Hannigan,+Maggie


 * 1) Please refer to the home page to read the discussion question for each chapter. Then come to this page and use the "discussion" option in the menu to post your comments.
 * 2) __So being an author isn’t like every other writer. It has its ups and downs, but one thing a person should never let anyone do, is have them talk them out of writing.__



An Author isn’t just like every writer out there. __Today, Authors have benefits and draw backs as they write stories to be sent in where they will try to get it published.__ __Authors write books. __ There are different types of Authors just like there are different types of books(Brandon). They could be fiction writers, non-fiction writers, and others. __In order to become an Author they need to be prepared.__ It requires a college degree preferably in communications, journalism, or English, but a degree in technical subjects may be useful(United). An author needs to know how to tell a story(Brandon). Authors are usually rapid readers. This is because when they read, they learn more about writing(Brandon). They also need to spend a minimum of four hours writing(Manion). They need to be able to organize their thoughts and their work(Brandon). __One of the biggest obstacles to being an author is completing or even getting started on a book(Burnham). __ A typical day, while writing a book, is spent at the computer writing or at the computer researching(Brandon). A person can get story ideas from memories incidents, what they see, <span style="color: rgb(0,0,255);">hear , or <span style="color: rgb(0,0,255);">read , and imagination(Parks). If an author is writing a story that takes place in an area unfamiliar to them they must travel to the area where it is. If the author is <span style="color: rgb(0,0,255);">doing a non-fiction, they research the topic that their story will be about. Even when they <span style="color: rgb(0,0,255);">think the story is finished, they must r<span style="color: rgb(0,0,255);">ewrite it and <span style="color: rgb(0,0,255);">rewrite it and then hand it over to an editor or agent(Brandon). __<span style="color: rgb(255,0,0);">An author may have many benefits. __Karen Brandon says, “The benefits are the satisfaction you feel when you have <span style="color: rgb(0,0,255);">written something well and said what you want to say in a meaningful and creative way”(Brandon). Writing can satisfy a writer’s creative urge(Brandon). You also may write something that changes the way people think about a subject. For example, A nna Sewell, who wrote the book, "Black Beauty," made people take a new look at animal rights. <span style="color: rgb(255,0,0);">__Just like there are benefits, there are also drawbacks__. One is the lack of income (Unless the book/series is a best seller and popular)(Brandon). Also they spend a lot of time alone with their work, and when you have finished, some people will hate what you have written even thought it’s sensational(Brandon). Another drawback is the fact that rejection is common. For instance, J.K. Rowling has said four or five publishers rejected her first Harry Potter novel. She lived on welfare while she was writing it. Only a tiny fraction of submitted books are published. Margaret Atwood describes it very well. She says, “Writing is not a job description. A great deal of it is luck. Don’t do it if you are not a gambler because a lot of people devote many years of their lives to it (for little reward). I think people become writers because they are compulsive wordsmiths.” <span style="color: rgb(255,0,0);">__Throughout the years writing has changed.__ The nature of books is changing(Brandon). There are now different types of books you can receive. There are paper books, audio books, and now kindles. Karen Brandon says, “The essential element of writing does not change. Authors will always be doing the same thing: telling a good story”(Brandon). So even though the types of books are changing that doesn’t mean that the Authors job is changing. As the author Kurt Vonnegut has said, “Writing is just having a sheet of paper, a pen and not a shadow of an idea of what you going to say.” <span style="color: rgb(255,0,0);">__When an author’s story is written they need to hand it over to an agent or publisher.__ Though working with an agent can get frustrating, a good place to search for an agent is the Internet. Formatting is very important when submitting a proposal(Mannion). If the publishers or agents don’t like the book they can reject it. An author may pay a fee for the publications of a book. The amounts of the fees vary with each manuscript depending on length and other factors(Vintage). An Author should copyright his or her idea(Mannion). are going to say.” <span style="color: rgb(255,0,0);">__When an author’s story is written they need to hand it over to an agent or publisher.__ Though working with an agent can get frustrating, a good place to search for an agent is the Internet. Formatting is very important when submitting a proposal(Manion). If the publishers or agents don’t like the book they can reject it. An author may pay a fee for the publications of a book. The amounts of the fees vary with each manuscript depending on length and other factors(Vintage). An Author should copyright his or her idea(Manion). __So being an author isn’t like every other writer. It has its ups and downs, but one thing a person should never let anyone do, is have them talk them out of writing.__

Brandon, Karen Email March 18, 09

Burnham, Bob Ezine Articles[online] [|www.Ezinearticles.com/?How-To-Become-an-Author-and-Make-Money&id=759409] Mannion, James The everything Alternative Careers Book [book]; Avon, MA copyright 2004,F+W Publications, Inc.

Parks, Peggy J. State University.com[online] [|www.careers.stateuniversity.com/collection/15/writer-Job-Description.html]

United States Department of Labor[online] [|www.bls.gov]

Vintage Press[online] [|www.vintagepress.com]