Has anyone ever written a book?

[tiggger1]

has anyone ever written a book? I have some ideas for some fun fluff novels. I have these interesting dreams and whenever I tell them to my friend, they tell me that would make a great book! lol So I have started by writing down my ideas but I have no idea how to turn them into something! Do I just write? Is there a website that tells you how long to make a chapters or how many chapters should be in a book? Any help would be great!

 

[SAHDad]

Your local library should have some good books on writing a novel. One of my favorites is "No Plot? No Problem" by Chris Baty.

You should also check out National Novel Writing Month at nanowrimo.org. Basically, it is a challenge to write the rough draft of a novel of at least 50,000 words during the month of November. It's tough, but certainly doable.

 

[OceanAnnie]

You might want to check out writing clubs in your area. You could do a meta search of your area. There are usually a handful that are specific to different genres. Something like that would be helpful.

 

[Magpie]

I've written a few books (mostly unpublished, which is another problem altogether!). I've also written many short stories, some published, some not.

While it's true that the best way to become a writer is just to write, there's also a craft to writing that takes time and effort to learn.

Chapters are as long as they need to be, and a novel is finished when it's finished. Think of a chapter as a short story inside a longer story. It has an arc - a beginning, middle and end (which can be a cliffhanger!). Ideally, your chapter has something to say, that sets it apart from the rest of the novel.

For me, writing short stories was the best training I could get to become a novelist.

Here's some tips:

Find a writers group, either in real life or online.

Write for the joy of it, not for publication. (Writing fanfic is one way to free yourself from the constraints of "serious writing", if you're so inclined.)

Read books about writing (I particularly enjoyed "How Not To Write a Novel" by Howard Mittelmark and Sandra Newman), but don't JUST read books about writing. Read everything. Even junk - and then try to figure out what makes it junk!

And if you find a friend who can write, and who is willing to edit your work and offer feedback, treat her like gold!

Good luck!

 

[tiggger1]

thanks! I will look into all those!!!

 

[almburr]

I also have been writing, and have wondered how to get published. Do you need and agent before publishing? Im not trying to take over the thread, Im interested also.

 

[monkeybug]

I have always been told that reading is a writers apprenticeship! So read, read, read! Lot's of books, all different genres, classics and new releases!
You should definitely start writing out your ideas and dreams too. Don't worry about using proper grammar, or being perfect, just write! NaNoWriMo is a great way to get used to writing on a regular basis. Once you start writing often, you will likely find your style and can start to fine tune your work.
Don't even think about getting published, or hiring an editor for a while. Just write because you enjoy it and you have a story to tell.

 

[Sai]

If you want to self-publish then Lulu.com seems to be a popular place. If you want to go through a publishing house then there are some writing/author forums I've stumbled across in the past that has sections where people discuss tips and so on. Its a big topic so I reckon it'd be best to read up from people who have had direct experience and share their tips on the writer niche forums.

 

[Magpie]

I also have been writing, and have wondered how to get published. Do you need and agent before publishing? Im not trying to take over the thread, Im interested also.

Find a writer's group. Find a really good friend who can catch things like "I'm" versus "Im" and other typos. When you've got a short story that's as polished as you can make it, start sending it to magazines (Writer's Market is a good resource). Then rinse and repeat. Build up a resume. When you've got some legitimate publications under your belt, and a well-polished novel all ready to go, then you can start querying agents. (Google "Query Shark" for tips.)

You'll also want to query publishers at the same time, because it can be VERY hard to get an agent without prior publications under your belt, especially if you're not a short story writer. An agent is a great thing to have, but they're not easy to get.

Watch out for vanity publications, Publish America (They're evil! Pure, unadulterated evil!), "contests" that require you to submit huge entrance fees (requiring you to subscribe to a magazine in order to enter is okay, though), or "contests" that guarantee publication. A basic rule of thumb is that you should not be paying publishers - publishers should be paying you!

Self-publishing is fun, and can even be profitable with a lot of effort and savvy, but it doesn't count as a publication credit.

 

[OceanAnnie]

The trend also is for authors to have blogs. Even unpublished writers have blogs about their writings. They get a following and when it comes time to publish, it helps to include this information. I don't know a lot about it, but I have read about it some.

