Writing Theory

[aquarium444]

I am working under the impression that when you force yourself to sit down and concentrate on something for a few hours, that it involves mental stimulation. In return there is a benefit, a feeling of accomplishment. That is the reward.

If your education background is not comprehensive than what you write might not be very interesting, however if everyone else is caught in the same situation, than this is irrelevant.

When is it to late to begin???

[blazeofglory]

I am working under the impression that when you force yourself to sit down and concentrate on something for a few hours, that it involves mental stimulation. In return there is a benefit, a feeling of accomplishment. That is the reward.

If your education background is not comprehensive than what you write might not be very interesting, however if everyone else is caught in the same situation, than this is irrelevant.

When is it to late to begin???

It is never too late to begin

[Jozanny]

aquarium: In the USA, MFA programs are an industry unto themselves, but not every writer benefits from them, just like not every journalist takes a degree in journalism--many highly paid journalists actually have law degrees, in fact. Graduate and post-graduate education is what you make of it, and little more than that. There are too few teaching positions out there for the available cache of professors as is.

It is never too late, and it is said a thousand times and will be said a thousand more, but write from what you know. I wrote an essay about losing my job in social services; it took me three years to complete and get published in a state conference via a lesbian editor I once had closer ties to, and it made me a disability journalist which in turn made me a health reporter, and so on. I have an extensive educational background, but will probably never complete the MFA circuit, and a part of me feels this is a good thing. Writers can and do come up through the ranks, in a variety of ways. You'd be surprised. Know your grammar, keep a dictionary around, and don't be afraid to ask questions, and that should start you on your journey.

[aquarium444]

I will continue to carry out the bit of writing that I find interesting because it is healthy to work on something and I need to do that. I just wish that I had the depth of education to deal with a few other areas, but what I should do is stay with one author for a while. I need to read a history book or two on American history, if I am staying with Lovecraft for a few years. It would be easy to transition on to Poe afterward.

[Jozanny]

I actually don't know too much about the continuing education system in Canada, and I apologize for not glancing at your information before I launched into my spiel, but you could probably research some writing classes and get aid to pay for them too. My situation is unique, and I no longer have the economic flexibility, or the physical strength and youth, to break the grip of the welfare system that binds me, and hence the undercurrent of morbidity in my posts, from time to time--but as with most writers, we do not mind helping each other, and if I can be of any assistance please do not hesitate to ask me.

[aquarium444]

I'm just going to slowly work away on that outline that I'm posting here. Yeah, it is something that I want to do and it is a constructive challenge. I have a couple things happening including chess, but they are sort of the same, just mental challenges. Feel free to throw in some comments or suggestions.

Yeah, about three years ago I was in really good physical shape, now I'm like the rest of these people, but I have not entirely given up on my youth.