Writing.Com General Discussion

As some-one who has been trad published by small companies, without a personal website or anything like that, I just want to say: do your own thing.

Look, things like "theme" and "genre dictates" play on the minds of a lot of writers. If you want to think about them, go for it. But if they worry you, ignore them.

People will poo-poo me saying that, and that's fine. They think themes are first and foremost; that is their opinion. I've sold over 100 pieces and it doesn't bug me. I have contracts with various publishers for 3 more books and I am making a decent 2nd income from writing without concerning myself with theme. I am not telling you NOT to, I am just saying I don't.

I write what I write, sell a reasonable amount, and if there's a theme, it emerges in its own time and way without me even being aware of it. You say you have stories in your head - ignore everything and just write them down. Write what's in your head. Get it out of you. Don't worry about theme, don't worry about age group, don't worry about genre, don't worry about audience - the most important first audience is you. So write for you. Write the stories you want to read and you need to tell.

Your place in the writing world is wherever you want it to be. Use your goals to aim there. If you don't make it, it doesn't matter. Just try. Aim for the moon; if you miss, you're still amongst the stars. (Cliché #2,967)

Before making it public, make sure it's clean (spelling, grammar, punctuation, etc.) and then try and sell it wherever you can, post it here at WdC, put it on your own site if you have one. Trust yourself. Here at WdC, let yourself be reviewed, take on board what you want (and you don't have to take anything at all on board, remember), and use this site to help hone the craft. But the stories - write them.

One word of warning - do NOT put any creative writing on FaceBook. Their T&Cs state that they own everything published on their site, including photos and writings. They can use it however they see fit and can stop you using it. FaceBook is bad for creatives.

Good luck going forward!