puppetmaker (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
puppetmaker) wrote2007-10-04 08:32 am
puppetmaker) wrote2007-10-04 08:32 am
Yeah, but what have you done lately?
Being a professional writer is a little bit like being a shark. You have to keep moving. Even thought you might have quite a wide fan base and written some really cool stuff, here in the publishing industry it is, "Well that's neat. But what have you done lately?" Peter is an expert on keeping things moving. Not everything iron he has in the fire is shaped into a fine piece of writing. Some of the possibilities or potential gigs just vanish without explanation. Other gigs are DOA. Then there are a couple that we really hope turn into something because it would be good for his career and good for his family. He works in an industry where a phone call or an email can change your life either way.
Visual artists have the same condition. They have to continue to create to keep on top of the pile of artists that are breathing down their necks just waiting for the job that they have illustrating a comic or painting book covers or even Magic the Gathering Cards. You have to keep re-inventing yourself or at least challenging yourself. It can be rather nerve racking.
Recently I came to the conclusion that I don't do realistic very well. My dolls are taking on their own "look". I'll never do pretty little fairies. My stuff has been called primitive (in a good way) and raw (again as a compliment). That seems to be my style and, while I will continue to work towards being able to make pretty little fairies, I plan to explore this sort of art that seems to come out of my head and onto the clay. I just need to find my niche and find my audience that I can sell my dolls to. And a lot of that is self-promotion, which I really stink at. I can promote other people but I have a hard time pushing myself on the market or in the market.
Writing is something I have enjoyed doing over the years. I have admitted before that I use to write a lot of fanfic. Some of it I showed to fellow fans and other pieces have languished on the hard drives of my former computers. Now I am working on some original stuff. Peter and I discuss a lot of ideas for stories. Some of them he has used in his work and some of it are things that I am suppose to get around to writing. Well I think I am going to start getting around to them. Or at least trying to outline them (which I hate doing with the fiery passion of a thousand suns). I know I can write and I know I can write well. So may be it is time for me to jump into the shark tank and start swimming.
I am grateful for quiet moments early in the morning when I have some time to think.
Visual artists have the same condition. They have to continue to create to keep on top of the pile of artists that are breathing down their necks just waiting for the job that they have illustrating a comic or painting book covers or even Magic the Gathering Cards. You have to keep re-inventing yourself or at least challenging yourself. It can be rather nerve racking.
Recently I came to the conclusion that I don't do realistic very well. My dolls are taking on their own "look". I'll never do pretty little fairies. My stuff has been called primitive (in a good way) and raw (again as a compliment). That seems to be my style and, while I will continue to work towards being able to make pretty little fairies, I plan to explore this sort of art that seems to come out of my head and onto the clay. I just need to find my niche and find my audience that I can sell my dolls to. And a lot of that is self-promotion, which I really stink at. I can promote other people but I have a hard time pushing myself on the market or in the market.
Writing is something I have enjoyed doing over the years. I have admitted before that I use to write a lot of fanfic. Some of it I showed to fellow fans and other pieces have languished on the hard drives of my former computers. Now I am working on some original stuff. Peter and I discuss a lot of ideas for stories. Some of them he has used in his work and some of it are things that I am suppose to get around to writing. Well I think I am going to start getting around to them. Or at least trying to outline them (which I hate doing with the fiery passion of a thousand suns). I know I can write and I know I can write well. So may be it is time for me to jump into the shark tank and start swimming.
I am grateful for quiet moments early in the morning when I have some time to think.
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I made something up on the spot and said, "Mind Flayers in the West Virginia coal mines." To which everyone laughed and said that Claire (my editor) would never allow it.
Two years later, their characters met Mind Flayers in the WV coal mines.
In Stephen King's memoirs he said that his story ideas come from the thought of "wouldn't it be funny if ..." I asked myself, "I wonder if I could talk Claire into ..."
Now, I'm the main writer and editor for the Fellowship of the White Star RPG campaign. And, I "know" that I'll be here for 10 years (barring emergencies like the company going bankrupt or such). So, I have the temptation to ease back and stop worrying about what I'm going to work on next.
But, you are right. Worrying about what is next is the only way to keep my writing fresh and thoughful.
Are you thinking of partipating in NaNoWriMo next month? I haven't decided yet, but your post is making me think that it could be a good exercise for me. A good "next" for what I'm doing right now.
Theno
no subject
I have to do NaNoWriMo if I don't do artby the inch
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