What do you think of young writers?

Question

My name is Caleb and Im 14 years old. I've always felt drawn to writing and reading since and young age and Ive wanted to be a writer ever since I was 7. I've been writing since then as well, and now I feel really comfortable with my voice in writing. I read mostly adult books (not porn, but more advanced). I live a normal teenage life, even though Im mature for my age. I also know what sort of trials adults have to go through, and the adult life. I write mature writing through teenager's eyes, (although its still adult) but still, do you think Ive lived enough life to write well enough?

Im not a total geek, i still live a normal teenage life and do thing teenagers do

Answer 1

I think you are on the right track, but you overestimate yourself a bit. No, you really don't know what sort of trials adults go through. You have read about them. You have not experienced them. Experience is the best teacher. You can know what an elephant looks like, but until you have been in the circus and stood behind one, you really haven't fully experienced an elephant at its "best", have you? Relax a bit, don't be afraid to write teenage stories. That is your developing grounds. To be quite honest with you, you really don't want to know what adults go through just yet Try enjoying life as a kid for as long as you possibly can. You are a kid for such a short time in comparison to how long you are an adult. Savor every kid moment.

I have no problem with young writers. I mentor two of them right now. However there are many of them who seem to know it all and are unwilling to take advice of older, more experienced authors - even though they request that advice here. Contradict them and get shot down and told you don't know squat. Like I often tell my 21 year old son - if you know everything already - why not just leave home? I do have a problem with teenage copycats writing their own vampire, dragon and bitchy girl books. They are all totally overdone.

There is no writer 14 or 94 who doesn't benefit from editing. There was only one author in history who really had this knack for writing without the need for any editing. That was O Henry. So unless you believe you are churning out works the quality of The Gift of the Magi, you can stand editing and advice. And I assure you - without even reading your work - you aren't.

Listen, learn, grow, expand, improve. Those are the important words to learn. You have lived enough to write about the world you know. And if you know how to do good research, you can become expert on other things to write about. But without that research, you should stick to what you know. Write a lot of it. Most of it will get tossed away - not good enough to show anyone. We have all hidden away things we wouldn't show anyone. But then along comes that one good thing and you are off ... Good luck. Pax- C

Answer 2

I'm the same age as you, and even though I haven't been writing for as long as you've wanted to be a writer, and I don't write about mature things like you do, I'd just keep writing if I were you. We can't decide if you've lived enough life to write well enough, since we haven't seen your work. If you're asking specifically about the mature stuff you write about, it's the same thing; it's not just what you write about, it's how you do it. And how well you do it. But I'm very sure you already knew that.

If you want more opinions, you could go to fictionpress.com and post your work there. Hopefully the right people will come by and help you improve your writing with comments and suggestions. That's usually how it's done there. It's a good place to get opinions, you should check it out. Especially if you don't have many people you can show your work to. That's the reason I'm there.

Answer 3

I've been writing since I was 10. For the most part, I don't what other people think about what I write - I am not writing for anyone else but myself. If you are really interested in getting the experience you need for writing, the best way to do that is by reading. A lot. If you are interested in a particular genre, read books from that area and see how other people do it to get a basic idea of what kinds of themes and ideas prevail. It will definitely give you a starting foundation upon which to build.

Answer 4

You mean... young people don't spend all their time playing video games? (I'm just kidding).

Anyway, I don't understand what you're asking-- do you "write well enough" for whom? For yourself? For publishers? For the mysterious literary circles I've been reading about (I think they must be like crop circles)?

The part of your question that stood out for me was this: "...I feel really comfortable with my voice in writing." It struck me two ways. I like that you have that kind of confidence; you need it if you're going to last through criticism and rejection. But it also sounds... final, like you are comfortable where you are and might not be open to change. And part of the beauty of being 14 is having a mind that is still capable of devouring everything the world throws at it. Your age is for experimenting and learning, and you shouldn't deny that.

I say, embrace your youth and try things that are crazy, not comfortable. Try writing poems in every style, and styles you invent. Try writing stories in stream of consciousness, or stories that are all farce or all drama, or attempt a farcical drama. You might find new voices to add to the one you have.

I hope you have fun, and don't forget to keep a journal. You can look at it later and see how your writing changes over time, and it will record your youth for when you are old and forgetful.

Good luck.

Answer 5

its about the literature, not "...living enough life.". i am 22 years old and know what you mean. by the time i was in the 5th grade i had several of my short stories published. the thing is though, i wrote not for others enjoyment, but my own, t just happened that people liked my writings. i suggest you do that as well. If you focus on what others want it is not fun any longer, but rather becomes a task, a job if you will. i have lost my interest in becoming an "accomplished writer" but still write for my own enjoyment. i plan on writing a book on my experiences in iraq when i return but have no real plans to be published other than that. so to answer your question sir, yes, i would say you have the literary set of mind that will allow you to "...write well enough.".

Answer 6

You need not have necessary lived through it all to make a good writer, but as long as you know what the experience feels like then you can successfully describe it, as to what I think of young writers, I think there merely experimenting with writing and will at a later stage find there true voice (of course, this is just my theory, I could be wrong), either way I encourage you to keep writing!

Answer 7

Why do you have to be a specific age to write? As long as you know what you want out of the book, you're good. One thing though about young writers, try not to re-write any other books you have read. The world could live without another Star Wars series.

Answer 8

I think that at any age you can have a wealth of life experience which you can use in your writing. I teach a course on this and would tell you what I tell my students - avoid all that 'life is awful' sort of experience writing. It's done to death and noone will be interested. And try and avoid the usual teenage angst narratives i.e., lost love, parents don't understand etc.

Finally, don't be afraid to play around with form and convention, and do practice similie and metaphor constructions - these will enrich your prose.

Good Luck and keep writing.x

Answer 9

Being a writer myself, I think it's great. And I completely get you. Nearly everything you wrote is how I would describe myself. I don't think it's a matter of living enough. Writing is a gift that you have. It's not really something you can learn that easily. And I, personally, think you've lived more than enough to be the writer you are. I know I have.

Answer 10

I been writing since i was 10-first published at 20 (28 years ago), still making a career as a writer

here is an article I wrote about young writers http://www.coffeehouseforwriters.com/fictionfix/0708%20Pomerantz.html