I've heard tell that there are quite a few published writers on FPN. Like many people I would love to write, but lack confidence. Whenever I start to write I think, 'if no-one likes this then I'm wasting a huge amount of my time.'

Do you know exactly where your story is going when you start to write?

I can't answer any of the questions above...
I have been published in a couple of magazines on a regular basis...
I used to write quite a bit in the fly fishing, fly tying arena and still write a bit in the scroll saw area.
I keep telling myself that I am going to work on some children's stuff based on the stories my daughter makes up and I really need to get that in gear.

I responded "A journalist" since I edit an online magazine and write technical articles. My work has been published in various magazines and online since 1988.

I've also co-authored eight books on computers, technology, and instruction. You didn't offer a category for technical/trade books, which may cut a lot of members here out of replying to your survey. As I often say, fiction is wonderful but tech writing pays the bills!

What about the poets?

I have outlines going for several novels, some of which will eventually see the light of day, if I live long enough and can ever get far enough ahead on my editorial work to have the luxury of some time to focus.

In my opinion, a writer (whether fiction or non-fiction) had better have a pretty doggone good outline and a chapter or two done before pitching the book to a publisher. In the case of the technical books and articles I've written, I always know exactly where I'm going before I write the content. Now, it's true that I also develop ideas all the time that are like seeds waiting to germinate. But ... any of these can be treated in more than one way.

When querying an editor, I know ahead of time which treatment I am going to pitch, and that treatment will be matched to the editor's publication and audience. Otherwise I'm wasting my time and the editor's time. The other advantage to this approach is that it means I can recycle ideas: sell an article, then query the same topic with a different treatment to a different editor. Fiction works much the same way.

With novels, from what I understand, it's ok if you don't know when you start your story and character development exactly where the thing is going to go. But once you've done the story and character development and written the full outline (which some writers refer to as the first draft), my belief is that you ought to know where you're going. This allows you to focus on the writing and not have to keep tinkering with the story. And before you send the outline and sample chapter(s) to publishers or an agent, you want to be sure there aren't going to be any surprises. Especially if you are unpublished. Established writers can probably get away playing a little looser, but that's only because they've got a track record and the publishers know they can be trusted. At least this is what I understand about fiction and novels -- my first has yet to be finished, let alone published.

Get to writing and good luck!

I've written non-fiction articles and a non fiction book.

Ray

yes--please see my blog below

as to your question--no, not always; i think the fun of writing is in the discovery of what lies around the corner. if i can tell what's going to happen on page 10 while i'm on page 1, then my reader (who i always assume is always at least as smart as i am) probably can, too--and where's the fun in that?

Well, I've been published in several scientific journals. But I would hardly call the sort of writing that I did, as...well, writing. Scientific papers are an entirely different sort of beast.

And to the best of my knowledge, there were no FP's involved in any of the papers that I was involved in.

TMann

I'm a student at a very writing-intensive college, so I'm constantly working on a paper–or three.

At the moment, I'm writing a paper on the protest prints of Goya and Kollwitz and a paper on South American and Feminist Liberation Theologies.

All fun, all the time.....

Arh ! So sorry to hear that TMann. Just think of all the happy little scientists faces if they coud read a report about nuclear fusion written in a lush, dark cherry or south seas blue.

I've been published, but it wasn't a novel. I wish it was! Most of my writing is research oriented for Law Reviews. I've written a few short stories for pleasure, but I wouldn't think to have them published. I write them purely for my own amusement. My family also has a quarterly family newsletter, and we take turns writing various articles, stories, and the usual light-hearted political/social commentaries.

I've found that the best way to get the creative juices flowing is by reading. The more I read, the more I want to write.

Your poll leaves out those of us with unconnected short stories published *raises hand*, published poets, people with accepted but not published stories/poems/novels/essays, playwrights (published and not), people who have semiprofessional credits....

Sorry

Unpublished......

Couldn't find anyone that was interested in the illustrated story.....
"The Adventures of Baby Snot the Troll"

I selected the "I have an unpublished novel" option. But I was a part/full-time* journalist for one year and would like to eventually get back into the field. And I write for the sheer love of it.

Exit pollers and jury selectors hate me

*How can a person be both part-time AND full-time, you ask? Oh ho ho-- clearly, you've never worked for a paper owned by the Journal Register Company.

Now let's never speak of it again.

Well, I have written 2 books.
One destroyed by a storm and the other “disappeared”.
Published, no.
I think publishers insist on more then one syllable words.
Then there is this silly thing about having a plot.
And if the edict “write about what you know” is true, how do you start a murder mystery?

So, only novels and journalists count??

