I’ve been writing and publishing for over 40 years. It’s been a long, fascinating, unpredictable and (mostly) fun journey. Writing has changed me in ways that I could never have foreseen, and the publishing industry has reinvented itself in ways that were impossible to predict. Nothing in this business is static. Boredom should never be an issue for a passionate and committed writer.
I believe that the best days for writers lie ahead. In fact, they are here, now. There’s no reason to look back at the halcyon days of traditional publishing. It was fun in its heyday but, today, publishing your work can be even more rewarding. In fact, it can be a creative process unto itself, one that offers opportunities and freedoms that traditional publishing could never match.
There’s so much to say and I want to keep this a word-bite, not an epistle. Let me start with one, simple but profound observation from an old hack writer: There are many, many excellent writers out there who have never realized their dream of being published. A few of them could care less about publishing; they write for the sheer enjoyment of it. However, they are the minority. Most want to see their words reach a wider audience. It’s a natural, inevitable finishing point for most writers.
Over the past few years I’ve spent an increasing amount of time trying to help writers hone and publish their work. It’s fun for me and a kind of “payback” for my good fortune. Here’s the kicker, the great realization that gives me such a hopeful outlook for the future. Many of these writers are far better at their craft than I ever achieved. There is some real talent out there, just waiting to be discovered. Better still, there are many effective and fun ways to get those precious words into the public arena.
I’m convinced that the number of very talented but undiscovered writers is huge. You can see it in their early works, read it in their thoughts and feel it in their passion. Now, this kind of talent rarely drops immediately from the Writing Gods to paper. Writing is both an art and a craft. It takes time, help, good fortune and guidance to create a successful writer from the raw talent that first shines through. It is not a simple path to follow but, in the end, it’s a rewarding one.
So, to all those undiscovered writers out there, keep the fires burning bright. I know there is great talent in those quiet corners. I’ve seen it myself. Never stop chasing that dream. When you take that break from the keyboard, look around for all the possibilities of getting your work in front of others. They seem limitless.
Crows Dream 
Your words are concise, but the encouragement from someone more experienced it wonderful. You seem humble, and not too proud to advise. Thank you. I ran across your post somehow.
Thanks for your kind words.
Please write more about the inexperienced writer.
I’ll try to add to this theme, as time permits. We’ll see how it goes. In the meantime, please feel free to share your experiences or advice with others. There’s no better way to improve our writing skills than listening to other writers.
You are right. Being human is important. I leave out the bad language, and then stay human, writing from my heart. I am verbose today because my new wall oven arrived today. We were without for about a month.
You see! Inspiration is everywhere. We just have to recognize it when it crosses our path.
I love to write whether I am discovered or not. Inspiration is wonderful, because I wouldn’t be writing at all without it. My son is a writer. He said, “Why not try writing? ” I found myself on Word Press, writing on my own in a few hours. I took the writing seriously, and made 9 total posts by the end of the first year. Rubies Corner is the largest, but I found that organizing thoughts was better for me. Recipes are in the recipe blog, and novels I write are in another blog. I write to let my heart speak. Apparently it has much to say!
This is such an inspiring post. We’re finding more and more great writers out there now who can self-publish and aren’t at the mercy of major publishing houses. It really is a wonderful time for writers! 😉
Thanks. I agree.
Oh wow did I need to hear this! Thanks so much for the encouragement…some who have “made it” don’t realize how easy it would be to reach out and give a hand to those struggling to step up and join them!
You raise an interesting point. As you can imagine, I know lots of writers. Most of them are really good people, who are willing to help other writers when they can. Most of them don’t have big egos, even if they have big bank accounts and a way to keep their passion alive. Of course, there are a few others . . .
Would you recommend self publishing companies? I’ve looked up a few, just to see what they were like and ever since people from the companies have been calling me and harassing me like telemarketers trying to get me to spend money and it’s made me leery of those companies. If a writer is serious about publishing, where would you suggest she start?
Thanks for your question. I don’t like to make these kinds of public recommendations. However, I have an article coming up that deals with online publishers in a more general way. It may help you out a bit. I’ve used POD, self-publishing operations myself. Two, in fact, and both are well-known names in the business. In both cases I wrote for private, non-profit groups without charge. In both cases, the publishers caught onto my other stuff and the phone calls became an incessant problem. I eventually told one of the publishers to absolutely stop calling me with offers of this or that. Thankfully, they listened and stopped calling. The other one finally gave up calling because I gave them a phone number that I never answer. That’s nasty and I’m not proud of it, nor do I recommend it.
Pingback: Writers Workshop: The Established Writer | Crows Dream