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Why are certain 'professionals' convinced they can write?

Harlson Phillipps

first registered 26.09.08

last online 283 days ago

Why do all the writers here interrogate themselves so? Surely, we should be interrogating the arbiters? Nathan Bransford? Spoiled brat. Why concern yourselves with his opinion? Or any other agent's opinion? Scared you'll never enjoy lunch in their town? Well, they never invited you in the first place.
If you're serious about writing then give up the day job. Then you'll learn what it is to be a writer. As is, there are too many comments on here from.... dentists, accountants, civil servants, and many other educated knuckleheads, who think they can write. How would you feel, if, in the midst of a life changing medical procedure, your elected surgeon decided to post a query on a message board?
And, before you stammer, 'well writing isn't the same', all I'll say is that a good more many people have been inspired to join a war and die by writers' words than have been saved by surgeons' scalpels.
I work with surgeons and medical practitioners. They are all intelligent people. Some of them are convinced they could write a novel, or a collection of poems -- they have this idea they have a certain sensibility -- when, in fact, they couldn't write a parking ticket on a wet Wednesday night. I know, I translate their writing. I see it, read it, re-write it, day in, day out. And, embarrassingly, it's the same on this site. Why do ordinarily intelligent, educated people fall for this lure of 'being a writer', and, more importantly, make such a fuck-up of it?



Posted: 10/12/2008 01:23:41

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Geoff Thorne

first registered 07.11.08

last online online

Interesting approach.Wink

Posted: 10/12/2008 01:30:12

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bluestocking

first registered 24.09.08

last online 1013 days ago

So, um, where's your book, Mr. Phillipps?

Posted: 10/12/2008 01:32:03

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Harlson Phillipps

first registered 26.09.08

last online 283 days ago

Apparently this site was in need of readers; I responded.

Posted: 10/12/2008 01:35:27

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Kaychristina

first registered 17.05.08

last online 1 day ago

The days of Dickens and the workhouse have long gone, Harlson... However, I have nearly starved to death - yes, here in the U.K. it IS possible... They only help certain people - and could very well lose the roof over my head. Oh, and writing is something I have to do.

So please excuse us all for breathing.


Posted: 10/12/2008 01:48:37

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heatherjacobs

first registered 04.09.08

last online 787 days ago

Apparently this site was in need of readers; I responded. close quotes

I realise I'm playing with fire by commenting, but what the heck, I'll do it anyway. You are advertising yourself as a reader so I went to check all the helpful comments you have made on people's books and there was nothing but a completely nasty, unhelpful bashing of a book in the top five.

Why would you bother setting up an account just to slag everyone off? This is a writer's community, not a place to make everyone feel like shite. We can do that ourselves, thank you very much.

Phew, glad that's said. By the way, the last parking ticket I wrote was fantastic and praised from here to Saigon.

Posted: 10/12/2008 01:52:51
Last Edit: 10/12/2008 02:05:36 by heatherjacobs

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Harlson Phillipps

first registered 26.09.08

last online 283 days ago

"It's easy to be supercritical". I wasn't being "supercritical", I was trying to fire up a level of self-belief; viz "Why do all the writers here interrogate themselves so?". Write and be damned, or not. Not write and, "do you think this is okay?" Where is the tipping point 'tween peer review and peer pressure?

Posted: 10/12/2008 01:55:14

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Patty

first registered 19.09.08

last online 755 days ago

As 'educated knucklehead who thinks she can write', I have to say your comment on my book was incredibly valuable

OK, what did he say 'I can't believe this this so high'

No reason
No justification
Just a single sniping comment

To some people, the whole world is crap - the Jo Baileys of this planet. Of course. No one can write. ALL recently published books are crap. Oh, and while we're at it - public transport sucks, the government is incompetent, young people don't learn to spell properly anymore, and all teenagers are deliquents.

Gimme a break.

Why don't these people go and play miser somewhere else?

*Dies of laughter*


Posted: 10/12/2008 01:55:27

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Alice Gray

first registered 21.10.08

last online 407 days ago

I'm not convinced I can write. In fact, I come here for confirmation of the fact that I can't! Guess I'll go back to being The Professional. I rather enjoying being a cleaner.

Posted: 10/12/2008 02:02:31

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Geoff Thorne

first registered 07.11.08

last online online

I can write. Go look.

(what the hell, right?)


Posted: 10/12/2008 02:07:05
Last Edit: 10/12/2008 02:07:25 by Geoff Thorne

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