Write what you like

by benmweilertNo Comments
There are tons of pithy sayings writers usually hear when they're starting out. "Kill your darlings." "Show, don't tell." "Write what you know." Most who are starting out don't really know what these idiomatic pieces of advice actually mean. Even experienced writers have trouble cracking the code on some of these sayings. Ultimately, you can't really distill sound advice down to a 3-word phrase. Sometimes, it's better to rephrase this advice. For instance, when I tell people to write what they know, what I'm really saying is to "write what you like." Passion makes it easy. "If you could speak on something for an hour without prepared notes, what would it be?" is an icebreaker question that uncovers your interests and hobbies. It also answers my "write what you like" motto. Have you ever picked up an interest that suddenly sucked an entire weekend away as you dove down the rabbit holes that uncovered the depth of this hobby? Did you spend...
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Why I don’t make a living on my writing

Why I don’t make a living on my writing

by benmweilertNo Comments
Writing is my hobby. I have a full-time job, so there is no need for me to make a living on my writing. Since I do it mostly for fun, I’m not too concerned about making money. Most importantly, for tax purposes, writing is my hobby. Sure, I try to run it like a business by keeping track of expenses and sales, but overall I’m not doing much more than breaking even. This is fine. After all, a hobby is usually considered a “money pit” where you don’t expect to get a return on investment other than the pure enjoyment it brings you (think about other hobbies like restoring cars, reading books, or gardening as examples). A few years ago, I received a review request from someone who had written a book. They were self-publishing and admitted that they were currently homeless and that this book (that they had taken over a decade to write) was their only ticket out of...
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What you should REALLY ask when meeting someone new

by benmweilertNo Comments
Has this ever happened to you? You’ve just been introduced to someone you’ve never met before and, after almost instantaneously forgetting their name, you ask, “So, what do you do for a living?” This question, along with a few other antiquated ones like “Are you married?” or “Have any kids?” don’t really provide any insight into the life of the person you’ve just met. They only touch on the surface of their life, and sometimes that surface may be uncomfortable for them to answer. They may have just been fired from their job, are going on their 6th month of unemployment, are frustrated with being single, have just gotten divorced, or are having fertility issues with their spouse. As you can see, these questions will often receive lies for answers because they can probe a little too deep for a new acquaintance. I’d almost equate them with the three “no-no’s” of small talk: money, religion, and politics. Even if everything is going...
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