Hi to all, Ive been offered a contract writing fiction for a magazine in the UK. This is something Ive done a lot of in the past, and I enjoy it. But I also like content and copywriting, and like the fact that the money hits my bank account much more quickly even more! Does anyone here combine copywriting etc with writing fiction? How do you do it? (I find I need a totally different mindset to write each one). Im toying with allow x days for nonfiction and x days for fiction...but not sure how that would work out. Jack of all trades, master of none is starting to spring to mind...
Who says you can't have it all? If you love writing fiction, and the job pays well, why not take it and get paid to write what you like? And there's certainly no rule that says you can't write content and copy, as well. Think of it this way - your talents as a writer are diversified. This means that you have more than one means with which to use your talent to make a good living. And if you're working for a magazine, there's certainly no reason to believe you won't be paid well for your efforts. IMHO, you've been offered the contract, so take it. Set aside the bulk of your writing time to write fiction; but set aside a few hours each day/week to write copy/content. You get the best of both worlds for a time, and can use the time to decide whether you prefer one type of writing over the other. Anyway, just my two cents. Best of luck!
Hey, I know how that goes! Lol! It's easy to get caught up in the "make money" dilemma, and forget why we started writing in the first place. The way I see it, if you're going to do something you love for a living, you don't want to limit yourself or you're likely to get bored and quit... And then, what's the point? But in all seriousness, I do wish you all the best in this. Just remember, if you get started writing one thing for a while and you decide it isn't your cup of tea, it's okay to change your mind and move on! Best Regards!
Oh gosh, I envy you! Anyhow, I haven't written fiction since I've started writing full-time for a living. Things are just too hectic! But if someone offered me a paying gig to write fiction, I'd definitely jump at the opportunity. I find it difficult to shift one's state of mind when writing fiction and then, non-fiction. But I think with a bit of practice, you can make it work. All the best to you, Christine. And do tell us how it goes.
Hi - Way back in college (late '70's), there was a flurry of interest in "New Journalism," which simply defined was, "the use of fiction techniques to tell a true story." There were a couple of textbooks about it, and the featured writers were Gay Talese, Tom Wolfe, Truman Capote, and even Papa Hemingway. Of course it wasn't really "new" at all, since Hemingway had done it years before. The idea is to get inside the head of the real people you interview (discover and right about what they were thinking -- expose their motivations), set the scene more than "just the facts" journalists do, etc. This concept may be the bridge you are looking for, and though I can't vouch for any current literature on the subject you might turn up an old textbook or two. Best of success! Scott Frangos, Managing Editor - WebHelperMagazine.com
Thanks to everyone who has replied - from next week Im allocating 4 days a week to fiction to get me started, and then copy/content writing inbetween (as it pays more quickly than magazine writing!). Christine