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How to write your own first book - experiences and opinions?

53 replies

solarsystem87 · 18/08/2022 18:04

I have been dreaming of writing my own first book for many years. Once upon a time I wrote a draft and the first two chapters, but then unfortunately I didn't have the time to continue my project.

I don't have much time now either, but I would love to read stories from a book I wrote to my child when he is older. That's why I've decided to continue writing my book.

The only thing is that I don't know how best to do it. I have free time now and then just for me, but not very much. I probably have to be very disciplined, but when I get myself together, I'm not very creative.

What are your experiences and opinions? What is the best way to go about it to have success with your endeavor?

OP posts:
larkstar · 06/01/2023 00:20

@solarsystem87 there must be thousands of people stuck in the same position as you saying similar things... "I'm dreaming of...I don't have much time... I don't know how best to do it." You ask about "how to write your own first book" - I assume, as with most similar cases I've come across, it's with a view to publishing. You ask "What is the best way... to have success with your endeavour?" Maybe this isn't what you are hoping to read but here's how I look at things:

What is success? What is it to you exactly? What do you want? A cardboard box full of expensive books you paid for that you can only give away to friends and family? One copy to hand down to your kids? The truth is it's relatively easy to write something, anything and to self publish (as an ebook, for example) - is that really what will satisfy you?

You seem to be saying you are at point X and you want to be at point Y and you're asking for directions from passers by as to how best to get there.

I think there's another way you could, perhaps should, be looking at this; it will sound like a tired cliche but - what about the journey? (from X to Y). and whether you enjoy it.

On various forums for creative types it's common to see people posting about their distress at writer's block (I do not believe in it FWIW) or frustration with some aspect of the creative process - in a nutshell - I think - "if you don't enjoy it, don't do it" or to say it the way I normally do - "you have to learn to love the process (all of it)" so this means focusing, not on the destination (point Y) -
and thinking that reaching that point is the only part of the process that will bring you any joy, but on the journey - what you do every day - ATM I think you should only be looking at trying to cultivate an attitude that will help you enjoy the writing process and to see that you should be enjoying the daily task of writing a few satisfying lines or deciding on a direction, a perspective, a scene, a point, a some part of the structure, etc. I look at the creative process in a similar way to the way I look at crosswords - I like crosswords; do you? I see them as the puzzle they obviously are - I don't mind if I can't finish it in one sitting - it's very common to come back to a half finished crossword and suddenly see answers or different ways of looking at the clues - sometime it takes time for ideas to come to fruition - to see the right answer or approach - or sometimes - I have to look something up - an historical fact. So - I don't see writing creatively as that different to doing crossword puzzles - and I enjoy the process of filling crosswords in in the same way that I enjoy writing. I taught A-level maths for 12 years - I get the same enjoyment from completing new problems - it's not just finding the final solution - it's the process of solving them - and there are always many ways - some ways have more aesthetic appeal appeal than others. So my first suggestion is that you learn to love what you do, focus on that.

Perhaps a second point is to think more about becoming a great writer or maybe a better writer or an improving writer - first focus on becoming a better writer. You might have heard Paul McCartney say that the Beatles (really just him and John) wrote more than a 100 songs before they wrote a good one; it's a process to become a good writer, a journey for you - you won't go from enthusiastic amateur to published author in one book (unlikely I think!)

