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what it takes to be an author
What does it take to be an author?
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5 answers
Joanne Wiess
teacher
13
Answers
East Norriton, PA
Updated
Joanne’s Answer
It begins with desire and develops into a plan. The desire over time should narrow with personal interest. Is historical fiction a fascination or biography? How about fantasy/science fiction or realistic fiction.? Choose a lane that draws attention and read worthwhile examples already published to define the interest. Desire that is not simply wishful thinking will begin to shape into a personal plan. Success is achieved through working toward the goal over time and is celebrated with the result . Start today and shape your thoughts into a bright future.
Rekha Jindal
Typing,dataentry,writing short story,
18
Answers
Kolkata, West Bengal, India
Updated
Rekha’s Answer
To be an author ,first of all start writing practise daily short stories articles,essay .you must have passion and skills for writing anything .make a habit of daily practise then start uploading your stories,articles at Google and other social media sites so that you could be connected with senior writers start working with them learn and broaden your knowledge by reading ories everyday that will motivate you to be a author or writer.
Rich Feitelberg
Novelist
33
Answers
Quincy, Massachusetts
Updated
Rich’s Answer
That’s a broad question but I’ll take a stab at it. You should probably like to write and express yourself. Knowledge of spelling and grammar is helpful. You should read widely in your genre and know how to edit and revise written work. I recommend taking a class on editing and study how to write. And of course practice writing regularly. Network with other writers. And develop an audience or following to help sell your work. That’s a high level overview. Good luck.
jose pimienta
comics and storyboarding
32
Answers
Burbank, California
Updated
jose’s Answer
It really depends on what kind of author you want to be. And it really depends on how you like to work. I can think of two answers:
A) no one really knows. It's different for everyone.
B) It's a lot of work and it requires a lot of discipline. But here's some tips-
1) Write as much as you can. Practice makes a mastery.
2) Re-read what you wrote. Show it to friends or colleagues you trust. What is obvious to you may not be obvious to others.
3) Write it again. The cliché is "writing is re-writing" and it's very true.
4) Listen to others. Think about what you heard. Pay attention. One never stops learning.
5) Read a lot. Influences and inspiration take different forms. You Never know where ideas can come from.
6) Start a writer's group. Go to Writers' workshops. Attend events. Writing can be very lonely, so socializing can be healthy.
7) Be patient with yourself and your craft. Good things can take time.
8) Keep doing it. This is a tough profession, yet incredibly rewarding, if often only in a personal level.
I'm a firm believer that if you write, you're an author. But when it comes to pursuing being an author as a profession, no one really knows what it takes. So I suggest putting in only as much as what you want out of it.
Best of success to you. I hope to read your work sometime.
A) no one really knows. It's different for everyone.
B) It's a lot of work and it requires a lot of discipline. But here's some tips-
1) Write as much as you can. Practice makes a mastery.
2) Re-read what you wrote. Show it to friends or colleagues you trust. What is obvious to you may not be obvious to others.
3) Write it again. The cliché is "writing is re-writing" and it's very true.
4) Listen to others. Think about what you heard. Pay attention. One never stops learning.
5) Read a lot. Influences and inspiration take different forms. You Never know where ideas can come from.
6) Start a writer's group. Go to Writers' workshops. Attend events. Writing can be very lonely, so socializing can be healthy.
7) Be patient with yourself and your craft. Good things can take time.
8) Keep doing it. This is a tough profession, yet incredibly rewarding, if often only in a personal level.
I'm a firm believer that if you write, you're an author. But when it comes to pursuing being an author as a profession, no one really knows what it takes. So I suggest putting in only as much as what you want out of it.
Best of success to you. I hope to read your work sometime.
Tom Tate
Copywriter
14
Answers
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Updated
Tom’s Answer
Hi A. The primary characteristic of being an author, in my opinion, is loving to write. Many people like to write, but far fewer love it. If seeing your thoughts, emotions, research, or intellectual musings "in print" gives you a sense of satisfaction, pride, or joy, you love writing.
The second requirement is to write about things that interest you. This is not always possible, especially in work and academic settings, but do it as often as possible.
Third, write the way you talk. This lends your work a certain authenticity and color. Again, you may not always be able to do this, but take every opportunity you have to write how you talk. I never realized I wrote this way until people began pointing it out to me. It just came naturally.
Finally, be invested in mastering the craft of writing. By this I mean use proper grammar, appropriate words, and so forth. Naturally, if you are writing a work of fiction, using proper grammar or words in the proper context can be an intentional act, but for other situations, avoid as many mistakes as possible using the wealth of tools available for this purpose.
I am not a trained typist, but I can consistently type at 60 wpm. My problem is keying errors where I hit multiple keys or adjacent keys to the one I want. I rely on software tools to point these things out and help me produce as error-free copy as possible. I used Grammarly to correct my typing mistakes in this advice:>)
Here are the tools I use every day:
Grammarly
Microsoft Word Editor and Thesaurus
The Hemingway Editor
Microsoft Copilot
Google Docs Spellchecker
Being an author takes passion and work, but I love doing it, and I encourage you to invest the time and effort to become an author yourself!
The second requirement is to write about things that interest you. This is not always possible, especially in work and academic settings, but do it as often as possible.
Third, write the way you talk. This lends your work a certain authenticity and color. Again, you may not always be able to do this, but take every opportunity you have to write how you talk. I never realized I wrote this way until people began pointing it out to me. It just came naturally.
Finally, be invested in mastering the craft of writing. By this I mean use proper grammar, appropriate words, and so forth. Naturally, if you are writing a work of fiction, using proper grammar or words in the proper context can be an intentional act, but for other situations, avoid as many mistakes as possible using the wealth of tools available for this purpose.
I am not a trained typist, but I can consistently type at 60 wpm. My problem is keying errors where I hit multiple keys or adjacent keys to the one I want. I rely on software tools to point these things out and help me produce as error-free copy as possible. I used Grammarly to correct my typing mistakes in this advice:>)
Here are the tools I use every day:
Grammarly
Microsoft Word Editor and Thesaurus
The Hemingway Editor
Microsoft Copilot
Google Docs Spellchecker
Being an author takes passion and work, but I love doing it, and I encourage you to invest the time and effort to become an author yourself!