Would you like to react to this message? Create an account in a few clicks or log in to continue.



 
PortalHomeGallerySearchLatest imagesRegisterLog in
Log in
Username:
Password:
Log in automatically: 
:: I forgot my password
Poll
Is the phrase "Once upon a time..."
Overused
When do you call someone a writer? Empty33%When do you call someone a writer? Empty
 33% [ 1 ]
Underused
When do you call someone a writer? Empty67%When do you call someone a writer? Empty
 67% [ 2 ]
Total Votes : 3
Monthly Writing Prompt
For this month's writing prompt write a scene using the following sentence to start;

The streets were deserted. Where was everyone? Where had they all gone?

Writing Tip
Our monthly writing tips are written by our very own TerishD. You can read more in Terish's Blog located in "The Abstractions" area of the forum.

Look Back

When not able to write ahead, it helps to look back. In my case I had written a paragraph ahead of the story. What I needed to do was add a section of exposition (talking) presenting some facts. In going back, I realized that I could insert a section where a 'tour' of the surroundings could be done. This allowed for character interaction, story development, and other things that enabled me to present the facts in an entertaining manner.

One should not face a writer's block with the mentality of bursting through it. I have found in my own experience that a writer's block is usually due to my mind indicating that it has a problem in 'channeling' the story. One reason might be a re-imagining of certain story points. Another reason however is that there is a problem in where you are at in the story, so you need to look back and find out the problem with the 'journey' that prevents the tale from advancing.

Latest topics
» Abduction to Elfland: Part 4 (19)
When do you call someone a writer? Icon_minitimeAugust 14th 2020, 6:22 am by TerishD

» Abduction to Elfland: Part 3 (13-18)
When do you call someone a writer? Icon_minitimeAugust 9th 2020, 6:41 am by TerishD

» Abduction to Elfland: Part 2 (7-12)
When do you call someone a writer? Icon_minitimeJuly 10th 2020, 6:30 am by TerishD

» Abduction to Elfland: Part 1 (1-6)
When do you call someone a writer? Icon_minitimeJune 10th 2020, 6:33 am by TerishD

» To Know Sweet and Sour - Part Seven (35 - Epi)
When do you call someone a writer? Icon_minitimeMay 11th 2020, 6:38 am by TerishD

Top posters
oskar (2320)
When do you call someone a writer? EmptyWhen do you call someone a writer? Voting_bar2When do you call someone a writer? Empty 
TerishD (1441)
When do you call someone a writer? EmptyWhen do you call someone a writer? Voting_bar2When do you call someone a writer? Empty 
HYdraMStar (1170)
When do you call someone a writer? EmptyWhen do you call someone a writer? Voting_bar2When do you call someone a writer? Empty 
Kellycakes (1136)
When do you call someone a writer? EmptyWhen do you call someone a writer? Voting_bar2When do you call someone a writer? Empty 
Snacker (818)
When do you call someone a writer? EmptyWhen do you call someone a writer? Voting_bar2When do you call someone a writer? Empty 
Urs (569)
When do you call someone a writer? EmptyWhen do you call someone a writer? Voting_bar2When do you call someone a writer? Empty 
fleamailman (400)
When do you call someone a writer? EmptyWhen do you call someone a writer? Voting_bar2When do you call someone a writer? Empty 
Leaka (334)
When do you call someone a writer? EmptyWhen do you call someone a writer? Voting_bar2When do you call someone a writer? Empty 
JuJu (287)
When do you call someone a writer? EmptyWhen do you call someone a writer? Voting_bar2When do you call someone a writer? Empty 
alexandra (198)
When do you call someone a writer? EmptyWhen do you call someone a writer? Voting_bar2When do you call someone a writer? Empty 

 

 When do you call someone a writer?

Go down 
+3
Urs
TerishD
Snacker
7 posters
AuthorMessage
Snacker

When do you call someone a writer? ScribblesKing-3
Snacker


Male
Number of posts : 818
Age : 39
Location : Stuck in Michigan
Current Mood : When do you call someone a writer? Caring10
Registration date : 2008-07-17

When do you call someone a writer? Empty
PostSubject: When do you call someone a writer?   When do you call someone a writer? Icon_minitimeMay 1st 2009, 1:17 pm

We all know it, you go to school and you get taught writing. We learn how to swing our pens in order to write. We keep doing that and experience more and more knowledge. Some of us barely put the pens down after that and started to write there own little stories, or maybe even diaries.

