How do you keep on it?

[Tariel]

One of the things that I love most about writing is having others criticize it. I don't know, maybe it's because I'm in training to go professional, but I get most satisfaction from my work when others read it. It doesn't really matter if they liked it or not (though I do prefer it if they like it). Don't get me wrong. I love my characters, love my stories. But if a friend (or maybe not a friend) says, "I think you should add something here or cut out something here." I will take their suggestions seriously. Besides, I don't like announcing that I'm a good writer. I know that some people won't find my stuff to their taste, and that's just fine. At my age, such claims might come off as arrogant anyway....and we don't want that, do we?

 

[Lessien]

Yeah. I like having people critique my work, too. I want to make it as good as I possibly can. But if one person says the main character is too perfect and another says she's too close to being evil, then I'll make a few minor changes to the main character and leave it at that. I want it to be a great book, but I know I can't please everyone.

 

[Tariel]

Yeah. I like having people critique my work, too. I want to make it as good as I possibly can. But if one person says the main character is too perfect and another says she's too close to being evil, then I'll make a few minor changes to the main character and leave it at that. I want it to be a great book, but I know I can't please everyone.

well YEAH!! I always have the last say in what changes are made to my work. It's a lesson I learned several years ago, and it's got to be one of the greatest helps to my work

 

[Lessien]

Heck yes. If you tried to please everyone, you'd end up with a fantasy/sci-fi/romantic comedy/tragedy/coming-of-age/children's/young adult/realistic mess that no one would like.

 

[Tariel]

Heck yes. If you tried to please everyone, you'd end up with a fantasy/sci-fi/romantic comedy/tragedy/coming-of-age/children's/young adult/realistic mess that no one would like.

hey....doesn't that sound kinda like a certain fantasy novel?

 

[Lessien]

It DOES!

Except for the realistic part. It's anything but realistic, even for fantasy.

 

[Tariel]

It DOES!

Except for the realistic part. It's anything but realistic, even for fantasy.

true....it's not very realistic.

 

[Lessien]

And yet....it got published! So I guess that goes to show that if you're under 21, have rich parents, and have seen LOTR and Star Wars, you can get a fantasy novel published AND have it make the New York Times bestseller list.

 

[Tariel]

And yet....it got published! So I guess that goes to show that if you're under 21, have rich parents, and have seen LOTR and Star Wars, you can get a fantasy novel published AND have it make the New York Times bestseller list.

so true. That's why I don't want to publish any novels soon unless Doc tells me that I should. I want to be known for WHAT I write, not the age at which I write it

 

[Lessien]

Same here. I'm not going to publish until I'm at least twenty-one, but I'll probably end up publishing later than that.

 

[Eskarina]

Same here. I'm not going to publish until I'm at least twenty-one, but I'll probably end up publishing later than that.

I don't really have anything to publish, as much as I would love to be a known author.

 

[Tariel]

I don't really have anything to publish, as much as I would love to be a known author.

I don't have anything publish-able right now. I'm working on it though....that's the fun part of being a writer.

 

[Lessien]

I don't have anything publish-able, either, but I hope to have something good before I die....

 

[Tariel]

I hope to have a publishable novel within the next five years

 

[Lessien]

Ah...your goal puts you under much more severe time constraints than does mine. Actually, I want to have something publishable before I get older and am forced to join the middle-class rat race and I will have little time for writing.

 

[Eskarina]

I hope to have a publishable novel within the next five years

A good goal

 

[Tariel]

Ah...your goal puts you under much more severe time constraints than does mine. Actually, I want to have something publishable before I get older and am forced to join the middle-class rat race and I will have little time for writing.

constraints? I wouldn't call it that. Remember...I plan to make my living writing

 

[Lessien]

lol. So do I, but probably more journalism than novel writing. Not that I won't write fiction...

 

[Eskarina]

I'm going to make a living as a teacher. Writing is something I want to do on the side.

 

[Tariel]

lol. So do I, but probably more journalism than novel writing. Not that I won't write fiction...

I very much hope NOT to make my living in journalism Maybe a little Freelance...but...