Comments on: More On How To Make A Living Writing

By: Monique White

Monique White — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 10:15:34 +0000

I moved to Los Angeles to write and haven't. I have found myself in a marketing career and I am content but my spirit is restless and unfed. I try to ignore my initial desires, plans but the wall of financial depletion that I constantly bump my head into is a constant reminder that I am outside of the road less traveled. I am straying away from a path that was paved for me and I must no matter how weak my legs feel, no matter how cold the climate may be, harsh the wind may blow, I must push through and make it to my destination.

By: maria

maria — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 12:23:16 +0000

Thanks! You write what some of us have been thinking, but have been afraid to say it….you helped me by putting it out here for me to see.

By: arlywn

arlywn — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 17:13:49 +0000

Cant think of a comeback… wow… I'm a little bit slow today. lol

By: Adriana

Adriana — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 05:14:05 +0000

Risk … this is truly a risk for me. I've stumbled across this blog by "accident" … perhaps "Providence" would be a better word … and, of all things, am responding! John, your blog is intriguing, lively, and calls me to write. I work as a "ghost writer" in the medical field, better known as a medical transcriptionist … transcribing what docs say or mean to say. The thought of writing what the dear Lord has put on my own heart and mind makes my heart beat faster! Searching for the next step …

By: kathyholmes

kathyholmes — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 23:22:44 +0000

Loved the post! Hilarious and true and something to think about. I found your blog from the WordPress dashboard – something I rarely check out but your subject matter was, of course, compelling.

By: How To Be A Veritable Factory of Creative Writing Ideas « Suddenly Christian

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 13:55:13 +0000

[...] by John Shore in HowTo, Humor, Writing. trackback One of my Big Points in yesterday’s More On How to Make A Living Writing was, “If you’re not pretty much an idea factory, you’re never going to make it [...]

By: John Shore

John Shore — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 12:38:37 +0000

Marley: I should have been more clear, but the fact is that EVERYBODY either knows or has pretty immediate access to someone whom they can have reason to hope might be willing to in some way assist them in their career. There's someone at every level–and everyone knows someone at the next level up. You just have to … think, and explore, and read, and … e-mail people, and so on. Be helpful. Be humble. WORK. Quality people tend to want to be with, help and learn from quality people. Insist you belong, basically.

By: marley howards

marley howards — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 12:00:05 +0000

Thanks for the tips.. But i think it's easier said than done – especially the exploit part because that assumes that you already have connections. I should find a writer's guild first….

But then everything that you pointed out makes sense and I appreciate you sharing it….

By: John Shore

John Shore — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 08:45:01 +0000

Dom: I'm not proud of it, but I've never belonged to any writer's group at all. So, no, I'm not a member of the Christian Writer's Guild. I thought I might join after I discovered their existence, but by then I was already so busy with work that I could never find the time to participate. I think they're a good idea, though.

Actually, I have no idea if writer's groups are good for writers or not. I'm sure they're good for some, and not good for others, like anything else.

I will say that sometimes I think people might be inclined to spend a little more energy than might be necessary or even healthy trying to write stuff OTHER people like. You lose your voice that way. I think it must be hard, when you're just starting out, to discern the difference between good input you should pay attention to, and bad input you should ignore. And it seems at writer's groups, EVERYONE gets to say what is and isn't working for your piece. So I could see how that might be a problem. On the other hand, input is GOOD, and surely being around others doing what you're doing is good.

Anyway, sorry. I'm hardly in a position to talk about the relative values of a writer's group, Christian or not.

By: John Shore

John Shore — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 06:28:09 +0000

That's it. Exactly right. Thanks!