tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190412120537448720.post2935796402958710300..comments2024-02-12T15:15:51.364+02:00Comments on The Five Year Project: Are you an Amateur or a Professional?Misha Gerrickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06364173848456424521noreply@blogger.comBlogger39125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190412120537448720.post-83510699333026748152011-11-01T03:58:07.467+02:002011-11-01T03:58:07.467+02:00Charles, I agree. It confused me for a time, but I...Charles, I agree. It confused me for a time, but I think I'm happy to be an amateur now.<br /><br />Thanks for the compliments. The one I'm thrilled with is being called a good friend.:)<br /><br />You are one of the most insightful and humorous writers I've ever known...and if there is one new blog anyone wants to follow this year (or the next) it ought to be yours!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190412120537448720.post-80185279601208015162011-11-01T03:58:05.130+02:002011-11-01T03:58:05.130+02:00Charles, I agree. It confused me for a time, but I...Charles, I agree. It confused me for a time, but I think I'm happy to be an amateur now.<br /><br />Thanks for the compliments. The one I'm thrilled with is being called a good friend.:)<br /><br />You are one of the most insightful and humorous writers I've ever known...and if there is one new blog anyone wants to follow this year (or the next) it ought to be yours!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190412120537448720.post-78184033240936805162011-10-29T17:28:13.798+02:002011-10-29T17:28:13.798+02:00I think this entire debate may be rooted in the su...I think this entire debate may be rooted in the suggestion that amateur means inferior. When we say a piece of writing is "amateurish," we don't mean "this is the work of an unpaid person." We're saying, "this is the work of someone who hasn't studied and worked hard at the craft of writing." When we refer to someone as a "real pro," we mean that person adheres to high standards. And so when we try to discuss the labels "Amateur" and "Professional" in terms of being paid, those other implications seem to linger, clouding the issue. I agree with many of the other commenters: the labels aren't very useful in any context.<br /><br />I'd like to commend you, Misha, on choosing Damyanti to write a guest post. She's one of the most skilled and imaginative writers I've encountered. And she's a good friend, as well.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190412120537448720.post-67413151197851054462011-10-24T13:29:55.778+02:002011-10-24T13:29:55.778+02:00Thanks everyone, for the insightful comments.
Mi...Thanks everyone, for the insightful comments. <br /><br />Misha, terribly sorry to have been MIA, had been felled by a migraine over the weekend.<br /><br />I love the various viewpoints that the writers who commented here came up with, and I'm kind of glad none of them quite agrees with the statement that set off this post.<br /><br />There is <a href="http://www.caku-art.com/amateur.html" rel="nofollow">one article </a> to which someone linked at my announcement for this post, and I think it sums up the professional vs amateur debate quite nicely. I'll post some of it below, but do go and read the entire article if this topic interests you:<br /><br />So what is the difference between being an amateur and a pro?<br /><br />A pro loves what she does MORE than an Amateur does…<br /><br />Because a pro sits down and does all the mundane stuff in order to uphold the inspiration and to maintain a routine.<br /><br />A professional loves what she does, but also knows what she does.<br /><br />An amateur only loves what she does.<br /><br />Being an amateur is groovy to begin with<br /><br />But think pro<br /><br />Professionals don’t have to deal with criticism because they look at their work objectively.<br /><br />They KNOW they are not their art<br /><br />That’s a pro<br /><br />A pro is patient<br /><br />A pro contributes to her work EVERYDAY<br /><br />An amateur waits till the weekend<br /><br />A pro don’t make excuses<br /><br />They make hay while the sun is shining<br /><br />Think pro...perhaps?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190412120537448720.post-48383693496163755402011-10-23T21:30:22.249+02:002011-10-23T21:30:22.249+02:00Amateur. And I'm fairly comfortable just being...Amateur. And I'm fairly comfortable just being an amateur writer, since at this point I would not say that getting paid for writing--even being published--is my No. 1 priority. I write because I enjoy it.Golden Eaglehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08721520451194318436noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190412120537448720.post-43841163298815518252011-10-23T10:58:33.897+02:002011-10-23T10:58:33.897+02:00It is interesting to see the different viewpoints ...It is interesting to see the different viewpoints about amateur vs professional writers. Angela also brought up a good point about how Emily Dickenson wasn't published until after her death. Though it would be great to receive a paycheck, it's still rewarding to participate in this online classroom,Empty Nest Insiderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10074223969046687064noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190412120537448720.post-41058714189506040162011-10-23T06:25:53.917+02:002011-10-23T06:25:53.917+02:00Great article; the statement gave me pause as well...Great article; the statement gave me pause as well. I guess I am an amateur for now.<br /><br />DravenAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12563209830154165271noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190412120537448720.post-87566928000518026102011-10-22T22:35:41.544+02:002011-10-22T22:35:41.544+02:00Well, I enjoyed reading this. Writers write as I ...Well, I enjoyed reading this. Writers write as I was just noting to another writer. Does it really matter "amateur" or otherwise? Enjoy the process and the product. <br /><br />On another note: WHAT??? I finally have time to myself again to catch up and you are posting irregularly? LOL, do what you gotta do.Joe Robinsmithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16214577623320103751noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190412120537448720.post-44788924553725594112011-10-22T10:16:23.855+02:002011-10-22T10:16:23.855+02:00Hi,
