How seriously do you take writing?

Started by Nolafus January 7th, 2014 8:30 PM
  • 608 views
  • 10 replies

Nolafus

Aspiring something

Age 27
Male
Lost in thought... again
Seen March 3rd, 2018
Posted March 11th, 2017
5,722 posts
10.9 Years
Well, answer the title! Do you hope to take your writing to levels you never thought possible? Do you aspire to write the next best-seller? Do you want people kissing the ground you walk on because you're that good?

Okay, so maybe that's going a little too far. Anyway, is writing something you're really working on, or is it more of a hobby to you?
PairPC sister
Age 36
Seen 17 Hours Ago
Posted 2 Days Ago
Writing used to be something that I took really seriously. I bought all the advice books, I subscribed to all the advice magazines, I asked for advice and readers from anyone I thought could help me.

Then I learned just how much dedication it would take to make a career from writing. If I wanted to make any serious money from it, I'd have to spend all day working on stories. There'd be the issues finding an interested publisher, actually getting a story read enough to get a personalized response from someone in the publishing company.

Also, I had little interest in working on original writings. I like writing fanfiction.

So writing is now just a little hobby I dabble in.

Avatar credit: Fairy

Incinermyn

The Abomination Lives!!!

Age 37
Male
Wisconsin, USA
Seen July 29th, 2018
Posted May 21st, 2016
646 posts
15.8 Years
Pretty seriously, especially when it comes to my main fanfics and personal projects. However, I used to kind of do things jokingly in high school, but my attitude towards changed when I met my Comp. I professor in college. She was particularly strict, especially when I took her Creative Writing course too. She's a published author too, so I guess it made some poetic sense that she'd have a strict demeanor when teaching her class and try to grind her attitude about writing into her students.

Nolafus

Aspiring something

Age 27
Male
Lost in thought... again
Seen March 3rd, 2018
Posted March 11th, 2017
5,722 posts
10.9 Years
I never really started to take writing seriously until this summer. It didn't dawn on me that I actually liked doing this until then, so I never had a reason to. I would say I take my writing pretty seriously considering the fact that I want to make it a career. Although, probably not novel writing because of what Astinus said, but something like a journalist or LA teacher would be nice. I do want to write a few novels though and have them published, and if one of them is really popular, awesome.

I have yet to take a creative writing class, so I'm interested to see what pokemon forums have taught me and how that works in an actual classroom.
PairPC sister

Nakuzami

Age 24
Female
The Forgotten Crossroads
Seen October 17th, 2022
Posted December 31st, 2020
6,896 posts
12.7 Years
I take it pretty seriously, I guess.
I've never really gotten around to actually writing a fanfiction, and I've yet to start writing a novel (although I do have most of the series planned out. Four separate series' within a larger story already.), but I love it. I've known for some time that it's something I'd like to do with my life. I would love to write a story that people come to love. Yeah, it'd be great for it to be the "next" Harry Potter or something, but even if it remained somewhat unknown, I think I'd be content.

And I know I'm a good writer. I also know that there's plenty of things that I need to work on. There is no such thing as "perfection." I can simply just keep becoming better and better at it. Striving for perfection whilst also realizing that you can never achieve it is a good way to drive yourself to always become better.

I'll be taking my first Creative Writing class next semester. Granted, it's High School and it might not give me the greatest learning experience, but there's always something to gain. Even if I don't learn anything directly, the practice will be great.

For example: one thing I know I need to work on is beginnings. I know how to write the middle of stories, where everything happens (at least I believe I do). I know how to create endings that will leave readers confused, conflicted, heartbroken, and ecstatic (again, at least I believe I do). But getting the story all laid out and ready to go? It's probably the hardest part of writing the story. I think that's why I gravitate towards roleplays: the setting and beginnings are already laid out for you. All I need to do is jump in and start writing.

Other than becoming a novelist, the only other thing I might be interested in doing as a career is something involving theater. I want to enjoy my life, not get some job just for the money. So I'm thinking I might, perhaps, double major when I go to college. Or something. I'm not sure yet, but I have a few years before I get to that point.
"Sure, there're probably infinite dimensions, but I'm with you in this one, so why would I try to find them?"
~Neil Hilborn


Bay

She/They
Dani California
Seen 6 Hours Ago
Posted 7 Hours Ago
6,347 posts
17 Years
Like Astinus, I'm more interested in fanfiction writing so it's mostly a hobby for me. However I still find myself wanting to improve my writing skills and sometimes read writing advice once in a while. Since I'm sharing my fanfics, I get worried if I'm being mediocre, bleh.
Miles Edgeworth
Foul Play [On Hiatus]

Vociferocity

[ bad girls do it well ]

Age 31
Female
Australia
Seen December 21st, 2020
Posted January 20th, 2014
269 posts
14.7 Years
I'm taking some creative writing classes in uni (aiming for a minor in it!), so it probably looks like I take it super seriously! but really it's more of a fun times hobby for me, I guess. although of course it would be fun to publish a novel, or whatever!

curiousnathan

Male
Australia
Seen October 18th, 2020
Posted October 5th, 2020
7,753 posts
13.7 Years
I don't mind writing; it's not something I like to the point where I'd like to have a job surrounding it or write as a hobby though. For me, it honestly depends, if my writing is going to be judged for whatever reasons (schoolwork, competition etc.) then I'll take my writing very seriously. But when it comes to casual writing, I'm a pretty laid-back.

Phantom

Uh, I didn't do it

Age 32
Female
Minnesota
Seen September 18th, 2017
Posted September 18th, 2017
1,182 posts
11.8 Years
When it comes to writing I'm as serious as waffles.

Which is pretty f-n serious.

in truth, I'd say moderately serious. I care what people think, that's about it.

Fernbutter

Murder is the way.

Male
The depths of the internet
Seen June 10th, 2017
Posted June 2nd, 2014
821 posts
9.4 Years
It actually depends on what I am writing, but almost all the time, I take it very seriously, sometimes its actually just out of boredom, requirement, or even out of personal gain. But for me writing is something I can always be able to do, and even with little effort can make a good story.

There should be a signature here somewhere.
I wonder where it's gone.