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Old 09-23-2010, 07:19 PM   #1
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Does Writing in Multiple Avenues Destroy Credence?
I've been struggling with this one for some time...and I'm coming to the conclusion that it's not helpful to explore multiple avenues in the writing path. Am I crazy, or is this true? Does doing everything else kill your chances of being successful as a novelist? I'm beginning to think that this multi-tasking of writing avenues weakens your credibility to deliver a novel. Does it scream lack of focus and kill your chances at being taken seriously...even if you are being met with success in the other avenues?
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Old 09-23-2010, 07:28 PM   #2
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What other avenues are you talking about?
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Old 09-23-2010, 07:30 PM   #3
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What other avenues are you talking about?
poetry, playwriting, freelancing, radio, etc.
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Old 09-23-2010, 07:35 PM   #4
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To me it says more that you have prolific experience and are able to reach a variety of audiences in a variety of writing styles. That's a good thing, in my opinion.
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Old 09-23-2010, 07:39 PM   #5
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IMO, writing is a transferable skill. Having success doing one type of writing only demonstrates an ability to develop diversity of writing skill in more than one area.

I'm sure there are plenty of examples of successful novelists who also write/wrote creating non-fiction, magazine and newspaper articles, plays, and so on.

I do technical writing for a living, I hope that doesn't make anyone think that, because it's a certain type of writing, I couldn't also be creative enough to write a publishable novel.
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Old 09-23-2010, 07:41 PM   #6
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It means you enjoy writing.
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Old 09-23-2010, 08:03 PM   #7
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Exploring other kinds of writing doesn't necessarily ruin your ability to excel at novel writing, but it does mean that your attention is more divided. For some folks, that works just fine and they can do multiple things at once. For other folks, they need to focus on one particular thing at a time in order to do well.
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Old 09-23-2010, 08:08 PM   #8
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I'm thinking of either abandoning all other writing altogether or doing all other writing under a pseudonym...and no longer mentioning it anywhere. Disassociating myself from anything non-novel related.

I think I've become obnoxious. (not trying to be funny...please don't take it as such. I'm considering a radical change here.)

Yes, Ferret...that's what it has always said to me. That the person loves writing. But now I think it may actually send a negative message.
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Old 09-23-2010, 08:09 PM   #9
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I think as long as a person finishes what she starts, it's all good. There are people out there who switch media often because they get frustrated with the one they are currently working in. If you like writing, if you like writing many different things, that's all good in my mind. As long as you are finishing writing many things. Which I know you do .
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Old 09-23-2010, 08:12 PM   #10
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Should one keep their author aspirations separate from their writing aspirations? Build a wall between the two?
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Old 09-23-2010, 08:24 PM   #11
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Should one keep their author aspirations separate from their writing aspirations? Build a wall between the two?
I think that's a personal question that will be different for everyone.

I want to branch out of novels. I've been working on short stories. I've written screenplays in the past. I want to try my hand at graphic novels and other forms of media. Will I do that all as Kelly Meding? Probably. I can't see a reason to distinguish the Novelist from the person who writes in other forms.

But that doesn't mean others won't see the need to keep it separate. Why exactly do you think you need to do this, Kevin? Have other people told you that you're obnoxious, or is this how you think others see you? I'm very curious, because you've never come across that way to me.
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Old 09-23-2010, 08:31 PM   #12
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Why exactly do you think you need to do this, Kevin? Have other people told you that you're obnoxious, or is this how you think others see you? I'm very curious, because you've never come across that way to me.
Nobody has said anything to me. I'm just tremendously low self-esteemed...and I've been struggling lately with the need to self-promote against the need to shut the hell up. I undertake whatever writing project that comes my way...whatever fancy hits me. Until recently, I felt that there was nothing wrong with this. Now, I look back at what I've done and I know there is no undoing it. I can't escape from the writing that's out there...but I feel I might be better off distancing myself from it...not owning it. I'm just really struggling with this right now. I guess it's time for my semi-annual meltdown. I feel like I'm shooting myself in the foot. Like I should pick ONE thing and focus on it. But, seriously, everything I DO pick gets my complete focus. But looking back on it all, it looks a bit frenetic...as in, 'What the hell is this guy doing? What is his focus?' And I know I can't restart. I just jumped into everything and now the history is there, like it or not.
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Old 09-23-2010, 08:39 PM   #13
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Is it helpful to explore multiple avenues in the writing path?

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Old 09-23-2010, 09:47 PM   #14
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Nobody has said anything to me. I'm just tremendously low self-esteemed...and I've been struggling lately with the need to self-promote against the need to shut the hell up. I undertake whatever writing project that comes my way...whatever fancy hits me. Until recently, I felt that there was nothing wrong with this. Now, I look back at what I've done and I know there is no undoing it. I can't escape from the writing that's out there...but I feel I might be better off distancing myself from it...not owning it. I'm just really struggling with this right now. I guess it's time for my semi-annual meltdown. I feel like I'm shooting myself in the foot. Like I should pick ONE thing and focus on it. But, seriously, everything I DO pick gets my complete focus. But looking back on it all, it looks a bit frenetic...as in, 'What the hell is this guy doing? What is his focus?' And I know I can't restart. I just jumped into everything and now the history is there, like it or not.
There's nothing wrong with having a varied resume of writing. From your posts here, you seem to do well with the projects you put your mind to.

