Been thinking about writing a book, need help and recommendations (1 Viewer)

[Dome Vongvises]

This summer, I plan on

working

running

working some more

lifting weights

writing a book

I have a thesauras, a dictionary, and a story in my head. Any thoughts?

 

[Bill Balcziak]

I have a thesauras, a dictionary, and a story in my head. Any thoughts?

Congratulations! You're officially qualified to start writing.
I'll check the forum in September to see how you did.

 

[Michael Pineo]

This is the advice I was given when I started writing my novel:

First, decide on certain number of pages to write everyday and stick to it. If you write more that's great, but don't write less. Don't put aside a certain amount of time, or you will just end up using all of the time you set aside staring at your computer and you won't get anything done.

Second, no distractions of any kind. This includes family. Obviously, your family obligations should come first, but if you really want to write a novel, you will need to have some time everyday that you can work with absolutely no distractions.

Third, just write. If this is your first attempt, don't get hung up on going back and re-reading what you have written. I learned this the hard way. I kept getting stuck because I would go back and read what I had written and would think it was just total crap. The best thing you can do is just keep writing. Just finishing a novel is quite an accomplishment (something I have yet to do and I have had this frigging story in my head for years). You can always go back when you are finished and make changes.

Well, that is all I can think of right now. Good luck!

MikeP

 

[Jon_Are]

Dome,

There are plenty of good books out there that would help you. One I particularly like is The First Five Pages, by Noah Lukeman.

Michael's advice on not spending time re-reading and editing what you've already written is absolutely correct. All the experts agree: you should just let it fly.

Good luck!

Jon

 

[Jeff Pryor]

Read Stephen King's book 'On Writing'.

I write sometimes, mostly short stories. Never had the nerve to tackle a novel.

 

[Dome Vongvises]

thanx

let's see how I do in September.

 

[Dome Vongvises]

Well, I've finally started writing. I have this huge grand scheme of things. Problem is, my damn book is starting out like some junior high grade school crap. I don't have my file with me, but I'll post a passage I think is absolute crap. I need help. Fast.

 

[Denward]

Don't start your book at the beginning of your story. You should think about the detailed history of your characters and what they have gone through before they ever got to page 1 of your book. This will give you a foundation for plot developments and make them more believable and consistent.

 

[Dan Keefe]

Dome,

I am taking a class in word processing right now. My book touches on writing stories, essays, etc. An interesting piece of advice the book gives is to not edit yourself as you go. Write down whatever comes to mind, even if it is out of sequence. The point they were making is if you write whatever is in your head it will always be saved for editing later. Good luck on your book.

dan

 

[Dome Vongvises]

Yes, the curse of the "I've got to go back and edit all the stupid shit," bit me.

I anybody curious as to what my story is about?

 

[Ashley Seymour]

I anybody curious as to what my story is about?

Yes. I was hoping you would tell us something from when you first posted back in April.

 

[ace peterson]

Is it about a prison break in the 1950's?

 

[Dome Vongvises]

Is it about a prison break in the 1950's?

Sorry.
Actually, it's about the lives of six friends through four/five years of college. The basis for the characters and what they go through is nothing more than a compilation of the times, lives, and stories of people I've come into contact with during my college years.
I've lead a boring life myself, but I was amazed by the sheer number of characters I've met. The characters are amalgams of several different personalities.
Oh well, the whole point of the story is looking at all the good things that have happend in my life.

 

[brian a]

'The Forest for the Trees' by Betsy Lerner is a great modivational book. Not to mention a great way to put off writing for a few days while you read it! It should make you feel a little less of an oddball writer.

My personal experience writing shows me that you should never kid yourself into thinking that you know where your story is going. It'll change so much that you won't even recognize it in the end. Just let it go where it will. if you try to make it follow your original outline, you'll destroy it.

That's just my style. Writing styles are very personal. The best way to be a writer is to write. That's it.

 

[Joe Wong]

People say you should always have an outline, descriptions of characters and their backgrounds, etc. I think I that would be good, but I'm not very disciplined in that regard. I tend to let things develop when I write.

There's this story I've been wanting to write since I was 14... I started it and continued through university, but my skills weren't up to it.

Then in 1993 I decided to start a different story for fun and practice, and ended up finishing up that novel 3 years and some 250 pages later.

Now I'm back to that novel from when I was 14...just started it a few months ago...and it's slowly starting to flow. I repeat, let it flow. I mean, I have the rough plot all in my head, but the lines connecting the dots stil have to be filled, so to speak, and these will develop as I go.

Good luck, but most of all, have fun!!

Joe

 

[brian a]

One other thing that has always served me well is quitting writing for the session while I still know the next line or two I want to write. That way when I come back to the work, I can start by writing those few lines and get back into the flow of the work instead of starting at a cold point.

 

[Dome Vongvises]

I'll post this passage from my first chapter. I'm working on the second one right now. Try your best not to laugh.

Sarah caught the moment just perfectly. The second she looked at the edge of the hilltop, rays of light broke through the top of the tree line. The rays blinded her, and she immediately turned away with a smile on her face. Sunrise had come to mark the beginning of a beautiful day.

Sarah turned to look back at her house to see somebody walk out of the garage. Her dad was bringing the last box of her belongings to her car. He stopped short of the back of the car and looked with fierce determination at the configuration of cardboard and plastic inside the trunk. He looked to the left and right, and with a quick thought had solved the puzzle of packing. With all his might he shoved the box as far as it could go into the trunk. With a breath of anticipation, he shut the trunk door and a loud click could be heard.

 

[Darren H]

I'm not sure if this is the type of advice you're looking for, but, in my experience, good writers begin as good readers. From these first two paragraphs, it looks like you're writing a "coming of age" story, so you might want to spend your free time reading great examples from the same genre. The first that come to mind:

- Philip Roth's "Goodbye, Columbus" (start with this one)

- Michael Chabon's The Mysteries of Pittsburgh

- Walker Percy's The Last Gentleman

And, of course, it wouldn't hurt to spend some time with:

- F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great gatsby

- Ernest Hemingway's A Farewell to Arms

When you read, do so very deliberately as a writer yourself: figure out their sentence structures, how they introduce characters, how they describe actions and behaviors. You'll probably find that they spend more time showing a character's actions than describing the significance of them, leaving that connection to be made by the reader. For instance:

With all his might he shoved the box as far as it could go into the trunk. With a breath of anticipation, he shut the trunk door and a loud click could be heard.

"Shoved" is a forceful, descriptive verb, a single word that makes the introductory phrase -- "With all his might" -- completely unnecessary, IMO. Same with "of anticipation" in the second sentence. Your goal should be to make that phrase redundant.

My two cents. Feel free to spend them as you like.

 

[Joe Wong]

I agree with Darren.

I used to think having all these amazing metaphors, adverbs, adjectives, etc. in your story meant good writing. Sometimes less is more. Use these ingredients judiciously.

Cheers,

Joe

 

[Dome Vongvises]

Use these ingredients judiciously.

NO!!! MUST OVERPOWER THE SENSES!!!
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Thanks, I'll keep the advice in mind. My word choice is sometimes over-the-top in cases.