Aspiring Writer

[jrod]

I made the decision today to stop using the term "aspiring writer". I received a query from a writer who was looking for an editor. The pitch was excellent - I don't have time to work on it but it was some amazing stuff. He called himself an "aspiring writer" – a term I use often – and it just felt wrong. Despite having no credits to his name and no audience hanging on his words, he's a writer.

What makes someone a writer, after all? A paycheck? Or the fact that they have the need to tell a story?

This guy wasn't an aspiring writer - there's no such thing as an aspiring writer. As soon as you write something, for a large audience or strictly for yourself; you're a writer.

Just thought I'd share that with the writer’s forum. Keep on writing.

[Mike225]

I've heard that when you wake up in the morning and the first thing you think about is writing, you're a writer.

[The Scribe]

No such thing as an aspiring writer?

I'm an aspiring writer because I haven't been published yet.

I have thought about writing when I woke up, but having to go to work kills it. :man:

[The Anti-crest]

When you write you are a writer. Aspiring sounds like you want to do it but cant quite figure out how.

[Mike225]

Heh...I just write at work

[The Scribe]

When you write you are a writer. Aspiring sounds like you want to do it but cant quite figure out how.

I know how.

What about aspiring to be published? :D

[Buckyrig]

"What do you do?" It is implied this means "for a living".

"I'm a _______." This is what you get paid to do. "Professional" is implied. So, if you answer "writer", the person asking will assume you mean you write for a living. "Aspiring" or "amateur" just differentiates. Even when pitching, you are going to explain what, if anything, you have published. "Aspiring" answers that question.

I don't think it's meant to be insulting or self-efacing, just direct.

[JonHParrish]

I would always say I'm a young writer. I don't think I've ever used the word aspiring. I think the reason is the same as everyone elses (from what I can gather). I've already written things, for myself and my friends and they loved it. I know I can write so I'm not aspiring to write. i'm just a broke writer looking for a job.

Yeah. Aspiring writer shouldn't be used anymore. It should be either "Struggling Writer" or "Unpublished Writer" something like that.

Just my two cents.

[Buckyrig]

I'm a baseball player. ;)

[filthysize]

I just call myself a "new writer".

[Eric Palicki]

A writer is one who writes. We're aspiring professionals.

If one wishes to pick at nits, I suppose one could say we're aspiring professionals in the field of creative/comics writing. (Technically, I'm already a professional writer, but writing operator's manuals for hydraulic construction equipment is not something I'm particularly proud of. Nor is it likely to get me a job working in comics.)

[Awesomus Prime]

I'm astarving artist working for the school board.

[chrisjohnwagner]

I think one should just put what makes them feel the most comfortable. I and believe everyone on here knows what a person means when they use the term aspiring.

[Trey of Diamonds]

I think the technical answer is that an aspiring writer is someone who is trying to be a professional writer, meaning, getting paid enough to write for a living. As mentioned, putting words down is all it takes to be a writer, even a bad writer is still a writer.

[Trey of Diamonds]

A writer is one who writes. We're aspiring professionals.

If one wishes to pick at nits, I suppose one could say we're aspiring professionals in the field of creative/comics writing. (Technically, I'm already a professional writer, but writing operator's manuals for hydraulic construction equipment is not something I'm particularly proud of. Nor is it likely to get me a job working in comics.)

Missed this one if my first scan, Eric says it better than I did. Probably because he is a proffesional writer! ;)

[chris stevens]

wow, how can you guys clusterfuck such an easy thing?

no wonder this place is such a mess.

stop overthinking your own bullshit for 2 minutes and think about what the opening post was saying. if your hair doesn't catch fire in the intermission, proceed.

[Trey of Diamonds]

wow, how can you guys clusterfuck such an easy thing?

no wonder this place is such a mess.

stop overthinking your own bullshit for 2 minutes and think about what the opening post was saying. if your hair doesn't catch fire in the intermission, proceed.

Dude, don't hold back, tell us how you really feel. :slap:

[SethNI]

I feel aspiring writer is a legit term. I would classify myself as an aspiring writer, mainly because I am looking to be known, in one way or another, as a writer, to get respect as a writer.
I understand what is being said, about "Hey, if you write something, you are a writer, regardless if it is bad or not".. so what, should the phrase be"

Aspiring Good Writer?

:laugh:

[The Scribe]

Here's the definition.

as·pire
intr.v. as·pired, as·pir·ing, as·pires
1. To have a great ambition or ultimate goal; desire strongly: aspired to stardom.
2. To strive toward an end: aspiring to great knowledge.
3. To soar.


