Hobby Writing
There are a lot of hobbyist writers out there. I find one in nearly every large gathering of people I encounter. Or rather, they find me. These are the people who come up to me and say “Oh, you’re a writer? Me too! I’ve got this great idea for a story…” and it goes on from there. Now don’t get me wrong. I know that writing is a long, laborious process, and that the first novel can take an especially long time to perfect. But a hobbyist writer isn’t writing with that kind of goal in mind. Hobby writing is more like someone who does watercolor or plays the guitar for their own amusement. They’re not intending to sell their books one day, though they might daydream about it. Hobby writing is focused solely on the pleasure that comes from the initial creative process, as opposed to the difficult but equally rewarding revision process afterwards. A hobby writing storyteller has no limitations and no expectations, and can be said to enjoy the creative process simply for the love of creating art, rather than trying to share it with anyone.Social Writing
Similar to hobby writing, a social writer isn’t working with the end goal of publication in mind. The difference with social writing however is that it is done as a group effort with similarly-minded friends. Interestingly, I’ve noticed a trend when I’ve spoken to social writers who are also interested in professional writing. When I’ve asked them if they’ve gotten any writing done they’ll often respond with “Not really. I mean, I write with my friends every week, but that’s just for fun.” Unlike the daydreaming hobby writer, the social writer seems to know that their style of storytelling is not targeted towards publication. Instead, a social writer needs to be both flexible and collaborative, willing to share their ideas and implement the ideas of others to create a story that they can enjoy together as a sort of fantasy-life experience.Fan Fiction
Many professional writers have a very negative view of fan fiction writers, claiming that the work isn’t worth anything because it isn’t original. The truth is that good fan fiction writers know that they’re not trying to compete with professional writers. The content that they create is meant to be viewed and enjoyed by other dedicated fans who love a specific story and set of characters so much that they will take every opportunity to immerse themselves in that particular world. A good fan fiction writer needs to be willing to fully embrace their source material, rather than using this as a self-indulgent fantasy. Fan fiction is written for the fan community, and so the fan fiction writer must be focused on the needs of others before themselves.Role-playing
Whether you’re a GM or a player, if you’ve ever done pencil & paper role-playing then you’ve participated in this unique type of storytelling. This is especially true of GMs, who not only come up with the main storyline, but flesh out their game with side-quests, puzzles, and all of the NPCs that the players encounter. Like fan fiction, the GM is constrained/assisted by the existing lore and world building that was done by the original writers. There are also similarities to social writing, since the storytelling process is shared with the players. What sets this type of storytelling apart is the random element introduced by the rolling of dice, which means that all of the players -including the GM- can be surprised at an unexpected outcome. For this reason, a role-playing storyteller needs to be able to think quickly on his feet and be ready to be spontaneously creative, a talent which is largely unnecessary for any other type of storytelling.Professional Writing
I’ve written enough about professional writing that I don’t really need to give a detailed description here, except to say one thing. This style of writing is very different from every other type that I’ve described, since it’s the only style that is targeted to the paying reader. As a result, the quality of writing needs to be held to a higher standard, which means that as much time is spent in the revision process as the initial first draft, if not more. This isn’t to say that professional writers are better than any other kind of storyteller, just that the needs and requirements for their style of writing is different. A skilled role-player may not be able to do professional writing, just as a professional writer might struggle with social writing.Did you find this article helpful? Did you think of any other types of writing that I missed? Leave a comment below and don’t forget to check out my other articles on the craft of writing.
How about the Part-Time Writer? I have a "day job" but set aside several days and evenings each week to write, edit, polish, submit, and publish. It is a variation of Professional - I am in no way supporting any portion of my life through it, but am working on it.
ReplyDeleteSomething in this post reminded me of an interaction I had not too long ago, with someone that made me want to simultaneously cry, scream, and bitch-slap them. It was in a dream-interpretation group I participate in periodically, where we share our dreams with each other and discuss interpretations. I had shared a dream that was soon revealed to be about my writing career goals, and I expressed an impatience and desire to find a way to make more income from writing. Another member (against our rules of giving advice, I might add) suggested I write more blogs and sell ads through google adsense.
I will spare you the expletives, but obviously this person just does not get it. That is so beyond...I mean, it's like someone is facing a foreclosure on their home and has lost their job and someone suggests that they have a yard sale...
I've had a lot of people suggest I write fanfiction, because I am a fan of a lot of things, but I have ZERO interest in reading or writing fanfic. People want to be helpful, I guess, but the chances of a non-writer coming up with some great idea for a writer, for someone else- whether it's a story idea or a publishing idea, or what have you- is not probable. Just let writers write, will ya?
I would definitely define the type of writing that you're describing as Professional. Keep in mind that the kind of writer you are in this context is defined by your intended audience rather than what stage you are at in your craft. A professional writer, published or not, writes with the end goal of publishing work with the intent to sell it, whether independently or traditionally.
DeleteThat being said, I know what it feels like to write professionally for years without making an income from it. My friends were kind and supportive, but until my first novel was available for purchase, many of them seemed to assume that I was a hobbyist. It was hard at times, but it made that first publication all the sweeter when it finally came.