I've met some very highly paid people who ...Hi,<br />I've met some very highly paid people who work in an extremely unprofessional manner. Whilesoever you're working to improve your skills, and dedicate yourself to the task, you're professional.Rebecca Bloomerhttp://www.bloowillbooks.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190412120537448720.post-86354160146086536452011-10-22T08:50:45.382+02:002011-10-22T08:50:45.382+02:00Richard I think that we writer's could think o...Richard I think that we writer's could think of a code of ethics if we wanted to: I.E. not to censor ourselves for the comfort of the narrow-minded, to be the good scribes of our times etc. <br /><br />However, I've been thinking about it and I've realized that the writer was FAAAAAR off base. <br /><br />If you are a REAL story writer, writing is an art. The passion and the drive to succeed should come out of your love of writing. <br /><br />I have NEVER heard of someone saying he's a professional painter, unless it was a guy who paints walls. So my guess is that professional writers would be those who write content for money. No particular passion, but you do get paid and it fills blank pages with words that make sense.Misha Gerrickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06364173848456424521noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190412120537448720.post-62096205995025059522011-10-22T04:13:10.028+02:002011-10-22T04:13:10.028+02:00I'm in a few print anthologies too, unpaid and...I'm in a few print anthologies too, unpaid and yet I feel it validates me a bit after all I've written. I think agents are more bothered that you act professionally rather than whether or not you are a professional. I think there is a difference.<br /><br />p.s. I like the athlete analogy. I used to compete regularly on the track and I won the British Championships two years running in Tae Kwon-Do, was never paid or called a professional. And it rocked! :)catherinemjohnson.comhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14682281308178996823noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190412120537448720.post-30314760383924100482011-10-22T00:19:23.173+02:002011-10-22T00:19:23.173+02:00I think the key might be that a professional, besi...I think the key might be that a professional, besides following codes of ethics, etc., earns his living primarily from his profession. Of course, this is a grey area. How much of your living has to be earned from your profession? 100%, 50%-100%, 0%-100%. Do writers have codes of ethics? Not to my knowledge. So even if you earn 100% of your living from writing, being a writer may not qualify you as a professional. The term 'professional' has become greatly watered down in our modern world. Every business thinks of itself as a profession. But that is not so. There are some pretty clear requirements for something to be a profession. To the best of my knowledge, writing does not meet all the qualifications. No writer is a professional, because writing is not a profession. <br /><br />So, what is writing? Is it a hobby? Is it a passtime? Is it a passion? Is it your source of income? Is it an art? Is it a craft? It can be any of those things. But a profession it is not. There are no clearly defined rules, procedures, codes of ethics in the field of writing.<br /><br />So it's a non-issue.writing and living by Richard P Hugheshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03814139767151989286noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190412120537448720.post-14004230311076589082011-10-21T22:41:01.244+02:002011-10-21T22:41:01.244+02:00Writing is a passion. I wish I could spend all day...Writing is a passion. I wish I could spend all day writing. I wish it could be my full-time job. But it's not -- yet. Will it ever be? That remains to be seen. <br /><br />So yeah, I'm an amateur. But all aspiring professional athletes have to begin as amateurs, to play for the love of the game, not for money. If it happens, hooray for them. If not, it's their passion that keeps them from throwing away that ball/racquet/bat/cleats.<br /><br />Great post, D. Thanks Misha for hosting her!<br /><br />J.C.<br /><br /><i>Join me in the <b><a href="http://jc-martin.com/fighterwriter/2011/10/trick-or-treat/" rel="nofollow">Trick or Treat Spooktacular</a></b>! Could you help make the Grand Prize a brand new Kindle Touch?</i>J.C. Martinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01567971311643106302noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190412120537448720.post-18079158672966222272011-10-21T21:55:27.648+02:002011-10-21T21:55:27.648+02:00I've always assumed writing would be my hobby ...I've always assumed writing would be my hobby and I would be an amateur, writing for the fun of it. Now that I'm doing it full time, I want to know more about making money from it. Still not sure of the answer to making it.Mynehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07595087387069634003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190412120537448720.post-5951552541043291182011-10-21T21:27:57.597+02:002011-10-21T21:27:57.597+02:00I think you have to write like a professional long...I think you have to write like a professional long before you get paid. And I think this writing business is really, really hung up on titles; which is unfortunate.<br /><br />But I'm glad you posted - it's a great question to tease out your thoughts on why you write!Susan Kaye Quinnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07348197999397141067noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190412120537448720.post-22761185763229516712011-10-21T20:12:33.725+02:002011-10-21T20:12:33.725+02:00Great post that poses a great question.
