Writers who Write about Writing

As of late, I have been spending more time writing "things."

My wife and I recently took over an art gallery and I have been spending a lot of time at the gallery. This means I get to enjoy periods of quiet reflection mixed in with periods of frenetic activity. It also means I get to spend far more time "in public," which means getting flashes of unexpected inspiration from the people who visit.

Last time I had a gallery/shop (1990's) I also wrote a lot. Not sure what it is about this type of setting that makes things "move." I'll have to get back to you on that.

I have read a lot of opinions about "writers who write about writing" and much of it is not particularly complimentary. Not complimentary, in the sense of critics saying it shows a lack of creativity... and is (by extension) an example of the old saying "Those who can, DO; those who can't, TEACH." Maybe there are elements of truth there... haven't decided yet.

For me, it's more a case that writing words like these helps me "warm up" to writing something more creative.

Writing Life: Detachment, Isolation and Involvement

As a writer-- and especially one who primarily writes through channels on the Internet-- it is easy to become detached from the "real" world. I friend recently remarked that she was feeling increasingly "lost" when she had to go "out in the world," in connection with her job. Indeed, it can be one of the major challenges of web-based entrepreneurs (herunder: Writers) to manage the sense of isolation that sometimes accompanies work that puts us in front of the computer for 8-10 hours a day.

For at least a couple of years, I have increasingly been working on "staying involved" in outside life. I think what may be important to those who work at home (and especially sensitive introverts-- I am an "HSP"), is not so much to make an effort to "get out," but to be very selective in terms of how and where we get out.

For example, much of my writing is on topics relating to the self-improvement and metaphysics fields. I may not have the bandwidth to necessarily go and join some local random softball league, but I do have the bandwidth to be a participant in activities that relate directly to the people and events I read about.

Don't get me wrong. I am an introvert, and I do enjoy the writing life. However, there are also times when I just feel like I need to "get out more."

The Changing Landscape of Writing

When I was in the process of changing my work life-- from being a business owner, to more of a focus of art, writing and creativity-- the landscape of the writing market was changing.

My initial exposure to seriously trying to "write for money" came in the late 90's, and my focus was more "technical" than "creative." Somehow, I didn't really believe that I had what it took to write fiction and get paid for it. So I took a "half-step" and wrote for (predominantly) Internet-based businesses, and the high tech industry.

One of the primary ways the business of writing was changing could be linked directly to growing Internet usage. Getting work-- and getting fairly compensated for it-- was becoming harder and harder. Where the market for contract technical writers had previously been the domain of "professionals," we now found ourselves competing increasingly with a demographic I can best describe as "Stay at home moms with an English degree."

Ultimately, I don't begrudge anyone the desire to write-- however, this particular set of players in the market helped perpetuate the old reality that writers tend to be "starving" and barely make a living. After all, they weren't dependent on making a living, they were just there to make a little "pocket money." For them, bidding a contract job at $6.00 an hour meant they'd win the bid, and get the pocket money, as desired. For me, it meant "no work," because I couldn't make a full-time living on that kind of income.

The writers market continues to change. More people than ever-- regardless of whether or not they can actually write-- call themselves "writers." The size of the "pot" is fairly steady to growing slightly, but it is spread among a huge number of folks. Where once (and granted, the process was far more laborious and protracted) a published article might earn a writer $500, now many people think it is "great" that they were paid $10 by some web site. With the exception of a few who write "mainstream blockbusters," getting a book published is harder than ever... and more and more writers turn to self-publishing and print-on-demand houses.

The landscape of writing is constantly changing, and keeping up with trends takes almost as much time and effort as the writing, itself.

Beginnings, Part II

In college, I was one of those "strange people" who deliberately sought out courses that had a "heavy writing component." Truth be know, I'd much rather write a long essay, than have to get up in front of the class to present something, or be part of group work.

I was never an English major, however, as I was talked out of following any kind of writing track. Even my sophomore English professor-- who was an accomplished and published writer-- suggested that it was a bad idea to pursue writing for a living, and that fewer than 5% of writers actually made a living from the craft. Although the idea of being "a writer" really appealed to me, I had already been somewhat "conditioned" against the idea by family, so I didn't take a lot of persuading.

I did, however, take a number of creative writing courses, while in college. One of the primary lessons I got I learned in a short story writing class, where one entire 3-hour session turned into a Q&A with the professor, about becoming an author.

Naturally, one of the questions asked was "What exactly does it take to become a published author?" The professor responded that all it took was the ability to string together 75,000 words of prose, in some reasonably coherent fashion. This didn't sit well with the aspiring Hemingway's who were looking for an answer that involved words like "talent," "mastery of English" or "an original idea." Ultimately, the point was that less than 1% of what is published is "literature" quality-- the majority of books come from very mediocre writers who she the one commonality that they have the determination and discipline to sit down and write. And then to market the hell out of themselves, not giving up because they have received 85 rejection slips in a row.

I got a nice degree in Finance, and went into the business world, feeling largely like I didn't belong... but having the hope that I was doing "the right thing."

Beginnings, Part I

When I was six years old, my mother bought some blank exercise books for me. It was her hope that I would turn out to be artistic, and the purpose of the books was to teach me how to "draw outsde the lines."

Within about two weeks, I had filled all three exercise books. However, it was not with the drawings my mother hoped for-- it was with words.

To this day, I believe she was a little disappointed.

My Life As A Writer has been a mixed bag. In a sense, you could argue that I have been in denial about the writing life. Although I wrote from a very early age, it wasn't ever a childhood dream to "become a writer." I had the usual childhood aspirations-- and even some of my more esoteric "what I'm gonna be when I grow up's" (like being a stamp dealer) did not include writing.

And yet I "knew" that I was a writer.

When I was in my teens, I briefly muttered some words to the effect that I enjoyed writing, but my intent was weak and the idea was easily tossed aside by my mother's insistence that writers were "flakes and people who had no direction in their lives, and besides, you can't make a proper living that way-- and people in our family do not live in poverty."

So I restricted my writing activities to journals, and to writing lengthy letters to friends and family. Friends who often told my mother what a good writer I was. She beamed at her "coolness by association," and then would say "don't give him any ideas."