There's no simple way to do this - if I was you I would write, show and share your work (or fragments of it) and look for feedback - it's up to you what you do with that feedback - you can't always pander to everyone else's opinions - it's good to break your own new ground and to go in search of your own voice. I am lucky that I have a writing partner - a valued friend of over 15 years now that I share my writing with - we struck up a conversation on a poetry forum and continue to message each other several times a week (she's in another European country) - we met only once about 7 years ago but we will meet again one day. It's useful having someone whose writing acumen and opinions you value and respect. Read - they always say and I agree - but not just for pleasure - you have to be analytical - mercenary even - and work out what makes, what you are reading good (appealing to you) or conversely - bad. For instance, I was reading Bob Mortimer's loosely (debatably!) factual biography "And Away" - it's a laugh out loud read but I don't let myself get distracted by that - off the top of my head what I liked about it was the structure (for one thing) - short chapters that alternated between chapters recounting amusing incidents from the past and far more sobering chapters that were full of disarming honesty concerning his present day serious health worries; the distant past came closer to the present in each of those chapters as did the chapters concerning his health problems. The short chapters meant there was never too much, never too long a chapter, on either the comedy or the pathos. No doubt the structure is far from unique but it's what I noted and it was part of the reason, IMHO, why the book worked so well (for me). I was reading a Mary Ruefle poetry book for a few days while away on a short break last week - what I liked about a few of her poems was the way she flips between lines that were very much rooted in everyday reality and lines that were born out of imagination and used a lot of figurative language - it gave me an idea for how to tackle a poem I have wanted to write for a decade but I didn't know what to do with my idea - something traumatic that I recall from being in hospital when I was 7. Reading Ruefle's poem Provenance was something that made me want to write. So - I don't just read for pleasure - I read to learn about writing. Reading is always recommended but I'd say it can also become a distraction, a displacement activity instead of doing your own writing. I have something I'm working on about my daughter's illness - I read easily a dozen books written by other people on the same subject - it helps me know the terrain, know what has already been written - it's helpful to have some idea about where I might be able to do something different to what is already available. OTOH - reading can also be demotivating - when you read something incomparably wonderful.

Point 3 - something I've noted from many areas of my working life - it's always a mistake to look for a "magic bullet" - a single simple solution that will solve a complex problem; don't ever start looking for one - you'll be wasting your time. You're asking about how to write a book - I don't think there will be a single, simple "answer" that is going to help you TBH. There is no one single best way for you to get from X to Y - you have to make up your own way of getting there, and find your own way to enjoy the journey; what works for you is the right way (for you) - so you could try out suggestions and see if they work for you - what works for me may well not work for you. I wrote a lot of songs in the last 15 years - there is no single method of working that I stick to - the songs all have their own unique way of coming into being - some come quickly - others takes weeks/months/years and require a lot of thought, rewriting, editing, alternative version, restructuring, etc. i.e. crafting. There are many things I believe in or think that shape the way I work - "You can't wait for inspiration - you have to go after it with a club (like a hunter)" - Jack London. I believe in the power of the "flow state" - you'll probably know this when you experience it even if you aren't familiar with the term - in a flow state ideas come together almost effortlessly, new ideas come thick and fast, you find it easy to edit and make decision on the hoof - it's sometimes a mystery how you get yourself into the flow state but most often, for me, it's by putting a pen on a page and deciding to write something, anything - I don't think about inspiration - you just write the simplest plainest ideas down about something you want to write about - if I stick at it - keep going - I can sometimes/often/ occasionally get into that flow state I value (and enjoy) for writing. Sometimes I find myself in a flow state and I'm not sure what got me there - listening to the radio, doing the washing up, walking the dog - anyway - I make a point of riding the wave when it comes - I was composing haiku's in my head about my days while on a trip away in my camper van the other week because I was in bed earlier than normal and wasn't tired so once I'd worked one out in my head I put the light on a wrote it down - I do this regularly when I'm away - thinking about what I've seen that day - so it's a case of striking while the iron is hot. Another thing is something I took from reading Sylvia Plath's diaries - a telegram she wrote after fracturing her fibula while skiing is a great example - take a look and ask yourself - why would anyone write that way? My reading of this is that she is constantly at play in her writing, and took every opportunity, however mundane, to try and spontaneously bring new ideas to life, to find new ways of using words together - you can do it writing an email, a text message, replying to a post on a forum - SP did that in her diary entries - I think it helps to always try to be "a writer".

I'm hopefully pushing you to think about just writing, becoming a better writer and realising that writing a book is something you may find yourself doing one day but to begin with I'd just focus on your writing day to day, enjoying it and see where it takes you. I think that if you're struggling with the idea of how to write a book - maybe you are not ready. Maybe one day you will be. I balance that by also saying that it's a mistake though - to think that you can or should only write - when you feel like it or have an idea - sometimes you just have to work at it and by that I mean start writing a few lines - I'm doing this tonight following on from reading that Mary Ruefle poem. HTH.

