tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-526740489113175273.post1390494303389172900..comments2013-10-07T07:18:41.969-07:00Comments on A Writer's Life: So You Want to be an Author?G Thomas Gillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16361014776277594636noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-526740489113175273.post-17669397512326105112011-02-08T19:49:29.732-08:002011-02-08T19:49:29.732-08:00Marja, Dac, Velda,Clark, and Theresa. Thank you f...Marja, Dac, Velda,Clark, and Theresa. Thank you for stopping by. I appreciate all your comments, and hope you come back often.G Thomas Gillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16361014776277594636noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-526740489113175273.post-58755872788980142162011-02-08T18:25:33.671-08:002011-02-08T18:25:33.671-08:00This is great. I think I mixed up the sequence- wr...This is great. I think I mixed up the sequence- writer first to author second. I'm back to being a writer after several submissions- at least for today. Tonight, I think I'll fantasize about being an author again.Theresa Varelahttp://theresavarela.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-526740489113175273.post-67377109984788112632011-02-08T16:06:56.300-08:002011-02-08T16:06:56.300-08:00Thanks for that blog. I write crime fiction. When ...Thanks for that blog. I write crime fiction. When I get a complete draft I give it to a couple of expert readers. <br />One is a retired English teacher, the other is a lawyer. They both scare me. The lawyer will bust me for errors in procedural aspects in crime/crime investigation--and for errors in logic, should they occur--and they do. <br />The English teacher will bust me for bad writing, point of view errors, and so on.<br /> I also liked your saying, "Punch it up." That's what the biographer Don Herron said when I told him I'd written a crime novel. It's got to be tense and tight. Thanks.Clark Lohrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07017577908741668068noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-526740489113175273.post-37603906255495131482011-02-08T11:21:33.599-08:002011-02-08T11:21:33.599-08:00Super blog. I kept nodding my head, yes, yes, yes....Super blog. I kept nodding my head, yes, yes, yes. I was an editor at a newspaper for several years. Dull, dull, but it taught me how to look for all those errors. Brake for break; Accept for except; lie for lay.<br />A good critique group can help a lot, but ultimately we are our own judge and jury as to when we have changed from a writer to an author. Thanks for showing us what we might have forgotten.Velda Brothertonhttp://www.veldabrotherton.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-526740489113175273.post-58983784960662456722011-02-08T07:13:56.300-08:002011-02-08T07:13:56.300-08:00I depend heavily on criticism from my writer frien...I depend heavily on criticism from my writer friends. They let me know right away when I've made an error in mechanics (too easy to do when you're rolling) and when I've been illogical.<br /><br />I think you've nailed it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-526740489113175273.post-71935110980315004292011-02-08T06:40:13.726-08:002011-02-08T06:40:13.726-08:00Excellent blog! You hit it right on the head. Some...Excellent blog! You hit it right on the head. Sometimes I forget how much I do in order to write and market a book. After a time it almost becomes second nature. <br /><br />Every little detail has to be researched because if you get it wrong, a reader will be sure to let you know. Readers are smart people, and they keep us in line.Marjahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04683888030155879214noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-526740489113175273.post-30584366586199582082011-02-07T22:02:57.502-08:002011-02-07T22:02:57.502-08:00Welcome Sunny and Stephen, and thanks for stopping...Welcome Sunny and Stephen, and thanks for stopping by. Sunny, I guess I never thought of anyone being a writer and not wanting to be an author. And figuring out ways to stretch the budget is just one of the battles.<br /><br />Stephen, I agree that research is enjoyable, but for me, outlining is one of those things I do because I have to - otherwise the story would stray all over the place. It does anyway, at least in the earlier drafts, then the tough editing has to bring it all back into line.G Thomas Gillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16361014776277594636noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-526740489113175273.post-79654457555705300762011-02-07T19:28:03.381-08:002011-02-07T19:28:03.381-08:00Outlining is the beginning of the fun. Research ca...Outlining is the beginning of the fun. Research can be enjoyable. Writing is easy. Editing is difficult. Marketing is a challenge.Stephen L. Braytonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14575880529198211433noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-526740489113175273.post-52184800863976474292011-02-07T18:45:09.692-08:002011-02-07T18:45:09.692-08:00The title was "So You Want To Be An Author&qu...The title was "So You Want To Be An Author" but you went on to write about being a writer! Oh, authors are a whole different breed. Suddenly we become a fantasy, one of those people gawked at when asked what we do for a living. I reply "I kill people." Mystery author here! Yes, we exist and walk among you!<br />We carry our books around in the backseat of our cars. We sell at grocery stores, the post office and even at funerals. We have to leave the house looking presentable. We are expected to smile and be "on" no matter how crummy we feel at the moment. <br />We travel on our own budget to network at conferences and conventions we can't afford. Nobody sees us eating Top Ramen for survival to maintain this glorious lifestyle. That's why authors chow down whenever a free meal shows up.<br />As we like to say, "I'm a writer in private, an author in public."Sunny Frazierhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03693884364418711551noreply@blogger.com