult for them to understand irony and sarcasm. Children's author must clearly know the audience. The younger she is, the simpler the stories should be and brighter characters. Toddlers perceive fairy tales well, and older children perceive intricate stories.

I want to become a famous writer, how to achieve this

    Make sure you really want to be a writer and are willing to work towards it. Without self-confidence, it will be very difficult to move on. Read as much as possible. alternate short stories with serious masterpieces. This will greatly expand your vocabulary. Write a 10-page story in 10 days. Use your imagination to the full. Start a diary for the future "bestseller" and fill out one page in it every day. It doesn't matter if it's fiction or documentary. The diary is needed to hone your skills. Provide your creations to the general public. You can start promoting the book yourself, via the Internet. Listen to constructive criticism. Write down short abstracts for yourself and leave them in a conspicuous place. Try to create real heroes and love your characters. Write about anything that interests you!

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  1. Never use a metaphor, comparison, or other form of speech that you often see on paper.
  2. Never use a long one where you can get by with a short one.
  3. If you can throw away a word, always get rid of it.
  4. Never use the passive when you can use the active.
  5. Never use borrowed words, scientific or professional terms if they can be replaced by vocabulary from everyday language.
  6. It is better to break any of these rules than to write something outright barbaric.

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  1. Make the most of your time stranger so that it does not seem to him wasted in vain.
  2. Give the reader at least one hero for whom you want to cheer with your soul.
  3. Every character has to desire something, even if it's just a glass of water.
  4. Each sentence should serve one of two purposes: to reveal a character or move events forward.
  5. Start as close to the end as possible.
  6. Be sadistic. No matter how sweet and innocent your main characters are, treat them horribly: the reader must see what they are made of.
  7. Write to please only one person. If you open the window and make love to the world, so to speak, your story will catch pneumonia.

Modern British writer, very popular among fantasy fans. Moorcock's key work is the multi-volume cycle about Elric of Melnibone.

  1. I borrowed my first rule from Terence Hanbury White, author of The Sword in the Stone and other Arthurian works. It was like this: read. Read everything that comes to hand. I always advise people who want to write fantasy, or science, or romance novels, stop reading those genres and take on everything else from John Bunyan to Antonia Byatt.
  2. Find an author you admire (Konrad was mine) and copy his stories and characters for own history. Be an artist who imitates the master to learn how to draw.
  3. If you are writing story-driven prose, introduce the main characters and main themes in the first third. You can call it an introduction.
  4. Develop themes and characters in the second third - the development of the work.
  5. Complete topics, reveal secrets and more in the final third - the denouement.
  6. Whenever possible, accompany the introductions to the characters and their philosophizing with activities. This helps maintain dramatic tension.
  7. Carrot and stick: heroes must be pursued (by obsession or villain) and pursued (ideas, objects, personalities, mysteries).

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American writer of the 20th century. He became famous for such scandalous works for his time as Tropic of Cancer, Tropic of Capricorn and Black Spring.

  1. Work on one thing until you're done.
  2. Do not be nervous. Work calmly and with joy, whatever you do.
  3. Act according to the plan, not according to the mood. Stop at the appointed time.
  4. When work.
  5. Cement a little each day instead of adding new fertilizer.
  6. Stay human! Meet people, visit different places, drink if you want.
  7. Don't turn into a draft horse! Work only with pleasure.
  8. Deviate from the plan if you need to, but come back to it the next day. Focus. Be specific. Exclude.
  9. Forget about the books you want to write. Think only about what you write.
  10. Write fast and always. Drawing, music, friends, movies - all this after work.

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One of famous science fiction writers our time. From his pen came such works as "American Gods" and "Stardust". However, they filmed it.

  1. Write.
  2. Add word by word. Find the right word, write it down.
  3. Finish what you write. Whatever it takes, finish what you started.
  4. Set your notes aside. Read them as if you were doing it for the first time. Show the work to friends who love something similar and whose opinion you respect.
  5. Remember, when people say something is wrong or not working, they are almost always right. When they explain what exactly is wrong and how to fix it, they are almost always wrong.
  6. Correct the mistakes. Remember, you'll have to let go of work before it's perfect and start the next one. is the pursuit of the horizon. Move on.
  7. Laugh at your own jokes.
  8. The main rule of writing: if you create with enough self-confidence, you can do anything. It can also be the rule of all life. But it's the best for writing.

moiarussia.ru

Master short prose and a classic of Russian literature who hardly needs an introduction.