How to write your own first book - experiences and opinions?
solarsystem87 · 15/01/2023 09:45

Defining what success would be for me is a good approach. Ultimately, I want to have a book in my hands that I'm happy with and would be happy to see in bookstores. But having a box full of books that I could give away to friends and family would also be a small success for me.

And of course, I don't just want to get to my destination, I also want to enjoy the journey there. But I'm not so naïve as to believe that such a journey is always easy and never arduous. That's nothing in life. I love accompanying my child. But when he has a stressful phase and I hardly sleep, sometimes I'm not the best version of myself either. I think that's just as normal as temporary writer's block.

Which I agree with you that as a hobby writer, you shouldn't force yourself to do anything. I just try to take a shorter or longer break until writing becomes easier again. I think my main task is not to get discouraged on the way to my goal.

OP posts:
caminando · 16/01/2023 16:19

So what I have learned in recent years and what is always important in life: Just do it! Don't question everything and ponder for hours or days. Just do it. We only live once and then do what you like. That is all! Of course, the path is rocky at times and of course there is exiting – but otherwise it wouldn't be exciting if you already knew that it would work. ;-) There's no thrill and that's what keeps us alive and active! You should also accept help where there is help, as long as it is professional. Look around for experiences, collect them yourself and then you can make better decisions!

Davidson23 · 26/01/2023 14:05

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Davidson23 · 29/01/2023 12:30

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solarsystem87 · 06/02/2023 17:20

I have also taken many useful tips and approaches from the discussion here. For me, it's also good to know that I have several options and that service publishers like Novum Publishing may also be an option for some authors. In the end, everyone has to find their own way. I like the advice to persevere and follow your own path. But just doing it is often not so easy. But I'm making progress, and with a bit of luck I might be able to hold the first printed version of my own first book in my hands by the end of the year. But the road to that point will not always have been an easy one.

I really wish you, Davidson23, that it will be easier for you than for me. What kind of idea do you have? But please don't be discouraged if you do experience writer's block or other difficulties. Writing a novel is definitely different than writing an essay.

OP posts:
MadamAndTheAnts · 06/02/2023 21:46

Coffee. Amphetamine. Cigarettes. Paper. Pen.

DarkNurseries · 07/02/2023 08:11

solarsystem87 · 06/02/2023 17:20

I have also taken many useful tips and approaches from the discussion here. For me, it's also good to know that I have several options and that service publishers like Novum Publishing may also be an option for some authors. In the end, everyone has to find their own way. I like the advice to persevere and follow your own path. But just doing it is often not so easy. But I'm making progress, and with a bit of luck I might be able to hold the first printed version of my own first book in my hands by the end of the year. But the road to that point will not always have been an easy one.

I really wish you, Davidson23, that it will be easier for you than for me. What kind of idea do you have? But please don't be discouraged if you do experience writer's block or other difficulties. Writing a novel is definitely different than writing an essay.

I think @Davidson23 is advertising an essay cheat website, OP, so I wouldn’t be overly concerned about his writer’s block.

Bozzonova · 07/02/2023 09:27

solarsystem87 · 23/12/2022 17:10

Thanks for the tip about the yearbook. Maybe after Christmas I'll get around to buying it and reading it.

Why is it so important to many publishers that manuscripts are submitted via agents? Because agents ensure that there is a certain minimum level of quality? I suppose the agents have to be paid, though, or given a share of the revenue per book sold?

Do you think it makes sense to enter writing contests to have a better chance of getting published?

When I submitted some of my short stories to a local writing contest I did it w/out any expectations. That said,I won the second price which was a weekend for two in Yorkshire! So yes, of course I´d recommend you to enter a contest.

How is the actual status quo of your book?

I believe that a respectable publisher may support you with any means. I don´t think that you´d need an agent for submission.

DarkNurseries · 07/02/2023 09:31

Bozzonova · 07/02/2023 09:27

When I submitted some of my short stories to a local writing contest I did it w/out any expectations. That said,I won the second price which was a weekend for two in Yorkshire! So yes, of course I´d recommend you to enter a contest.

How is the actual status quo of your book?

I believe that a respectable publisher may support you with any means. I don´t think that you´d need an agent for submission.

