How do I start writing a book.. A little advice

[Hopman 46]

I'd go and pay a visit to the Writers' Group section on this site and start there.

[Mr Gobby 10]

First language Italian, My apologies!

 

Don't apologise,anyone who dares to ask for sensible advise on here are doomed. It's forum mentality.

[modeboutique 10]

Emmmm I can see this now... ah hahah

[Whoosh77 10]

Sounds as if you would have a good basis for a very interesting novel using aspects of your family history, ie, altering names and spicing up events etc. I can understand, however, that you might want to write your story factually (as much as you can) , in which case you would need to establish the correct details.

 

I'm not sure how I would start. Probably with myself with flashbacks to previous events involving your father and grandfather as you have come to hear about them.

 

I'd also try to improve my spelling advise should be advice and alies should be alias. Sorry about that, I'm a bit pedantic as far as spelling and grammar are concerned but if the book gets off the ground I could offer my services as a proof reader

[danot 10]

Cheeky... :-) I want to invite people into my world and share the experiences..

This book(if you were to write it)could help the authorities solve a few unsolved cases. You might be waking up one morning beside a horses head if you're not careful. Capiche!!

[modeboutique 10]

sounds as if you would have a good basis for a very interesting novel using aspects of your family history, ie, altering names and spicing up events etc. I can understand, however, that you might want to write your story factually (as much as you can) , in which case you would need to establish the correct details.

 

I'm not sure how i would start. Probably with myself with flashbacks to previous events involving your father and grandfather as you have come to hear about them.

 

I'd also try to improve my spelling advise should be advice and alies should be alias. Sorry about that, i'm a bit pedantic as far as spelling and grammar are concerned but if the book gets off the ground i could offer my services as a proof reader

 

first language italian... I am so sorry... :-)

[andyrad29 10]

I'd also try to improve my spelling advise should be advice and alies should be alias. Sorry about that, I'm a bit pedantic as far as spelling and grammar are concerned but if the book gets off the ground I could offer my services as a proof reader

 

I already pointed that out cheeky!

[Whoosh77 10]

first language italian... I am so sorry... :-)

 

Sorry about that, saw that your first language was Italian after posting. Looks like you're getting some good advice from forum members

[Whoosh77 10]

I already pointed that out cheeky!

 

Another pedant then

[gnvqsos 10]

Another pedant then

 

And learn to use capitals sparingly

 

First language Italian, My apologies!

 

and if you are an Italian why not write in the vernacular?I suspect you are one of the Dodworth brothers, a small band of ex-pats form Napoli.

[smithy266 21]

<<<<,but I sort of assume you need to get a load of money together to pay for the books.>>>> Nah, not true. As a printer, I have printed books in limited numbers, even a one-off. No problems.

[Ron Blanco 10]

hello modeboutique,

 

This sounds interesting.

 

I suppose people will go about this task in different ways. One place to start might be to write the first and last lines. You can then fill in the other 60,000 odd words later . I like the idea of starting and finishing with the woman's current situation, but using the diary as a device for going back into the young girl's shoes.

 

If your story is to be fiction, and not autobiographical as such, you might try fleshing out some characters and summarising some key moments in the plot, remembering all the time what your story is about, namely "a young girl in a world of lies and criminality" and how it has culminated in the present day. If your story is to be autobiographical then I imagine there are additional factors to consider regarding how real life characters are represented, and whether it might cause the gangsters to come and get ya

 

I've got two books that I'm working on. One is a children's story that I'm writing with my kids. We started that one by just brain-storming an adventure plot and discussing how the main character might overcome his foes. The other is, I suppose, a romantic comedy, which started life as a short story about a hapless man at speed dating event.

 

Hopefully you'll get some more advice from others here, but meanwhile feel free to post any more details or questions that you might have about your story.

Edited December 30, 2010 by Ron Blanco