~Cheer up sleepy dream~

[thursdayfades16]

For someone who is so incredibly terrible at almost everything, I sure debate over what my career is going to be quite a bit. I'm not sure why I'm thinking about it so much, especially because I'm only 15. Besides the fact that I worry about it, it seems that virtually every new person I meet asks what I want to study in college, or what I aspire

Comments

[scriblysonstage]

You're not terrible at everything. Come on! You're a very good writer. I think any of them would fit you. I don't know that I see you as a journalist (I have the same feelings about that profession as you do, it seems) but you could do it, and that, I believe, is what's important regarding this list. Ah, the novelist...I think that's about at the top of my list, too. Writer's block would be a problem, I suppose... I like bookstore owner over editor, but that's just me. Owing your own boookstore would be really neat! "If only my life's dream could be teaching or something." Who needs clear-cut paths? There are a lot of aspects of teaching, and it isn't necessarily clear-cut. I'm all for no concrete plans for life. And yes, to the last question, I think they all could fit you.

[thursdayfades16]

Lol for the teaching comment. I meant clear-cut as in... it's more secure. If that makes sense. Sure, it may not be high-paying in the beginning, but there's this path of school, student teaching, teaching, etc. There's not as much uncertainty as with an author, where you have to struggle for an agent, a bookstore owner, where there's a possibility your business might fail, a journalist, where, if you're a freelancer, you may not get picked up, etc. And I don't really know if I see myself as a journalist either... it feels too confining somehow... but maybe a columnist in a magazine. More casual, you know? I'm definitely not going for the daily newspaper reporter or whatever. Ugh. I am not shedding any light whatsoever on this. I think I may just have to wait to college and see how I take to my classes or something . . .

[scriblysonstage]

I've been doing my research, and though your grandpa might not have realized the agent thing, good agents don't charge you out of your pocket, but a percent of what you earn. Smaller publishers don't always need agents, too. There's always hope for that. Don't decide being a writer wouldn't work out. A percentage? As long as it's a fair number, that wouldn't be too bad, and he wouldn't have to pay for stamps!

[thursdayfades16]

yeah... i've actually considered sending stuff off to agents a few times, but there are a few things stopping me

[scriblysonstage]

Ah ha! I have the opposite fear: I would rather face rejection letters and let publishers/agents look at my stuff than post it on the web. Don't ask why.

If it's a little short, it could be a short story. No big deal. If you ever get something you're happy with, I'd try sending it out, even if it's kind of small. Mine started out mini and became absolutely massive. It might grow, you never know.

Self-publishing... *shudder* I looked at one of those things at one point, and then I read how bad they are. You have to pay to publish a book. Um...no? I would much rather let somebody who knew what they were doing deal with my book. The one you have doesn't sound that bad, though. Distribution would be tricky to figure out, though...I know I couldn't do it, but if someone could and they went with that publisher I'd bet they'd do really well.

[thursdayfades16]

yeah... i would never look at one of those ones where you have to pay a certain amount for each copy, but this one, they paid all that, and just took part of whatever profit it made.

hmm... yeah, i really need to sit down with that short story and do some serious editing. it's one of those things i wrote when i was young and naive. there's a lot of these little choppy scenes, awkward plot lines, etc. maybe if i actually sat down with it now, it'd morph into something okay. we shall see.

grains of sand is one i was also thinking of submitting, but i still have a lot of work on that one, too... it's only part-way written, so i'm kinda stuck.

wow. i really can't finish stories, huh? lol. great author i'll make!