How to become a writer

[brandontoh]

What do you think is important in the process of becoming a writer?
An education? What kind of degree? A degree at all? Any books?

What kind of experience do you feel is needed to write?

Well, a decent command in the language you're writing in is definitely important. The rest will be from experience and the books you read. The more you read, and the more you write, the better you get. What's important, however, is introspection in my opinion. There's no point reading and writing blindly. Thinking over the things you read and write is important as well. Any sort of life experiences and thoughts you have will help you write as well. So, well, you need life experience to write.


What kind of writing jobs have you had?
How did you get your first job?

I have no writing jobs. Unless you consider doing people's homework for money as a job. It's easy money, so I did it.

How did you start out writing?

I have always been an avid reader. So, it was only a matter of time before I developed the desire to create. It happened when I was 14. Like any healthy teenage boys, I was enamoured by the idea of sex. So I read up a lot about it, visited forums and even read a few romance novels (I hardly ever touch those). Then, I wrote a bunch of erotic short stories. That's how I started. Probably not a good idea to admit that here though.

Can you remember the poem, story and/or film that helped you fall in love with writing?

Well, with writing, it's this poem I scribbled on a wall in school when I was 17. I was feeling really depressed for reasons too personal to state here, so I sat in my secret corner. I just needed to express myself somehow, so I took out a pencil, and started writing a poem. I wrote quite a lot even before that moment, but the feeling I got from writing that poem, the feeling of being able to express myself properly for once, trapped me forever. From then on, writing became an integral part of me.

If you have been published, what did it feel like to be published for the first time?

Never published, but I really wish to though. Like, REALLY REALLY wish to.

How do you feel an aspiring writer should go about becoming a writer?

With passion and conviction. Passion because without love for the craft one can never do it for long. Conviction because it's not an easy path from what I can tell. Never give up is the mantra. Humility is also important, because harsh and honest criticism is the fastest way to improve.