Aspiring
adj 1: seeking advancement or recognition [syn: aspirant, aspiring(p), wishful, would-be(a)]
2: desiring or striving for recognition or advancement [syn: aspirant, aspiring(a)]


Looks like a good term to use. ;)

[paul brian deberry]

wow, how can you guys clusterfuck such an easy thing?

no wonder this place is such a mess.

stop overthinking your own bullshit for 2 minutes and think about what the opening post was saying. if your hair doesn't catch fire in the intermission, proceed.

LOL

[The Anti-crest]

maybe its because I hang out with musicians mostly, but I realized a while back that if you call yourself aspiring, its like an admition that you arent there yet. When looking through press kits for opening acts any time a band or rapper had a letter that went like this...

Hey, my name is ______, I'm trying to be a rapper, so far I've been working on an ep and have been trying to get on shows in the local area....



then what ever comes after that, it just always struck me as really un professional. When we got letters and press kits that said "Hello, I'm _______, I've been rapping for five years at local cyphers and have recorded 3 mixtapes/demos which are circulating the local scene as we speak..."

it seemed like the dude was out there more, like he knew what he was doing. He wasnt trying to be a rapper, he WAS a rapper.

I may not be a published writer yet, but everybody I know knows that I am a writer and when I meet people I tell them that I'm a writer, and when they ask to read what I've written I print it out and hope and pray that they like it.

[JonHParrish]

Fuck it. From now on, I'm a pimp. Someone point me in the direction of the nearest Neon Green Suit Emporium ! I've got money to make and hoes to slap around, big pimpin baby !

[Buckyrig]

I'm the Regent of Hackensack.

[Eric Palicki]

I'm a messiah.

[xtylerx]

What about semi-pro? Or can I be minor league?

It always makes me cringe when people ask what I want to do, and I respond with something self-effacing along the lines of, "oh, I guess I'm trying to be a writer." And they say, "well, if you WRITE, than you are a WRITER."

So I play football sometimes, too...does that mean I am a football player? This reminds me of the square versus rectangle thing; I know there is a smarter name for it, but I forget right now. I was trying to recollect some apropo analogy about the confusing nature of English and a non-native speaker attempting to decode it, but I can't remember enough to make it a cohesive point.

Point is (and I know I am staint the obvious here), we are discussing qualifiers. Does being a writer require definition? Are we creating art or are we putting food on the table? I think the question of what defines a writer begs the question do you think writing should be defined?

I haven't posted here in quite a while as I have been reflecting on my aims as a "writer." I got so bogged down in trying to write comics that I began to look as script-writing as the only form of writing.

So after some truly mind-numbing navel gazing, I have taken a step back and am now attempting to put on my smarty goggles and view writing in fashions previously unexplored by my person.

Returning to the subject at hand:

wow, how can you guys clusterfuck such an easy thing?

no wonder this place is such a mess.

stop overthinking your own bullshit for 2 minutes and think about what the opening post was saying. if your hair doesn't catch fire in the intermission, proceed.

That is definitely a perspective. I don't know about the rest of you, but I am pretty much an over-analyzing pussy, so instead of going out and fucking shit up, these days I just sit inside and talk to myself about it (via a computer keyboard).

Regardless, to write is to, yes, be a writer. To run is to be a runner, to read is to be a reader, to fuck is to be, well, a lover. But, as that last example can (in my opinion) prove, to do something is not necessarily to have it recognized in a public forum. Yeah, I can do it with a girl, but people aren't picking it up on dvd or in 30 second clip at a free daily post site.

My point is, and I suppose this is my personal definition, but to be something is to be recognized by an audience, however limited. It might only be your peers, but a public audience nonetheless.

Yeah, I know we, as "artists" shouldn't require public recognition to do something "we truly love" but what is the point of languishing in utter anonymity while creating something no-one will ever see?

Why do you think the goddamn internet is so popular? We all love to feel like somebody is listening to what we have to say.

(That's probably why this is so long).

[Lewis]

Only on DW . . . .

For my 2 cents aspiring writer works fine.

[JonHParrish]

I'm new money ! :laugh:

[T.J. May]

I'm a baseball player. ;)

Me too! In fact I hit .371 this year, team's onto the playoffs with the second seed.

And I guess since I;ve been published and made a little money, I am simply a writer as well.

:)

[Mike225]

My point is, and I suppose this is my personal definition, but to be something is to be recognized by an audience, however limited. It might only be your peers, but a public audience nonetheless.

