John Irving: Advice to Aspiring Novelists: Don't Shoot Yourself

[Grifiki]

"This guy has run out of idea's, so he's telling you; you have none either?"

[310sucks]

It's harder to publish because everyone wants to write but no one wants to read.

[thejadedslave]

Why is it more difficult to get published? Well, for one thing there's much, much more competition out there. More people want to be writers than in Hemmingway's day and publishing is driven by sales more than ever.

[Arashau]

Actually more people read today than ever before. More people read today than they did 100 years ago. More people read today that they did 20 years ago!

Much of the difficulty with publishing today is actually due to an influx of writers. Editors and publishers have mountains of manuscripts to plow through year in and year out.

So I wouldn't be discouraged about a lack of readers. Trust me. There are millions of us. Go ahead and write. And don't give up!

[sarahthewriter1]

Harder, but still gonna try.

[WoodSugars]

There's something strangely reassuring seeing artistic people wearing adidas clothing

[duskwriter]

@WoodSugars Thats what I thought too- they made all speakers wear white and everyone chose suits and of course along comes a writer in an Addidas vest.

[duskwriter]

@duskwriter wear black*

[ScarletGhost4356]

I'm actually a little fearful of my future considering the fact that I am a writer myself. It;s tougher to get things published in the current day considering the littler demand for reading and such high expectations from the critics. I think that although I'm not as good a writer as John Irving or others who have attained high status, I think that I'm pretty good, but is it good enough?

[TTYLC]

@ScarletGhost4356 Don't worry, just DO. Fear imprisons the potentially great.

[fingrid]

It has already started in a small scale with the profession of the teachers; the computer teaches the kids the material the teacher chooses and updates the material. If some students don't not get some part, you can focus on that part and have an ordinary, illustrated class on that subject. Actually, I'm not a teacher myself, but those ideas were in the air a few years back when I was in the high school.

E-market seems to be the top seller nowadays. It also saves trees. :D

[CorrundumAndSilver]

@fingrid actually it's bad for trees, since paper producers plant more than anyone else. Tree farms will now be sold off, and turned into condos. thank you kindle.

[duskwriter]

@CorrundumAndSilver of all things that cause deforestation, paper for books is the smallest culprit. 

[CorrundumAndSilver]

@duskwriter you missed the point. Tree farms. Not forests. We actually don't cut forests for paper, furniture etc. like people think. that's what tree farms are for. (also filming half the forest scenes in movies) Deforestation is caused by farmers, and such in third world countries for the most part. Not that it matters.

[calabiyou]

its harder to publish bcoz people hate thinking. a 22 yr old girl at work got back from england. I asked her if she saw stonehenge. She went 'what's that?' Basically people download books for free on their dildos

[GhostAvenger620]

@calabiyou HAHA I COULDN'T HAVE SAID IT BETTER MYSELF!

[calabiyou]

@GhostAvenger620 all the best. the pain of living is worth enduring

[GhostAvenger620]

@calabiyou Thank you, you can only imagine the complete hopeless frustration I'd feel when not being able to convey my feelings to these modern day contemporary types. You write something you feel is beautiful only to have the person whom you intended to write to roll their eyes in disgust because "you are making them read." Your spot on regarding pain. I just came from a mental hospital (I don't feel I should have been) but I have so much material to write now. It's crazy.

[calabiyou]

@GhostAvenger620 I wish you the best. Go easy on your mind. Personally I don't trust psych medication much, they did the late David Foster Wallace a diservice, pathologically high blood pressure when he tried to get off early generation anti depressants. Everyone's different, adapting differently at different rates. Personally I know a writer who went to a mental institution now he's rich from writing and he emailed me that he still expects to have many moments of despair before he dies.

[KimJongPillTube]

@calabiyou You're clearly not scholar or someone I should be listening to. Your comment underneath this video is like a bubble in the ocean.

[calabiyou]

@KimJongPillTube rockin analogy, you're clearly not a poet

[Bryce6789]

@calabiyou and everybody is a faggot these days and cant fucking write

[wrayardan]

Very honest. All of us starting out just have to try harder.

[Slave2Reason]

Very vague, and impossible to put in any actionable plan.

[harhol]

Getting work published for the first time has always been hellish, going back to the Brontës and beyond. The problem with "one out of every X manuscripts" shock stats is that 99% of those manuscripts will be barely readable and/or decades (if not centuries) out-of-date. It's like saying "for every 10,000 people who want to become a pop star, only one will make it". Legitimately great novels are less likely to go unnoticed than ever before.

[ge1org1e]

@harhol From my limited understanding of publishing and writing. Isn't it a case of doing things differently in regards to self publicity? I know in regards to graphic novels authors can build up readerships with self published work and go from there. I know the audience for graphic novels contains more fanatics.

