I want start a book

ADJ · Post by **ADJ** » 09 Aug 2009, 12:26

Pls peeps,can you give hints?????

damien · Post by **damien** » 12 Aug 2009, 08:28

i am going to write one too. how many of you will buy? if more than 10 persons here, I will start writing today. haha

The Mythwriter · Post by **The Mythwriter** » 12 Aug 2009, 12:58

I'm not published, perhaps others can give you better advice than I. But I'm curious as to where you are in the process. Do you have an idea in your head about characters, setting, what you want to say, etc? Or is it that spark where you just woke up and said, "I feel like writing" and you have no ideas yet?

damien · Post by **damien** » 12 Aug 2009, 19:44

Unfortunately I have started 4 years ago

Bought 1 manual typewriter and an electronic typewriter for the fun of it. wrote about 300 pages yet nothing spectacular. Cant even amuse myself yet. any advice?

DreamWeaver121 · Post by **DreamWeaver121** » 19 Aug 2009, 14:39

fiction or non fiction?

damien · Post by **damien** » 19 Aug 2009, 16:14

friction

The Mythwriter · Post by **The Mythwriter** » 19 Aug 2009, 18:24

Wow, epic writer's block! Interesting about the typewriter too, I love it. Still, I have heard, though I'm not sure how much stock I set by it, that different mediums work better for different authors. Some people say they can;t write without getting a first draft on pen and paper, others just bang it out on a computer. Give everything a shot, maybe it'll help something flow. I probably wouldn't have even thought of this if you hadn't mentioned the typewriters.

At any rate, I personally try not to dwell on any one story idea... if something's not inspiring me to keep going, I usually scrap it, or save it and work on something else. When you hit what you want to say, I've found it's really easy to to write for hours without noticing the time, if you know what I mean. Still three hundred pages is hardly unimpressive, not everyone writes a tome their first time, if ever. I will tell you I don't think length is a good goal or standard to judge your book by, but that's up to you.

In fact, don't even think too much about what you want your book to look like. If there's a story in your head, get it out, and don't worry about how you want it too look at the end. Think about that sort of thing later. Whatever method, be it outlines and planning to just flowing from brain to page in one step, just get it out. I find if it needs more material, it comes to me later. Something doesn't work, I delete it later.

And if you're absolutely at a loss as to what to write about, there's not much I can help with there. It's mostly a matter of finding what inspires you, be it life experiences, things you see happening around you, or ideas that seem to keep visiting your imagination.

Sorry this is rather long... it's just so hard to try and explain "how to write." Everyone does it differently, I can only tell you what has worked for me. I think it's universal, though, that it takes practice, like anything else, and above all to never give up! Just try something else if one way or story isn't working.

damien · Post by **damien** » 19 Aug 2009, 20:05

wow. are you on msn? can pm me? I got a great idea but to bring it to full fruition it will be the complete laborious process of spending your whole life on it. Nothing less. Look at Joseph Heller, in my humble opinion, there is only one book he wrote that I find brilliant and each word dazzles me every time i re read it. My ill habits of buying something to help me do something better is probably arrogance. In reflexivity, probably the poor output is my own fault rather than every other things. Bought 2 typewriters, 1 laptop, 1 desktop, 50 rims of A4 paper, 10 ink ribbons for the manual typewriter, 20 cartridges for the brother typewriter... and I still have yet to complete the book. I am now trying to "distill" milo minderbinder to try to understand the discourse of the main spirit of the heller's book, in trying to further my own imaginations in systematic proportions. alas, personal competency is at life time low, with ignorance and arrogance combined, nothing more than mediocracy will be the end product....for now (see what i mean)

Hilary2009 · Post by **Hilary2009** » 20 Aug 2009, 02:58

yes
thanks for all comment

The Baron · Post by **The Baron** » 20 Aug 2009, 05:10

If it's the first time you write, I recommend writing the whole story without reading back. When you're done, you can re-read it, rewrite whole chapters etc.
I recommend it because for most people, unless you are a natural talent, reading back what you just wrote will make you feel like you can't write or, at the very least, will make you waste hours trying to improve what you already wrote and, by the time you're done, you will either experience some writer's block or you'll lose your motivation.

So just write on and do the revising/improvements when you're done with your first draft.

