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How to write a book? ver.how do i start it?

Ds

Ds

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Apr 26, 2006
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Any ideas, suggestions?
I am writing a book, writing it from my pov, every time I open my notebook the pen sits there,. I get overwhelmed with it having to be longer then a essay,and want it to be 300+ pages. or,well something where readers will buy what it's worth..
halp?
 
Break the whole idea down into parts of the bigger structure and start writing. If you have writers block, wait that shit out.
 
writers write.

don't have a notion of what you are going to write, just get some ideas down on paper. if you're having trouble with that, start with a mind-map/cartograph?

alasdair
 
IME it helps a lot to start with short stories, 1-2 pages, moving up to 5-6, etc to get used to plotting a story and hashing out characters, events and other particulars. A lot of novels are shitty, so just because you have an idea that you want to fill 300 pages with doesn't mean it's worth 300 pages. Some of the most amazing novels I've read have not been longer than 150 pages. I don't doubt that it started out as a 300-page draft before it was whittled down, the better a writer is the more he will find to cut until the finished product is as lean as it can be, but ofc every writer has their own opinions on how much verbosity for the sake of style is acceptable.

Interesting what alasair wrote; I was told by someone in the know that those words inspired Chuck Pahlaniuk to pull himself out of despair to pen the novel Fight Club.
 
Once I heard an author say, "The hardest thing about writing is sitting down and doing it."

I wrote a 140+ page master's thesis. Before I was anywhere close to writing, my advisor made me outline, outline, outline. Start broad and general on the first one. Basically, for each chapter write a single sentence that sums it up or describes it. How many chapters will your novel have? Once you make the chapter outline, start from scratch and do a new outline for each chapter. At this point you do the same thing. Start each chapter outline broad then go back later and fill it in with specific details using paragraphs and such. I wouldn't even think about writing a large work without outlining the shit out of it. If your writer's block prevents you from making one simple outline, you're screwed....give up and try a new hobby ;)
 
yeah forget about number of pages. let the story dictate what is required to say it. anything more or less is detrimental.

where to start? from the beginning. don't worry, you'll end up re-writing it anyway, so the beginning doesn't have to be perfect.
 
Writing, to me, is one of those things you just have to do. There's no formula to it. Each author has their own way of expressing themselves. Just start writing. Soon enough, you'll see how you want your thoughts to come together. You'll edit accordingly.

Also, have you considered that perhaps traditional writing might not be your thing? Perhaps your message is better expressed through graphic novel or even a documentary.
 
Read the opening page of a bunch of your favourite book and choose a format you like best / will fit best with the story.. There are many different "types".. Whether it be the generic description of the weather, time, place and main character, a jump straight into action (normally being some sort of memory.. "That was 7 years ago and blah blah blah") or a conversation characters are having, with separations in convo to give a short bio of each person..
 
thanks to those that replyed, i found out what has helped me the most is free writing, shit i remimber back in biology#school we used those black n white confettiglue/stringbound lab notebooks? with multiplication chart,formulas,etc on the inside(scicency notebook) this with mealtape n several wraps around a homedepot pencil,im thinking, i could go to the public library with my (journal) and use a scanner right? or kinkos or some packing/postal shop right? good start shits starting 2 come along.

the ending product would be like a beefd up book report(plastic 'profosional' sleeve for my book, and is that what id mail 2 a publisher?
 
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Maybe you could write it in your composition book, then type it and turn that into the publisher? Although it'd be pretty cool reading an entire handwritten novel.
 
Do like Kerouac. IIRC he wrote On the Road by hand all on one continuous sheet of paper.
 
Tude said:
Maybe you could write it in your composition book, then type it and turn that into the publisher? Although it'd be pretty cool reading an entire handwritten novel.
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Jerry Atrick said:
Do like Kerouac. IIRC he wrote On the Road by hand all on one continuous sheet of paper.
Click to expand...

alasdairm said:
it's the 21st century - publish it yourself.

alasdair
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well, its going to be a 200+ page book with some illustration.
alasdair how much should i expect so spend on publishing my own book?
 
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