I'm Running Out of Clever Ideas for Headlines ... But No, This is Not a New Year's Resolution

I know I’ve been writing long entries lately, so here are some short answers to questions 7 - 10 from Friday’s post.

7. What will make you refer to yourself, first and foremost, as “writer?”

Hah. The better question is what could possibly stop me.

8. What steps do you need to take on the technical front to achieve your goals?

I still have a lot to learn about the technical aspects of fiction writing. One that comes to mind right away is pacing. Lately I’ve been noticing the pacing in other people’s writing – it’s even there in books that are page-turners. I think I try to tell my stories too fast.

9. What steps do you need to take on the creative front to achieve your goals?

I say this every year and I never do, but what the hell. One of these days I’ll have the time and disposable income to take some writing classes or attend a writing workshop or writer's retreat. And one of these days I’ll get over my fears and join a writer’s group or a manuscript critique group.

10. What changes do you need to make in your daily life (interaction with friends, family, job) to make this work?

I don’t need to cut back on the time I spend with people in order to make more time for writing. If anything, I should probably spend more time interacting with others. I’m kind of an introverted extrovert. I like people, for the most part. I just also like spending time on my own.

Check out the original About.com article here. More of my answers (and clever headlines) here and here.