I'm about to finish high school and my dream career is wanting to be an author, how do i start?

Question

I have an idea on what to do. Im just not sure how i should start it. Are their some things i need to know first before is start writing? Do i gotta make a pyrimid thing i learned back in the sixth grade?

Any ideas on how i can start?

Please don't answer if your not going to help.

Answer 1

I think I have some advice that might help...though it looks like you've gotten a lot already.

1. Get a degree. Education in ANY form helps people learn to write, since you will have to write papers and do a great deal of reading. Not only that, but unless you are some sort of genius (very rare) you will need to support youself so that you can write. You need a degree to accomplish that these days.

Good writers are highly educated people who know a great deal about the world around them and have a lot of life experience. You simply need to work on that in order to be a proficient writer.

2. Speaking of reading...READ. Good writers are literature lovers and they do a great deal of reading. Start now!

3. Consider that there are lots of ways to make a living writing besides being a novelist. There is technical writing, business writing, copy writing, news writing...these are all career choices for a writer, some of which are MUCH more lucrative than writing fiction AND will help you become that fiction writer if that's where you're truly headed.

4. Like others have said, start writing. Set a time frame to write every day...say one hour. It doesn't matter what you write. Actually, lots of writers say that keeping journals helped them develop their own voice their skills. Outline your ideas, and work on filling in those outlines.

5. Take writing-specific classes. I mean, above and beyond your normal college education. Lots of times there are courses available through local adult education programs that are a good bargain. Take advantage of them.

Good luck!

Answer 2

Practice, the simple answer.

Take several courses on Novel writing, children's book writing, poetry, anything about writing.

Read, as wide a variety of styles and types of writing, then examine what works for you- what you like and don't like about the way he/she writes.

Join a writing group.

Get a "normal" job and career.

Writing is two things, addictive and time consuming.

What it isn't is extremely profitable or successful.

Few people make a living from simply writing.

The money is not that good. Take the fastest growing and expanding field, romance.

A romance novel has a shelf life of approximately 30 days, or less. Which means if it doesn't sell well- it's gone. Most writers make from $100 to $10,000 per book, the $10,000 is the high end of average. It equates to about 1-2 cents per hour at times.

Then come the simple questions. Does your writing work? Can you compose an interesting sentence, or three or four paragraphs?

Why? Because most agents and editors read the first three paragraphs, some the first 1-3 sentences, if it doesn't get their interest, they dump it.

Thousands of books- actually tens of thousands of books are submitted, yet fewer and fewer publishing houses are taking on new-unknown writers.

Going to writing seminars also can help.

But practice, write, and write, and write... Try different styles, structures and methods of writing.

It's a tough, tough area. But, it is and can be addictive.

Beyond that, read everything out loud. Writing should have a rhythm, a cadence for the reader. Have another person do a cold reading of your stuff.

And listen to how it sounds, I guarantee it'll sound much different from how you think it sounds or should sound in your head.

A dream career is good, a noble calling, but a back up way to survive is also essential.

And live. Experience, travel, listen to how people talk, discuss, argue and see things around them. Write down snippets, ideas, scenes, you never know when you'll need them, or they'll fit in.

And did I mention, practice- writing and reading.

Practice writing about things/topics/styles you don't personally like or aren’t interested in, to force yourself to describe and understand a wider variety of issues and genre’s. (Not as a rule but as a writing exercise.) Never be satisfied you know enough about the world around you, be curious, question and challenge. Be open to criticism and critique, and take it to heart.

The key is always, what do you have to say, and why should anyone else, a stranger to you put down money to read your work?

Also assume rejection, you'll find most people turn you down, over and over- the writers who can and have made a living solely from writing are few and far between, and they work at their craft every day.

Nora Roberts- (if you don't know her look it up,) has about 128,000,000 plus books in print, she works 7-8 hrs a day writing, 5-6 days a week, it's long hours and it's a tough, lonely and isolated lifestyle.

But, it is at times rewarding, emotionally, intellectually and fun, (as well as frustrating, annoying, insane and .. fill in the blank.)

I meet a lot of new or hopeful (want-a-be writers), who tell me they have a great story inside them. Fine, but then what? A writer should have a lot of stories bubbling inside them.

Finely, all this advice may help or not. There is no correct way to write, no right way.

Example- look at the short story, “Flowers for Algernon” it’s written as diary, by an illiterate, who after an experimental drug becomes the ultimate genius. But then...
It breaks every principle of writing, and works- brilliantly.

Eventually you’ll evolve your own writing style, if you can stick it out.

