REALITY CHECK!
Writing for Profit
It's Not just an Adventure - It's a JOB.
Whoever told you that writing fiction for publication - for money - is supposed to be Artistic, Fun, or Easy -- LIED.
Writing may look artistic, and creative writing certainly is artistic (that's why they call it Creative Writing,) but writing for a living; writing for publication with the intent to get paid on a regular basis is NOT artistic, it's NOT always fun, and it certainly is NOT easy.
Writing for publication is WORK. Sure, some of it is fun, but the bulk of it is mind-bending, eye-straining work. Don't get me wrong, creativity is part of the job of writi
The Truth About Selling Fanart by KiRAWRa, literature
Literature
The Truth About Selling Fanart
Update notice as of January 17, 2013: I have given this guide a MAJOR overhaul. It was originally written over a year and a half ago, and since then my own views and understanding of copyrights has changed. I felt that this guide should reflect those changes, so if you read this guide in the past, please take a moment to look through it again as I have added MANY new topics, information, and sources. Unlike my first draft, I have also changed my viewpoint to neutral throughout this writing.
Update notice as of July 17th, 2015: Check out DeviantArt's new article on art theft, fanart, copyrights, and other relevant topics! http://protectart.de
Please copy and paste this into a Word document or deviation. Then highlight the information after the colons and type over it.
Setting
Time/Era: Exact year or approximate time
Name of Country: For fun, you could alter the name of an old country to amuse more educated readers. For example, I altered the Assyrian Empire's name for a conquering people to evoke images of brutality and Mesopotamia.
Geography: Keep track of all the places you mention and their approximate locations. I find it handy to draw a rough map of the area.
Landscape: Trees, soil, water, buildings... Imagine you were flying over the place in an airplane. What would you
8 Ideas for Optimizing Your Writing Workspace by DesdemonaDeBlake, literature
Literature
8 Ideas for Optimizing Your Writing Workspace
8 Ideas for Optimizing Your Writing Workspace
Anybody Can Write a Novel Version 2.0
Chapter 1 “Beginning to Write” – Section 4 “Your Workspace”
(Previous Tutorial) (Next Tutorial)
"My music is simple stuff. Anybody can sit down, look at a set of symbols and produce sounds the music represents"
-Chuck Berry
In the same spirit of making yourself more self-motivated to write and warding off writer's block, a few of my readers have asked about optimizing your writing workspace for the utmost productivity. This presents something
7 Suggestions for Mapping Your Fictional World by DesdemonaDeBlake, literature
Literature
7 Suggestions for Mapping Your Fictional World
PLEASE NOTE THAT WHILE THIS PAGE WILL REMAIN ACTIVE FOR PURPOSES OF EDUCATION AND RECORDS, IT IS OUTDATED. CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE NEWEST VERSION.
7 Suggestions for Mapping Your Fictional World
Anybody Can Write a Novel
Chapter 1 “World-building” – Section 3 “World Mapping”
With Links to Supplementary Material
So you now know what sort of Story you want to create, and have written a Timeline for the History of your world. Now, you must decide what parts of that created world you want to use. This step can be as specific or general as you would like—from creating a cartographic masterpiece, to sketc
How to Start and Stay Writing by illuminara, literature
Literature
How to Start and Stay Writing
I recently solicited my watchers to ask me writing questions that I would then attempt to answer in a writing guide such as this. This article is my first response, and there will be many more to come.
I've been asked to give advice on ways a writer can begin to put words on a page. The bottom line is as simple as this: sit your butt down and write.
Duh, right? It's the only way I know to actually write.
Sure, sitting your butt in a chair is easy, but getting your fingers to move and stay moving is a challenge. Here are three things that have helped me.
1) Have a goal.
Your goal can be as simple as "describe the person in this picture" o
How to Be a Better Deviant by HarmonicSonic, literature
Literature
How to Be a Better Deviant
How to Be a Better Deviant
Despite so many of the complaints some people have against it, DeviantART is a very good social network geared specifically towards artists and people who appreciate art. DeviantART is, in fact, one of the very first sites of its kind, predating even such social networking giants as Facebook and Myspace.
