| Author | Message | ||
     Des (Des) Username: Des Registered: 09-2010 Posted From: 109.154.32.235 |
Just that. | ||
| Des (Des) Username: Des Registered: 09-2010 Posted From: 109.154.32.235 |
To earn a living from writing, is it best these days to write mainstream/crime rather than Horror genre? | ||
| Ramsey Campbell (Ramsey) Username: Ramsey Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 92.8.18.111 |
I should think few people do so either way. | ||
| Protodroid (Protodroid) Username: Protodroid Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 109.79.76.120 |
There's almost no point in mastering any medium now with popularity or profit in mind as it's all changing so fast. Who would have thought that film, once the most glamorous profession in human history, would become so disposable (regardless of their quality) simply from their ubiquity? | ||
| Christopher Overend (Chris_overend) Username: Chris_overend Registered: 03-2012 Posted From: 217.33.165.66 |
I think the best approach, from today's evidence, is to become a glamour model, then to have a ghost writer write your material, basing it loosely on what you do for a day job. | ||
| Hubert (Hubert) Username: Hubert Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 178.116.61.103 |
If you're going to make a living out of writing, try advertisement copy. On the other hand, if you want to make serious money, open a fish and chips emporium. | ||
| Craig (Craig) Username: Craig Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 99.126.164.88 |
One has to say, yes, your odds are better. Though most paperbacks have disappeared from supermarket check-out racks at all, if they are there, they are usually thrillers, or "mainstream"—hard to define, but sometimes "chick-lit," sometimes historical, sometimes coming-of-age, etc. The days of ubiquitous horror, is sadly, not a present reality. Your whole statement, though, Des, is so vague and general, it's difficult to really address.  | ||
| Stephen Theaker (Stephen_theaker) Username: Stephen_theaker Registered: 12-2009 Posted From: 82.35.230.27 |
I suspect the best way to make a living out of writing might be to provide publishing services to the masses of people who would like to be writers but lack any of the requisite skills. I see such writers being advised to avail themselves of such services - or protesting that they already have - practically every day. I noticed you had something to say about that, Ramsey, in the discussion about Mandy DeGeit, where someone said she should have paid for an editor herself. I'm cynical about it now - and can only imagine how miserable it would be to spend one's days working on something you know is rubbish - but if I ever find I need that money I'm sure I'll change my tune... | ||
| Carolinec (Carolinec) Username: Carolinec Registered: 06-2009 Posted From: 92.232.199.129 |
I'm no writer, but I hang around writing forums/websites quite a bit - both fiction writing and non-fiction (eg. copywriting). I'd say that Hubert's hit the nail on the head - advice nowadays to anyone who wants to write for a living is to get into copywriting, advertising and so on. "but sometimes "chick-lit"," When you said that, Craig, I had this mind-boggling vision of Des writing "chick-lit" for a living!  | ||
| Craig (Craig) Username: Craig Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 99.126.164.88 |
Making a living writing copy, when the original goal is to write fiction, is as similar as wanting to be a portrait painter but deciding upon painting houses: sure, you're applying paint to a surface—from there, nothing's similar. It's so easy to make it as a writer of fiction, whatever genre. Just create something amazingly mainstream, with a super high concept. Albeit, of course, this may be as similar to one's first choice in writing subjects as... well, as portrait to house painting. | ||
| Hubert (Hubert) Username: Hubert Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 178.116.61.103 |
It follows that mainstream writing equals house painting. After a fashion. | ||
| Craig (Craig) Username: Craig Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 99.126.164.88 |
Actually, painting houses might be more similar to writing porn. Both require broad strokes. ... Well, gee. That has to be the worst one all year. Eat your heart out, Joel!  |