 

[monkeybug]

I also have been writing, and have wondered how to get published. Do you need and agent before publishing? Im not trying to take over the thread, Im interested also.

There are lot's of steps to getting published, and probably more than one way to go about it.
Lot's of people hire a professional editor, this way when you send a query to a publisher (a letter to determine if a publisher is even interested in a book like yours) you can let them know that your work has been professionally edited. My brother paid over $2,000 to have his book edited.
The major publishers often don't look at work if you don't have an agent, you don't need one, but it's probably easier to get your foot in the door if you have one.
There is a lot involved in hiring the right editor (if you think you need one) and agent, so I would do a LOT of research on the publishing business if it's something you really want to pursue.
It is always a good idea to get to know a published author or two who write in the same genre as you, and who can give you the in's and out's of the business.

 

[Magpie]

There are lot's of steps to getting published, and probably more than one way to go about it.
Lot's of people hire a professional editor, this way when you send a query to a publisher (a letter to determine if a publisher is even interested in a book like yours) you can let them know that your work has been professionally edited. My brother paid over $2,000 to have his book edited.
The major publishers often don't look at work if you don't have an agent, you don't need one, but it's probably easier to get your foot in the door if you have one.
There is a lot involved in hiring the right editor (if you think you need one) and agent, so I would do a LOT of research on the publishing business if it's something you really want to pursue.
It is always a good idea to get to know a published author or two who write in the same genre as you, and who can give you the in's and out's of the business.

Hiring a professional editor can sometimes backfire...

Here's an excellent blog post from Jane Friedman about it, plus some interesting discussion in the comments: http://writerunboxed.com/2010/03/19/should-you-hire-a-professional-editor/

Her blog - all about writing and publishing - is here: http://blog.writersdigest.com/norules/ It's worth checking out!

 

[monkeybug]

Hiring a professional editor can sometimes backfire...

Here's an excellent blog post from Jane Friedman about it, plus some interesting discussion in the comments: http://writerunboxed.com/2010/03/19/should-you-hire-a-professional-editor/

Her blog - all about writing and publishing - is here: http://blog.writersdigest.com/norules/ It's worth checking out!

That's why I said to do LOT's of research on the whole publishing subject before pursuing anything.
My brother is very fortunate to have become good friends with a succesful author, and was able to hire an editor that came highly recommended and is very familar with the genre he is working in. Hiring just any editor is probably a bad move, and some people probably don't need them. My brother tells a great story, but tends to get too wordy (which would be great if he were writing romance ), the editor helped him clean up his book, and I have to say it's much better now.
I would also guess for someone just starting out, hiring a line editor is a good idea.
My brother just texted me that it is also very helpful to be Mormon. LOL!

 

[NEVERENOUGHWDW]

If you find a Ma & Pop bookstore printing a few books & asking them to carry them is a possibility.
One that has worked in this area.
I have also heard about starting a blog......

Good Luck!

 

[Jennasis]

www.absolutewrite.com

Their forum is the DIS for writers. Wonderfully supportive folk, without any snark.

I am currently querying my novel. Fingers crossed.

 

[@mouseofzen]

I recently released a book with Disney inspired haiku. 350 appear in the book. It was a self published venture with lulu.com. Getting great reviews & the book came out looking great. I would recommend lulu to anyone

 

[Stitchfans]

I could not find an editor that would work with me for my book I wrote. Has any one heard of Dorrance Publishing? I've heard good things and bad about them after I sent them my book to "look over". sure hope that was not a big mistake.

 

[Feralpeg]

I've written four children's books and am about halfway through a young adult novel. I am not published. Getting published is very difficult.

OP, there are many organizations for writers that offer great information. I am a member of the SCBWI (Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators). I have learned a lot from them.

 

[SondraC]

My dh is published! He wrote 2 books on unix, and we loved going into Border's & Barnes and Noble to see if they were on the shelves.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Can you get up to Danvers? North Shore Community College has a new course "Want to Write a Book?" coming up at the beginning of October. It's two sessions, and it's led by a published author (but I don't know of what ).