If I wro...Great post that poses a great question. <br />If I wrote only for the money, then I would be working for Hallmark Cards, or slutty romances/soft porn. Not to denigrate those writers, but I think of myself in a different writing world.Susan Kanehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09834094675218254410noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190412120537448720.post-83969384061627601642011-10-21T19:49:02.173+02:002011-10-21T19:49:02.173+02:00I mostly agree with the statement, although the wo...I mostly agree with the statement, although the word amateur seems harsh. It doesn't reflect on quality though. Snookie has a book - does that make her a good writer? (She didn't even write it, so she's not a writer of any sort!) I know photography draws the same line between pro and amateur - if you've ever received any amount of money for a photo, you're a pro.Alex J. Cavanaughhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09770065693345181702noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190412120537448720.post-7474671073623707022011-10-21T17:40:43.226+02:002011-10-21T17:40:43.226+02:00Keep writing the stories in our hearts, stories th...Keep writing the stories in our hearts, stories that we are passionate about and hope someone pays us to publish them :). That should be our motto.Rachna Chhabriahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16900999965919504282noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190412120537448720.post-52124864926179082122011-10-21T17:27:36.072+02:002011-10-21T17:27:36.072+02:00CD, Agree.
Rick, I've had people tell me any ...CD, Agree.<br /><br />Rick, I've had people tell me any one can sit down and write. They would write a book themselves if they had the time etc etc. If I'm not making any money why am I still so madly working at it, for years together...you know the drift :)<br /><br />Mary, I've learned the hard way to leave the label out of it.<br /><br />Angela, yes, I think she would have been labelled an amateur. That is what her peers and publishers would have called her. Which is why labels leave me cold.<br /><br />Patricia, exactly. It only makes the hard job of writing even harder.<br /><br />Joy, yes, I believe that. Some people I know also believe that I'll always remain a writer, never become a published, successful author. That used to bother me some time ago. Not any more.<br /><br />I know that I'll keep writing, whether I become a successful author or not. So as long as I want to to do it, it is fine to keep writing as an amateur and trying to improve.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04283371140346602856noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190412120537448720.post-32804013505020342422011-10-21T17:09:33.265+02:002011-10-21T17:09:33.265+02:00Like so many other people, I was of the mistaken v...Like so many other people, I was of the mistaken view that I wasn't a real writer until I was published. For me, as long as you're working at improving your craft and you keep practicising, then you're a writer.J.L. Campbellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05666634455836834179noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190412120537448720.post-18292841993567961592011-10-21T17:05:11.459+02:002011-10-21T17:05:11.459+02:00A few other friends have had others say similar th...A few other friends have had others say similar things about writers. It makes me wonder why are they so concerned with labeling other writers? Maybe they're just out to put others down, elevate themselves. When in reality, as long as you love writing, does the label matter that much?Patricia JLhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17582005500429122486noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190412120537448720.post-15661108138743384092011-10-21T16:41:09.826+02:002011-10-21T16:41:09.826+02:00Does that mean Emily Dickinson is an amateur. Afte...Does that mean Emily Dickinson is an amateur. After all, she didn't get published 'till after she was dead.Angelahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12399082789777816445noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190412120537448720.post-16723741843839217502011-10-21T16:24:04.856+02:002011-10-21T16:24:04.856+02:00Damyanti, I've gotten a mixed bag from others ...Damyanti, I've gotten a mixed bag from others regarding the writer label. On the negative end there are always those who don't take it seriously. However, I've found that's tempered by people who appreciate the amount of commitment that goes into putting a book together (and usually realize that they have nowhere near that level of commitment. :). <br /><br />On the whole it winds up averaging out. Now my friend who's a lawyer...he takes a lot of abuse. :)Rick Ghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07703091917685458099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190412120537448720.post-23412675002100111552011-10-21T16:23:39.639+02:002011-10-21T16:23:39.639+02:00I'm an amateur astronomer. I don't get pai...I'm an amateur astronomer. I don't get paid. Nor should I. Saying I am doesn't bother me. Amateurs make most of the discoveries these days anyway. It's pure pleasure.<br /><br />Writing is the same. Pure pleasure. Amateurs are usually enthusiasts, so I see nothing wrong with claiming the status.<br /><br />Then there's the image of the embittered professional. So, I suppose neither is all roses. Maybe just go with 'writer' and leave the label out of it.M Paxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14096697282530998519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190412120537448720.post-63436022060621320522011-10-21T16:18:19.115+02:002011-10-21T16:18:19.115+02:00I have trouble with statements like that too. It a...I have trouble with statements like that too. It almost seems to say that if you're a professional you can't enjoy writing. And I do enjoy writing. I'd rather be an amateur, enjoying crafting stories, and writing stories I want to read, than a professional who gets paid, but wishes they were in another job.C D Meetenshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18185285028025647307noreply@blogger.com