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Vinnie Apicella

Vinnie Apicella

Advice & How To Biographies & Memoirs General Nonfiction Business
      • Vinnie Apicella Vinnie Apicella 4 years ago
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      • No, I did not. At the time, writing as a profession, was seen as something very narrow, and to be a writer, much like an artist, seemed to have this stigma attached to it where writers could only "write" such like an author or journalist, and thus opportunities would be limited within those fields. Even heading into my undergraduate years, I carried this misconception until my guidance counselor at Columbia sat down and discussed what he termed as limitless opportunities for those with a background and skill set in writing. In fact, he was right. Writing is an important skill that transcends far beyond simply becoming a "writer" as a career and has served me well across a varied career platform. So while I wouldn't call myself a writer or even an author as my career, on a full-time basis, writing touches upon nearly everything I've done, whether drafting articles for news publications or posting on LinkedIn, writing a book preparing a lesson plan for students, press releases... So in this sense it absolutely is a full-time profession that's served me well.
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      • Vinnie Apicella Vinnie Apicella 4 years ago
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      • They're both hugely important. No matter how much we preach not to "judge a book by its cover" in everyday life -- as well we should not -- it's different when it comes to a particular product. I discovered my own discriminatory tastes as a young kid when I would search for various record albums or books, drawing out ones that I felt were visually appealing, and then had titles that piqued my interest. So I've always maintained this is not mutually exclusive to myself, but others must be drawn to a particular work from its appearance first, and how it "speaks" to them through the front cover, before considering to dig further into the content. A good cover and title should work together in conveying the message we wish to convey and avoid conflicting or confusing the viewer. What is visually appealing or a good title of course is subjective, but so long as we're conscientious of their importance to the overall impression of our work, we can better align them with our intended purpose.
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    • AllAuthor AllAuthor 4 years ago
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    • Have you ever experienced "Writer's Block"? Any tips you would like to share to overcome it?
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      • Vinnie Apicella Vinnie Apicella 4 years ago
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      • Sure. In fact, there is at least one time in my book where I mentioned this... I think it's the start of Chapter 11. Mine is a fairly long and complex work, not in a hi-tech manual sort of way, but that it moves in different directions with each chapter, almost like a series of short stories. So along the way, there were many times I experienced writer's block and like many, I'd sit there and ponder, try to brainstorm ideas, as may be taught in writing courses, and oftentimes just draw a blank. How I'd get through it is, I would ultimately write what I felt in my mind at the time, whether or not it was ultimately what I wanted to say, just get it on "paper" to keep the flow going. So long as it allowed me to continue on, I could always go back later and revise as needed--something we always should be doing anyway. And then there were times when I had absolutely nothing to say, and I would step away for a while; sometimes for hours, sometimes for days. After a break, often the writing would just come back to me fresher and more inspired than before. So what I've found is, you can't force it; don't try to, just let it come naturally, and if it doesn't, put it aside and let it sit a while. You'll find afterward you're better able to overcome that "block" and carry on.
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      • Vinnie Apicella Vinnie Apicella 4 years ago
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      • It started out when I was a young boy and taking into account various experiences from traveling. I didn't keep a diary like many kids were taught to, but made mental notes of everything. I often found that writing notes for myself during study periods would help me recall information, or summarizing books or movies. My inspiration to write more formally came during early adolescence when I would read interesting articles in music magazines. I loved the creative aspect involved and how I'd learn more about different artists and bands. I also read publications like Time and The New Yorker, and was intrigued by the opinion pieces. I was moved by what I'd read, and felt empowered in some way--better educated, perhaps. And so this encouraged me to try to emulate what I read. So basically I took my various subject matter interests and used them in my own written pieces for school assignments, then later during college. So by now, altogether I would say I've been writing about 30-plus years in one form or another. And I don't expect this will stop anytime soon!
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      • Vinnie Apicella Vinnie Apicella 4 years ago
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      • As a rule, we often hear that good writing is succinct writing. And I don't disagree with this, but it's also dependent upon what type of piece we're writing and for which type of audience. So brevity, in general is important--to be able to say a lot with a little, so to speak, but to also be creative as the need arises. My rationale is that good writing speaks to the reader in some way and on his or her level. I often tell my students, "You need to put yourself in the position of the reader." As writers we may sometimes get caught up in our own stories or opinions that we lose sight of the fact that we're not writing for ourselves, but someone else! So to write well implies understanding first that there is an audience, and then knowing who your audience is, and having this in mind during the writing process, and more so during the revision process.
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    • AllAuthor AllAuthor 4 years ago
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    • Writing can be an emotionally draining and stressful pursuit. Any tips for aspiring writers?
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      • Vinnie Apicella Vinnie Apicella 4 years ago
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      • The moment it stops being fun and enjoyable is when you need to step away and give yourself time to relax your mind and decompress. Writing for me happens in fits and starts, and so I know going in, there'll be good days and bad days. But none of us gets into this field to add more stress to our daily lives or because we don't enjoy it. It's important to acknowledge it won't always come easy, and during the times it doesn't, it's okay to take a break and reevaluate things. I wouldn't look at it as a waste of time or lost progress, but a means to improve efficiency later and importantly, greater ability to focus and put your best foot forward, but on your own terms. Again, as I mentioned earlier, don't force it, let it come naturally.
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