Since you've done the "unfocused" bit, there's really no harm in buckling down and focusing on one thing for a while. Take a year and only write novels. See where it takes you. You might be happier with that sort of focus. Or you might find you're happier when you have more variety.

You won't know until you try, right?
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Old 09-23-2010, 09:56 PM   #15
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Yes, Ferret...that's what it has always said to me. That the person loves writing. But now I think it may actually send a negative message.
Hmm. For someone who prided themselves in being different throughout high school and such, it seems odd that you'd give a fuck what other people thought as long as you were being true to yourself.
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Old 09-23-2010, 10:36 PM   #16
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I think there's a difference between caring what other people think because you want to be cool, and caring what other industry professionals perceive your work habits to be. One is silly, the other can directly affect your career. It is possible that in KTC branching out so much he gives the impression of someone unfocused, someone who isn't reliable to publish possibly. At least I think this is his fear.

As I already said, I don't think he has to worry about that as writers write all kinds of different things all the time. If it was an issue of him constantly starting new projects in different media and never completing them, that would be one thing. However, I can understand the concern that in not focusing on one kind of medium he hasn't had the chance to develop who he is in that medium, and develop a fan base based on the consistency of his work.

Still. Seriously. KTC, I really don't think you need to worry about any of this. But if you are concerned, why not just choose one form of media to focus on for a while. It isn't like you've arrived at some finish line and you look back and realise you totally ran the wrong race. You are still very much a part of the race, and it's up to you to decide how you want to proceed.
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Old 09-23-2010, 11:01 PM   #17
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Hmm, I never really considered this question. Agent/editor hat on, your varied writing interests would only trouble me if you jumped from project to project without finishing the majority of them.

My feeling is that novels and narrative nonfiction and short stories (though different disciplines) have more in common than novels and screen/stage/radio plays. For me, the biggest "performance gap" is between novels and short-form poetry (from which I'm excluding epic length poems like Paradise Lost.) However, one writer CAN do all of the above well.

I'm most interested in novels, so I write only them, plus short stories (which I also like and which have garnered me a few credits for those query letters. ) If you have a decided preference for one form, I'd say concentrate on that one for a while. Concentrating on two forms would also seem "focused" to me. Three or more, again, it would depend on how quickly and competently you can turn them all out.

Of course, if you start having major success with one form, the market will let you know to concentrate on that one.

And whatever you do, you won't go wrong if you do it for the Fat Lady. But you know all about that.
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Old 09-24-2010, 12:13 AM   #18
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It's difficult to have to whore one's self in order to whore one's novel.

Promotion is a hellish thing for those of us who would rather just write whatever the hell we want and ignore everyone else unless we have damn good reason to actually talk to them. It's part of the reason I'm leaning very heavily away from the romance genre. I can't stand the online happy-happy required to promote online. And name recognition is somehow the end all be all of promotion. I stopped because I was at a point of posting things like "No. Fuck off." as my status on my Facebook author page. I figured I should quit before I destroyed any minuscule good will my name had.

I don't think that having your name on other work will be detrimental to the name on your YA novel. I do think that if you decide to publish something extremely adult oriented you might want to consider what name is above the title. But other than that, a writer writes, and people know that.
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Old 09-24-2010, 01:24 AM   #19
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Hmm. For someone who prided themselves in being different throughout high school and such, it seems odd that you'd give a fuck what other people thought as long as you were being true to yourself.
Yes...I'm still that person who is unconcerned about what people think...but that's on a personal level. I'm pretty much an open book. What you see is what you get...and if you don't like it, fuck it. But this really has nothing to do with that at all. I live by the credo to thine own self be true. I never once considered myself to be cool...and never once cared about whether or not other people thought I was cool. That's a different thread, though.

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I think there's a difference between caring what other people think because you want to be cool, and caring what other industry professionals perceive your work habits to be. One is silly, the other can directly affect your career. It is possible that in KTC branching out so much he gives the impression of someone unfocused, someone who isn't reliable to publish possibly. At least I think this is his fear.

As I already said, I don't think he has to worry about that as writers write all kinds of different things all the time. If it was an issue of him constantly starting new projects in different media and never completing them, that would be one thing. However, I can understand the concern that in not focusing on one kind of medium he hasn't had the chance to develop who he is in that medium, and develop a fan base based on the consistency of his work.

