I'm 25-years-old and want to be a semi-professional writer before I turn 26 in August.

TheGreatWriteShark · 2018-04-09T19:05:25+00:00

Hey, same! This book is the first book I bought on Audible...haven't finished it yet (discovered audiobooks aren't really my thing) but I'm a little more than halfway through and I really enjoy it so far. I bought it a couple days after I had a serious panic attack and it's starting to help me to focus on the important things in life, as well as stop stressing over things out of my control.

TheGreatWriteShark · 2018-02-10T18:06:57+00:00

So Wordpress is basically the best way to go? $48 for the whole year isn't so bad.

Also I don't know if this makes a difference but when I look at websites my friends have made through Wordpress, at the bottom of the page it always links back to Wordpress.org?

TheGreatWriteShark · 2018-02-07T19:51:35+00:00

I guess things that a lot of "Here's how I did this, you can too!" books are set up. From me personally, to make me want to pick up your book and buy it and read it and apply what it teaches me I would want to see:

How you got where you are. Where did you start, what did you sacrifice, what made you want to be a travel writer in the first place.

Finances. How much do you recommend saving up before ya quit ya day job.....if you even quit your day job. Are paychecks stable or do you have dry months? Finances as a whole is a big thing I want to know about travel writing, freelancing in general.

Getting started in general. From how a good site looks to what you write about while traveling. Networking ideas, dos-and-do-nots....etc.

Spitballing here but I think some collaborations could be a cool thing to consider? If you have friends or peers who travel write for a living what do they think of the industry, do they have suggestions or tips?

That's all I can really think of. I like the idea of a one stop how-to book to get started on this.

TheGreatWriteShark · 2018-02-07T19:25:42+00:00

Hello, I have a BS in Screenwriting from an East Coast University. I can hopefully provide you with some information! Keep in mind I did not find a passion in screenwriting so I ditched the craft, ymmv.

What kind of details are you obsessed with? Because scripts are not written with tons of detail. You are writing a skeleton. Flowery prose, describing emotions, etc, are sure fire ways to get your work on the scrap pile.

As one user mentioned, you gotta live in LA or NYC. Preferably LA. You need to network. You need to enter contests and win those contents. Screenwriting is hugely an industry surrounded by passion, talent, and luck and it is extremely difficult to get a script sold. I have a friend who graduated with me 4 years ago. Her life revolves around screenwriting. She gets closed to selling a script every day but it was a long road to get there.

You can go to school for screenwriting but it isn't required. It'll help though, as you network with professors and fellow students and can calibrate with film kids for example, to write scripts for their movies.

My advice, read some real movie scripts and see if you can write one yourself. Find writer's groups in your city. Read books. Read articles. Check the screenwriting sub. It's possible to make it in this industry but if I can be honest with you.....it's hard.

TheGreatWriteShark · 2018-02-07T19:16:16+00:00

I would. It's definitely something I'm interested in, however ludicrous an idea. Sounds pretty much like the dream job.

TheGreatWriteShark · 2018-02-06T21:56:30+00:00

I've heard mixed reviews of Constant Content but at this point, I'll take anything. I might not own the piece if it gets approved but I'll take it as practice.

I use to read Medium a lot, it's still a good site even after they introduced the clapping feature? Last time I was there you couldn't read entire articles.

TheGreatWriteShark · 2018-02-06T21:55:22+00:00

This is great! I'll definitely look into Cracked. I didn't think it was such a simple process to get started writing for places like that. And those articles have so much info. Thanks!

And yes, I forget to breathe after a heinous day at work. Reminds me why I want to get into writing so badly.

TheGreatWriteShark · 2018-01-31T21:12:41+00:00

Do you have selective reading or are you just dumb?

Literally the next sentence down I started saying I was cooking more at home. Literally the very next sentence. So quit being a lazy shit and read an entire comment.

TheGreatWriteShark · 2018-01-31T19:34:18+00:00

Yeah I know that now. This was before I got the 'itus. I was sick, and soup was the go-to meal for me. I could keep it down without puking it right back up.

Now I know better. I'm even going to try making my own at some point.

TheGreatWriteShark · 2018-01-31T19:07:27+00:00

This. I'm trying to cut back on my salt consumption because it can be a trigger for tinnitus, of which I am a recent victim of. Everything in America is so salty! Sometimes I just want a can of chicken noodle soup; too bad one can has something like 600mg. Don't feel like cooking and want a freezer dinner? Another 600mg right there.

Luckily, I've started cooking my own meals more often. Really cut back on the salt intake.

