Making an attempt to write a book.

[McClaud]

While I agree with ShadowPen, having written a few published things myself, I cannot stress that you need to have some sort of outline (hattip to Nibbles). It doesn't have to be detailed - but it should give you some idea where you want to be at the beginning, middle and end of your story. You fill out how you want to get there as you go, but the reality is that if you don't put some restrictions on your own writing, it will go on tangents and off-page.

Which isn't bad. Except then you have to backtrack and remove parts that don't contribute to the immediate story. Long isn't necessarily good. But don't throw it away - you can always appendix your own work and put more fluff about the world, characters, timelines, etc. in there for future novels.

Furthermore, I thought the Captain was fairly obvious in his quoting Family Guy. The OP thought it was funny, as well. Negative points to Emu for having a stick in the rear on that.

 

[Larenxis]

Write out character descriptions, and they will eventually intertwine and create your story for you. Says the person who hasn't written anything over 20 pages... But it is a great way to get started!

 

[Ballistic Bum]

-Make the setting(s) of the book a place you have been and/or lived
-Relate some characters to people you know or read about. Don't fully relate them, but take some aspects
-MAKE AN OUTLINE (every character, every plot change, settings, the ending, etc)
-Write a compelling opening paragraph. Most readers know if they'll continue reading a book based on its opening paragraph

 

[McClaud]

Write out character descriptions, and they will eventually intertwine and create your story for you. Says the person who hasn't written anything over 20 pages... But it is a great way to get started!

Character Goals are a great tool for direction, but I find that most writers say that their characters actually develop personality as the story is written. Knowing what they look like is one thing - trying to define them to the T at the beginning is pretty hard.

 

[Ballistic Bum]

And I also agree with what ShadowPen said. Write when you want to; you don't have to write every single day.

 

[Ballistic Bum]

Write out character descriptions, and they will eventually intertwine and create your story for you. Says the person who hasn't written anything over 20 pages... But it is a great way to get started!

Character Goals are a great tool for direction, but I find that most writers say that their characters actually develop personality as the story is written. Knowing what they look like is one thing - trying to define them to the T at the beginning is pretty hard.

Good writers constantly change things in their outline. That doesn't mean they have to go back and change the outline, but changes happen constantly when writing. An outline isn't a set-in-stone kind of thing.

 

[Shadowtek]

never let anyone tell you its nothing or not worth it. Self confidence is the key. Believe in yourself and it will show through your work. Other than that, Just come up with a story that YOU might want to hear and start going. Tell the story the way you think the other readers will understand it and you have yourself a good start. The res you will figure out for yourself, Im sure of it.

 

[McClaud]

Write out character descriptions, and they will eventually intertwine and create your story for you. Says the person who hasn't written anything over 20 pages... But it is a great way to get started!

Character Goals are a great tool for direction, but I find that most writers say that their characters actually develop personality as the story is written. Knowing what they look like is one thing - trying to define them to the T at the beginning is pretty hard.

Good writers constantly change things in their outline. That doesn't mean they have to go back and change the outline, but changes happen constantly when writing. An outline isn't a set-in-stone kind of thing.

I wasn't sure if you were responding to the right response of mine or not, but -

I wasn't suggesting that he sticks to his outline 100%. My part about "backtracking and taking stuff out" mostly has to do with the fact that editors will always send the manuscript back asking you to "trim" the story if you go on a tangent that doesn't stick to the main outline. All that fluff is great, and usually makes a great appendix of stuff a reader can read on the side if he/she feels like it. But as someone remarked, Eragon went all over the freaking map and that didn't exactly go too well with more mature readers.

I'll add - know your audience. If you are writing it for you, then chances are people like you will read it. But if you want to write to a particular group of people, check out what they like to read. You don't have to IMITATE it, but you don't want to alienate your audience either.

 

[ShadowPen]

Some more tips.

Try to regulate your characters. A lot of books I read now have way too many characters, most of which are pretty redundant. Know when to throw a character away (either by omitting them entirely, or simply never revisiting them within the story).

Another bit of character advice I can give is don't make them 'too real.' A lot of times, when people recall their favorite characters, they talk about how they can 'relate.' Too much relation, and the whole thing gets lost in the uncanny valley.

And my final (at least for now) piece of advice is don't take the advice of others (myself included) too seriously. These bits aren't meant to force you on a path to good writing. Do what you want, how you want to do it, and if you need to 'break a few rules' or ignore some advice, go for it.

If there were a formula for a 'good' book, we would have no variety, after all.

 

[Dody16]

When I was your age I was in the same boat. The problem I had was that, I could never be satisfied with what I wrote. It was the same story, and I have made multiple attempts to write it, and every time it got better but not good enough. Finally, although not finished, I'm satisfied enough right now to finish it (I'm only 1/3 done though).
for me, it's been 5 years since my first attempt, and besides the main story line, a lot of things have changed.

My advice would be, do what you can. Write your ideas. Even if you don't like it, save it in one shape or form so you can look at it later to compare and refer to. I say this because I have nothing left of my previous attempts, and if I could find them they would be very useful for me right now. Not to mention the fact that, it's easier to edit later rather than to make it perfect in one go.

