RE: Writers! Have you ever EVER told your family or friends that you write?

#2
By now, all of my family and friends know I write, especially since most of them have a copy of my book on their shelves. But when I started, I kept it a secret for a long, long time. I only told friends progressively as I needed them to beta read and provide feedback, and only told my family when they became aware on their own (on a holiday at my parents' where I was typing endlessly). I recognise what junek777 calls a "coming out" story, coming clean, it feels like admitting something, and you're worried about being met with disdain or laughter, not being taken seriously.

Even though I have a book out, I can still hesitate to tell people about my writing due to that same fear of not being taken seriously (because my book is hardly popular and, being a non-commercial project, not a success in terms of sales either). I am guessing it goes away eventually, but so far, I can say that it has lasted for some years.

RE: Writers! Have you ever EVER told your family or friends that you write?

#3
I tell everyone I know that I write. What's the big deal? Most people will be impressed/interested/completely uncaring, so there's no real risk to it. One thing you have to remember if your parents try to review your work is that their opinions will often be unhelpful simply because they're not writers or professional reviewers/they won't understand some/most of what you've written due to the generation gap.
Gamer Girl (A superhero action comedy web serial about a superheroine who can summon items and abilities from video games.)

RE: Writers! Have you ever EVER told your family or friends that you write?

#6
I did once. I have a friend from college who became an English teacher. Since I'm a non-native speaker, I asked him to proof-read for me.

He gave me no reply for seven months. Then, once I gently pried, he finally said that it was unreadable. "It's like literary fiction," he said. "I deeply appreciate it, but it's totally unfit for reading for fun."

Since then, I never shared it with another person IRL :'D

'Joe Berridge Beale' pid='824142' dateline='1494800872' Wrote: I tell everyone I know that I write. What's the big deal? Most people will be impressed/interested/completely uncaring, so there's no real risk to it.

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"There are two kinds of people: Those who create to become someone great, and those who become someone great to create."
- Katherine Sun

RE: Writers! Have you ever EVER told your family or friends that you write?

#7
'Eleven_11' pid='824253' dateline='1495200193' Wrote: I did once. I have a friend from college who became an English teacher. Since I'm a non-native speaker, I asked him to proof-read for me.

He gave me no reply for seven months. Then, once I gently pried, he finally said that it was unreadable. "It's like literary fiction," he said. "I deeply appreciate it, but it's totally unfit for reading for fun."

Since then, I never shared it with another person IRL :'D

I know I shouldn't but I can't stop laughing xD
What was the problem though? The story or the grammar ? As far as I can tell, your grammar doesn't seem disastrous.
But cheer ! Get your revenge by writing something awesome 8)

In my case, people do know that I'm writing (or at least, most of them do), but that's it. Most of my friends aren't avid readers and additionnally, most of them are too lazy to read something I wrote in english (not a native speaker either). So far, only two of my firends IRL read my story. 
However, the only person I'm forbidding to read my story is my brother. Other people are fine, but not him. He is a real bookworm and a cinema lover (I even get tips from him sometimes), so literature is his speciality and I am so not ready to receive his harsh critism, especially when he is already criticizing renowned authors ><
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[ The Administrator ] : Just another reincarnation story with an OP MC.

RE: Writers! Have you ever EVER told your family or friends that you write?

#8
The only one who knows I'm writing is the old guy who is the ex-boyfriend of the 3rd cousin's gay best friend of the neighbor's 2nd nanny of the landlord of the 4th wife of the carpenter of the original owner of the rottweiler of Apartment 2B's adopted daughter's real mother. 

And that was during my last reincarnation.

As a turtle.

:whosh2:
Check my fictions
"Invincible"
"Gamer of the Dead"
And the newest  "Slam No Basuke"

RE: Writers! Have you ever EVER told your family or friends that you write?

#9
'Nerodith' pid='824283' dateline='1495280230' Wrote: What was the problem though? The story or the grammar ? As far as I can tell, your grammar doesn't seem disastrous.

I think he simply didn't like what I was writing about. I later learned that he's got a thing against slow-paced, introspective fiction (and by 'having a thing against it' I mean it gives him frothing rage fits 'XD). I guess I did a good job writing a story he hated, if that makes sense?

'Nerodith' pid='824283' dateline='1495280230' Wrote: However, the only person I'm forbidding to read my story is my brother. Other people are fine, but not him. He is a real bookworm and a cinema lover (I even get tips from him sometimes), so literature is his speciality and I am so not ready to receive his harsh critism, especially when he is already criticizing renowned authors ><

This is why I'm happy my parents can't read English. If they could, they'd bulldozer my writing to the ground with constructive criticism. And then burn the ground so that nothing would grow on it again :'D
"There are two kinds of people: Those who create to become someone great, and those who become someone great to create."
- Katherine Sun

RE: Writers! Have you ever EVER told your family or friends that you write?

#11
'ketu0' pid='824309' dateline='1495339922' Wrote: I don't tell my family because what I write is mature themed and my family always see me as a kid no matter how old I am.

Wouldn't that be a good chance to show them you're no longer a kid, though? : )
"There are two kinds of people: Those who create to become someone great, and those who become someone great to create."
- Katherine Sun

RE: Writers! Have you ever EVER told your family or friends that you write?

#12
'Eleven_11' pid='824331' dateline='1495366361' Wrote:
'ketu0' pid='824309' dateline='1495339922' Wrote: I don't tell my family because what I write is mature themed and my family always see me as a kid no matter how old I am.

Wouldn't that be a good chance to show them you're no longer a kid, though? : )

That would be a good idea if they are not strictly religious. So no.
My story:

God Blade - A story where the MC bump into a more cliched hero during his journey.