I started writing a book today. For years I have been trying to find that perfect book, the one with all the things I have always been searching for. A friend of mine got a book published, and I am very proud of her, and I finally had the idea, why not just write this amazing story that I have always wanted to write. but, the problem is, that its really hard to write a book! I didn't realize, I thought it would just flow out my hands to the keyboard, and it would just be a lovely well presented work of fiction. I am not asking for any help, I just wanted to know about your experience writing. and if you have difficulty writing?
I've no trouble making a book , and I like doing the illustrations . Just a couple copies can be enough , and never only one . Thinking of all the books in the world I feel upset and pukey .
1: Plan ahead.....full list of main characters & their major defining attributes. Anticipate the outcome of your chosen story. 2: Know your plot........inside & out, at bare minimum have a rough outline of how your main character fits into that plot. 3: Research.......research, research....... 4: Multiple rough drafts........write the story then review again & again......& again until you've got it figured out. 5: Demand......this is perhaps the most important but only if you're trying to actually sell many books. Study the most popular niches in the book world today & tailor your book to fall into one of those niches.
Never say but . That's be the advice of a '57 Venice Beach Beat Poet ; dead . Dead but and remembered .
I practiced 'never say but' for ten years until I understood what the old poet's lesson for me accomplished . I had faith . He made me read his goofy beat-poet book , and I accepted an inheritance .
You should sign up for encouragement and resources. https://campnanowrimo.org At least two Hip Forum members are doing this.
The OP doesn't write even here . Cripey . How many who participate in these forums are not writers ? I wonder what but those who are pure consumers are doing but . Anyway , I can despise them .
My advice, like so many 'how to write a book' books----is on days like that----just write anyway----treat those pages as outlines, rough drafts, etc. Even if the writing is awkward and jumbled----it is something to work with; there may be something to work in later, or to save, or it may even turn out to be something nice. I don't always do that----but I understand the logic, and I do use that technique sometimes---it gets a wordflow going, and unclogs the spaces around the writing devils that live inside of you----nasty things, incredibly evil----but they are what makes all writers write----well, at least the writers of Christian literature... ;-) (I guess I have different kinds of devils living inside of me...) But this happens frequently to anyone I think. You could even have a whole chapter in your head, and all the details, and twists, whatever----and then you sit down to write----and-----nothing. You can't even seem to start it. My favorite ways of dealing with such issues are to sit in a hot tub and swim in a pool (sometimes I like to just get a room in a hotel and write there, and take breaks by swimming and soaking...) My biggest obstacle to writing is my wife, and this gets me away from my wife---though I usually pick her up and she spends the night with me. Or, I'll take a shower----that is a very productive place for me. The shower is incredibly magic in this sense. Then there is the change of venue----which doesn't always work. If I am at home, I will go to Starbucks. If I'm at Starbucks I will go to a nearby cultural center and write in their art gallery. If it's late at night I will go to a Denny's where I have a flow of coffee, and food to accompany my writing.
I've been working on a novel series since like 2003. It initially started out as a short story, but ideas grew and it turned into a chronicle pretty much. I've basically finished the book one, and I've been working on book two for the past ten years. Finding time for it is the biggest challenge in my case. I'm not going to get it published in its current format, because I write for therapeutic reasons, so to speak. Maybe if I severely alter the story, it might become suitable for general public.................
For TC, good luck! Here’s my own experience. Because I’ve not only read the Bible, I’ve studied the motherfucker too, I like writing stories that have religious themes involving God and the Devil fucking around. A few of my stories end in the Apocalypse. I’ve also come up with a cool villain for a few stories called Cronos, a demon that uses his time travel powers to fuck with people. I’m also pretty good at satire. My biggest issue as a writer is that my descriptive paragraphs are too terse. I have trouble increasing word count. Thus, I prefer short stories, some of which end up as small as about 900 words. My goal is to get published, but I’ve done my research. It’s exceptionally difficult, if not impossible, for a first time author to publish a short story collection unless they self publish, which imo is a waste of time. Because of this, I’m writing a novel. I’m at 45000 words, and a debut novel from an author has to be at least 50000, so I’ve overcome my word count issue, somewhat. It still needs a lot of editing though.
Writing a novel is a very lonely experience for a start. I mean you can't like invite the family over for a barbeque and while entertaining them and chatting away work on your novel. My biggest problem & the main reason why I have only ever finished writing a single work of fiction is that while I am writing, suddenly an idea for another story enters my head and then I want to start work on that. Guess its because I get bored very easily which in turn most likely means that what I'm writing at the time is boring me. So if its boring me then it sure as hell is also gonna bore any potential reader which means what I'm writing at the time is crap, so I set aside and start something new. (Sigh!) I have several unfinished novels which I doubt will ever see the light of day. My advice to any wannabee writer is write, write, write because writers write right?
I enjoy writing too and have started so many potential stories only to stop (some 10 pages in, some a hundred pages in). It's hard to force something. My problem is that I get another idea an start that and then don't always go back to my previous story. Something that I was told, and what I like to do now, is write whatever part of the story is coming to mind. I finished my first one by starting in the middle, going back to the beginning and then finishing the end. Don't ask me why but that worked and I finished writing a full fiction story. I pieced it all together afterwards. I don't know if that's good or bad advice but it worked for me. That natural inspiration and creativity need to flow naturally. You may surprise yourself too if you just start writing random blurbs that are interesting to you and then all of a sudden one takes off. Good luck! I hope you really get the ball rolling!
I have two novels in the works. One's at about 80k words. The other is just outlined. I'm not one of those people who just loves to write and derives pleasure from it, though, so it's work for me. When I think of the cost/benefit ratio, the cost wins out, so I don't work on it. If I thought I could make some money from it, that would provide some motivation. After you actually finish writing your novel, then you have to market it, which is a pain in the ass. I wrote a self-help book several years ago and sold a few dozen copies. Every few months, I get notified that I've sold another copy, which is about $10 in profit.