It is a wonderful place to share your work, to look at the work other artists have created, to offer and receive advice on artwork, and many other functions. You will find that there are lots of fellow Deviants out there who want the best for you and want to see you excel as an artist and as
10 Tips for Writing Science Fiction by DesdemonaDeBlake, literature
Literature
10 Tips for Writing Science Fiction
10 Tips for Writing Science Fiction
Anybody Can Write a Novel 2.0 Chapter 2 “Genres” – Section 4 “Sci-fi”
(Previous Tutorial) (Next Tutorial)
“Science fiction has a way of letting you talk about where we are in the world and letting you be a bit of a pop philosopher without being didactic.”
-Brit Marling
Today, we are going to talk about the grand and inclusive genre of science fiction. But as we continue to move along in these tutorials about genres, I feel there is something important to point out. Nearly all of the suggestions that
YOUR Style
• Figure out how you draw first. By this I mean, pay detailed attention to what things you gravitate to when drawing. Like, do you have a tendency to draw very detailed eyes? Do you like to draw round small bodies? That kind of stuff. Keep track of what you are good at and what you need to work on. Your strengths and weaknesses as an artist are what you need to be aware of because they are things that only you will truly know unless you tell the world. For example if you draw very detailed heads but struggle with the rest of the body, maybe a type of cartoon style is best for you and not anime.
• What’s your pre
5 Tips for Casual Writers by DesdemonaDeBlake, literature
Literature
5 Tips for Casual Writers
5 Tips for Casual Writers
Anybody Can Write a Novel
Chapter 9 “Types of Writers” – Section 5 “Casual Writers”
With Links to Supplementary Material
I finally have internet again, and so will be talking today about Casual Writing—an attitude toward storytelling that is more laid back and finds a secondary place when compared to other interests. There is great power in this sort of writing that comes through a greater sense of detachment from the words on the page, which allows for very powerful editing, and no feeling of being hurried. However, as a secondary skill and interest, there must be measures i
How To Get Noticed on deviantART V2.0 by pixiepot, literature
Literature
How To Get Noticed on deviantART V2.0
The tips that really work...
It's been a while since I wrote one of these guides and, since V1.0 and V1.5 proved to be so popular, I feel it is about time I update my guide to getting noticed on deviantART. :la:
So, you want to get noticed on deviantART but you're not sure where to start? You've come to the right place; pull out your note pad and pen, you'll need them.
WHY?
Before beginning to read this article, ask yourself why you want to get noticed on deviantART. Do you want to play more of an active role in the community or do you want to raise attention to your commissions and make a living? Do you want to get noticed to meet more de
.:Create Your Own SPECIES Bio Template:. by Veidara, literature
Literature
.:Create Your Own SPECIES Bio Template:.
If you’re dabbling in the genres of supernatural, paranormal, fantasy, science fiction, and horror, you’re probably going to want to make at least one of your own species eventually. And that’s why I made this short and concise form for you to fill out! This form is free to use but only for those who give credit to me.
Species name:
Outward distinguishable feature of species:
Any notable habits/tendencies:
Any enhanced or extra powers or abilities:
Describe how they discover, train, and harness their abilities:
Various strengths and skills of the species overall:
Various weaknesses and detriments of the species overall:
An
Basic Statistics
Name:
Nickname:
Meaning of name:
Origin of name:
Age:
Sex:
Blood type:
Nationality:
Ethnicity:
Race:
Sexual Orientation:
Current status:
Political Party:
Police/Criminal/Legal record:
Socioeconomic level as a child:
Socioeconomic level as an adult:
Birth date:
Birth place:
Current residence:
Occupation:
Title/Rank:
Hobbies/Pastimes:
Talents/Skills/Powers:
Past History
Hometown:
First Memory:
Most important childhood event that still affects him/her:
Why/How?
Other memories/events that still affects him/her and why/how:
Past failures s/he would be embarrassed to have people know about and why:
Bigg
27 YouTube Channels to Help Improve Your Writing by DesdemonaDeBlake, literature
Literature
27 YouTube Channels to Help Improve Your Writing
27 YouTube Channels to Help Improve Your Writing
Anybody Can Write a Novel 2.0 Chapter 11 “Resources” – Section 1 “Youtube Channels”
One of the things that inspired me to begin writing these writing tutorials was that, about a year and a half ago, I came to a frustrating point in my writing where I knew enough about the craft to no longer be a novice but not enough to make my novel publishable. In particular, I wanted to find a Youtube channel that I could listen to while I was cooking or working, so that my skills as a writer could increase. Since then I have found (through research, friends, and even you