Also, as some other people had wrote already, be consistent with your writing. Write at least a little bit every day (of course, taking a break can be important too.)

Edit: I read a little more carefully after posting and noticed some people said "write when you feel like it" as well. At this point, I would actually say it would depend on your personality. I'm the kind of person who can't stick with something for too long, I can get distracted easily. So, I have to admit I was a hypocrite when I said write every day, because I don't, but when I start writing I do write consistently until I get distracted. And in a way, I am writing when I feel like it. If you can though, you should write every day, especially if it's going to be long.

 

[McClaud]

Some more tips.

Try to regulate your characters. A lot of books I read now have way too many characters, most of which are pretty redundant. Know when to throw a character away (either by omitting them entirely, or simply never revisiting them within the story).

That's a good piece of advice right there.

In a gaming analogy - don't make your NPCs more important than your PCs or people will want to spend the entire adventure with the barkeep and not complete the quest.

 

[Ballistic Bum]

Some more tips.
If there were a formula for a 'good' book, we would have no variety, after all.

So true. Everyone has their own style.

 

[bazookabob]

Develop a rough plan or outline, they are immensely useful. And don't be afraid to change what you might write down upon the plan. Finally, practice makes perfect.

 

[Ballistic Bum]

Yeah, if I were you, I'd start with writing some short stories or fan-fictions (like suggested before).

 

[Bourne Endeavor]

I think that almost everyone on this site is writing a book, be it fan-fiction or otherwise.

Unfortunately, when I got writer's block I stopped writing and now the latest pages, which I wrote friggin' MONTHS ago, are sitting on my bookshelf waiting to be typed into the computer.

Writer's block is a *****. Although my ideas are usually pretty good. I just need a way to transfer those ideas onto paper.

I know the feeling mate, real life issues kept coming up and absolutely shattered my drive for the most part. I put it aside and that turned into a much longer hiatus than I had originally predicted; two years nearly to be precise. I am slowly attempting to regain the drive, albeit RL is starting to kick me down once again, I swear sometimes it feels like it just waits for that perfect moment.

 

[NewGeekPhilosopher]

I think that almost everyone on this site is writing a book, be it fan-fiction or otherwise.

Unfortunately, when I got writer's block I stopped writing and now the latest pages, which I wrote friggin' MONTHS ago, are sitting on my bookshelf waiting to be typed into the computer.

Writer's block is a *****. Although my ideas are usually pretty good. I just need a way to transfer those ideas onto paper.

I know the feeling mate, real life issues kept coming up and absolutely shattered my drive for the most part. I put it aside and that turned into a much longer hiatus than I had originally predicted; two years nearly to be precise. I am slowly attempting to regain the drive, albeit RL is starting to kick me down once again, I swear sometimes it feels like it just waits for that perfect moment.

I have a book at an editor's house waiting to be looked at. I also have another one which is I had to stop writing for a while, because it started to get painful. Why was it painful? Well, I based the heroine on a "girlfriend" who I used to "date" before I found out she was a hallucination entirely, and I could see her but really she was just a product of my head being messed up by a medication change. No joke. But out of pain comes great literature, if you're not too emo about it that is. My "issews" with hearing and seeing things that weren't really there for a brief period inspired me to write a book about the girl who I thought loved me but couldn't.

Writer's block can occur for various reasons, some of them emotionally painful. Find out why it is causing you pain, and you can write about it again. I know that woman done me wrong, but damn it, she's going to get a happy ending with somebody else who can be loved by her truly and utterly. I'm not being a troll here, I really did go through the wringer on this one. Please be sensitive about that if you want to reply to this comment.

 

[Thaepheux]

How you uh, how you comin' on that novel you're working on? Huh? Gotta a big, uh, big stack of papers there? Gotta, gotta nice litte story you're working on there? Your big novel you've been working on for 3 years? Huh? Gotta, gotta compelling protaganist? Yeah? Gotta obstacle for him to overcome? Huh? Gotta story brewing there? Working on, working on that for quite some time? Huh? (voice getting higher pitched) Yea, talking about that 3 years ago. Been working on that the whole time? Nice little narrative? Beginning, middle, and end? Some friends become enemies, some enemies become friends? At the end your main character is richer from the experience? Yeah? Yeah? (voice returns to normal) No, no, you deserve some time off.

I'm in tears! lol
You, sir.. picked your spot. Fkn hillarious!

Zahri, do your thing man. There's not much else I can suggest to you. I would just be repeating the other posters if I did.
Hope it all works out. Good luck.

 

[Zahri]

Keep this alive =3 and planning on starting tod\ay, officially

 

[Ballistic Bum]

If you don't mind me asking, what's the plot going to be?

 

[samsprinkle]

Your predicament sound Identical to mine. I also am fifteen and attempting to write a novel. I'll be spying on your intel for advice. But anywho for some advice I can offer...Don't try to make an action novella. It doesn't work. It looks hella tight in your mind as you write, but it always looks different when others read it...