I really want to learn, how to write a book

[Platapus]

Originally Posted by mapuc

I was hoping for some advise or some link to pages where you can learn how to write

What are your expectations from such advise or link?

Writing is different from publishing which is different from someone wanting to read what you wrote.

Writing is easy. Writing something that someone else wants to read is harder. Writing something that someone else is willing to give you money is even harder.

One step is to read other published authors' work especially ones in the same plot areas as your book and break down their story structure.

Find a book that grabbed you at chapter 1 and find out why? What was it about what they wrote, or more importantly, how they wrote it (it is mostly the latter). Do this with some different authors as you don't just want to copy one author's style.

One trick to fiction writing is to "layer". Layering is a way to make sure your plot works and to identify continuity errors.

1. Write your entire story on one page. Obviously you can only hit on the main points, but try to include details at that high level.

2. Identify the major "scenes" of your story and write each scene on one page

3. Identify the major parts of each scene and write each part on one page. When you get to about 20-30 pages you have probably decomposed your story enough.

4. For your major characters (not just the hero) write a short (hey, how about one page for a change ) biography giving the background and outlining what each character will be doing during your story. This will help keep you on track with each character.

Now you have a pretty well detailed plot. As you start writing your story you can check things off so you remember to cover all the parts of your story (it is easy to lose track while you are writing), as well as help prevent the book-killing lapses of detail or continuity errors.

If, while you are writing the book, you decide to add something to the plot or to the biography of a character, stop writing and update your plot pages. Make sure that any change does not conflict with something either earlier in the book or later.

Writing a book is like a director making a movie. Directors don't make things up as they go, they work off of a script. They can modify the script, but they do so with care. Same as with a fiction author. Don't try to free-write (develop the story as you write). Most people can't. If you are one of the rare ones who can, you don't need any advice from a video game forum.

Your biggest challenge is to write dialogue. Dialogue in a book is nothing like dialogue in a movie or play. These are two different skill sets. I have started several fiction books in my life and dialogue was the one obstacle that always killed me. For inspiration, I would look at some of the romance books. Yeah, those trashy books you see on the supermarket shelve. Those extremely profitable, and prolific books that grab the reader and keep frustrated house-fraus not only glued to that book but eager to come back for more. These authors crank this books out by the dozens/hundreds. There is a formula that works. Learn that formula and find out if you can adapt it to your plot. Dialogue, in my opinion, is the hardest part about writing fiction. You can take a class and learn about the theory of creative writing or you can learn from the pros who make their living knocking out books that keep the customer coming back.

Good luck with it. Actually, writing the book, may be the easiest part about becoming an author if you have any desire to sell your work.

In the end, the author has to answer two very awkward questions:

Why would I read your book instead of the hundreds of other books being written?

What makes your book/plot/character different from the hundreds of other books being written?

And of course the most awkward question of them all:

Why would I pay you to read your story instead of paying to read someone elses story.

If you, as the author, can not defensibly and decisively answer these questions, no one else can. That's the cold harsh world of publishing.

My free advise, and worth every penny? Write the story you would like to read. Write it the way you would like to read it. Write it with the passion and interest that only a person deeply committed to the plot development can write it. Chances are that if you write a book you would like to read, someone else may like to read it also. If you can write a book that you would be willing to pay to read, all the better. But write to write. Don't write to sell.

Good luck with it. Writing is a wonderful hobby.

[vienna]

An acquaintance of mine also wanted to learn professional writing and joined a writer's group at a local library; this might be an avenue you could persue...


<O>

[Crécy]

Read, for example, King's book On Writing.

"If you want to be a writer," King says, "you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot."

Couldn't agree more. The only way to learn something is to practice constantly.

[mapuc]

A special thanks to Platapus for giving me so much information about and how to write a book that catch the readers attention so this person forget everything around him.

Even the rest of you shall have a thank you for give me advise.

I'm going to use Tom Clancy as an inspiring source

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