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60 posts tagged writing
Jane Sevier is an award-winning writer, most known on Wattpad for “Fortune’s Fool,” a mystery set in 1930s Memphis. Listen to our interview with Jane as we discuss her career, historical fiction, writing tips, and psychic powers!
1,464 Plays
Movies About Writers
I’m not trying to write a top of the best movies about writers. I’m just making a list of the ones that I really enjoyed – for various reasons of course, whether it had to do with the overly tackled theme of the writer’s block, or had some inspirational scenes attached to it, these are my favorite movies about writers.
Finding Forrester (2000)
In a way, I just couldn’t start with any other movie, simply because Finding Forrester was so cute and sweet and sincere that I almost cried at the end.
Starring Sean Connery and his manly voice in the role of William Forrester, a very successful and yet reclusive writer, this movie actually has some pretty good advice on writing. And, as I said earlier, some inspirational scenes as well.
Connery’s character, loosely based on J.D. Salinger, , through a string of events, ends up helping Jamal Wallace with his writing. Jamal is black and sixteen, and just about ten different characters say it’s remarkable that he’s black, sixteen, and also a good writer. The film also stars Anna Paquin will all her clothes on and Busta Rhymes.
As I said earlier, besides the melodrama and some pretty good jokes and some bad jokes and the inevitable romance and one or two cliches about writers (like all writers are notorious drunks,) this movie actually has some good advice on writing. Much like this one:
Forrester: Why is it that the words we write for ourselves are always so much better than those we write for others? Go ahead.
Jamal: Go ahead and what?
Forrester: Write.
Jamal: What are you doing?
Forrester: I’m writing. Like you’ll be when you start punching those keys. Is there a problem?
Jamal: No, I’m just thinking.
Forrester: No thinking – that comes later. You must write your first draft with your heart. You rewrite with your head. The first key to writing is… to write, not to think!
And, of course, there’s this fabulous exchange between the remarkable black teenage writer Jamal and Sean Connery’s fantastic accent:
Jamal: Women will sleep with you if you write a book?
Forrester: Women will sleep with you if you write a bad book.
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Your Friend, the Satirist
Wattpad brings you a guest post from Brian K. Henry, author of SPACE COMMAND AND THE PLANET OF THE BEJEWELLED CONCUBINES:
Satire has always been one of my favorite genres, probably because I’ve always thought society is so screwed up it could do with a lot of satirizing. The satirist makes their whole project from picking out the dumbest and most outrageous things going on in the world and helpfully pointing them out to you, the reader, usually through some kind of exaggeration or new perspective. A typical satire takes some element of contemporary life and uses a skewed look to reveal just how off-kilter it really is.
America has a great tradition of satirical writing, going back to one of the U.S.A.’s first full-time writers, Washington Irving, who wrote a comedic fictionalized history of New York, and even including Edgar Allan Poe. While Poe is famous for his horror stories, he also has wickedly humorous satirical pieces, such as “The Man That Was Used Up” about a heroic soldier who’s become nothing more than a heap of prosthetic body parts.
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When Words Fail, Music Speaks.
Wattpad brings you a guest post from featured writer Leah Crichton:
The one question I get asked a lot as a writer: “Where does your inspiration come from?” You may be surprised at my answer but I doubt it. In fact, you may be inclined to agree.
There are so many things about this life that give me cause to celebrate each day. My family, coffee, butterflies, lip gloss, black and white photographs, reading and of course…writing. For me, writing goes hand in hand with one other thing that I couldn’t possibly live without.
Some people say silence is golden. And that’s fine, for them. But for me, silence is dreadful. My iPod is like another limb. I’d be lost without it.
I. Love. Music.
What does my major obsession with music have to do with writing? It is single-handedly, where most of my inspiration comes from. My first novel, Amaranthine was inspired by two songs that played back to back on my iPod.
My second novel which will be featured on Wattpad, Celebrity Status has also been inspired by music.
The book shares its title with a song by a Canadian band, Marianas Trench. As the title suggests, it’s about becoming a celebrity. The first time I heard it I thought it would make a good premise for a novel.
So many musicians live on my beloved iPod. I have playlists for reading, writing, cleaning, working, dancing… breathing. Some of my other favorite bands to write by: Better than Ezra, Breaking Benjamin, Lifehouse, The Maine, Mayday Parade, Every Avenue, Hedley, Maroon Five, The Midway State, Simple Plan, Three Days Grace, The Fray, Augustana…just to name a few.
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A Born Storyteller: Comic Strips, Advertising, and Novel-Writing with Bill Cokas
Listen to our latest podcast here!
Aspiring novelists often don’t realize that the world is their oyster. From comic strips, to TV advertising, teaching, and creative writing, author Bill Cokas takes us through some exciting possibilities for a career in storytelling. Listen to our interview as we discuss his journey towards novel-writing and self-publishing.
Contact Bill and read his stories for FREE on Wattpad!
Plus, find out more on his website at www.margawriterville.com.
57,910 Plays
Vampires Drool! Zombies Rule! Contest Winners
Midlister Dreams in the Age of Ebooks
Wattpad brings you a guest post from J. Alexander Greenwood, author of Pilate’s Cross on Wattpad:
My grandfather was a midlister. Sean McLachlan aptly describes this devoted breed of writer:
They’re not rich, they’re not famous, but they make their living by writing and they’re responsible for the majority of all published titles. They’re called midlisters, and they keep the publishing industry running.
[…]
They’re the serious professionals whom publishers rely on to produce good, marketable books year after year, spanning all genres from nonfiction to fantasy to romance to young adult. They’ve moved beyond the small press to win regular paying contracts, but they do not have bestsellers.