But when exactly do you call yourself a writer? When there is nothing else you want to do? Or when you just write a story, a poem or an article every now and then? Or is the term 'writer' only for use when you are published?

Tell us your opinion!


Last edited by Snacker on May 1st 2009, 2:53 pm; edited 1 time in total
Back to top Go down
http://www.scribbles.forumotion.com
TerishD

When do you call someone a writer? ScribblesModerator-1
TerishD


Male
Number of posts : 1441
Age : 64
Location : Ringgold, Louisiana
Current Mood : When do you call someone a writer? Thinki10
Registration date : 2008-07-21

When do you call someone a writer? Empty
PostSubject: Reply   When do you call someone a writer? Icon_minitimeMay 1st 2009, 1:27 pm

I call myself and others a 'writer' when there is a commitment to write. I thus call myself a writer, because I am working to be recognized AS a writer. I will call another a writer when I recognize some continuing effort to improve their writing.
Back to top Go down
http://www.terishd.com
Urs

When do you call someone a writer? ScribblesModerator-1
Urs


Number of posts : 569
Location : Corner of Insane Ave & Stupid St. in the State of Denial
Current Mood : When do you call someone a writer? Th_cil10
Registration date : 2008-09-23

When do you call someone a writer? Empty
PostSubject: Re: When do you call someone a writer?   When do you call someone a writer? Icon_minitimeMay 2nd 2009, 10:46 am

This is a great question to tell the truth.

There is a lot of room of play with this field, like being an artist, or something. Not to mention there are all kinds of writers, from playwrights to poets, to technical writers to ghost writers, columnist to novelist, so in that front it is a diverse field as well.

I mean if I was to get down to it, even someone who all they did was blog could be called a writer.

With that in mind, I suppose I would then call someone a writer when they identify themselves as a writer.
Back to top Go down
http://protagonist2antagonist.wordpress.com/
HYdraMStar

When do you call someone a writer? Extrascribbler
HYdraMStar


Female
Number of posts : 1170
Age : 45
Location : Charlotte, NC
Current Mood : When do you call someone a writer? Kitty10
Registration date : 2008-07-20

When do you call someone a writer? Empty
PostSubject: Re: When do you call someone a writer?   When do you call someone a writer? Icon_minitimeMay 4th 2009, 5:16 pm

Humans are just in general hung up on titles and labels. We also like drawing lines in the sand; everyone and everything on this side of the line is this and everything and everyone on that side of the line is that. It's part of our nature.

It's also part of our nature to disagree on such matters, especially in matters that related to our own self-images or lifestyle.

With all that understood and factoring in that if any group is going to be more inclined to argue about semantics it's going to be those who are employed (either self or otherwise) in the art of words it's no great surprise that there is no hard answer to your question. Or at least there is no one universal answer. Plenty of people have their own answer which they use to judge, sometimes quite harshly, who is and who isn't a "real" writer.

Personally, I don't think it is for me to judge rather someone is a real writer or just a person who happens to write some. Now, that's not to say I don't judge the merit of their work or their work ethic, but that's a totally different thing.
Back to top Go down
http://www.hydramstar.blogspot.com
Wicked Redhead

When do you call someone a writer? NewScribbler-1
Wicked Redhead


Female
Number of posts : 21
Age : 39
Location : USA
Current Mood : When do you call someone a writer? Evil10
Registration date : 2009-06-10

When do you call someone a writer? Empty
PostSubject: Re: When do you call someone a writer?   When do you call someone a writer? Icon_minitimeJune 11th 2009, 1:36 am

This is actually a pet peeve of mine. I absolutely hate it when people do this! If you have stories or flash published you're a writer. When you have a novel published an author or novelist depending on your preferences. When you have nothing published you are NOT a writer. Just because you write doesn't mean you're a writer. Everyone writes - grocery lists, notes, love letters, thoughts, etc.

I meet this girl on Myspace, (this is one of the reasons I left by the way) Anyhow, she said hello and that she was a fellow writer. Went on and on about her characters and how great her writing was. Okay, good for her. I go to her 'page' to see just what she's babbling about and boom - she's thirteen years old. Now, do you think a thirteen year old could actually write well? Okay so it's rare but possible. So I go to one of her stories and the first sentence pisses me off. I don't remember the exact lines but it was something explaining the surrounding of her characters. She started with i, not capitalized and screwed up then with than as well as spelled sent meaning a smell. I mean, come on!! She should have at least caught it on edit! If she even knows what an edit is. Sure we all mess up every once in a while, believe me i know. But really.