As an outsider to this process I have always assumed a good book IS a good book. As a result its going to have the desirable attributes that will lead to a finding a publisher.

[manthasagittarius1]

@harhol You're making an excellent point, particularly because it's easier (if in most cases less excusable) than it has ever been to get badly written material out to a reading public on the internet. I've wondered about it with my students -- I think it may be a uniquely American misconception: if all people are created equal, and we also have equal rights under the first amendment to express ourselves freely, then all thoughts, opinions and expressions must also be of equal value or quality.

[Nautilus1972]

For every 1000 to 6000 manuscripts (depending on the publisher) submitted, one is published. Write on!

[molloyxx1]

As the best writers have always been, to varying extents, pariahs and outsiders, I trust this trend will continue, that those who are most skeptical of the 'booble for the bauble', of the shot gun spray impoverishment of the Internet Machine, the silly, juvenile aura of graphic novels and the grinding noise of television, will press on, in shitty garrets and studios all over the globe, hawk-eyed and intent on keeping the tradition alive.

[mennella2000]

@molloyxx1

Don't discriminate against the graphic novels; some have integrity. Not all graphic novels are mere "comics". Though I do see novels as more sophisticated, I cannot over generalize another genre just because It looks less difficult and gray than the novels. Sure, TV now sucks but are you also discriminating against film just because it requires less effort on the senses? Your words are poseurs.

[molloyxx1]

@mennella2000 Gray? I find the best novels anything but gray and here I include Beckett's. I happen to love film and studied it fairly intensively for sometime and find the exeptional ones just as challenging as a good novel [although there are fewer and fewer American directors woth bothering with, although that is becuase of the damage post-Star Wars blockbusters have done]. So, non-poseur, enlighten me; give the name of a graphic novel that can rival Sabbaths Theater.

[clownsrock66]

Hope he's right about the survival of books. Kindles make me cringe...

[bryngOneOn]

utter rubbish, with the advent of chat forums, twitter, especially utube comments and of course just the general reading format of the internet, i believe people trancing infront of the tv or the movie screen has peaked, people write more today than in the 60's and people read more too, o.k maybe not fiction, but they dont realise how comfortable they r with the format. If your novel is head & shoulders above the bilge, then it is easzzee peazee, only talent or flagging mind brings hardship

[ZachClooney]

@bryngOneOn Agree. Good answer. 

[CastleRockFan]

@bryngOneOn Posting Tweets, my friend, is not writing. Reading Tweets is not reading. We don't know how to spell. We don't know how to think seriously about what we read. However many millions of people get on their computers everyday and read illiterate postings by John Mayer and Miley Cyrus, serious literature is dying. A good novel, today, goes unnoticed. It is anything but "easzzee peazee".

[bryngOneOn]

@CastleRockFan on the back of your response i have a question, its not loaded to be sprung, its a genuine question, that i'm curious due to ur stance as to how u will answer. Many respected modern novels with high plaudits tend to use very simple language, rarely today use flowery language, why do you think this is?

[spd13062]

Irving's early novels were so damn good. Setting Free the Bears, The Water Method Man, Hotel New Hampshire, and Garp....books just full of humor and a clear understanding of relationships and families. He has strayed but Last Night in Twisted River is a good read. Some advice, John, if I may? Write a novel with 1) No characters who are writers 2) There are no bears.

I know you can do it, and it would be great.

[lxvlx]

why is it harder to publish today?

[imanselmo]

I think the publishing industry is hurting for money and backed up with submissions. Probably less people reading print and more people getting information and entertainment from electronic sources. There will always be room for good writers; they just need to find the right market.

[truthhc]

@lxvlx i've heard that on average 1500 new books get published every day. don't know if that is world wide, or if that includes non-fiction, but i think the point of the unverifiable statistic is that competition has increased tremendously. though i'm sure there are a lot of other factors involved, like evolving tastes, and competition with newer mediums(i.e. movies, internet, etc.)

[Sniper65118]

@lxvlx Because all the good books were written already. And only 30% of Americans read often.

[ahmed337799]

@Sniper65118

lol 30% u sure not 3%?

[Jammsbro1]

@lxvlx The terrorists.

[splashlog01]

@lxvlx Jews?

[Kikomechan]

@lxvlx I think that it's because of the recession. They weren't, and probably still aren't, taking in many authors because of how much cash it takes to publish.

[SavageInsight]

@lxvlx There's a lot of reasons. Music, Movies, Writing, even Coffee are all massive, mass-produced money makers, even the artists are treated this way now. No identity, just a cash formula you fit or fail. For me, it isn't. I didn't exist "back then", I *am* 27 starting out, even though everyone thinks I'm 20 in every way. There's a way to get things done and I just have to put everything I can into finding out and doing how things are done now including all the shortcuts.