Robert E. Trevathan
My grandfather wrote historical fiction. Specifically, he penned Westerns. A Michigan boy who saw combat in the South Pacific during W.W. II, his true love was the Old West–a passion that was fed by his posting in Oklahoma as a base historian for the Air Force. He won an award here and there and was published by respected imprints including Tor, Avalon and Manor. As far as I know (and sadly he’s no longer around to ask) he never made a huge amount of money on any of his dozens of books and short stories. He wrote because he loved telling stories.
“Ballanger” book cover
Starting in the pulp cowboy field, as the years went on his work earned respect and praise for historical accuracy and reader-friendliness. He was inducted into the Oklahoma Professional Writers Hall of Fame a few years before his death.
I learned from him some things you can learn from any true professional writer: read a lot, write every day, edit, edit, edit and most importantly: don’t quit.
Another important thing I learned from him was the quality of discipline. Grandpa Rob awoke every morning at 4:30 a.m. and turned on his egg timer. He wrote for precisely an hour every morning.
I’ve read that the British author and red mailbox inventor Anthony Trollope did the same thing (and if he finished one of his massive novels with time to spare, he would start on another until his time ran out).
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Was Self-Publishing The Right Decision?
Check out this great post by writer David Gaughran on his self-publishing experience:
Sunday will mark a year since I first uploaded to Amazon. At the time, I was wrestling with a question that many writers are still dealing with today: should I self-publish?
The argument about whether to self-publish has been debated in great detail both here and elsewhere. I don’t want to add to that general discussion today, rather I want to offer up my personal experience of self-publishing.
Given that this is an anniversary of sorts, I would like to look back over the last twelve months and examine the results of that decision, and compare it with what would likely have happened had I decided otherwise.
Regular readers will know that I broke my own impasse by deciding to publish some short stories, while holding A Storm Hits Valparaiso in reserve. It was still being considered by a handful of agents, and I wasn’t completely convinced that self-publishing was the right approach.
Casting Anathema – The Major Motion Picture
Wattpad brings you a guest post from Megg Jensen, author of fantasy romance “Anathema”:
Okay, okay, so film rights are still available for the Cloud Prophet Trilogy (you hear that Hollywood?!), but that doesn’t mean I don’t think about who I’d love to see playing the main characters in Anathema.
Reychel – Molly C. Quinn (from ABC’s Castle)
Why: She has the perfect combination of vulnerability and strength. I’ve spoken with Molly via Twitter. She’s actually read Anathema. Here’s what she had to say about it:
Molly C. Quinn @MollyQuinn93
@RhianBowley @slackerheroes Luv that! Great list!!!! I chose @MollyQuinn93 for Reychel in my head.” Thanks, I love that book.
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Listen to our podcast interview with KatRocks247 on Wattpad, author of “Bleeding Royalty” and “Death Is My BFF”. We discuss how she got started writing, her writing inspirations (including Twilight and the tv show Supernatural), and more.
63,657 Plays
Top 5 Most Adventurous Places To Write
Got the travel bug? Check out this guest post by author David Gaughran:
My South American historical adventure A Storm Hits Valparaiso took me over five years to write. I’m not really that slow, but part of the reason it took so long is that I wrote the book while traveling around the world: Mexico, South America, Eastern Europe, India, and South-East Asia.
Right now, my writing desk is my kitchen table here in Sweden. It’s a nice, bright space, with a big window looking out onto the garden – where deer occasionally pass through – plus the fridge is two steps from my chair. But it’s also in the middle of the house, meaning that everyone walks through when they are coming or going, or when they want a sandwich, a glass of water, or just to annoy me. I often look out that window and fantasize about a room with a door I can lock. Okay, that’s not very ambitious but, after a while, you appreciate the simple things. And that’s especially true when you are writing a book while backpacking around the world!
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Friday Find: “Secrets of Successful Writers”
Every Friday, we bring you an undiscovered gem to read on Wattpad. This week, our secret Wattpad Talent Hunters recommend Secrets of Successful Writers, a non-fiction:
Secrets of Successful Writers by Darell Pitt
Interviews with fifty writers as they speak about writing, publishing and promoting their books in the digital age. Some of the writers are traditional authors. Others have built careers as self-published ebook authors. It contains interviews with authors who write detective stories, westerns, romance, thrillers and children’s books.
Included are: John Locke, Micaela Wendell, Dolores Durando, and Robert J. Randisi.
Author Interview: Dana Reinhardt
Wattpad brings you a guest post originally published in Teen Ink:
Author Dana Reinhardt
Having written four books, Dana Reinhardt is no stranger to the writing process. She currently lives and writes in San Francisco. I was lucky enough to interview her about her experiences. In her newest novel, The Things a Brother Knows, a teenage boy struggles to reawaken a relationship with his brother, who has just returned from serving in the Army.
Alex: First, I just want to say, I am not usually a fan of realistic fiction, but I enjoyed your book a lot. I really like your sense of humor.
Dana Reinhardt: Thanks. I appreciate that.
Your main characters are teens and your book is aimed at a teen audience. Why did you choose to write for teens?
I love to write YA fiction because I believe teen readers are more open to the experience books offer than adults are. I can remember how I felt as a teenager reading books; I plowed through them in a way I think adults simply don’t. As a teen reader, my favorite books were coming-of-age stories – those are the stories I still love to read, and they are the stories I like to write.
Wattpad Podcast! Writer’s Craft: Themes of Love and Writing Inspirations
Listen to our podcast interview with Trina Talma, also known as hrtsmom on Wattpad. We discuss popular themes such as love and writing inspirations, as well as her fantasy adventure novels in the Zania Corthinn series.
53,509 Plays
Last Day To Enter!
Win a copy of “Girl Meets Boy” from Chronicle Books, and get writing feedback plus publishing insights from author Kelly Milner Halls!
Enter the “Girl Meets Boy” writing contest on Wattpad.