You absolutely need an agent to submit to virtually all reputable publishers. Only a few small indies occasionally open a submissions portal and will accept unagented manuscripts, but they will also be getting a regular stream of agented submissions that have passed the initial quality hurdle of having been accepted by an agent who feels strongly enough to take on an MS they feel they can sell and make money from.

solarsystem87 · 08/02/2023 15:54

MadamAndTheAnts · 06/02/2023 21:46

Coffee. Amphetamine. Cigarettes. Paper. Pen.

This sounds very much like authors as described in some books or movies. It has little to do with my reality. Except for coffee. I drink more than enough coffee.

OP posts:
solarsystem87 · 08/02/2023 15:57

Bozzonova · 07/02/2023 09:27

When I submitted some of my short stories to a local writing contest I did it w/out any expectations. That said,I won the second price which was a weekend for two in Yorkshire! So yes, of course I´d recommend you to enter a contest.

How is the actual status quo of your book?

I believe that a respectable publisher may support you with any means. I don´t think that you´d need an agent for submission.

Awesome that you even won a prize! Being able to make a name for yourself as an author is one thing. But to win a trip is another nice thing!

I'm currently still writing, but in the final stages. After that, I'm going to look around for friendly, competent beta readers and then include their feedback. Then I'll make a final decision on how to publish my first book.

OP posts:
solarsystem87 · 08/02/2023 16:02

DarkNurseries · 07/02/2023 09:31

You absolutely need an agent to submit to virtually all reputable publishers. Only a few small indies occasionally open a submissions portal and will accept unagented manuscripts, but they will also be getting a regular stream of agented submissions that have passed the initial quality hurdle of having been accepted by an agent who feels strongly enough to take on an MS they feel they can sell and make money from.

I think the question if you need an agent to get a contract with a publisher is not so easy to answer. As far as I have researched, the customs in this matter differ greatly from country to country. And probably also from publisher to publisher.

OP posts:
DarkNurseries · 08/02/2023 21:47

solarsystem87 · 08/02/2023 16:02

I think the question if you need an agent to get a contract with a publisher is not so easy to answer. As far as I have researched, the customs in this matter differ greatly from country to country. And probably also from publisher to publisher.

I can only speak of fiction publishing in the UK and Ireland, but I’m not sure what the relevance of other countries is, unless you’re planning to publish there? If you want to publish a novel traditionally, with a reputable publisher, in the UK or Ireland, you almost always need an agent, as most editors won’t read unagented MS.

Bozzonova · 15/02/2023 09:37

DarkNurseries · 07/02/2023 09:31

You absolutely need an agent to submit to virtually all reputable publishers. Only a few small indies occasionally open a submissions portal and will accept unagented manuscripts, but they will also be getting a regular stream of agented submissions that have passed the initial quality hurdle of having been accepted by an agent who feels strongly enough to take on an MS they feel they can sell and make money from.

Would you thus recommend hiring an agent? How do i find a reputable agent? ... what´s your take?

Bozzonova · 15/02/2023 09:41

solarsystem87 · 08/02/2023 15:57

Awesome that you even won a prize! Being able to make a name for yourself as an author is one thing. But to win a trip is another nice thing!

I'm currently still writing, but in the final stages. After that, I'm going to look around for friendly, competent beta readers and then include their feedback. Then I'll make a final decision on how to publish my first book.

Thank you :)
Sounds like a good idea. When you say beta readers, do you mean friends and aquaintances or someone professionally skilled?

CrackedLookingGlass · 15/02/2023 10:03

Bozzonova · 15/02/2023 09:37

Would you thus recommend hiring an agent? How do i find a reputable agent? ... what´s your take?

You don’t hire an agent. You pitch to potential agents (research agents who represent the genre you write and whose lists are open — agents will specify what they want to see in terms of cover letter, synopsis, chapters or page count), and hope someone likes your work enough to take it on. They may work with you on the MS, then approach editors on your behalf, and make their cut if and when they sell your book.

Make sure your MS is complete, revised and absolutely in the best possible state you can make it before you start sending out to agents. It’s a very competitive process. Agents get many thousands of MS a year.