I'm a poet, and review poetry regularly for a couple of Canadian magazines. But I do have a day job, as a child care worker, or, in the parlance, an Early Childhood Educator. I have to pay the bills, and writing poetry and reviews isn't that potent.
Andrew

What about us grad students and professors? Quite a few are and have published a lot of papers.

I'm sorry to hear about the loss of your novels. That's a lot of work, and it must be very discouraging.

"Write what you know" isn't an edict. It's advice.

Murder mystery writers who are successful generally have some experience that helps them write the details in a convincing manner. However, it isn't necessary to commit a murder in order to write about one, any more than it is necessary to have female (male) genitalia in order to write from a woman's (man's) perspective (thanks to Faye Kellerman for that explanation). What is necessary is knowledge about human nature. The specific details you need to know vary according to the specific kind of murder mystery. True crime novels are different from police procedurals.

What you don't know, you research. Talk to people. Ask good questions. Listen. Take notes.

For anyone interested in writing mysteries, murder or otherwise, I recommend Writing Mysteries: A Handbook by the Mystery Writers of America (ed. Sue Grafton) with chapters contributed by Lawrence Block, Michael Connelly, Tess Gerritsen, Tony Hillerman, Faye Kellerman, Jonathan Kellerman, Sara Paretsky, and Ann Rule. This was published in 2002 by Writer's Digest Books, so you can probably find a copy pretty easily.

I write mainly for my own pleasure, as i'm not sure who would want to read it. I write poetry sometimes.

I mainly write for school or work, but a little bit for pleasure. As for being published... I've had a small roll in a couple of academic studies, written a few newspaper articles in university, and have a couple of reports for local(ish) government that have had limited distribution. I'm not sure if the last one counts.

The majority of my writing has been for school either previously for my undergraduate, or currently for my graduate, degrees.

What I like to do is write out my thoughts on paper with a fountain pen, and then transfer them onto a word document or excel sheet depending on what I am doing. That and I keep a journal.

The one thing I won’t do is claim that I am any good at it, and most certainly am not famous or even recognized for it.

Kris

Greetings "Badge,"

I too had some difficulty voting in this poll; in fact, I didn't vote in this poll. I am a professional writer- a résumé writer to be exact. My work has been featured in the WSJ and published in several books, the latest one being, "Designing the Perfect Résumé," Third Edition; published by Barron’s. (No, it wasn’t in the "What Not to Do" section ).

However, I've never written a novel; I have written short stories, (and poems in my youth- for girls), but these writings were always for personal pleasure- not commercial publication.

Any chance of a revised poll “Badge”?

Best wishes,

Sean

I voted, "I am a huge success and very famous" which is a complete and total lie but I enjoyed placing a vote in that box.

Thank you for the opportunity to have a little fun.

I too am vastly famous!!!

Badger, we should organize a club of "Incredibly Famous and Successful People No One Has Ever Heard Of"

Anyone else in on this?

I just have a few highschool level poems I've written for my own pleasure

Sometimes an idea or some sort of metaphoric phenomena will hit me that makes me wonder about things. I just have to write about it

Could I ask you for help when a time comes for me to write a resume ?

I also found it difficult to vote in this poll, and I voted "writing for my own pleasure." Like some of the others here, I have never written a novel. But I have been published continuously in professional journals, magazines, newspapers (both articles and editorials), and newsletters for professional, benevolent and social organizations. I enjoy writing very much, so I do in fact write for my pleasure - but for real purposes. I consider these writing efforts as being "published."

I do use a fountain pen in drafts and in editing. I find that I can get drafts started fairly well by typing as there is something in the ambidextrous physical effort of typing that gets my thoughts going. But, I find I need the fountain pen to refine my thinking and generate variations on initial ideas. The flow of liquid ink just does something to my imagination and my sense of transition that nothing else can.

DRP, we people of great minds obviously think alike! We need a club name. I think IFASPNOHEHO is a good idea.

Hya Sean,

I'd have revisied the poll immediately if I knew how, but I'm just a Badger.

Love

Badge

Yup, done some writing both online and had some stuff published in national publications. I answered 'journo' to your poll.

I've been writing fiction for almost ten years now, and been very lucky. I have two novels published, the third one is forthcoming next year, and now I'm working on my fourth novel. Although I have used fountain pens since I'm 13, I began getting more fountain pens when I started writing fiction, as most of my first drafts, and later on, all my editing is done by hand with a fountain pen.

In the computer I use Scrivener, a piece of software designed for writers. I used MS Word since version 1.0, but every version is less reliable that the previous one, and ultimately feels like driving a bus when all you need is a small, compact car to get around town.