All in all I think the more you write the more you improve, so try to write as much as you can (and unless you're rich already, never quit your day job!). You might also consider courses and workshops if you're serious about it.

damien · Post by **damien** » 20 Aug 2009, 08:32

As a poor loser, i probably feel like a fortune teller reading your palm, predicting the most obvious things. However, unfortunately its a spot on, rereading stems from a perfectionist view that somethings are meant to be engineered as opposed to a natural talent. The consequence is always boredom. Yet like the forgotten skill of cycling, the first few repetitive task will eventually bring back the lifetime of experience and to a natural instinct. Rereading first tells you that you have wrote something fantastic and yet allow you to continue to the next task as the imagination grows. By the time I am done, its time to sleep. The next day awoken like Barrymore in 50 first dates, restarting from the very beginning. I am glad to be here. Its liken to explore my own competencies yet the opposite is likely to be true as I continue to find new tools instead of relying on the good old self alone.

The Baron wrote:If it's the first time you write, I recommend writing the whole story without reading back. When you're done, you can re-read it, rewrite whole chapters etc.
I recommend it because for most people, unless you are a natural talent, reading back what you just wrote will make you feel like you can't write or, at the very least, will make you waste hours trying to improve what you already wrote and, by the time you're done, you will either experience some writer's block or you'll lose your motivation.

So just write on and do the revising/improvements when you're done with your first draft.

All in all I think the more you write the more you improve, so try to write as much as you can (and unless you're rich already, never quit your day job!). You might also consider courses and workshops if you're serious about it.

The Mythwriter · Post by **The Mythwriter** » 20 Aug 2009, 21:56

The Baron wrote:If it's the first time you write, I recommend writing the whole story without reading back. When you're done, you can re-read it, rewrite whole chapters etc.
I recommend it because for most people, unless you are a natural talent, reading back what you just wrote will make you feel like you can't write or, at the very least, will make you waste hours trying to improve what you already wrote and, by the time you're done, you will either experience some writer's block or you'll lose your motivation.

So just write on and do the revising/improvements when you're done with your first draft.

All in all I think the more you write the more you improve, so try to write as much as you can (and unless you're rich already, never quit your day job!). You might also consider courses and workshops if you're serious about it.

Very well written, I agree very much. I've spoken to authors who say they won't read their published books because they want to revise. So editing needs a limit imposed. I remember someone else posted on another thread a method of rolling editing, or something, in which you write a chapter, go back, revise ONCE and then write the next chapter.

Damien, it sounds like you've tried a lot of things, and if it takes a lifetime, then it takes a lifetime! What's more important is that you find a way to do it that makes you happy, it's really irrelevant what anyone else thinks. Most of us cannot make a full blown living being authors, at least not for awhile. Why do you think I'm trying to study to be an engineer, haha!

I'll say it again, never give up. Some people get it first try, others look for ages for that method that works, you're probably one of those. I've never enjoyed them, but perhaps you should check out a few classes or whatnot, you'll get a lot more and better advice than here, maybe.

And ADJ, I hope this is all helping somehow, I hope we aren't hijacking your thread!

DreamWeaver121 · Post by **DreamWeaver121** » 24 Aug 2009, 08:24

lol have fun dude writin is awesome
Be a dreamer, a beleiver, a lover.

(wow dibs on that last line 2 seconds ago it just inspired a poem out of me lol)

JRiddle · Post by **JRiddle** » 05 Sep 2009, 07:33

I am the author of 34 books and have worked as a ghostwriter on numerous projects. Many people have a desire to write a book, but very few follow through and make it happen. If you are writing a nonfiction book, you only need to create a "book proposal" to get a book contract...and the "advance" check from the publisher.

A book proposal consists of: one page summary, two sample chapters, author bio and a marketing plan (considered by many publishers as the most important part of the book proposal).

You don't always need an agent to submit a book proposal; there are many publishers that still accept submissions directly from the author.

Self publishing is also an option, although you must be prepared to do all of the marketing and PR yourself.

I offer very affordable book proposal services, and can help you find the best publisher. Feel free to e-mail with any questions about how to get published, even if you don't need my paid services.
Thank you.
John Riddle
Founder
I Love To Write Day