If you have nothing published you should not be considered a 'writer'. I worked hard to be considered a writer, went through many rejections, frustration and at times doubt. Now I can call myself a writer so that fact that some girl calls herself that offends me. Pretty soon they'll ruin the word, if it hasn't been tarnished already.

Okay, rant over. fighting
Back to top Go down
Urs

When do you call someone a writer? ScribblesModerator-1
Urs


Number of posts : 569
Location : Corner of Insane Ave & Stupid St. in the State of Denial
Current Mood : When do you call someone a writer? Th_cil10
Registration date : 2008-09-23

When do you call someone a writer? Empty
PostSubject: Re: When do you call someone a writer?   When do you call someone a writer? Icon_minitimeJune 12th 2009, 11:40 am

Actually even the concept of being published is challenged because of the virtual world.

When you think about it, as it stands today with e-medium, anyone who blogs, posts on forums, edits a wiki, Fan-Fic.net, or Elfworld, Hell even starting a web comic, or puts their work on public domain (non-private medium) is in fact published and copyrighted I might add.

So even putting up a half-done-piece-of-crap story on Facebook, or Myspace, or even Twitter, you could say that you are published.

Because many writers will/have done work for free/advertisement/etc where do we draw the line at "published"

It's an atry thing, and I tend to treat it as such.
Back to top Go down
http://protagonist2antagonist.wordpress.com/
HYdraMStar

When do you call someone a writer? Extrascribbler
HYdraMStar


Female
Number of posts : 1170
Age : 45
Location : Charlotte, NC
Current Mood : When do you call someone a writer? Kitty10
Registration date : 2008-07-20

When do you call someone a writer? Empty
PostSubject: Re: When do you call someone a writer?   When do you call someone a writer? Icon_minitimeJune 12th 2009, 3:06 pm

Urs wrote:

When you think about it, as it stands today with e-medium, anyone who blogs, posts on forums, edits a wiki, Fan-Fic.net, or Elfworld, Hell even starting a web comic, or puts their work on public domain (non-private medium) is in fact published and copyrighted I might add.

This is where defining who's a "real" writer or a "real published" writer really gets ugly and usually personal.

For simplicity you basically have three types of published writer; self-publishing (blogs, forums, POD, etc.), for the love (non-paying markets), and paying traditional markets (anything from penny a word anthology/magazines to big publishing contracts).

All three have their pros and all three have their cons.

A lot of traditionally published writers will out of hand put down self-published writers as not being "real" writers because they feel traditional publishing is the only "real" way to go about getting published and there is no "real" money in self-publishing. Personally, I've seen and known people who have worked on both sides (traditional and self-publishing) and none of them have exactly made bank on their ventures.

Likewise, many self-published writers will say that traditional publishing is too restrictive to the writer, they can't always write the sorts of books they wish to write. This is too is true to a degree and I've known more then one person who has been told by a publisher to change an ending or that a piece of fiction was good but too "edgy" for the market.

For the love markets fall somewhere in-between. Some see them as taking advantage of their writers, giving them nothing in return for something they plan to make money off of. But they can help an author build a readership and offer pub for other works.


One other point, and I don't know if you were imply this or not, but copyright goes into effect from the moment of creation (the time you actually write down the words) not upon the publishing of a work.
Back to top Go down
http://www.hydramstar.blogspot.com
Swami

When do you call someone a writer? ScribbleSuperr
Swami


Male
Number of posts : 147
Age : 42
Current Mood : When do you call someone a writer? Th_hap10
Registration date : 2009-03-26

When do you call someone a writer? Empty
PostSubject: Re: When do you call someone a writer?   When do you call someone a writer? Icon_minitimeJune 12th 2009, 3:53 pm

I guess that depends on what you mean by writer. You could've answered your own question if you thought about what you meant it before asking. Like someone said anyone who puts pen to paper writes, anybody who has published work is recognised as a writer (though that doesn't necessarily mean they're any good, some published work I've seen is utter shit - I mean look at Geri Halliwell) it really depends what you mean, if you were asking what does it take to be recognised as a writer - then after your first publishing, what makes a person a writer - just put pen to paper maybe.