  1. It is assumed that the writer, in addition to ordinary mental abilities must have experience. The highest remuneration is received by people who have gone through fire, water and copper pipes, the lowest - nature untouched and unspoiled.
  2. Becoming a writer is very easy. There is no freak who would not find a mate for himself, and there is no nonsense that would not find a suitable reader for himself. And therefore, do not be shy ... Put paper in front of you, pick up a pen and, irritating the captive thought, scribble.
  3. Becoming a writer who gets published and read is very difficult. For this: be and have a talent the size of at least a lentil grain. In the absence of great talents, the roads are also small.
  4. If you want to write, then do so. Choose a topic first. Here you have complete freedom. You can use arbitrariness and even arbitrariness. But, in order not to discover America a second time and not to reinvent gunpowder, avoid topics that have long been hackneyed.
  5. Let your imagination run wild, hold your hand. Don't let her chase the number of lines. The shorter and less often you write, the more and more often you are printed. Brevity does not spoil things at all. A stretched rubber erases a pencil no better than an unstretched one.

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  1. If you are still a child, make sure that . Spend more time on this than anything else.
  2. If you are an adult, try to read your work the way a stranger would. Or even better - as your enemy would read them.
  3. Don't exalt your "calling". You can either write good sentences or you can't. There is no "writer's way of life". What matters is what you leave on the page.
  4. Take significant breaks between writing and editing.
  5. Write on a computer that is not connected to the Internet.
  6. Protect work time and space. Even from the people who are most important to you.
  7. Do not confuse honors and achievements.

A novice writer needs to be not only talented, but also very patient and active. The main thing in writing is to get sick of this business, enjoy it and not despair, even if critics do not recognize you.

What qualities does a writer need? Perhaps the most important are fantasy and the ability to figuratively express your thoughts on paper. But finding a job thanks to connections in this matter will not work for sure. To become a successful writer, you first have to write to the table, then send your imperishable books to the editors, and then wait for months for a response. Lucky or not, whether your work will seem not only interesting, but also in a format demanded by readers - this will be decided by the publishers. Therefore, it is necessary to be not only talented, but also very patient and active, because you cannot sell yourself - no one will buy.

Love must be conquered

To formulate exact instructions that will help you become a writer, no one, of course, can. However, many are willing to talk about their journey in this field, about how young talent can make a name for themselves.

To begin with, we talked with the author of love and historical novels, detective stories and science fiction, Elena Arsenyeva. Elena Grushko (she took a pseudonym later) was born in Khabarovsk. She graduated from the philological faculty of the Khabarovsk Pedagogical Institute and in absentia - the scenario faculty of VGIK. After that, she worked on Khabarovsk TV as an editor of programs for children and youth, in the literary and artistic magazine "Far East" and in the Khabarovsk book publishing house. Having moved to Nizhny Novgorod, she became the regional representative of the Young Guard.

Elena's first work was the short story "Not a Wife", published in the Far East magazine. The newspaper critic Literary Russia”, which reviewed the work of young writers of Siberia and Far East, literally defeated the debutante, but she was not upset and took the collection of stories to the publishing house “ Last snow April". If at first Elena was a fan of realism and documentaries, then later fairy tales and fantasy began to attract her: this is how the stories “The Blue Cedar”, “Athenaora Metter Porfirola”, “Constellation of Visions” and others appeared.

“Sometimes a writer’s success comes quickly, and sometimes it takes years. I have always taken an active part in public life: I attended a seminar for young science fiction writers from Siberia and the Far East in Novosibirsk and many other specialized conventions, ”recalls Elena. Soon fate gave her new gift- Acquaintance during a trip to Moscow with science fiction writer Yuri Medvedev. For several years they co-authored encyclopedic books on the history of Rus', Russia and Russian life.

In the late 90s, Elena Grushko began to write historical works and detectives, at the same time acquired a pseudonym. Now she has more than seventy novels - detective, historical, love, as well as collections of historical short stories. “The main thing in writing is to get sick of this business, enjoy it and not despair, even if critics do not recognize you. Love must be won back, ”the author sums up.

I write to the table, but I earn by journalism

Unfortunately, not everyone who chooses the path of writing is so lucky. Here is Tatyana's story: “While still studying at the Faculty of Philology of UNN, I started working as a journalist and at the age of 25 I became the editor-in-chief of a Nizhny Novgorod secular publication. But all this time I dreamed of writing books. Tatyana was the editor-in-chief of three publications, but after 15 years she made the fateful decision to leave to work as a freelancer in order to have time to create her works. She herself sent offers to Moscow publishing houses, until one of them agreed to publish her book, which tells about the profession of a journalist. As a result, the fee for it amounted to 18 thousand rubles. The same amount was to be transferred for every 5,000 copies sold.

