Post History

Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/35520
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/35520
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

You do not need a degree to become a writer; you have the Internet. You can teach yourself what you need to know to become a writer; including some experiences you may not yet have (or may never have), and thus may not "connect" to entirely. Keep in mind that writers often have characters doing things they themselves have never done; murder being one extreme, or engaging in homosexual sex, or being in a sword fight for their life, or kidnapping a child, or a woman killing her rapist or abusive husband, or being involved in an elaborate con, or being a spy.

They did not learn how to make these _sound_ authentic in college, they did research outside of it. Some things (being an authentic doctor or lawyer) may demand a lot of research, but even there: You don't have to actually practice medicine or law to get to something plausible. Just like the actors on TV don't have to be doctors, physicists or lawyers or psychologists in order to make a plausible acting experience.

You can also **_read_** what others have written, and emulate that (not copy it).

Further, you can read what published fiction authors have written **about** writing and how to go about it, like Stephen King ("On Writing") or Orson Scott Card or hundreds of others. Read ten books by different people and get a feel for what a story is.

(Books on writing are heavily biased toward plotting and planning a story. Many of us do not write like that, Stephen King is a "discovery writer", letting his story and characters develop as he goes. I suggest his book as a balance to most of what you will find out there.)

As for being discouraged: Most published authors write a few books before they get one published; or they revise endlessly until their first book gets published (JK Rowling revised and submitted the first Harry Potter for five years, rewriting it several times). This business takes persistence, and the average pay for a first book is around $3000 or $5000. Of course more if it is a blockbuster (like Harry Potter) but don't think you get rich on one book.

Discouragement is part of the journey. If you are writing for the fame and money alone, I don't recommend continuing. If you are writing because you love to write and find the writing and research entertaining, and _hope_ to get published, keep on. Few people regret the time and money spent on hobbies they enjoy, even though their hobbies generate no income. Think of writing this way, with a possibility of paying but not the only reason you do it.

Original score: 4