I've actually had to explain to family members why I don't pull the dick move of asking my pro friends to read my stuff.
At least in our world, there are plenty of inexpensive workshops at the SF cons. If you think you're ready for pro feedback, that's the best way to get it.
No one had read the completed manuscript of CODE OF CONDUCT prior to my sending it to my first agent. alfreda89 was familiar with the story, but it had changed a lot since she had read it last. You can develop without having other folks read your stuff every step of the way. There are pros and cons with both approaches.
It rarely takes more than a page to recognize that you're in the presence of someone who can write, but it only takes a sentence to know you're dealing with someone who can't.
(By the way, here's a simple way to find out if you're a writer. If you disagree with that statement, you're not a writer. Because, you see, writers are also readers.)
I don't understand how anyone could think to impose on a pro writer (even one who is a friend or family member) in that way. That's like asking a friend who's a doctor to give me a free physical.
At the risk of cut/pasting too large a chunk and taking gross liberties with someone elses work, because you need to read the whole paragraph. Note my changes in caps:
Which brings us to an ugly truth about many aspiring screenwriters WRITERS: They think that screenwriting WRITING doesn't actually require the ability to write, just the ability to come up with a cool storyIDEA that would make a cool movie STORY. ScreenwritingWRITING is widely regarded as the easiest way to break into the movie ENTERTAINMENT business, because it doesn't require any kind of training, skill or equipment. Everybody can write, right? And because they believe that, they don't regard working screenwriters WRITERS with any kind of real respect. They will hand you a piece of inept writing without a second thought, because you do not have to be a writer to be a screenwriter. BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE TO KNOW HOW TO WRITE TO BE A WRITER.
Many people just don't see writing as a profession, or writers as any degree of professional.
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winterfish
no subject
Date: 2009-09-11 01:15 pm (UTC)I've actually had to explain to family members why I don't pull the dick move of asking my pro friends to read my stuff.
At least in our world, there are plenty of inexpensive workshops at the SF cons. If you think you're ready for pro feedback, that's the best way to get it.
no subject
Date: 2009-09-11 05:52 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-09-11 02:11 pm (UTC)It rarely takes more than a page to recognize that you're in the presence of someone who can write, but it only takes a sentence to know you're dealing with someone who can't.
(By the way, here's a simple way to find out if you're a writer. If you disagree with that statement, you're not a writer. Because, you see, writers are also readers.)
no subject
Date: 2009-09-11 05:53 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-09-11 05:10 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-09-11 06:05 pm (UTC)Which brings us to an ugly truth about many aspiring
screenwritersWRITERS: They think thatscreenwritingWRITING doesn't actually require the ability to write, just the ability to come up with a coolstoryIDEA that would make a coolmovieSTORY.ScreenwritingWRITING is widely regarded as the easiest way to break into themovieENTERTAINMENT business, because it doesn't require any kind of training, skill or equipment. Everybody can write, right? And because they believe that, they don't regard workingscreenwritersWRITERS with any kind of real respect. They will hand you a piece of inept writing without a second thought,because you do not have to be a writer to be a screenwriter.BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE TO KNOW HOW TO WRITE TO BE A WRITER.Many people just don't see writing as a profession, or writers as any degree of professional.