All the luck in the world won't get you published without lots of hard work. Congrats on being that rarest of creatures, a working novelist!

Thanks for the kind words.

Hi "Badge,"

I'm not so sure that you can change them... don't worry about it; people who do not fit into the options provided are chiming in, so not too much is lost.

All the best,

Sean

Hello Kissing,

Doh, shure- no problum my frend, I'me an xpurt with rezumays.

Best wishus,

Sean

me!

and penmanila should know because he is my professor and i'm much more famous and successful than he is.



kidding aside, i have written two books of non-fiction, my short stories have been published, and i am curently at work on a collection of short stories, a novle, and one commissioned nonfiction book. so i did not vote because i did not fit into any of the categories.

see my blog, although i have yet to update it. maryannemoll.blogspot.com

I did some small-press horror stuff a couple years ago and I'm thinking about getting back into it. Recently, though, I've been doing soundtrack reviews for a gaming website.

If they told you... you might end up part of the story....

I write for a living - only problem is, my work often goes unappreciated, attacked, or worse, just plain ignored.

Such is the life of a litigator who writes legal briefs and motions to an audience consisting of unsympathetic judges and antagononistic opposing counsel. Usually I get rave reviews from my clients, though.

James P.

But only when you win, right??

What area of legal work is your practice concentrated in?

I have what some may call an eclectic practice. My primary specialty is commercial litigation, but I also do a fair amount of copyright and intellectual property law as well as sports and outdoor recreation law.

I tried to build my specialties around things I like - I am an avid photographer, hence the copyright specialty, and I am a huge cycling fan and I love to spend time outdoors hiking and camping, etc., which led to my pursuit of the sports and outdoor recreation specialty.

James P.

Why different? I'm a scientist too, and I write all my notes and papers whit a FP; I even wrote my dissertations with FP, before I typed it in Latex, of course.

I see no difference between scientific literature and "normal" literature.

Here's an example of my notes made with a Sheaffer Imperial on a Clairefontaine notebook.

bernardo, that is the exact same sheaffer i bought last september and could not date. i bought it from a fountain pen store that has been in business since 1948, and my pen is new old stock.

what sheaffer so we have? and what year?

thanks.

I have been a journalist for the last 16 years. In that time, I worked and I still work for two of the biggest news agencies in the world.
Now, please ask me if that makes me happy... :ph34r:

(In my best Buddhist monk voice)

Does it make you happy?

I write study notes on Scripture in preparation for the pulpit. When I began ministry, I experimented with writing the notes to hard drive. Even writing sermons with keyboard. It never gelled. Material always seemed somehow inauthentic.

I went back to pen-and-paper. Yes, the file cabinet gets tighter, but the slowness of the writing process allows me to really reflect. And rewriting drafts helps commit work to memory - - critical for oral delivery success.

One sentimental touch is that I can tell exactly what pen I wrote the notes with just by looking; each pen has its own line style. And each ink recalls a particular period. So, unlike PC-based notes, the notes written by hand actually convey more memories and recall.

PC's are great for e-mail and shared files where I work in Government, but the fountain pen gets to process the really important, personal material of my life.

Isn't that the way it should be?

I have seen others call it the Imperial 777. I have furnished mine with a new piston converter instead of the old squeeze converter. It has a F nib. the year of production, as long as I know, is about 1970.

Congratulations!! This is a superb pen.

thanks, bernardo.

Usually. Mind you, you're hearing from someone whose writing history is somewhat/...er...esoteric. Aside from a new film book I've done parts for, my background is primarily in writing a radio series for my college station and about 10 years' writing for comic/adventure comic books in the U.K. and the U.S.

So take the following with a large-ish grain of salt.

I generally have some idea of the ending. In my case, though, I generally build the outline around a joke of comedy/action sequence that's popped into my mind earlier. Working within the format of 30 pages per issue, I at least need to figure a stopping point, if I want to continue the storyline the next issue. I then try for something in the way of a cliffhanger.

In the case of continued storylines, the completion of one segment usually leads to a day of moping and tearful glances at my wife, as I realize I have to get back into harness before the week ends, or I may lost some minor but cherished subplot thread that'd occurred to me earlier. Don't even ask what that would lead to. It's pretty grim.

I block out the bits I want, and fill in the in-between bits, then begin the actual composition.

Naturally, I've been plugging away at the obligatory detective novel for, what, four years? In the case of that one I have no idea exactly how it'll end. Ater four years, though, I have a pretty good feel for Derek Carnaby and the other loonies involved. If I ever do finish the miserable thing, I'll be surprised! I have the attention span and work ethic of a brine shrimp.