To think about writing a book around my crazy life?!

[itsokayokay]

So I’ve been talking to some colleagues today, just general chit chat but it ended up going down the route of my life and how crazy it’s been.

I’m only young but ive been through a lot in my life 🫠 and recently managed to escape a very narcissistic ex and horrendous marriage, full of control, emotional issues etc.

my colleague very seriously suggested that I think about writing and publishing a book - and it really did get me thinking…

Ive always loved reading, I have an English lit & lang degree, and I adore writing (copywriter by trade)

I guess my question is, where and how would I start?! Is it really feesable and is there a market for actually making money from all the work you put into writing?

Also, is someone’s literal life story something you would want to read? Granted it’s pretty full on and dramatic 🤣

I would love to hear opinions please!

I hadnt thought of that. You should write a book is not an expression I've ever used to someone so possibly it is used disparagingly in this case.

Op you’ve had a bit of pile on

You could write an article for a magazine and see what response that gets?

Surely, she'd pick another audience than the person whose kid she's paid to look after.

If you do write and self-publish, invest in editing and proofreading. It really does matter - AI can't fix it all, and there is nothing more off-putting than self-published books with no editing.

EDIT for typo. Ironic.

Do it OP! Why the hell not?
Even if the book only went as far as your eyes only, why not do it?!
Good luck!

When I used the suggestion “perhaps you should write a book” to by babysitter chewing my ear off, she went off positively radiating with happiness.

So it was a win win, I got out of hearing any more, she tripped off planning her book

I just can’t understand why you’re proud of the fact you stopped her from doing something she perhaps wanted to do.

I also don’t understand why you are still here, being so negative.

Sweet Jesus

I had met the woman twice
I had been out at a works do, came back at 11.30pm, knew I have to be up at 6am the following morning, the kitchen looked a mess… and she thought she’d launch in to a full history of her tumultuous life

and you think I was unreasonable for suggesting she wrote a book, gently lead her to front door and bid my farewell ?

pray tell?

Bizarre who all you’re doing now is picking up on my posts

rather than, I don’t know, getting going with the plot planning?

I just can’t understand why you’re proud of the fact you stopped her from doing something she perhaps wanted to do

This makes no sense, OP. What was she stopped from doing except oversharing personal information with a virtual stranger at close to midnight? There's a time, place, and right person for sharing details of your life. This was a misfire on all three.

It’s more the fact that @Sweetcorn81seems to just want to cause upset for no apparent reason.

If you don’t like my idea or my post, just simply scroll past. I don’t understand why you’re still going.

I understand perhaps it wasn’t the right time or place for her to be telling you XYZ about her life, but like I said before, I wonder if maybe she just wanted somebody to listen.

What I found a bit unfair was how you referred to wanting to eat her toenails over hearing her story… which just felt a little mean. We never know what somebody is going through.

We never know what somebody is going through. yes, we do!

But either way it isn’t the responsibility of anyone to listen indefinitely to endless navel gazing tbh.

If you're referring to me, I never wrote anything about anyone's toenails...

It was the truth, I would have preferred toe nail consumption!

op all I have said is that your colleagues were likely just wanting to wrap the conversation up sharpish. Indeed I’d done exactly the same.

Thank you!

We never know what somebody is going through.

well she’d told me

And your colleagues now know too!

No it wasn’t you.

My colleagues know the select things I choose to share.

indeed

Things that happen to people in life are upsetting, traumatic, amazing, surprising, incredible growth opportunities. They are powerful to live through, and sometimes to hear about, when they happen to our friends.

What makes a great book - fiction or biography - isn't actually the plot itself. In fact there are very few fundamental plots. 'Woman escapes traumatic relationships' isn't even really one of them, in itself, it would need more.

What makes a book worth reading, (as you'll know as a copy editor), is the way it is written. The style, the characterisation, the structure, the way the plot has been deftly unfolded at just the right pace. The way it fits its genre, yet surprises. The way it references, in subtle ways, other works of art like other novels or music.

Having an idea is the piss easy bit of writing a book. Everyone has 'em. On a daily basis.

Writing is what writing a book is. Sustained periods of actually doing it, wrestling with it and seeing what comes out and critiquing it just enough to hone it but without losing your love for it.

Deciding to run a marathon isn’t running a marathon. Drawing a picture of a house isn't building a house.

There's been some decent bits of advice about writing on here, @itsokayokay, but you've not responded to it. Instead choosing to bicker with snarky posters. I know it's easy to get sucked in, but to write a book you seriously need to adjust your focus.

Yeah. It's pretty cringe. And everyone who thinks their life is fascinating because they get laughs down the pub with their anecdotes will be disappointed in how few want to read about it in detail. And pay for the privilege.

Also how difficult it is and how long it takes to write a readable book of any kind.

Harsh maybe but true.

I would perhaps read some new novels that are similar in content first OP for inspiration

The three writers that spring to my mind
Zadie Smith
Leanne Moriaty
Sally Rooney

very different in style and tone but writes novels about characters whom have had traumatic experiences

just to get a feel for what is already out there

In your previous post: "it wouldn't occur to me to be a bitch."

In this one: "I just hope you don't have children."

Congrats on learning a new skill, you've taken to it like a duck to water.

I think of quite successful authors in interviews mostly saying people told them not to bother writing their book. One finance guy is huge in Australia and he has multiple best sellers but never expected to sell many copies. I say try it, what’s to lose. If you love writing, write. Find out what you need to put before a potential publisher - I’m guessing a plan, a few starting chapters. What’s the harm if it’s rejected if you enjoyed the process. If you believe in it, keep trying. Many have said it might be comforting to others. My favourite genre is books by former SAS soldiers and I have no interest in the army or special forces but they are great for me to read. Give it a try x

If your escaped your ex by brutally murdering him, I might read that. Even if you didn't, you could write it that way, and how you stayed one step ahead of the police investigation. Police cat and mouse chases are popular.

But just escaping from a controlling ex, not unique enough. Could you set it in a different country or culture? Then the exotic setting becomes the USP. We've all read hundreds of threads about women in the UK escaping by squirreling a bit of money away, and snooping on her husband's phone, ringing Women's Aid etc, but if you made the protagonist a women in Mongolia, in a family living in gers in the Gobi Desert, that would be something new. Mind you, it takes a fair bit of research.