Ep 151 When you can call yourself a writer?

In this minisode of So you want to be a writer: Debbi wants to know when she can call herself a writer, and Holly queries whether she should pitch her stand alone novel as part of a potential series.

Got a question for Val and Al? Ask at podcast [at] writerscentre [dot] com [dot] au

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Review of the Week
From Summertimexxx:

Hi Ladies, This review is super overdue as I have been following you for over a year and feel like we are old friends – creepy? I love to write. I have written stories, poems and songs for as long as I can remember and I listen to your podcasts willing to learn. I did the creative writing course with the Australian Writers Centre in 2015 and it spurred in me a desire to pick it up a notch and write my first fiction novel. I completed 70,000 words and consider it a first draft. Leaving grammar and punctuation aside for a minute (because I feel fairly confident in that respect), how do I improve the story structure? Any tips you can give me on this matter is highly appreciative. Keep up the good work. Loving the minisodes, too, by the way.

Thanks, Summertimexxx!

Listener Questions

Debbi asks:

Hi Valerie and Al,

I have recently started listening to your podcast and I love listening to all the tips and information for writers and prospective writers. I also love listening to all the writers in residence as hearing other journeys helps inspire me.I have been writing for a few years now and it started purely as a form of therapy when I found myself in the lows of depression. I used my writing as a means of escape and for all those years I looked at my writing as something I did purely for me.

I have been writing for a few years now and it started purely as a form of therapy when I found myself in the lows of depression. I used my writing as a means of escape and for all those years I looked at my writing as something I did purely for me. As I’ve moved on, I have two first draft manuscripts and two partials and am now heading in the direction that I would love to start taking writing seriously. I am looking at some of the AWC courses and would love to publish books one day but I do struggle with confidence. I am struggling with changing my mindset.

As I’ve moved on, I have two first draft manuscripts and two partials and am now heading in the direction that I would love to start taking writing seriously. I am looking at some of the AWC courses and would love to publish books one day but I do struggle with confidence. I am struggling with changing my mindset.

My questions are:

1. At what point do people begin to call themselves authors or writers?
2. Is it after the first draft is finished or perhaps once it’s accepted by an agent or publisher, or once it is published?
3. Also, do you find that when people start calling themselves an author or writer it helps improve their confidence and changes their own mindset?
4. Do you have any other tips to change from writing as a hobby to being a more serious writer?

Thank you and I look forward to listening to more of your podcasts.

Valerie and Allison answer your questions in the podcast.

Holly asks:

Dear Valerie and Allison,

Happy New Year!

I have a question for a minisode.

I’ve written a middle-grade fiction book that I hope to submit to publishers later this year. It is currently a standalone novel, but I have ideas for making it a series, especially as I have noticed the popularity of series in fiction for that age group.

Is it worth mentioning the potential for a series when submitting the manuscript to publishers or should I just focus on the existing novel?

Thanks for your help and a great podcast,

Holly

Val and Al answer these questions in this minisode. We hope you find this useful!

If you have a question, email us at: podcast [at] writerscentre [dot] com [dot] au

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