Anybody on here ever written a book?

[Smithster 10]

It's something I have always wanted to do, and I have finally found the motivation to actually begin writing. It is a novel which draws heavily on my own life experiences - write about what you know and all that. I don't want to go into detail about the content, but I was wondering if anybody had any tips they could offer me.

 

Thanks in advance.

[emogalelaine 10]

Read memoirs and look at their style..

 

I love memoirs of any kind, Augusten Borroughs is great IMO and I just finished a life story called 'a piece of cake' by cupcake brown which is good... Just wish I had more life experience to capitalise on for a good read!

 

I'm writing a crime book at the moment...should be finished in a couple of years with any luck! (And then have the task of getting it published...)

 

Best of luck!

[stimpy 10]

if you are going to do it based on your life dealings the only thing I can say is make the characters as unlike the origional people as possible.

 

My dads new wife wrote a book a few years back and it was clear who the people that were in it. This caused alot of pain within my family and even went to lawsuits etc....

 

apart from that... good luck!

[seriessix 10]

Augusten Borroughs is very funny. Great stuff.

 

And I agree, one of the best ways to learn to write is read.

 

There is a wrting forum on here by the way....maybe you'll get some more feedback over there:)

[Rivelin6 11]

All my friends say I should write a book about my life because it's been so eventful but noboby would believe that it all happened to me:hihi:

[carcrash 11]

There is a writers group on this forum and some talented people. I wrote a book a few years ago for a laugh and a bet and i really enjoyed the entire process, the book was crap but I proved myself wrong and i can write 70000 words

[JoeP 11]

Moved to Writer's Group!

[Rich 12]

Moved to Writer's Group!

 

Come on Joe, tell us all about the #1 best selling computer books you used to write.

 

I'm not being sarky here I'm inviting you to join in the discussion.

[Smithster 10]

Aaaah, I never even knew about the existence of this sub-forum. You learn something new every day.

 

Thanks to everybody for your replies so far. It seems research is the way to go with this. And Stimpy - very good point. One or two of the characters I have in mind are loosely based on people I have encountered in my life. But if the book were ever to be published, I'm 99% sure they a) would not remember me, b) would not realise that the character is based on them or c) even be the slightest bit interested in reading the book in the first place.

[Kaimani 10]

spent years writting. have a whole series now! but it was all meant 'for a laugh'. decided some time back to see what can come of it all. been working-between day job and night life- on the first one and have gotten some really good advice from people on the forum. easier, i think, taking critisism from your computer than from 'a face'. and giving it too i guess. give it a whirl. if nothing comes of it it still is deeply satisfying seeing your own work grow and knowing that someone out there sits down to read it. good stuff. looking foward to reading some of your work.

[Peacock Lady 10]

I've ghost-written a few non-fiction books (published by Mitchell Beazley, Penguin, and others), and I've written a couple of novels (under consideration at present). My best advice would be to read a lot of books, and then read a whole lot more.

 

Make sure your grammar, spelling, punctuation and editing skills are as good as you can get them.

 

And I thought that Stephen King's "On Writing" was very good for writing help--not exactly a how-to book, though.

[espadrille 10]

Ive started one, but as yet it is unfinished.