How to get ideas for your writing
The most common - and most annoying - question writers and artists get, is "Where do you get your ideas from?". I think that's a pretty stupid question. I get ideas all the time, but I don't really know where I get them from. They just pop up.
However, there are a few things I do to get ideas for articles, screenplays or comics.
What's really good - and at the same time really bad - about being a writer, is that you work alone. You don't meet any people if you sit at home, you don't talk to anybody, you don't overhear interesting and inspiring conversations.
Okay, maybe you rent an office somewhere and write your stuff with people around you. To me, that's not the ideal way to be effective. I can work during those circumstances if I'm covering, say, the Cannes Film festival and write my reports in the press room on a very tight deadline - but if I want to create something of my own, like a script or a story, or write a longer article, I need solitude ... while writing.
But if you get stuck sitting by your keyboard, if your brain goes blank, don't expect to get ideas just like that.
Here's what I do:
The cheapest way: take a walk. Ideal if you have a dog. Not so good if you have a fish and try taking it for a walk. I don't have any animals, but I like taking long walks either through busy city streets, or in parks.
But when you take these walks, don't think "I have to get ideas! Fast!" You won't get any ideas if you think like that. Think of something else. Then you'll realize you actually do get ideas. Hmm... I've never seen that misspelled sign before. Funny. And that old, crumbling gate over there - I wonder what's behind it... You get the idea.
Then we have the more expensive way: go to a pub. To me, this is the best way to get ideas - and that's not because of beer and drinks.
As I mentioned, I - and probably you - need to meet and talk to people. I like to relax, sit down, read a newspaper while drinking a cup of coffee (yes, this works in cafés too!) or a beer, and experience all kinds of people. The regulars, the ones I've never seen before. Men and women, young and old.
I prefer pubs with a wide range of guests - the places where both business men in suits and the rough guys working in the harbor show up after work. The best - or worst - of to worlds. People who surprise you with their knowledge of things you know absolutely nothing about.
Sometimes I just sit in a corner and listen to the other guests discussing. Sometimes I join the discussions. And quite often, I return back home with lots of ideas.
And then there's this thing that never works. It's when somebody who knows who you are and what youndo walk up to you and pitch a "great idea." A guy who has the best idea ever, a story that would be a hit in Hollywood. 99.9% of these ideas suck. They are usually terrible.
But! Sometimes the guys with the awful ideas manage to give you an idea or two anyway. Maybe the guy has a funny moustache. Or a silly voice or accent. Ill-fitting clothes or a really annoying attitute. Now, that's what gives you ideas for stories and articles!
Recently, I wrote an article on writing scripts for comics. At least once a week the past six months, I've met this man in his 70s, who's always asking the same question. "How do you write comics?" I've explained it countless times, and he still doesn't get it. But it inspired me to write that article!
What never works, though, are books or Internet sites with titles like "999 ideas for budding bestseller authors".
Get your ideas yourself!
Sunday, March 7, 2010
A Look at the Challenges of Being a Writer Today
A Look at the Challenges of Being a Writer Today
It is not much of a secret how difficult it can be to earn a living as a writer. This is especially so for those who are not yet well established. While it has become even harder in the last several years for writers who pursue traditional avenues of selling their work there have also been new opportunities open up online for those who are willing to adapt and change the kind of writing they do. The rest of this piece will explain the reasons for the changes in the business of writing and ways one can use to thrive in the new market conditions.
First of all many writers might be wondering why it has become more difficult recently to make a living doing what they love. It mainly comes down to basic economics of supply and demand. The supply of writers has increased. When the supply of labor in any type of industry increases it tends to devalue the work of the people working in those businesses. Secondly the demand has decreased somewhat for writers. That is due to the closing of many newspapers in recent years. Both of those trends make it harder for writers to get their work sold and get a fair price for it.
Despite the bad news for traditional writers the internet offers opportunity for those who are willing to learn new skills and change the way they write. There are three main methods for writers to earn income online. The first one is to work for article mills. The pay is usually low but can offer steady work. The second method is to bid against other authors on sites that act as a middle man between employers and writers. The employers are usually webmasters or bloggers looking for cheap content. The pay is usually even lower than content mills. The last method involves a learning curve but offers higher potential for income. Basically it involves creating blogs and other content sites and earning from various sources like adsense and affiliate marketing. While it is quite different than traditionally selling articles to publishers it is the wave of the future for writers who are willing to learn online entrepreneurship skills.
It is not much of a secret how difficult it can be to earn a living as a writer. This is especially so for those who are not yet well established. While it has become even harder in the last several years for writers who pursue traditional avenues of selling their work there have also been new opportunities open up online for those who are willing to adapt and change the kind of writing they do. The rest of this piece will explain the reasons for the changes in the business of writing and ways one can use to thrive in the new market conditions.
First of all many writers might be wondering why it has become more difficult recently to make a living doing what they love. It mainly comes down to basic economics of supply and demand. The supply of writers has increased. When the supply of labor in any type of industry increases it tends to devalue the work of the people working in those businesses. Secondly the demand has decreased somewhat for writers. That is due to the closing of many newspapers in recent years. Both of those trends make it harder for writers to get their work sold and get a fair price for it.
Despite the bad news for traditional writers the internet offers opportunity for those who are willing to learn new skills and change the way they write. There are three main methods for writers to earn income online. The first one is to work for article mills. The pay is usually low but can offer steady work. The second method is to bid against other authors on sites that act as a middle man between employers and writers. The employers are usually webmasters or bloggers looking for cheap content. The pay is usually even lower than content mills. The last method involves a learning curve but offers higher potential for income. Basically it involves creating blogs and other content sites and earning from various sources like adsense and affiliate marketing. While it is quite different than traditionally selling articles to publishers it is the wave of the future for writers who are willing to learn online entrepreneurship skills.
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