In response to a previous post, just because a website nobodies heard of posted your work and you now consider yourself a 'recognised writer' doesn't make you better than anybody else, regardless of age. The amount of crap that floats around the market is unreal. In today's world the young need all the encouragement they can get.
Back to top Go down
http://unsaneculture.forumotion.net
Urs

When do you call someone a writer? ScribblesModerator-1
Urs


Number of posts : 569
Location : Corner of Insane Ave & Stupid St. in the State of Denial
Current Mood : When do you call someone a writer? Th_cil10
Registration date : 2008-09-23

When do you call someone a writer? Empty
PostSubject: Re: When do you call someone a writer?   When do you call someone a writer? Icon_minitimeJune 12th 2009, 10:45 pm

Oh.. .lets not open that good/bad door just yet. We are still having our fits about what a writer is, much less a good writer.
Back to top Go down
http://protagonist2antagonist.wordpress.com/
Swami

When do you call someone a writer? ScribbleSuperr
Swami


Male
Number of posts : 147
Age : 42
Current Mood : When do you call someone a writer? Th_hap10
Registration date : 2009-03-26

When do you call someone a writer? Empty
PostSubject: Re: When do you call someone a writer?   When do you call someone a writer? Icon_minitimeJune 13th 2009, 3:36 am

Urs wrote:
Oh.. .lets not open that good/bad door just yet. We are still having our fits about what a writer is, much less a good writer.

TBH I'm not really fussed whether I'm considered a writer or not, I'm going to do it regardless. I'm more bothered about getting my story down and how I'm going to edit it into something readable than giving myself a title I may not deserve yet.
Back to top Go down
http://unsaneculture.forumotion.net
Urs

When do you call someone a writer? ScribblesModerator-1
Urs


Number of posts : 569
Location : Corner of Insane Ave & Stupid St. in the State of Denial
Current Mood : When do you call someone a writer? Th_cil10
Registration date : 2008-09-23

When do you call someone a writer? Empty
PostSubject: Re: When do you call someone a writer?   When do you call someone a writer? Icon_minitimeJune 14th 2009, 2:07 am

I don't think this is about self title, but about when we might consider *someone else* a writer. Or at least that is how I took the question.
Back to top Go down
http://protagonist2antagonist.wordpress.com/
Swami

When do you call someone a writer? ScribbleSuperr
Swami


Male
Number of posts : 147
Age : 42
Current Mood : When do you call someone a writer? Th_hap10
Registration date : 2009-03-26

When do you call someone a writer? Empty
PostSubject: Re: When do you call someone a writer?   When do you call someone a writer? Icon_minitimeJune 14th 2009, 5:45 am

I think this is a question that can only be answered by opinion. If you tell me you're a writer I will agree, and even encourage you! And I'd hope I get the same from others.
Back to top Go down
http://unsaneculture.forumotion.net
Urs

When do you call someone a writer? ScribblesModerator-1
Urs


Number of posts : 569
Location : Corner of Insane Ave & Stupid St. in the State of Denial
Current Mood : When do you call someone a writer? Th_cil10
Registration date : 2008-09-23

When do you call someone a writer? Empty
PostSubject: Re: When do you call someone a writer?   When do you call someone a writer? Icon_minitimeJune 14th 2009, 11:15 am

Swami wrote:
I think this is a question that can only be answered by opinion. If you tell me you're a writer I will agree, and even encourage you! And I'd hope I get the same from others.

So you basically agree with me with the idea of calling someone a writer when they call (or recognize) themselves one.
Back to top Go down
http://protagonist2antagonist.wordpress.com/
TerishD

When do you call someone a writer? ScribblesModerator-1
TerishD


Male
Number of posts : 1441
Age : 64
Location : Ringgold, Louisiana
Current Mood : When do you call someone a writer? Thinki10
Registration date : 2008-07-21

When do you call someone a writer? Empty
PostSubject: Reply   When do you call someone a writer? Icon_minitimeJune 14th 2009, 11:38 am

I believe that this discussion has now lowered itself to pandering. Just because someone calls themselves a writer does not mean that I will call them a writer. Just because someone calls themselves a historian does not mean that I will call them a historian. Okay, so I visited the Clinton Library, Graceland, the Hermitage, and a few other historical places does not make a historian, even if I want to call myself one -- and it definitely will not cause others to call me a historian.

