i wana be an outdoor writer...getting stated?

[the not so straight arrow]

i would really like to become an outdoor writer. I would like to write books on hunting/fishing/trapping or just the the love of the outdoors or articles for magazines on relative subjests. Problem is i dont know how you get started in this kind of thing. I feel i have the ability and expeirience to write about those things but i dont know how to get recognized or started. Im only 18 years old but i feel i have the ability to write on the same level as some of my favorite outdoor writers. So if theres anyone one out there who knows anything about this i would greatly appreciate the help. thank you!
 P.S- if there is anyone with expeirience who would be willing to review some of my writing i would greatly appreciate it. thanks again!

-cory

[Dirty Bill]

Start writing and submitting articles. It would be good to contact the editor of the mag and see what they are looking for.Pictures are a big deal these days. keep the article to the point,and don't use too many words that can be left out.

Be ready to have articles rejected,and don't give up.  

[killinstuff]

Go to Collage, get a real job and you can write for fun and not worry if you'll be able to pay the bills at the end of the month. Also have a wide range of interests that you would like to write about, not just hunting and fishing.

[TexMex]

Freelance

[rybohunter]

Just start writing. Keep it on the side and for fun. It will most likely take time to build up and be recognized. Write about all sorts of experiences even if they aren’t headed towards a magazine. It will help you develop a style. Read, and see how other writers’ styles are. Good luck.

[beachbowhunter]

Spell check  

[vermonster13]

Take every writing and English course your school offers. Get on the school paper staff and learn about writing within a structure. Write about things you have no interest in and learn how to make them interesting. Research subjects and write about them. Use spell check, work on your grammar, write about everything then rewrite it. Learn to write in a limited space. Have anyone who will read your work read it and give you honest impressions not fluff to just boost up your ego. Read as much other's work as you can and learn what styles to help you develop your own. Lot's of folks are writing very few make it professionally.

Oh did I say write, write and then write some more?

[Brian Krebs]

Well; if your going to write about yourself; you need something to write about. That means time afield. If you have big dollars you can hunt all over and have some material.
 If you write about hunting stories of others; well that is a whole different deal.
 Say if you were to find a bowhunter with a wall full of trophies; or one that is well known to have adventures... interview them and write about their stories- that might be really cool if done the right way.
  I am not sure where most writers learn to write. I went to grad school; and most that are laughing right now probably have figured out I dropped out of grad school.    
  But for the sake of all that is good- never follow the very old hunting story method; that is even used in some hunting shows...
 Where you say " the buck walked by the sapling; and as if the gods were smiling on me; it turned its head as I drew my arrow......I started on this trip last year when a friend mentioned that Montana had a high population of big bucks"

 Then after a long story about how they got there; which comprises 90 % of the story; they slip back to the woods..." my arrow went on its way and sunk deep into the vitals of that majestic buck I had hunted for so many days".

 You see this in hunting shows; where they show the buck walk up; and the guy drawing his bow; and then they are suddenly in a pick up headed to the place where it happened.

 If you don't know what I am talking about ; read some hunting magazines; and then watch virtually any of the 'spirit of the wild' shows with uncle ted.

 SO-- for a change--- if you write; figure out a way of doing it that captures our interest and leads down a path in some sequential order; rather than chopping a story up and gluing it back together the way its been done for half a century or so.............PLEASE !      

[Migra Bill]

Not to be a total jerk here, but you have eight (8) grammatical errors and three (3) mis-spellings in your post. Go to college and take Writing and English courses. My wife is a writer. No one will take you seriously as a writer unless you have graduated college.

[JO_EZ]

My wife is a freelase writer and she is often asked how to get started as a writer. So, here are some of her tidbits along with a few of my observations.

1) Don't even think about skipping college. And while you are there, take the afore mentioned advise and work at the school news paper.
2) Get an internship while in college.
3) Don't turn your nose up at any kind of a writing job. My wife was a "blurbologist" for years - even after going freelanse (she wrote the back covers of books). She still does some of this kind of work even after having 8 books published. You need to learn to crank out the verbage even when it is painful.
4) Learn to write a proposal letter that makes it sound if all of the events of human history have been leading up to this very publisher publishing your work at this very moment. And be ready for 90% of them not to believe it. But, take heart, success breeds success. It may start slow, but it will grow.
5) Be realistic about the income and security of a writing job and adjust your expectations and life style accordingly.
6) Marry someone with a job with benefits... (that's my contribution).
7) Never give up on your dream. Bonjovi didn't become BONJOVI without spending a few nights sleeping in the back of a van.

Good luck.

[stuckum]

Write a article and post it on here. Let us pic it apart it Would be good practice.

[the not so straight arrow]

I never really wanted to make a living off of writing, i am going to colledge for a caree in education actually, i would like to be a teacher. Freelance is more what i had in mind when i posted this topic. I just love reading about the outdoors so much figured it may be a fun and new way to enjoy the outdoors, thats all. Thank you for all your input though its much appreciated. Maybe ill put something on here for the gang to read and give me some feed back.

[TexMex]

You could start your autobiography rights here.  :D

[the not so straight arrow]

auto biography? haha with my 18 years of life on this planet i dont have much people would think is to interesting as far as an autobiography goes.
But speaking of such a thing, Robert Ruarks "The Old Man and The Young Boy" along with "The Old Mans Boy Grow Up" are great reads for any outdoorsman.

[bayoulongbowman]

GO TO COLLEGE...check out Millsaps College out of Jackson, Mississippi. One of the best writting progarms around .My 16 year old wants to be writer also , he loves the outdoors too.This is a school on his list to check out . Remember go to college! Good Luck...marco#78

[JBiorn]

I wish you good luck in your journey to be a writer, I do suggest going to school as has already been mentioned. One must work on ones' writing skills before one can be a writer.

[Tbilisi]

Spell check and go to college.

[tamure]

There are many good tips here, and I'll add yet one more. It probably goes without saying, but I'll say it anyway, because that's what I'm trained to do and that's how I make a living: Read. A lot.

Read what is supposed to be "good," as well as what is supposed to be "bad." And read actively. What makes an article "good" to you? Why do most people like XYZ's writing? What's so great about it? Formal education will help with some of these skills. Just wait, in a while you'll be reading your students' essays, and you will have to grade them. What makes one student's work better than another's?

Every once in a while I read something that comes together for me. For example, I really liked Uncle Tom's Cabin. The story itself is compelling and has a fascinating train-wreck quality, but the prose that delivers it is absolutely delightful as well. I enjoyed the book not only for its story, but also because of the way it was written.

Of course, the language and syntax in Uncle Tom's Cabin may not be the type that appeals to your target audience. Or at least the present target audience. The audience might change, and if you have the flexibility and tools, you can effectively write for many difference audiences.

But I've written enough now.
Good luck.  

[DaleinOhio]

I have a Masters in Writing and teach college level writing here in Ohio.  I've also worked as Communications Director for a couple outdoors related non-profit agencies.  I've been around outdoor writers a great deal and have picked their brains quite a bit.  And every one will give young writers the same advice, "Write, write and then write some more."  You only get better by doing it.  And once you get something written that you think has a chance of being published, then send it out to as many publications as you can.  Then, make sure you have a thick skin because you WILL get rejection notices.  Just keep trying.  Besides teaching, I freelance and I keep all my rejection letters for inspiration to work harder.  Stick to it and you will get published.

As for school, take as many writing classes as you can.  They'll help in the pursuit of your education degree as well.  You MUST be able to write well to be a teacher.  I don't know what subject you want to teach, but a minor in English is never a bad idea and will help your writing immeasurably.

Also, great writers are voracious readers.  Read as much outdoors and non-outdoors related stuff as you can.  You are already reading Ruark so you are on the right track.  Check out the classics like Jack O'Connor,  Ruark, Hemingway and others but there are some guys out there now like John Barsness, Tom McIntyre, Mark Kayser, Ron Spomer and more who are really top notch writers.

One last note...keep a journal of your time afield.  It will help you when you start to write about your experiences.  Oh, I almost forgot...if you don't do any photography already, get a quality camera and learn how to use it.  Editors want stories with photos to go with them.  Just one way you can help to get your stuff published.

Good luck!

[Reg Darling]

Read and read some more--not just outdoor stuff, but novels, essays, classics, contemporary, philosophy, etc. etc. KEEP A JOURNAL.