Writing Information |
|
Writing Made Them Rich #3: Richard Bach
One day in the mid-1970's a young man stumbled into adiner somewhere in the United Sates. Slung over his shoulder was a kit-bag that containedeverything he owned. He was unshaven and needed ashower badly. He had very little money, but enough fora phone call. He rang his bank and asked how much was in hisaccount. A woman's voice informed him - to hisamazement - that the balance in his account was fourmillion, three hundred thousand dollars. His name was Richard Bach. Six months before, he hadsubmitted a short story, barely 10,000 words long, toa New York publisher. For the last three months he had been living the lifeof a nomadic 'barnstormer', taking people on joy ridesfor $5 a flight and sleeping in fields under the wing ofhis bi-plane. Hardly able to believe what he had just heard, he rangthe New York publisher to whom he had sent themanuscript. "Where on earth are you?" asked a woman's voice."We've been looking for you for three months! Radioand TV want interviews with you, a publisher in Spainwants to buy the Spanish rights to your book..." He had been completely unaware that his shortmanuscript, titled 'Jonathon Livingstone Seagull',had become a runaway best-seller. Unfortunately, this success story had a sad sequel.Like many people who suddenly become wealthy, RichardBach knew very little about managing money. Heentrusted his new-found fortune to a financial advisorwho led him astray, to the tune of millions ofdollars. Within a few years he was broke, and With the IRShounding him for unpaid taxes he was forced to declarehimself bankrupt. He signed away all future earningsfrom 'Jonathon Livingstone Seagull' to thegovernment, as well as the rights to any future books he might write, and began the arduous task ofrebuilding his life. But there was a happy ending: he sacked his financialadvisor and wrote a string of new books that were alsobest-sellers: within a few years he was solventagain and able to buy back the rights to all hisbooks. ------------------------------------------------------------
|
RELATED ARTICLES
The Best Freelance Job Boards for Writers How many times have you checked out a job board to that either it no longer exists or that there is one or two jobs listed. Out of the hundreds of job boards on the Web today, how do you find those containing projects that you are interested in and qualified for. Applying KISS Principle in Writing I have added a new word to my vocabulary. Logorrhea. We've all been touched by it. What is it? The Word Spy defines it, "excessive verbosity and long-windedness. Also know as verbal diarrhea." Making The Time To Write That Novel Finding the time to write a novel is one of the major issues confronting writers, particularly those who haven't been published yet. How does one justify to themselves, or to their loved ones, that they need time to write if they have demands on their time, like a job, or a house to be cleaned, a family to be fed, or shopping to do? They make the time. Essay Types and Modes Youll Need to Write for College ~TYPES~ Good Writing Good writing is like sex. Two people are involved ? the writer and the reader. Bad sex usually satisfies only one person, most preferably, the writer ? the person who leads. Good sex not only satisfies both people, it pleasures them. So, like sex, writing must have all vital points that reach unto this pleasure ? movement, foreplay, sensitivity, rhythm and climax. When a writer carefully and logically includes all these aspects, the reader is pleasured, satiated and gratified, but when a writer ignores them, the reader feels that the writer is impotent and he abandons him after that one night. Good writing is about making a person desire to read. Dreading the Writing Assignment? Outlines to the Rescue Writing technical articles is a challenge. There you sit, surrounded by reams of research, notes and interviews. Where do you start? A Freelancers Journey, Part One Today it begins. The Makings of a Personal Essay, Really Sometimes I can be dense when it comes to realizing the potential of my own life experiences as essays for magazines. I, of course, fully believe that everything in my life is newsworthy, but sometimes have trouble figuring out which experiences will hit home with other people. Create A Dream Diary How many times have you forced yourself to sit in front of a computer and waited for inspiration to strike?Most of us at some point, whether just starting out or even an experienced published writer, have suffered from the proverbial writers block or have struggled to kick-start their creativity. Interview with Suspense Author Peter Abrahams Peter Abrahams is the author of thirteen novels, including "The Tutor," (Ballantine Books) "A Perfect Crime," (Ballantine Books), "The Fan" (Fawcett Books), and most recently, "Their Wildest Dreams" (Ballantine Books). Should You Do a Writing Course? First, let's tackle the question that is uppermost in many aspiring writers' minds: "Do I need to do a writing course to sell my writing?" The Writer and the Web If your dream is to get published, the chance is before you. The web has opened the portals of opportunity to all aspiring writers, freelance writers, established writers actually to all writers. It's a whole new world with unlimited access to ideas and subjects for writers. Endless resources and information are available at the click of your mouse to help you get started and keep you going. Publish It Now! No Matter What It Is Do you want to publish something? An article, a non-fiction piece, a short story, a children's book, the great American novel? What are you waiting for? You may be answering that it's just too competitive. Competition in the writing industry is fierce, no doubt, but many good writers have piles of work collecting dust in a box, sitting in the corner, or in file upon file, tucked away in a desktop PC. You may be one of them, and their problem and yours is not the competition. It's the approach. How You Can Become a Certified and Profitable Proofreader A certified proofreader is one that has taken a few courses and learned the proper way to do proof reading work. It is essential that individuals who want to become proof readers, have qualifications that can help them to prepare work that is of high quality. There are many different things that you can do to get this security in your work, but for a proofreader getting to be certified is a solid step in the right direction. Need a Book Coach, Ghost Writer, or Editor? Part 2 If you either want to write a book to help others create a better life and boost business or you already have your book nearly finished, you may need book coaching to answer all of your questions "What step to take next?" If You Want to Succeed As a Writer, Dont Just Think It, Do It It never ceases to amaze me when a prospective writer confesses that he or she has never put anything down on paper. Obviously, that's the first step. Just dreaming about it won't make it happen. Anyone can write. But not everyone writes well. Why Should You Use Worksheets For Proofreading? Proofreading worksheets are a great tool to help individuals open their eyes to the mistakes that are commonly made. These are used to help teach a person how to spot mistakes in copy. They are similar to those you got as a child when you were learning to write and read. Sometimes, they can be simple, while other times they are progressively more difficult. It is important to use these worksheets as part of your training to become a qualified proof reader. How You Can Find Freelance Editing Jobs Freelance editing opportunities are out there, you just need to know where and how to look for them. As a matter of fact, there are hundreds of companies that are waiting for you, right now, to fill their job vacancies. Each and every one of them has an exciting opportunity for someone. What are your areas of expertise? What can you do to benefit these companies? Finding freelance editing opportunities is simple when you know what you are looking for, who you are looking for, and where to find them. Extreme Research: 10 Snappy Rules For Success So you want to learn to research well, and not waste any time. Let's do it. Here are a few NECESSARY preliminary points. Do You Plot With Your Character In Mind? Creative Writing Tips ? |
home | site map |
© 2005 |