Writing My First Novel. Advice?
I'm finally striving to write my first novel, and I'd love advice such as: -How many days/week should I work on it? -How many hours/week should I work on it? -How many pages/chapter on average should there be? -How do I keep my motivation up? And any other advice you can give! Mind you, I am only a Freshman, but I've had multiple people tell me they feel like I write like an author in everything I do. My teachers have told me throughout my entire life that I'm the best writer in the grade and they'd love to help me get published. I'm not trying to sound vain at all, but rather giving you background. Thank you so much for your advice!
I need advice on the novel I am writing. I am having so many thoughts and problems.?
Ok, so I had started a book a while back, and the nine pages I have are doing pretty good. My promblem(s) are is that when I re-read some of it, I think, "What were you thinking?". When I write it over, it has good flow, not cheesey, but then all those thoughts come flooding back again later on. I also don't want to copy anything, I am wrighting my book on the supernatural meets Tom Clancy's goverment-secret agents type, vetala, croacotta, demons, the whole shebang. I really don't want it to be another Twilight or Vampire Diaries , boy meets girl but another boy likes girl, I love both of them but I want mine to be unique. There is more to both of them, but there is always a love triangle. So, I do not want to end up in court and tell them I had no idea that a love triangle of the good boy and bad boy was not my idea. I need some feedback on this, if any of you understand what is happening to me that would be amazing!
I’m writing a book and need some advice. Two of my characters are like boyfriends/girlfriends but they are not actually dating. I want them to get in a fight but I’m not sure what about. What could they fight about?
One could fight with another because one of them heard insensitive comments about something/someone coming from also one of them. Or one of them can make a joke with a delicate part of one’s past and they fight about it because that was no reason for them to joke about.One could also show a side that was never shown before; pretend as if the mask had fallen down. Or they’re in love with the same person… I’m out of productive ideas.
What is your advice on writing a book as a beginner?
I’m assuming you mean fiction?In any case, the thing you need to do if you want to be a writer is… write. Lots. Every day. Also read, not only the genres you are writing in, but ones you’re not. You’ll learn a lot of the craft by seeing how others approach it.Don’t expect to write deathless prose the first time. You wouldn’t expect to be able to play a Bach Keyboard Sonata the first time you sit down to the piano; the same is true here. Don’t get discouraged if what you’re writing isn’t great at first — that’s true of all of us. Just keep writing, keep reading, you will get better.Another important thing is getting feedback. Join a critique group. It’ll require developing a thick skin — I guarantee you’ll hear things about your writing you won’t like. (Again, this happens to all of us.) Importantly: if you get a criticism, don’t react defensively. When my first published novel was in the editing stage, my editor suggested a major change to the way the plot played out — one that would require significant rewriting of the last 20% of the book. After my initial freakout (“I can’t do that, the way I wrote it is the way the story happened!”) I took a deep breath and thought it through…… and he was right. It took some work, but his suggestion was spot-on, and it’s a much stronger book than it would have been if I stood my ground.However — don’t let someone try to change your voice. I’ve worked with three editors so far at the publishing company I’m contracted with, and all of them have said the same thing: a good editor isn’t trying to rewrite the book in his/her voice, but trying to make sure that your voice is as clear as possible.Hope this is helpful. I’ve been a writer in some form or another for 40 years, and a published author for five, and it’s tremendous work — but also tremendous fun. Good luck.
Im having a hard time writing my book, i need some advice?
My advice to you would be to just get your first draft on paper, let it be what it will be, consider your first draft a piece of molding clay for you to shape however you want. I had a similar problem with a book that I'm working on, I managed to keep the love story element a sort of after thought for a good 100-150 pages, but as soon as I started connecting the bits and having the characters realize their feelings it took over. I'm still working on it, just as I was, once the fact that these people love each other desperately has been established I find it's not as much of a dominating aspect. Because I don't like to plot or outline with too much detail at all I often find myself at parts where something happens but in order for it to sound logical I have to introduce the idea earlier, so I've been keeping notes on these things (there's a couple of them so far) and I intend to establish them during the parts where the love story plot is heavy, to try to delude it a bit, when I'm working on my second draft. If you spend too much time fretting about details you'll lose both the momentum of the story and your love for it. So just keep going, there's always time to edit and change, and you never know it might work out to something great that you must keep and would have lost if you tried to work around it. Or it will be too much come the end and you'll have to edit most of it out. Either way, it's nothing you need to worry about now. Hope this helped! Best of luck!
Career Advice - Technical Writing?
Okay so I have just recently graduated from high school and I need to start working towards a degree. I've realized that I would love nothing more than to write for a living, but there is no money to be made in it. So I want to do technical writing in order to support myself. Well I don't know where to go from here. I would like to eventually get degrees in English so I can fall back on teaching as an old coot, but at the same time I know that I need to have technical knowledge in order to do technical writing. The community college that I can afford doesn't offer English as a major but does offer degrees/certifications in computer programming/system networking, as well as a certificate in tech. writing. So here is the question for you tech writers, or anyone who may have advice: I know that I need the technical writing certification, but should I take the time to get a degree in computer information systems? Or should I just get a certification and move onto a real college to star on my BA in English? Any additional advice on Tech. writing or my over ambitiousness would also be appreciated. Thank You.
Writing an outline for my research paper need advice please?
I suggest you arrange your paper somewhat chronologically. I also suggest that students write their outline in the form of questions - this helps many students focus their research. Your outline might look something like this: I. What is Alzheimer's disease? A. What is the definition? B. What are the symptoms? C. Who does it affect? (insert statistics, past and present) II. How has Alzheimer's been studied and treated in the past? A. Each of your letters chould represent a time period, a researcher, or a treatment approach... and I suggest you order them chronologically. I don't know the specifics, but entries could look something like these: B. What were approaches prior to 1900? C. What did we learn from Dr. Smith's research? D. How did Alzheimer's institutions develop? E. How successful was (name) medication used in the 1960's? etc. III What new options are developing for Alzheimer's patients? A. B12 shots 1. What is the potential? 2. What are criticisms? B. Insert another new theory or approach here 1. What is the potential? 2. What are criticisms? C. Etc. IV. Conclusion Obviously, you'll need to modify this significantly to make it fit your research, but hopefully this can get you started.
What is the best advice you received when you started writing your first fiction book?
“Commit trilogy.”That was what C.J. Cherryh told me when she read what I fondly thought was my first book. She pointed out I had more than enough story there to write three books.