Oh. Then I'm a writer, too.

Copycat (http://www.mod-life.com/nw/build-page.php?action=issue&comicname=copycat1&page=0)

[JonHParrish]

Me too, but I'm still keeping the neon green suits, they're snazzy ! ;)

[Mike225]

Very swank.

[JonHParrish]

Hells yeah ! :cool:

[xtylerx]

Oh, you kids and your neon green suits and ragtime music!

[The Scribe]

Did someone say neon green?

http://www.suavecito.com/images/Suits/zoot_suit_neon.jpg


Pimpin' ;)

[JonHParrish]

Did someone say neon green?

http://www.suavecito.com/images/Suits/zoot_suit_neon.jpg


Pimpin' ;)

:cry: I'm so happy ! this has made my day.

[storymask]

That suit was too cool. Reminds of the one the singing demon wore
in Once More with Feeling... except his was purple. :bounce:

[KH]

I've heard that when you wake up in the morning and the first thing you think about is writing, you're a writer.

damnit.

since my kids generally are my alarm clock, the first thing i think about is needing more sleep.

so much for aspiring to make millions of dollars off of my writing. b/c, honestly, that's what I want.

:mad:

[Mike225]

Sorry to ruin your dream. :P

[The Scribe]

That suit was too cool. Reminds of the one the singing demon wore
in Once More with Feeling... except his was purple. :bounce:

Did it look like this?

http://www.elpachuco.com/jpgs/suits/purple-suit.jpg

[The Scribe]

:cry: I'm so happy ! this has made my day.

If that made your day this will make your year. ;)

http://pimpcostumes.com/

Pimp-in ain’t easy... so let Pimp Costumes Dot Com help you keep your pimp hand strong and your street girls workin.

If you wanna work the art... you gotta look the part! So get G’d up from the street up and break that Ho for the fat bank roll.

Whether it’s loose-fittin, party pimp-in Pimp Costumes or hard-workin, tailor-fittin Pimp Suits… Just remember one thing: Pimps up, Ho’s down.


:laugh: :thumbs:

[JonHParrish]

I'm speechless. That is just awesome. I'm adding that site to my favorites as we speak.

Thank you. :thumbs:

[The Anti-crest]

damnit.

since my kids generally are my alarm clock, the first thing i think about is needing more sleep.

so much for aspiring to make millions of dollars off of my writing. b/c, honestly, that's what I want.

:mad:

haha. My alarm clock is an annoying buzzer and the first thing i think is "fuck, not another work day. I usually dont start thinking about my story until I've gotten dressed, shaved and am on my 45 minute long commute.

[kshah777]

I usually think of my stories/write when I am at work, or anytime when I am probably supposed to be doing something else... I know it's a terrible habit to have (I should be writing when I am NOT busy with other things), but for now, it's how I work.

But I am a writer!

[Buckyrig]

I usually think of my stories/write when I am at work, or anytime when I am probably supposed to be doing something else... I know it's a terrible habit to have (I should be writing when I am NOT busy with other things), but for now, it's how I work.

But I am a writer!

This actually works great. The more boring the job is the better. :thumbs:

[Scribe]

Dan Jolley said something rather interesting today at Dragon*Con. He said that he's "Broken into" mainstream comics three or four times. His partner Marie Croall said that you have to write every script like its your last script unless you are a big name in the business.

I think in an industry as competitive as comics it would serve us all good to remember we're aspiring writers, because the moment you get complacent is the moment you start slipping.

[chris stevens]

i think you meant 'complacent', not compliant. but who knows?

after all, they're only words...

[Lovecraft13]

What makes someone a writer, after all? A paycheck? Or the fact that they have the need to tell a story?


Writers should declare whether or not they have been published, which generally sums everything up real quick for everyone. "Hi, my name's _____ , and I'm a published writer..." as opposed to, "Hi, my name's ______ , and I'm an aspiring writer." Eventually, someone's gonna ask you anyway:

"Have you ever been published?"

And your response is going to be, "No, but I'd like to be."

Well, you're still aspiring to be published as a writer, and should declare it. If you just want to call yourself a writer because you keep a journal, well, then all of those teenage girls on Livejournal should continue to call themselves poets because they enjoy writing five rhyming lines about how much they love the darkness. Unpublished work exists in a bubble. You can have a thousand screenplays sitting in your file cabinet, but if you have yet to sell one, you're still aspiring to do so-- hence, an aspiring writer.

Just my opinion.