Creative Writing

Creative Writing: Copyright © 2011, R. Dodge Woodson.  All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the United States Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the author.

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Information contained in this work has been obtained by R. Dodge Woodson (herein referred to as “the company”) from sources believed to be reliable. However, R. Dodge Woodson, Roger Woodson, authors, employees or freelancers of the company do not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any information published by the company. R. Dodge Woodson, authors, employees and freelancers of the company do not guarantee any work offered by the company to be free of any errors, omissions, or damages arising out of the use of the information. All work is published with the understanding that R. Dodge Woodson, authors, employees and freelancers of the company are supplying information but are not attempting to render advice or professional services. Anyone requiring services or professional advice should seek such services and/or advice from qualified professionals who offer the advice or services being sought. The publisher and all its associates hereby state that they are not offering tax or legal advice. R. Dodge Woodson is not providing legal, tax, or other professional services as a result of this work.

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Creative Writing

My experience has shown that most creative writing fails to pay the bills. I cannot offer much advice about fiction, poetry, or other forms of creative writing. What I can say is that nonfiction work usually sells easier. There are, of course, exceptions. You could hit the jackpot and retire in comfort. That is not likely to happen with nonfiction. On the other hand, if you are going to share what you know, work a regulated scheduled, and invest in finding suitable publishers, you can make a good living as a nonfiction writer. You probably won’t get rich. I sure haven’t, but I did earn a good living for a long time writing about what I knew.

What do you like to do other than writing? Is it gardening? There is a strong market for this in the publishing world. Do you thrive on fishing? Hey, that’s another strong market. Can you tell fly fishermen how to tie flies and when and where to use them? You could be a mega star if you can. Are you a remodeling contractor, a plumber, a remodeler, or something along those lines? Consumers are hungry for this type of information.

Based on my personal experience over the last 20-25 years, I have to say that nonfiction work is the monthly paycheck. I have tried my hand at novels. Many people say I am good at it, but I don’t feel it. It should be stated that I have never signed a contract for a novel, even though I have been sought after for the job.

Ghostwriting is another option that can be profitable. Generally, you will probably have to travel to be a successful ghost. I choose not to. My decision has cost me jobs and some pretty good money, but it was my decision.

I know a lot of people love to write and read poetry, but I do not know anyone who makes any significant money from the effort.

Experts and business owners who write books can profit twice. They can be paid for what they write, gain expert status, and use it to promote their consulting practices and other business, not to mention their academic standing.

Over the years I have worked with all sorts of nonfiction writers as a book producer. Presently, I concentrate on chemists, chemistry, pharmacology, toxicology, homeland security, electrical engineers, and similar experts. If you fall into this category and want to write a book, please contact me at rw@rdodgewoodson.net.

The publishing world is changing. I have written over 110 books, but each year brings different circumstances. For instance, the last six writing projects I have had required videos to promote the projects. As a pro photographer, this was not difficult for me, but be aware that it might come up.

If you want to make a living as a full-time writer, the deck is stacked against you. It probably always has been, but I have seen it get worse over the years, and especially since 2008. Think about it. How many brick-and-mortar bookstores still exist? The digital age has hit us old dinosaurs. I guess it is to the tar pits for me, but I will not go without a rumble.

At R. Dodge Woodson, Publishing, (www.rdodgewoodson.net) I still have a few major publishers looking for real books. The market shrunk since 2008, but it is not dead. If you have something valuable to say, there may be someone who will pay you to say it.

Dodge