I’m going to write a book

[RainSoakedNights]

I’ve always loved reading and writing. It’s always been a passion of mine. As embarrassing as it is, between the ages of 13 and 20 I had multiple wattpad and tumblr accounts that were pretty popular, with a ton of followers.

So I’m going to try and write a fantasy book. I’ve got a pretty solid idea, it’s just fluffing it out now.

Good luck!

Thank you! I don’t expect to get it published, but it’ll be a passion project!

Best of luck!

Good luck! I'm not a fantasy reader or writer but I understand they're really hard to pull together because of all the added complications of the unreal stuff! It's hard enough to write something based on real life!

Well, I’ve managed a chapter 😅

How do you do this? Do you start with a desired word count, and a full story in your head? Then break it down into beginning-middle-end, then break it down even more, beginning part 1, beginning part 2 and so on? Or something different? I’d love to write a book someday, but don’t know how you even start.

I’ve got a general idea of what I want to happen and the breakdown of the plot. Then I’m just writing what strikes me and cobbling it together

I’m incredibly impressed! Calling it a ‘passion project’ - less stress, more enjoyment? Will you try to get it published, or just keep it on your computer?

I can’t really see myself putting it forward for publishing, but who knows! For now it’s just a passion project. I’m having surgery next week and it’s not major, but requires two weeks off work - so it’s something to keep me busy!

Please keep us updated to how it’s all going!

Wasn't there a Mumsnetter here years ago who was writing a fantasy novel (or her husband maybe?) and it got published! There was possibly a sequel too???

I definitely will! If it goes well (as in, I actually manage to finish it), I have an idea to make it a trilogy 😅

Nice! Make the trilogy even if it doesn’t go well, don’t they say everyone has a novel inside them? All those ideas have to go somewhere so they don’t end up as regret when you’re older. I’m a fan of the saying that you don’t need to be good at something to find pure enjoyment out of it. And if you’re good, it might lead to publishing, money, etc!

Do you try to do a certain amount of time or words per week? Or does it happen in dries and drabs as you have spare time?

I’ve written 2039 words so far 😂 it’s just as and when. I plan to get cosy in bed tonight and write some more 🤣

Oh this is so exciting!

I’ve always found writing really helps calm my brain down, I don’t know why

Oh. I just googled and found this.

The average novel length falls between 70,000 and 100,000 words

Not so exciting 😆

2000+ down, 97,971 to go 🤣

Are you in some sort of supportive writers group? Or just doing it by yourself?

Just me, Taylor Swift and a dream 🤣

I’ve written the ending 🤣

I had the ending written to my book for years, it's quite normal!

Fantasy is often 100k minimum due to the world building that has to go on! I aimed for 70k with my novel, which sat at about 35k for years. It ended up 112k, and is now at 100k after edits. Mine is partially historical fiction so needed a little world building too.

Been writing a fantasy novel. Editing now, 5 years in. Want to publish but need to decide how. It will be a duology. 110k words. If you stick with it, it becomes addictive, until all you can think about is the book.

That’s really impressive! I’m less than 10k words from the end. I know whodunnit, howdunnit t, and whodunnit, but I still don’t know how it will end.

"I’m a fan of the saying that you don’t need to be good at something to find pure enjoyment out of it. "

Thanks so much! I've been an amateur artist for many years and I've always said "If a thing's worth doing, it's worth doing badly". I shall now try and transfer that philosophy to Sci-Fi fan fiction. (The reason I've started lurking around here.)

Good luck, OP