This week: Writing for an Audience of One: the Self Edited by: Dawn Embers  
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For Authors Newsletter by Dawn
Dedication to the self and writing something based on the singular reason that you wanted to write it. While it's okay to consider readers and hope for others to enjoy, there are times when it's okay to write something for yourself. |
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There are times when an author has to worry about the potential audience when writing an item. Doesn't matter which kind either because the poem audience has thoughts of what they want just like a novel one might even if the exact details are different. However, there are also going to be times and items that are written for an audience of one. That one, author, is you.
It can be important and useful to consider reader reactions and expectations when taking on the tasks of writing anything, whether it's a poem, story or a series of novels. Romance readers are known to have particular expectations, like the happy ending and the story having a heavy focus on the romantic relationship between the characters (hence the term romance for the genre). There are also things that a reader might notice or comment over when something is produced. An example of this is in the fantasy world, many books have been noted as having influence from Lord of the Rings. The epic fantasy story with a group ensemble will have people wondering which of the ones already published might have influenced the writer. Not that there is anything wrong with having an influence, as long as it's not what seems like a copy. But it can be difficult or at times a concern because people might be tired of a particular type of story.
Technically speaking, everything we write is probably done because it's something we want to do. Unless it's an assignment for class, the self is going to be a natural influence in the reason for picking a particular story. However, there are other reasons that come into play at times. Sometimes, we might put something on the back burner because it is less likely to reach the next steps or might be something people see as overdone, etc. And that is okay. Nothing wrong with taking the market into consideration while not making it the deciding factor since we can't predict how things will go in the future once stories make it out to readers.
Confusing ramble aside, the main thing that I want to discuss here is writing that one story where it's just because you wanted to write it. This is probably going to be more relevant for fiction writers and novels if you have several ideas to consider when picking what to write. However, I'm hoping others will relate to the general concept too. I would imagine some emotional focused poetry has a heavy self purpose to the creation.
I have an idea for a novel series that I attempted once for NaNoWriMo many year that has been lost to the digital world but it's something I do plan to write some day. It's a little Lord of the Rings-esque even though I never read the books and I haven't even seen all of the movies. The influence I have, which was itself influenced by Lord of the Rings is the Dragonlance series. It involves main characters that are varied in type: elves, humans and a dwarf. The story started as having influence from people in my real world with friends as the characters but then they had to go and get their own personalities. So, the characters started out with a Mary Sue intention but ended up not that way, which is probably good. This is one series of novels that I really want to write but not something I'm worried about in the intention of readers or publishing. My other novels get considerations for things like agents, small publishers or even self publishing. The epic fantasy with different elf races where one main character is the last true blood of the strongest in magic form of elf, that one is all for me.
What about you?
Do you write poetry for the simple purpose in that you want to write things that way? Are you considering a romance novel with love at first scent with werewolves and vampires? What do you want to write? Is there a reason you pick one idea over another? Which novel is just for you?
Take some of this into consideration and if you're here as a writer, then pick one item (no matter the reason) and start writing. If you're just here to read, I hope you enjoy the different things you find here on the site. |
|  | Begone, Cupid! (13+)
An intentionally bad poem for The Bard's Hall Contest. Yes, it is terrible!
#2335567 by Kit  |
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Is there an item that you have written just because you wanted to read it?
Last time in the For Authors Newsletter, at the end of January, I wrote about the use of "author" as a title compared to writer or anything else deemed title worthy by the individual. Here are the comments sent for that newsletter:
Comment by S 🤦  : I have had a lot of things published, all traditional, and I call myself a writerer. I am a writer, but I think I have reached a level above just writing. On the other hand, author, to me, is someone who makes a living writing. Not a side-hustle, not supplementary, not 'plus food stamps', but a genuine living. Don't have to be well-known, don't have to be in every best-seller list, but making money so that you pay tax, can rent a nice house and afford your own food. That's it for me.
No, I am not an author...
Comment by BrokenRing  : It's the same dilemma for me with poetry versus prose. I prefer the noun string "a writing" or "writings". After all, that's the site is writing.com not poetry.com or prose.com, or novel.com or shortstory.com, etc. We write to write. Because it wants out. In whatever form that may be.
Comment by G. B. Williams  : I considered myself a writer until I was published, had a book signing, and sold more than one copy of my book. I have written since I was seven (7), and many of the things I wrote were published as part of work or something else.
Most everyone writes in one capacity or the other, but only a select few publish or market their books or items for publication.
From what you have written, it is a self-designation that one may choose freely and as appropriate for their writing.
NOTE: I have batted that question around for years and still switch between the two.
NOTE: Barnes and Noble, Amazon, and a few others refer to me as an author. No one refers to me as a writer.
Comment by Quick-Quill  : I mostly refer to myself as an author. I sometimes will say writer but rarely. I have three published books and have rewritten two novels for a friend. I am an Author.
Comment by Osirantinous  : First and foremost, I'm a writer since it physically describes what I do. But I would be the author of my books (so maybe I see it as 'when I'm doing it, I'm a writer' and 'when I've done it, I'm an author'). I read on some facebook page (I think) that author is often also used for when you're published (writer=unpublished, author=published) but also in the professional context you always see people being noted as the author of X article or essay or book not the writer of X article or essay or book. Either way.... if someone asks me, I always say I'm a writer, saying I'm an author feels kind of pompous somehow 
These are some great comments on the topic of title between writer and author. It is interesting to see the different approaches and thoughts with each having validity that others will relate to in the end. Thank you to everyone who sent in a comment. I appreciate the feedback and enjoy reading the different opinions of writers here.
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For Authors: March 19, 2025 Issue [#13038]
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