Anyone here on Hub Pages aspiring to be a professional writer?

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   MichaelJohnMeleposted 12 years ago

   Anyone here on Hub Pages aspiring to be a professional writer?
   
   I am aspiring to become a professional writer...hoping one day to write for some kind of video game publication or something similar...but I'll take whatever I can get in the meantime for the experience. I use Hub Pages mainly to practice my craft and as a showcase of my work for potential employers. My question is, am I wasting my time here...is there a better alternative and/or a better way to go about things?
   
   As you can see from my Hubs my writing style is very unorthodox, which I know is not for eveybody, but I'm hopeful it will one day seperate me from the heard. I welcome any feedback.

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   flashmakeitposted 12 years ago

   I think you should try to write a book or apply for a writing position and use the Hubpage to show the way you write.  I would like to make a 2d video game but I have to have more training.

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      MichaelJohnMeleposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I have thought about writting a book, but I just don't know where to start. I have a lot of interesting (and off-the-wall) ideas...just not too sure it would sell.

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      SidKempposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Michael - I have a self-published book called "Your first book" to help you write your first book. Contact me through "follow / email Sid" on profile if interested.

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      MichaelJohnMeleposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      @Sid I'm not really sure how to e-mail users through Hub Pages, but I am interested in finding out more about the book you're talking about.

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   tsmogposted 12 years ago

   I am an odd duck Michael. My view is as soon as I joined Hubpages and then followed with the opportunities of the affiliate marketing I 'became' a professional writer. The question becomes how good of a professional writer am I and for what market place.
   
   I am learning with the process of learning and earning as I go. I probably put forth maybe 15 hours a week to this endeavor and it runs in spurts. From a quick peek your aspirations are with the gaming 'industry.' Now, that has to be filled full of opportunity and that industry market place is definitely world wide.
   
   I see with a glance your 'unorthodox' style is just that 'style.' The view I take is if you are comfortable with it then run with it with a word of caution. Is there a market for it? From the few excursions to the Albertson's thumbing through gamer magazines with a cup of Starbucks I must admit they do have a 'style' of their own.
   
   I'm a proponent that time is never wasted - never. It is just a matter of perspective as some have said.
   
   A quick eval / recon / survey of the land sort to speak (is that game talk?) is you are here and it is now, (rational thought stuff). I see your options are wide and open to opportunity (where are those opportunities and what ladder is being used to reach greater heights). Potential employers seek your wares in many ways and they are bound by ethics (Be aware). Experience is where experience begins.
   
   Suggestion. Learn to paint and how to use the different brushes to create the picture you desire for family and self cohesively. Sooner or later choices will have to be made regarding the medium - water colors, acrylics, charcoal, and surface - canvass, paper, or downtown wall.
   
   Remember, "Nothing is sold, until it is bought." Who is the buyer for your wares? Is the market place the broad stroke of the brush with current demands or more close to filbert or a fan. Is that demand being met and what is the supply for those demands. How competitive is that marketplace?
   
   To reach success, as you suggested, is a change in order to succeed? Is the platform to launch the shuttle Mele solid? And, only awaiting the mission choice and objectives? What about those space stations? Are they being planned for future construction? Seems both will supply each other with a bit of pondering. Will a trend be followed or created or both, and what are the economics of the venture? (Time and effort).
   
   What is the predominate theory seeking to be discovered?

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      MichaelJohnMeleposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      You have a lot of good advice...very helpful and gives me a lot to think about it. Thanks for taking the time to respond to my question and for giving me the benefit of your wisdom...I really appreciate it.

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   TIMETRAVELER2posted 12 years ago

   If you get paid for writing, no matter how little or how much, you are a professional writer.  However, that is different than earning a living with your writing, which is not such an easy thing to do.
   
   Many on HP do work as professional writers outside of HP and do make their livings doing so.  Some have done very well financially on HP, but most do not use it as their only means of making an income.

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      MichaelJohnMeleposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      You are right...if you do make any money doing it (regardless of the amount), you are a professional. I guess I should have said I wanted to make a living out of it...that would have been a better choice of words.

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   duffsmomposted 12 years ago

   I went to check out your hubs but could only access 6 of them even when I clicked on "All."  ???
   
   Keep writing.  Your style is what I call conversational and it definitely has a place.  Good luck!

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      MichaelJohnMeleposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks for bringing that to my attention, I was completely unaware of that. I went ahead and corrected some things on my hubs, so in about 24 hours or so they should all show up.

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   SidKempposted 12 years ago

   I'm a professional writer (9 books published), and I'm using HubPages to remain a professional writer and increase my income as print publication becomes a smaller source of revenue and online publication is growing.
   
   If I were starting as a new writer now, and wanted to be a professional, I would definitely use HubPages.
   
   I learned to write well by writing steadily. Now, I'm learning to write to an even higher quality by publishing frequently and steadily, and getting instant feedback.
   
   I would encourage you to consider the HubPages Apprenticeship Program, as well.

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      MichaelJohnMeleposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Thank you so much for the advice...I greatly appreciate it. What books have you written, I would be interested in checking them out?

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      SidKempposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I've written business success books about project management, quality management, and more. Amazon,  type in Sid Kemp. Quality Mgmt Demystified my thinking about life, Proj Mgmt Made Easy a great place to start. Perfect Solutions Dif Empl SIt, fun!

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      MichaelJohnMeleposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      @Sid that is awesome. I am going to check out Amazon and see what I come across.

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   Ericdierkerposted 11 years ago

   I write for money. Probably in a way I always have. You have two avenues to writing for a living. Crank them out and write a financial success. They are not exclusive. If I write for twelve hours a day on an assembly line for content, SEO and keyword pablum, that is a great minor league or practice field. Can you climb out into the big leagues? Do not even try until you have earned your stripes in the pits.
   Hubpages is great for the reasons you use them. And if they extend you an offer like they have me, take it serious.

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