Bozzonova · 15/02/2023 10:14

CrackedLookingGlass · 15/02/2023 10:03

You don’t hire an agent. You pitch to potential agents (research agents who represent the genre you write and whose lists are open — agents will specify what they want to see in terms of cover letter, synopsis, chapters or page count), and hope someone likes your work enough to take it on. They may work with you on the MS, then approach editors on your behalf, and make their cut if and when they sell your book.

Make sure your MS is complete, revised and absolutely in the best possible state you can make it before you start sending out to agents. It’s a very competitive process. Agents get many thousands of MS a year.

Thank you for this detailed response, I actually still need to work on my manuscripts. I will definitely have to prepare myself better for this extensive competition ...

solarsystem87 · 17/02/2023 15:41

As a beta reader, I try to recruit friends and family, as well as other amateur authors. Then I'll see how it goes.

How much do authors actually earn per book sold when they are published by a traditional publisher with the help of an agent? The publisher and agent also want to earn money with the book?

OP posts:
Bozzonova · 21/02/2023 17:38

Oh yes, I am entirely positive that the traditional way of publishing means that your share of each sold book will be marginal.
Which can be frustrating. I´d say it depends on the terms of the contract, but in fact I haven´t done enough research to see through this issue. I guess CrackedLookingGlass knows way better than I do.

That´s a great idea btw to involve amateur readers for proof reading.

solarsystem87 · 26/02/2023 15:42

How much you can earn or how much you have to pay, even in the case of selfpublishing, certainly varies from case to case. One can only advise to rely on established, reputable providers and to read the contract well before signing it.

I will focus on my book in the near future and thank you for all the tips and opinions that have been collected here!

OP posts:
morganwall · 04/05/2023 22:09

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MissBattleaxe · 05/05/2023 09:04

How much do authors actually earn per book sold when they are published by a traditional publisher with the help of an agent? The publisher and agent also want to earn money with the book?

I would say that no two authors are on the same money. With traditional publishers, they accept a book from an agent and agree to publish it. Depending on the forecast of sales, the author may get an advance which is earned back from the royalties. They might not even earn this back as it is usually a single figure percentage. For example: The book costs £8.99, the author gets 8% of the cover price. The agent gets around 15% commission on the author's earnings (including the advance) which is how they make their money.

If an author is established and has a good track record of sales, their advance will be bigger. For example, a newbie might get an advance of 10k, possibly in instalments, but Marian Keyes would get maybe six figures. These are just examples and supposition, I don't know the exact figures.

A non fiction author might not need an agent if they are regarded as well established in their field of knowledge. Non fiction proposals can often be sent direct to a publisher. For example, a Dr writing a book about women's health, or a chef writing a cook book.

Many writers have to have written a lot of books before they can give up the day job!

WhisperTree · 03/08/2023 17:20

solarsystem87 · 18/08/2022 18:04

I have been dreaming of writing my own first book for many years. Once upon a time I wrote a draft and the first two chapters, but then unfortunately I didn't have the time to continue my project.

I don't have much time now either, but I would love to read stories from a book I wrote to my child when he is older. That's why I've decided to continue writing my book.

The only thing is that I don't know how best to do it. I have free time now and then just for me, but not very much. I probably have to be very disciplined, but when I get myself together, I'm not very creative.

What are your experiences and opinions? What is the best way to go about it to have success with your endeavor?

"I have free time now and then just for me, but not very much. I probably have to be very disciplined, but when I get myself together, I'm not very creative."

This is it - the missing link, for you. Don't worry about being creative, just write. Whatever comes into your head.

Set aside 30 minutes every day to sit in a nice chair, with your paper and pen, and just write whatever comes to you.

Keep doing this daily until you feel your story emerging. Some people find it helps to do this first thing after waking, so the business of the day doesn't get in the way.

Good luck!

Nat6999 · 09/09/2023 23:28

I've started writing a story based around all the stories my dad told me about being a child during the war. He grew up round the corner from where I grew up, played in the same fields that me & my brother played & went to the same school as us. I mainly read WW2 romantic fiction & that is helping me to write the story. It's the technical stuff I'm struggling with, how I break my story into chapters, do I write the whole story & then break it down, or write individual chapters?