If someone calls themselves a writer, that is fine. My next question (and usually the one that does get asked here) is 'what type of writer are you?' If the response is, 'Oh, I haven't written anything yet, but I am considering a project,' the usual response is, 'okay, I wish you well.' We don't chastise the person for calling themselves a writer when they have done nothing to deserve it, but we still let them know that they have a lot of work to do (although we tend to say such words to each other as well).

Someone that calls themselves a writer should not be given respect just because they want to claim a title. Something should be done to deserve the title, and any respect can be gained by the accomplishments -- not by the name. To get something for free without putting out any effort, cheapens the value of those who work hard for the same thing. Those that support such a gratious attitude, offend me and others that are putting out much effort.
Back to top Go down
http://www.terishd.com
Swami

When do you call someone a writer? ScribbleSuperr
Swami


Male
Number of posts : 147
Age : 42
Current Mood : When do you call someone a writer? Th_hap10
Registration date : 2009-03-26

When do you call someone a writer? Empty
PostSubject: Re: When do you call someone a writer?   When do you call someone a writer? Icon_minitimeJune 14th 2009, 11:45 am

its more that I don't think I'm in a position to decide who is or isn't a writer judging by 'accolades' or not they have attained. And tbh, I don't think it really matters until you have something to show for it, thus bringing us back to recognition. I think self-proclaimed titles can get in the way of progress. We're all trying to write because that's what we want to do. Titles can wait until we have something to show for it though, I don't think it's important at this phase.
Back to top Go down
http://unsaneculture.forumotion.net
HYdraMStar

When do you call someone a writer? Extrascribbler
HYdraMStar


Female
Number of posts : 1170
Age : 45
Location : Charlotte, NC
Current Mood : When do you call someone a writer? Kitty10
Registration date : 2008-07-20

When do you call someone a writer? Empty
PostSubject: Re: When do you call someone a writer?   When do you call someone a writer? Icon_minitimeJune 14th 2009, 4:55 pm

TerishD wrote:
I believe that this discussion has now lowered itself to pandering. Just because someone calls themselves a writer does not mean that I will call them a writer. Just because someone calls themselves a historian does not mean that I will call them a historian. Okay, so I visited the Clinton Library, Graceland, the Hermitage, and a few other historical places does not make a historian, even if I want to call myself one -- and it definitely will not cause others to call me a historian.

This is sort of off point, but this comment reminded me of a phrase I kept hearing tossed around the other day. I can't remember if it was NPR's On Science or Scientific America's podcast I was listening to, but being interviewed was an astronomer who was one of the minds behind a website which allows anyone with internet access to help them classify universes by shape. He kept commenting on how these "citizen scientists" where just as good, if not better, at the task then many trained astronomers where. I shrugged it off as his pandering to the site's users, but as I continued over the weekend to listen to further podcasts, with other scientists in different fields who are working on similar types of projects, I took note that the phrase kept coming up.

So, maybe you're not a historian, but a citizen historian at least. Wink
Back to top Go down
http://www.hydramstar.blogspot.com
LineiLou

When do you call someone a writer? NewScribbler-1



Female
Number of posts : 18
Age : 37
Location : Wolverhampton, UK
Registration date : 2009-06-14

When do you call someone a writer? Empty
PostSubject: Re: When do you call someone a writer?   When do you call someone a writer? Icon_minitimeJune 14th 2009, 5:13 pm

This is a good question, which I have personnally given a lot of thought to. I think it is a simple given to call someone a writer if they write. However, I diffrenciate between the terms writer and author. A writer is someone who writes (no matter what the quality is like,) but the word auther is derived from the word audience and so constitutes as a writer with readers or published novelist/poet etc...
Back to top Go down
http://www.myspace.com/childwriter
Sponsored content





When do you call someone a writer? Empty
PostSubject: Re: When do you call someone a writer?   When do you call someone a writer? Icon_minitime

Back to top Go down
 
When do you call someone a writer?
Back to top 
Page 1 of 1
 Similar topics
-
» A Writer's Life
» a phone call
» A Call for Entries?
» the creative writer
» Call me Viccy and....

Permissions in this forum:You cannot reply to topics in this forum
 :: The Lounge (Chit-Chat Forum) :: General Discussions-
Jump to: