I've never been one that felt the great American novel burning in my soul or a big desire to write a book.  I love to write but the idea of writing an entire fiction book seems overwhelming to me.  Do you think a person can become a fiction writer without that deep desire? 

I think they could, sure. I don't think there's any reason for them, too, though. If they don't truly want to do it, then why do it? There's even less motivation to do so when chances of a book being successful and actually making much money are pretty slim in the grand scheme of things.

You know plenty of people LOVE short stories, and many authors have made a living from them as well. In fact my favourite authors are all short story writers. Stephen kind started with short stories too, if I recall correctly .

You don't have to write huge novels. You can write short stories, comics, childrens books, or... maybe what you're looking for is a mini novel type thing, like a novella or a novelette.

Bunny (04:56am Thu, Dec 27, 2012)

You know plenty of people LOVE short stories, and many authors have made a living from them as well. In fact my favourite authors are all short story writers. Stephen kind started with short stories too, if I recall correctly .

Yep. I adore Stephen King (well....used to anyway....I stopped reading his work years ago as the modern stuff really didn't do it for me). He wrote dozens of short stories and novellas. Actually, I just looked it up and it seems he has around 100 published ones...wow.

QuirkyJessi (09:03am Thu, Dec 27, 2012)

Bunny (04:56am Thu, Dec 27, 2012)

You know plenty of people LOVE short stories, and many authors have made a living from them as well. In fact my favourite authors are all short story writers. Stephen kind started with short stories too, if I recall correctly .

Yep. I adore Stephen King (well....used to anyway....I stopped reading his work years ago as the modern stuff really didn't do it for me). He wrote dozens of short stories and novellas. Actually, I just looked it up and it seems he has around 100 published ones...wow.

Yeah I think the first Stephen King story I read was Children of the Corn, in a magazine. I still read King and enjoy his horror writing, or most of it. And damned near everything has been made into films or tv movies.
Incredible body of work all in all, including some really great novels and short stories.
Another huge name in horror is H.P. Lovecraft and he basically  wrote short stories, although some were, well, shorter than others, i e a few were novellas or short novels.
Ryder13

Fiction writing comes in all kinds of lengths. A deep desire to write can also come in all kinds of lengths. If your desire to write is the kind that flares up into a supernova then burns out very soon after, short stories would be the best option. Short stories are still fiction. If your desire to write burns like am ember among the hot ashes, then a novel would fit you well.

There you go! You can wrote short stories, or novels and not only be successful but still be a writer!

Also, no one said you had to do it all in one sitting, so you can take 10 years to write your novel if you want . It's taking me that long ha ha.

Whatever you write, you need to be happy writing it, or it just won't turn out the way you want it to. I can write fiction. I have a very active imagination, and I've been told that the short fiction I've written is good, but it's not something I really enjoy, and I think that comes through in the writing, despite what others say.

I'm much happier writing non-fiction, and I'm starting to earn a respectable amount from it, so I certainly don't feel the need to bring out the book in me. Write what makes you happy, and you'll make your readers happy as well.

I ask myself this question all the time: Would I write if I didn't need to write? And the answer I keep coming back to is, HELL NO.

So my question to you is why the heck do you want to write? Maybe it's not a burning desire. That's cool. But why do you want to do it? Is it for the challenge of writing a book? Because you have a story to tell? Because you like writing in your spare time? Why?

And once you have your answer, if it's important enough to you, well then, yes, you can write without a burning desire! Because you have your own, personal reason to write. That's all you really need.

Also, what is it that you currently write? You said you love to write, but that a full fiction novel seems overwhelming. Is it the sheer volume or time commitment? Or is it that you prefer to write articles and true stories instead, for example?

Sandra Piddock (08:25am Fri, Dec 28, 2012)

Whatever you write, you need to be happy writing it, or it just won't turn out the way you want it to. I can write fiction. I have a very active imagination, and I've been told that the short fiction I've written is good, but it's not something I really enjoy, and I think that comes through in the writing, despite what others say.

I'm much happier writing non-fiction, and I'm starting to earn a respectable amount from it, so I certainly don't feel the need to bring out the book in me. Write what makes you happy, and you'll make your readers happy as well.

I think I am like Sandra, I see myself more into non-fiction. Must be the reporter years having an influence. I have written some fiction but I see myself more in the non-fiction class. I also see  more
opportunities or potential opportunities.
Ryder13

I write non-fiction.  I enjoy researching and I enjoy teaching others, so writing non-fiction seems right up my alley.  I've thought about writing fiction because I used to write short stories, years ago, and just would like to try writing a novel.  Perhaps if I just start, that burning desire or at least, enough desire to tell the story, will envelope me.

Tina G (10:24am Wed, Jan  2, 2013)

I write non-fiction.  I enjoy researching and I enjoy teaching others, so writing non-fiction seems right up my alley.  I've thought about writing fiction because I used to write short stories, years ago, and just would like to try writing a novel.  Perhaps if I just start, that burning desire or at least, enough desire to tell the story, will envelope me.

And it may put you off writing altogether for a while. If you're happy writing non-fiction, then stick with it, rather than trying it just because you'd 'like to.' That's never a strong enough reason to write. If you have a story that's burning to be told, it's different, but this doesn't seem to be the case here. Stay with what you're happy doing, especially if it's successful for you.

QuirkyJessi (06:28pm Fri, Dec 28, 2012)

Also, what is it that you currently write? You said you love to write, but that a full fiction novel seems overwhelming. Is it the sheer volume or time commitment? Or is it that you prefer to write articles and true stories instead, for example?

You know it could just be that she doesn't know how to "drag out" her stories to fit a novel?

Maybe you should just write your story and be happy with its length, then wrote another and so on. You might find that you just keep writing one day!

Alternatively you could plan out your plot from start to finish and then shove things in between to make it longer .

Tina G (10:24am Wed, Jan  2, 2013)

I write non-fiction.  I enjoy researching and I enjoy teaching others, so writing non-fiction seems right up my alley.  I've thought about writing fiction because I used to write short stories, years ago, and just would like to try writing a novel.  Perhaps if I just start, that burning desire or at least, enough desire to tell the story, will envelope me.

Good idea! I guess you wont know until you try, but from here we will all support you and egg you on. If it turns out it's not for you that's okay, we'll still love you.

Burning desire is nice, but hard work is way more important. Way too many people with "burning desire" spend all their time talking about how they're going to write an amazing novel one day, posting writing-related memes and stuff on Facebook and just being all artsy instead of just sitting and writing something. Those people will never become writers (even though they already consider themselves writers). But if you write, then it's entirely possible to become a fiction writer one day.