Writing can be taught and learned, good writing is a skill, really good writing is an art.

Hope this helps a bit, good luck.

Bill~

Answer 3

I recommend taking any and all classes you can take to get you into the habit of writing on a regular basis. It will also put you in a workshopping environment that will help thicken your skin against rejection and constructive criticism. If you are looking to go to college, there are many University English programs now that offer a Creative Writing track. Check into that. The most important thing is to just start writing. Write every day as long as you can until writing and story telling itself become habits. This will help alter your mind into a flow of creativity, where you will be able to look at people, places and every day situations and see the potential story. I once had someone tell me that being a writer is a talent; it's something your born with. He said that you can't possibly TEACH a writer how to write. That's the biggest lie you could ever tell yourself as a writer. Being a writer is being a life-explorer. You must always be willing to learn and grow, both stylistically and technically.

Answer 4

While there are plenty of "how to" books for writers, workshops, etc., most every successful author I've heard answer this similar question, as simple as it sounds, is just write...all the time. And don't stop with just one manuscript for submissions. Have two or three stashed away just in case.

Many publishing companies have particular formats for accepting submissions, as well. Familiarize yourself with them. On any particular website, you find the guidelines.

At a writer's workshop I went to years ago, I met a mystery author. He said that, to him, mysteries were the easiest to write. Basically, you start at the end. Think of a way for someone to be murdered, or some other crime committed, and go back and forth, from beginning to end to fill in the spots. Characters, if not already in mind, will come to you. Another good thing about mysteries is that you can put them in various other genres other than just "mystery", such as Fantasy, SciFi, Western...any setting is a potential.

I hope this helps some. Good luck, and keep writing...continuously.

Answer 5

Are there any Game companies near you? If so, you might contact their Human Resources Dept. (go for the smallest companies) and ask for their recommendations and information. In addition, or alternatively, contact the Community College or College near you and ask for their Career Placement or Counseling department. And, your High School guidance counselor may be able to give you other ideas on how to get the information you seek. Your public library might also have some books on Gaming software. If you stick with your career choice--and it's probably a good idea not to lock yourself into game programming at your age--you will end up learning at least several languages, including C/C++. But, if I were you I'd go for a broader Computer Science goal, and give college very serious consideration. Game programming might seem glamorous now--and certainly well-paying if you are exceptionally good at it, but it can also become a tough grind, especially with the competition that exists. If you are determined, go for it--and get all the information you can. If you can find someone who is now employed at a game programming company, offer to buy them lunch if they will tell you what it's like to work at it. Also ask other serious gamers what they know about the programming requirements.

Answer 6

I know that everyone thinks there is some mystical answer to this question, but it is simply to sit down and write. You can't be an author without putting words on the page.

The best advice I ever received was from CJ Cherryh (award-winning SF author). She said "Write garbage, edit brilliantly." You don't have anything to make better until you have something on paper. Once you have something written, revise, edit, clean it up. Make sure it says what you wanted it to. (Sometimes the first draft is to tell yourself what you want to say.)

Once the story/poem/book/article is in the best shape you can put it, you need to make sure it is in correct manuscript format. Then you need to send it out, and as soon as one story/poem/article is out the door start the next one. And if something comes back, send it back out.

And keep writing.

There are books to help you with crafting your words, but first you have to write.

Good luck!

Answer 7

May be take some creative writing classes unless you are OK with your writing. Write about something you know first, iy makes it easy to get your first story. Make sure you are very careful when trying to get published. There are some publishers that will take your story reject it then give it to one of there established writers and print it under their name. Never send a complete story to a publishing company at first. Send a draft, you can learn about them from books on how to get published. I asked a writer one time " How do you know when a short story is to long". He told me" Make your story like a mini skirt, short enough to get your attention , but long enough to cover the essentials". Good advise. Best wishes in you writing and looking forward to seeing you in print some day.

Answer 8

Begin by taking classes in extemporaneous writing. This kind of class will help you establish a correct style that is uniquely your own. This class will incorporate english usage, grammer and sentence structure. After this class, begin taking classes in creative writing. This class will help you form your views and the mode in which you wish to express your views. Supplement your classes with reading the classics and contemporary writers. By continually reading, you will learn how great authors express themselves and you will also learn about what the public expects in a book.

Answer 9

You should have started writing when you were 14 or 15. A lot of writers start writing very early.

Answer 10

You don't really need a "pyramid" or any formulaic device. I find it helps if I keep the basic plot firmly in my mind but it doesn't have to be down on paper. You can just sit down and write whatever pops into your head.