Have you ever written a book? How and why?

[Anonymous]

Years ago, I really loved writing. I wrote a lot of short stories and essays and mostly false starts. As I have gotten older, my responsibilities and work have really worn me down so that I don't really do any of my hobbies, much less something as time consuming as writing. My dream is to write a book one day (or even just a published short story or essay). If you have written a novel or any kind of book, how did you do it? Were you able to do it part time or is your career writing?

TIA!

[Anonymous]

Bump!

[Anonymous]

Nothing except tripe, I'm afraid. I was wondering what it took to self-publish on Amazon.

[Anonymous]

I have a published story and some essays. You should brush off your stories and submit them to the many literary journals out there!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a published story and some essays. You should brush off your stories and submit them to the many literary journals out there!

I looked at some of my fiction last night. SO BAD! But so much fun to read, like watching terrible tv, and then being like "I did this!"

I started on a children's book and got 5000 words in. 5000! That's a lot for me. It's also terrible, but simultaneously fun to read. I might just keep going with it, but I can't remember where I was heading. I didn't even remember it EXISTED. That's how often I start something, then stop.

[Anonymous]

A diabetic cookbook, and a spiritual memoir. I wrote them because, I thought they could be helpful to others.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A diabetic cookbook, and a spiritual memoir. I wrote them because, I thought they could be helpful to others.

Oh, so many questions! How long did it take you to write? Did you write every day? What did you do when you got discouraged?

[Anonymous]

Yes, it took a long time... Years. Worked on it mostly on weekends. There were times I thought I would never finish but I did.

[Anonymous]

I haven't but my FIL has churned out several self published tea-party/conspiracy theory/anti-Hillary books in the last
Couple of years. He's also starting his own blog and newsletter on geopolitics but DH and I aren't too impressed so far--he can't even be bothered to proofread. He name of the city they live in was spelled wrong two different ways in his site the last time we looked.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, it took a long time... Years. Worked on it mostly on weekends. There were times I thought I would never finish but I did.

But it is still amazing that you finished! I am 20 pages in on a children's book. I told DH the general plot and he looked at me like I had 3 heads. LOL.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Years ago, I really loved writing. I wrote a lot of short stories and essays and mostly false starts. As I have gotten older, my responsibilities and work have really worn me down so that I don't really do any of my hobbies, much less something as time consuming as writing. My dream is to write a book one day (or even just a published short story or essay). If you have written a novel or any kind of book, how did you do it? Were you able to do it part time or is your career writing?

TIA!

My career is writing – I'm a novelist. Yes, I earn a living wage from it. Published by one of the NY houses. (Self-publishing seems like so much more work! Hats off to anyone who chooses that path.)

You seem to be looking for advice, but I don't really have any magic counsel to give. There is no real secret to it but work. All books are written the same way: one sentence at a time, one paragraph at a time, one page at a time. If you commit to writing a page every day for the next year, you will have a novel-length manuscript by the end of it.

Actually, I do have some advice, though I am terrible at following it: write forward and do not revise as you go. Only revise once you have finished the draft. Annie Lamott has a wonderful take on this approach, which you can find if you google "shitty first drafts." This is also the approach espoused by happiest, healthiest, least neurotic novelists I know. And then there are the rest of us...

Finally -- if you aren't a voracious reader, chances are you won't be a very good writer. That truth holds true in nearly every instance I can recall.

[Anonymous]

Yes, nonfiction. Related to my work. Wiring a book is a major endeavor. Even the bad ones can take a ton of work. I love that shitty first drafts essay, but don't always follow the advice.

And yes, my writing improves when I read good writing and worsens when I'm on the internet a lot. Which reminds me, why the heck am I here?!

[Anonymous]

OP, start thinking about your plot and characters, and then take a deep breath and join everyone who tries writing a novel in November. Site is https://nanowrimo.org/sign_in

[Anonymous]

I have, and published a novel on fan fiction.net First thing I ever wrote and it blew up.

Now I am working on writing a legit novel and planning to self publish (may publish the fanfic as well but change the names and stuff, like Fifty Shades of Grey had to do)

I think what I learned from that experience is cream rises to the top. If you are a good writer, quite often people will find you and you will grow a fanbase, regardless of your own faith in your work. Not everyone has that happen, of course. But publishing things online, even for free, is a huge resource that brings your work to millions. I would definitely recommend self publishing, in whatever capacity. It's amazing to think we live in a time of unprecedented personal power for artists where we can actually distribute our work, have total control, and get a cut of the profits and everything. Take advantage of it and don't give up hope!

Also you might find this interesting, I was just reading it today:
https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/54ayvw/i_am_tr_ragan_an_author_who_wrote_for_20_years/

Keep the faith and put your work out there! You might just be amazed by the reception- I know I was! Good luck!

[Anonymous]

^And to the question of how I wrote it:

At the time I had quit my job and was trying to move- I had basically NOTHING to do all day, and that was when I first picked up the pen. Thank goodness, cause had I known how frustrating it is to try to write only to be interrupted by life's annoyances I probably never would have started.

Now, i think, for me, it's important to set aside time. I have a job and so I don't get to write as often as I would like- but I'm also fairly prolific once I sit down- so I can churn out 7,000 words in a day and it's not a huge deal. I prefer to do it that way, at least now, though I know many, many writers try to write daily. I do try, once I'm in the throes of a novel, to write daily, because it stays fresh in your mind. But the point is finding time when you can and not being too hard on yourself- just write, basically. Throw judgement out the window. Don't show it to people who will judge you or tell people about your dream who will shit all over it (so... DCUM is probably not the best place for advice, lol. I would say City Data has a writers forum and there are other sites with other writers who will be supportive- reddit has a writing subreddit, and I'm sure there are others).

Read "On Writing" by Stephen King. He talks a lot about his process and advice.