Still. Seriously. KTC, I really don't think you need to worry about any of this. But if you are concerned, why not just choose one form of media to focus on for a while. It isn't like you've arrived at some finish line and you look back and realise you totally ran the wrong race. You are still very much a part of the race, and it's up to you to decide how you want to proceed.
THIS. This is it, exactly. Thank you for siphoning sense out of my rants. (-: I am so worried now that people will look at my body of work (that sounds like such a lofty phrase...but I use it because it describes what it is I refer to) and sum it up as LACKS FOCUS. I think that's exactly what may be happening. Which is why I think I should distance myself from my body of work. I do finish everything I start, but will people think that I do? That's a different kettle of fish. I think I will choose one form of media---novel writing---and focus exclusively on it for a while. I think I should also cut my bio to take focus away from what could be perceived as a lack of focus. I've been considering so much lately, and, yes, I realise I'm still in the race...but it does feel like I let things get out of control. It's a messy past and I try to imagine agents puzzling over it...wondering if I'm capable of focus at all. The first thing I can do is remove it all from my bio. Then, if I just put it all on hold and prove to myself that I can focus exclusively on novel writing, then I can worry about proving it to someone else.

I'm a scatter brain. I am. It's just something I have to deal with. For so long I just thought that if I jumped around and enjoyed all these things, as long as I was successful in them, it wouldn't matter. Now that I'm waking up to the error of my thinking, it's just all hitting me at once.

Thanks for the advice. I'm going to try to calm down about things and see about focusing on one avenue now, before I go crazy. AFTER THIS WEEKEND, though...this weekend first, and then the focus.
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Old 09-24-2010, 01:27 AM   #20
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Originally Posted by Phaeal View Post
And whatever you do, you won't go wrong if you do it for the Fat Lady. But you know all about that.
Yes, indeed. I've been living my life exclusively for the Fat Lady since 1978. I will go on doing so. Thank you. (-:
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Old 09-24-2010, 03:09 AM   #21
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Not a problem. I have been able to fail with equal facility at numerous different forms of writing.
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Old 09-24-2010, 06:48 AM   #22
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Not a problem. I have been able to fail with equal facility at numerous different forms of writing.
I heart you.


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Old 09-24-2010, 07:47 AM   #23
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KTC, you have to find what works for you. Personally, I prefer to tackle one major writing project at a time. But I don't consider poetry or flash fiction "major" works, in that, a handful here and there are not all that time consuming. Now, if you're consistently writing 3-5k short stories, that could get distracting.

I don't see the point in distancing yourself from what you've done. You're freaking out man. Agents don't care if your past publication history is "unfocused," and I highly doubt they'd come to that conclusion about you anyway.

In August, I got my first work of fiction published (flash fiction) in what I'd consider to be a pretty legit literary magazine (about a 5% acceptance rate, maybe a tad less for fiction.) I'm proud of this. Is it selling a novel? No. Was I paid? No. But I still got my work out there. People read it. 5-6 actually took the time to comment. I think that's an accomplishment. And even if I manage to finish my wip novel and sell it for six figures, I will still be proud of that first accomplishment.

I think you're dealing with two separate but interrelated issues here.

1. You want to focus on one aspect of your writing.

2. You think distancing yourself from what you've done before will help you toward that end.

But I don't think that's the case at all. Everything you've done and written up to this point determines what words come out of you now. So if you want to focus, then focus. But there's nothing wrong with taking a break. Doing something you find fun, even if it is a different sort of writing.

I'm going to venture a guess here. If I'm off base or you want me to delete, just let me know... But if I remember correctly, you have that play production on the 24th or 25th, right? And you mentioned it was time consuming... And because it's been time consuming, you probably haven't had as much time to revise your mss and get it to the waiting agent. So now you're worried about how you might be coming off as un-serious and you're trying to apply this to all the writing you've done up to this point.

But, here's the thing. Normal people (unlike moi) find writing fun, and you seem to be one of those kind of writers. So you should do what makes you happy. If you want to concentrate on novels, do it, but that doesn't mean you can't work on other stuff here and there, and that certainly doesn't mean pretending your existing body of work doesn't exist.

People have read your stuff, and enjoyed it. People have seen your plays, and enjoyed them. How do you think they'd feel if they knew the person who wrote them wanted to cut all that off because he was afraid it made him look un-serious?

I know I rambled a lot, but I hope you get what I'm saying.
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Old 09-24-2010, 08:07 AM   #24
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... James' advice seems good to me. Of course it requires questions. You need to ask yourself if you've succeeded in mastering the different types of writing you've mentioned. And if not how much further you've got to go? I think when you've answered these two questions the path ahead will be clearer.

For me, I'm still trying to master one type of writing. I'm tolerable at it, but I know I can take things so much further. That will require a lot of time and effort. So while I do dabble with other sorts of writing, including nonfiction, I always stay focused on this one type. If I don't I'll never manage to express things the way I want.

Just my own take. Approaches vary. Lots of good advice in this thread.
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Old 09-24-2010, 05:08 PM   #25
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Shouldn't the fact that you've finished everything in this body of work of yours suggest that you don't suffer from a lack of focus?
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