Later Tatyana wrote two more historical novel, but for four years publishing houses have been refusing them - “not a format”. “Now I have posted my novels on the Internet - I have my own fans, we correspond with them. I did not despair - I think everything is still ahead, - she says. - The main thing is that I enjoy the process, which is very important. And I earn as a journalist in free flight.

The writer creates a new universe

Rising star of Eksmo publishing house Olga Volodarskaya- Author of novels in the genres of melodrama and detective story ("Bitch for Dessert", "Retro Murder", "Ghosts of the Sunny South", "Cry, Executioner in Love", "Kara Don Juana"). Despite the creepy titles, there is fundamentally no crime bosses, arms or drug dealers. Olga admitted that as a child she was a terrible dreamer, adored Volkov's books about the Emerald City and loved to imagine how one day she would get into magical land. her first own work was dedicated to the adventures of the girl Olya and her four-legged friends. Since then, she has been constantly writing something: either fairy tales, or stories, or screenplays.

Olga decided to seriously engage in writing at the age of twenty-five, after she completed her first great work - the historical melodrama Bluebeard's Wife. “I didn’t let anyone read my books: I hid manuscripts, put a password on the computer - in a word, I wrote on the table,” she says. “Only the first detective novel, Bitch for Dessert, saw its readers.” This genre was chosen five years ago only because of its popularity. When reading detective stories, Olga always immediately figured out the killer and believed that writing them was just as boring. But everything turned out to be much more interesting, and she took up the third novel with great excitement. "Write new book- it's like creating a new universe, - explains Olga. - After all, you invent your own world, populate it with people and invent their destinies. Maybe I have delusions of grandeur, but I believe that the writer creates a new world.

From the old life - piece by piece

Olga Volodarskaya advises novice writers to be patient and stubborn. At one time, she took several books to the publishing house: “And when I was finally invited to the meeting, I was not even happy - I had been waiting for so long. In 2008, the contract was nevertheless signed, and before that I kept afloat only thanks to the Podvig publishing house, which paid little, but still helped to survive. I worked then in the information and computing center at the computer. Every day I came home and wrote.

After the long-awaited conclusion of the contract, Olga left old life"not entirely, but in parts." She did not quit her job right away - at first she took administrative leave: she was afraid to say goodbye to the team, the usual regime and way of life. But when she finally left, she began completely new life: you didn’t have to get up at six in the morning and rush headlong to the morning train - you could have been too lazy. “Now I can’t imagine how you can return to the past. I like freedom, and in this regard I happy man. My workplace where there is a laptop. It's so great that you can work in a taxi, on an airplane, at a party."

Heroes are sought in the resorts

According to Olga, stories about how people raise a factory will obviously not be popular today: “You need to write about a glamorous life, detective stories are also well read. True, now the market has become more diverse, and literally five years ago they were in great demand.” On average, Olga writes three books a year. This is an energy-intensive business, so after completing each manuscript, she goes to rest, “charges up” and often begins to think about a new plot in the resorts.

So, for example, it happened with the novel "Kara Don Juan", conceived in 2003 during a vacation in Adler. Olga was sitting by the sea, and a dark-haired, swarthy, serious girl was playing next to her. She picked up pebbles and threw them into the water, trying to hit the bathing kids. This is how the heroine Kara appeared. And the author met the prototype of the main character Sergei on the embankment of Abkhazia. He lived in this country, but left it during the conflict with Georgia. “I worked on this novel for about six months, not counting the “gestation” period. I think of a plot for a long time, and then I quickly start writing it down. At the same time, the result is often different - not the same as originally planned.

Olga admitted that famous writers less successful colleagues are jealous: “I don’t understand how you can criticize someone, but people here like to slander:“ They paid for this, so he is published, slaves write for this, and this is generally mediocrity, she just has a famous husband. An absolutely mediocre person can break through thanks to money, but he still won’t last long.

The writer believes that it is always more interesting to try something new. She herself balances on the verge of detective and melodrama, but there are those who masterfully master one genre and become unsurpassed in it. “For example, Agatha Christie - what a fine fellow she is! All works are brilliant, there are no passers-by among them,” she admires.

Believe in yourself!

What advice can you give to aspiring writers? Olga Volodarskaya emphasizes: be prepared for a long and thorny path. Her first book was reprinted three times and paid only 25 thousand rubles. “I started working with a literary agent,” she shares her experience. - If you take an agent, then by all means a “shark”, who should be well versed in this business. I can’t say anything - mine was a decent person, a lot of things rested simply on word of honor. And you can wait forever for an answer about an agreement with a good, honest publishing house.