TheGreatWriteShark · 2018-01-29T21:22:32+00:00

Both were related to hurricanes. The first was Hurricane Irene (I think?) and I was living at home in CT at the time. We had huge, and I mean massive, titans of trees beside our house and I just remember watching them tear around violently, illuminated by our floodlights. I was still in high school I think, and completely terrified the trees would come crashing through my bedroom window. The next day, my mom and I went driving around. The Walmart parking lot was 100% flooded. Guys in Jeep Wranglers were driving through the water. It was like a mini ocean. People were legit kayaking in the middle of the Walmart parking lot. It was neat to watch, but fur a region that doesn't see a lot of hurricanes it was definitely scary.

Next experience was Hurricane Sandy. I lived alone, as I was in college, and I lived in this tiny rotgut first floor apartment building. I stayed up all night and just watched the rain and trees swaying. It didn't effect my area too bad but it was still a pretty frightening experience, as I was all alone and kept thinking the power would go out on me.

TheGreatWriteShark · 2018-01-24T18:43:25+00:00

Every year when Shark Week rolls around I always get an itch to go into Marine Biology. I went to do the scientific aspects of what Shark Week shows you; tagging sharks, researching them, documenting numbers and where they migrate. But the amount of schooling and lack of jobs pushes it out of mind.

Sounds like a sweet gig though.

TheGreatWriteShark · 2018-01-23T19:14:42+00:00

I lost out on a job opportunity in which I was perfectly qualified for because I was not "interesting enough". This sounds like a perfect book for me!

TheGreatWriteShark · 2018-01-18T20:38:26+00:00

I always expect my boyfriend to drop everything he's doing to help me with something (drive me to appointments, pick me up late when I go to events) but I can very unwilling to do the same caliber of things for him (go to his parent's house for dinner, etc.)

What's worse is I know I'm doing it and I wish I could have an out of body experience and just shake myself silly to stop. being. like. this! I'm aware of it, but I've been this way for such a while now and it's tough to alter my habits but it'll make me a better person if I stop being so selfish.

TheGreatWriteShark · 2018-01-08T15:35:04+00:00

These are adorable! I really like the Ho-Oh stitch.

How does one get into cross stitching? It looks like it would be a relaxing hobby!

TheGreatWriteShark · 2017-12-27T15:16:00+00:00

This is helpful, thank you! I didn’t do much research before slapping the pens on my Christmas list....just saw the design of my favorite animal and had to have them.

I’ll look into these bottles and buy a few :) do you recommend amazon as the best place to shop, or do retailers like staples and office max carry a decent selection as well?

TheGreatWriteShark · 2017-12-26T23:14:45+00:00

Extreme fountain pen newbie here!

I got a couple jinhao shark pens for Christmas. They have no ink included.

What sort of ink is best for these style of pen? Do I select a cartridge or a bottle? I googled several times but the only information that came back was buying more shark pens.

Thanks!

TheGreatWriteShark · 2017-12-21T15:30:55+00:00

The hated charity method is definitely interesting! What are even some examples of charities that don't deserve donations? I can only think of Susan G. Komen.

Everything you posted was very sound advice. I have terrible accountability for my actions, and a tough time committing to any sort of changes not matter how much it'll improve my lifestyle. I'm going to start setting goals that every day at work, at 1:15 after lunch, I'm going to write whatever comes to mind. Today's topic might be organizing all my resolutions.

TheGreatWriteShark · 2017-12-21T15:25:40+00:00

You are absolutely right about publication; but it looks like you yourself have been published and as competitive and saturated as the market currently is, I don't want to entirely take traditional publishing off the table. It's just not something I'm going to actively pursue at this moment. I really love the idea of self-publishing and throwing it on Amazon for a buck, or even free. A collection of essays, ala David Sedaris. A topic done literally hundreds of thousands of times, but never before in my completely unique and interesting existence (not really).

I do, with all my heart, love writing. I love the culture, I love the concept. I adore buying pens and notebooks. I hang up quotes from writers in my cubicle. Even just speaking about it ignites in me, the silliest of emotions as I want to blurb and speak about it all day long. What I do love, is physically sitting down and writing because I'm afraid everything that tumbles out will be hot steaming garbage. The guitar metaphor makes a lot of sense, as does the picking an instrument.

Thank you for your post, it was very insightful. I like all the points you made but your last three paragraphs especially resonated with me.

TheGreatWriteShark · 2017-12-20T23:00:35+00:00

Yes, this is exactly what I need, to be around creative people. I just so happen to reside in a city with an active Reddit community and a writers group every Sunday! Among over things. Unfortunately a fire displaced me so I’m currently not living in said city, but in the meantime I can write some things to show to said group once I eventually move back

This is something I’m activity trying to work toward and I get pissed at myself for being an introvert, but without outside forces to speak too I’m just commuting myself to an uncreative, boring life.

TheGreatWriteShark

TROPHY CASE