Our heroine waited for two years. Debutants may be told that they liked the book, but until the conclusion of the contract will pass a lot of time. When she came to a meeting with the editor-in-chief of the publishing house, it turned out that he knew her books very well. For example, he asked Olga how she could describe Rio de Janeiro so believably. But she never went there: she simply draws information from the words of acquaintances or looks at magazines and various almanacs.

So, be patient and submit several books to publishers at once. It is also very important to believe in yourself: if relatives, friends, colleagues treat your occupation as pampering, you should not listen to them, go your own way. “My mother is very proud of me, but my husband, a well-known translator, does not take him seriously as a writer,” says Olga. - In his opinion, whoever writes worse than Hugo, there is nothing to take on this business. It doesn’t offend me, and my readership is female, not male.”

Is it good to be Leo Tolstoy?

Olga is sure that creative crisis, at which ideas really dry up, can overtake any writer: “I feel that when I run out of inspiration (and this usually happens by the middle of a novel), heavy thoughts overcome me, several days of panic come. I think in these cases it is best to take a break, live for yourself, and even better, change the situation. Not in vain Hollywood stars take a respite, which sometimes drags on for several years.

Olga's only and main income is writing. She admits that if she lived on rent or was married to a millionaire, she would publish one book a year, but put all her strength into it. There would be no crazy rush and specific deadlines. “It’s good to be Leo Tolstoy, when you can walk around in bast shoes and write your four volumes for a long time,” she argues. - I do not detract from the merits of our classic, but I do not think that the artist should be hungry. Still, it’s better to be full and not lose the desire to create.”

As a rule, the author begins to receive solid royalties after three or four publications in a high circulation. The first reward averages 20-30 thousand rubles, while the book can be created for months or even years. The publisher prefers that an aspiring writer bring several works or a series with a sequel for viewing.

The number of women authors in Russia is growing every year. To become a successful freelancer, you need to be disciplined, committed and responsible. Elena Arsenyeva admitted that she writes at least 7-8 hours a day, including weekends. In addition, a lot of time has to be spent in libraries in order to study archives and find out the necessary information.

Olga wishes all readers good and different books: "I understand what it means to experience literary hunger. Before, it seemed to me that I had already read all the books worthy of my attention and was constantly looking for one that would impress me. O more impressive than, for example, Marquez's One Hundred Years of Solitude.

Earn writing skills today it has become very popular, and not by chance - this type of activity has many advantages. For example, the opportunity to realize your talent, say what you want, a large audience, a free work schedule, and - if you develop - then a good income. If your dream is to become a writer, I think it will be useful for you to know where to start, what the prospects are for you, and what pitfalls you should be aware of.

How to become a writer - option one, public

To a man without special education The easiest way to start a writing career is online. Surely, in your dreams you immediately write a great novel (detective story, a series of stories), which becomes a bestseller and winner of numerous awards. Very decent, but without practice, the chances that this is exactly what will happen tend to zero. I'm not trying to dampen your desire to become a writer, I'm just trying to prepare for reality, and it is such that you start your creative way and it is best to accumulate on the Internet, fortunately, now there is access to it everywhere. What options does a novice writer have:

  • Start a blog. You can do it on one of free platforms, for example, or you can immediately register a domain and create your own website with a simple design (any experienced PC user can do this). Why do I need a blog, you ask, when do I want to publish books? Many publishers in Russia and around the world publish entries from popular blogs in the form of a book (that is, in fact, you write your book every day, and then it gets a cover, goes through editing and goes to print). The wider the audience and the more traffic to your page on the network, the more likely it is to be published.
  • Become a copywriter. copywriter is a person writing texts, articles, news and other verbal content for various sites on the Internet. Pros: you will gain a hand, hone your style and language and, in general, feel what it means to get paid for writing any text, you can earn a reputation for respected and readable resources which will be useful to you in the future. Cons: there is a good chance that you will remain a copywriter, especially if you like the job and bring in enough money, dreams of writing can fade very easily. Therefore, it is important to write not only on duty, but also for yourself, so as not to forget about the main goal.

I already write a little (wrote something) - how to become a writer?

If you have successfully completed several short stories (or one long story), written a novel or short story, it's time to find out how much your audience is in demand and valuable to critics. The easiest way to check this is to send your work to one of literary competitions, for example, premium "". The competition is held annually, the winners receive cash prizes, which can be spent on further education or the publication of their works. The winners of the "Debut" are published in various magazines, receive interesting offers, acquire connections in literary world. The competition in all categories of the award is high, so getting into the long list and short list of contenders is an achievement in itself.

In addition to "Debut" there are others literary awards, grants and events that allow young writers to express themselves.

Is it worth publishing in Russia?

If you have written something really worthwhile, do not rush to send your manuscript to one of the domestic publications. Unfortunately, in Russia, even for a very popular books writers do not earn much, so it makes sense to translate your creation into English language and send it to one of the foreign book publishers.

Tips for those who want to become a writer:

  • Write every day. Set yourself a writing minimum, like 500 or 1,000 words a day, and write them no matter what. And always finish what you start.
  • Write badly. Even if you do not like what comes out from under your pen, anyway, stubbornly continue to write. Write badly, and over time you will write something well (much more likely than if you don't write at all).
  • Be careful with . On the one hand, you need it as an objective view of the results of creativity, and, on the other hand, criticism can deprive you of the desire to continue writing. It is important to find the limit to which you are ready to listen to other people's opinions and change something in your work.
  • If it seems to you that there is nothing to write about, leave the house, walk around the city - most likely, you will get yours.
  • Write about what you know, what you have experienced, what you understand - this is The best way write a book that will be popular with readers. Your life experience is unique and may be interesting a large number of people. Combined with your imagination, it is this experience that can create a literary masterpiece.

Writing is a job like any other. But many novice writers do not understand this, they see the endless flight of creativity. It's a pity, but everything is more prosaic. To become a good writer(not brilliant, but really good), you need to do the following:

1. Write every day

The point is to sit down and write every day. fiction(or plays if you are a playwright, or articles if you are a journalist). The benefit is huge. And it's not difficult at all. My friend works as an assistant manager. Every day she writes for 15 minutes before work and 15 minutes during lunch.

You can rant all day about great stories for novels or screenplays, but there's only one way to become a good writer, and that's to sit down and write.

2. Keep a diary

A diary is a great tool for self-development, not only for writers, but for anyone in general. A diary is a place where you write the truth and only the truth about your life (no one will read it, you can be honest), analyze emotions, find important decisions. In addition, a writer can always write down any idea that comes to him in his diary and practice writing as a matter of fact.

3. Learn from everything without exception

When something "bad" happens in life, it's actually a great lesson. Ask yourself how you would relive this event a second time, and then use it - create a scene based on it, for example. Everyone has tragedies in life, but a good writer will find what to do with them.

4. Shut Your Inner Critic

The voice of the critic in your head breaks into a screech as soon as you sit down to write. “This is nonsense!” shouts the critic. “No one will read this!” the critic is tearing himself up. Don't listen to him. He will choke your creative potential if you let him. Shut his mouth. And don't judge yourself too harshly - you're just learning.

5. Read as much as you can

Read books that you yourself would like to write. Read books that excite you. Read books you can't put down. And when you read, learn from writers. Even your idols, who became popular a long time ago, have in books weak spots. When you find such - ask yourself: how could I improve it?

6. Rejoice in third-party criticism and rejection

Understand that all art is subjective. Rejection means you've definitely been noticed, which is great. So many talented writers don't show their work to anyone because they're afraid of getting rejected! Make a collage of such rejections and be proud of them. Every failure is an attempt. And trying is much more than many do.

7. Try new things

Learn new things, get involved in new things, visit new places. Look at the world from as many angles as you can. New events, places, people, cultures - all this will inspire new stories. To become a good writer, you need to look at the world.

8. Pay attention to everything about writing

TV shows, movies, even emails and posts in social networks - all this teaches you to write. What do you think of the Game of Thrones script? Or have you noticed a bunch grammatical errors in a friend's message? Are there ways to structure the newsletter for employees? And so on.

9. Always look for room to grow

Never think that you have reached perfection. A good writer, regardless of level and status, is always learning something.

10. Listen to other writers

One of the ways to grow is writing courses, reading books and blogs about writing, posts by favorite writers in in social networks and so on.

11. Challenge yourself

Do not tell yourself that you cannot do something: for example, write science fiction Or write a novel in a month. Challenge yourself, preferably more than once.

12. Learn from other arts

Go to museums, concerts, movies, theaters. Always look for new sources of inspiration to become a good writer. At the same time get to know creative people other professions. You never know if a drawing, photo, song or movie will inspire your next story.

13. Follow Obsessions

Write what you want to write, not what friends, parents, or mentors expect you to write. Don't write just because it's what the publishers will buy or want. Write about what you are passionate about. Write about what you love. Write stories that you yourself would like to read.

14. Appreciate your own style

Don't compare yourself to other writers. Don't try to be like Stephen King or J.K. Rowling. Each person has their own unique experience, their own view of the world. No two writers tell the same story. Look for stories that only you can tell and write.



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