Apparently there's a famous quote that everyone has at least one good novel in them or something. I've always fancied writing one, but it seems like a major task. I can type really fast and have an above average grasp of the english langwidge  Has anyone here ever considered writing a full novel? Or actually has written one? I'd imagine it's a mightily impressive thing to have on your CV that's for sure. There's far too many 'chick books' out these days too - "My Diary of Bum and Shoes" etc, that all seem to have the same cover. Many women seem to have jumped on the bandwagon. |
Have you ever considered writing a novel?
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jaxon58 2,555 posts
Seen 2 days ago
Registered 18 years ago -
Rankin 2,931 posts
Seen 3 weeks ago
Registered 19 years agojaxon58 wrote:
lmao
"My Diary of Bum and Shoes"
My wife tells me that I should write a novel, but I don't know if I could :/ -
I feel like I have at least half a dozen novels in me, and probably the talent to write something at least half decent.
My major problem is this - time. Or complete lack of it. It'll have to wait 'til I retire. -
boo 13,901 posts
Seen 5 days ago
Registered 18 years agoI've started a couple over the years, but, as Blerk says, finding the time to do it properly (i.e. not a couple of pages here and there so by the time you've finished the style has changed 47 times), is a problem.
/might go back and have another go... -
mentat 5,613 posts
Seen 3 years ago
Registered 20 years agoRankin wrote:
I think you might have a copyright issue on your hands if you did
jaxon58 wrote:
lmao
"My Diary of Bum and Shoes"
My wife tells me that I should write a novel, but I don't know if I could :/
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pjmaybe 70,666 posts
Seen 12 years ago
Registered 20 years agojaxon58 wrote:
"My Diary of Bum and Shoes"
Brilliant, brilliant stuff. Mate you should write one - A spoo f Bridget Jones!
Am writing a novel at the moment. Uses the old Alternative Universe thang set in Victorian times. Sort of bizarre hybrid of "The Difference Engine" by Bruce Sterling (only not quite as waffly hopefully) and using a good old bit of whatever urban legends were kicking around at the time (Spring Heeled Jack, Jack the Ripper etc)
Could be quite chunky!
Have written one novelette before about a world-worn detective and his bizarre librarian sidekick but never quite worked out how to finish it.
Peej -
My rule of thumb is: if you have the talent to be a good writer, you will have written a lot, because you have to write, and you will probably have finished a lot of stuff, even if it hasn't been published. Most famous authors start very young.
So if you're 30 or older (or maybe even 20), and think you should write a book, but haven't actually written anything yet, chances are you're not an author, and never will be..gif)
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bef 1,766 posts
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Registered 18 years agoBlerk wrote:My major problem is this - time. Or complete lack of it. It'll have to wait 'til I retire.
excuses excuses excuses. -
bef 1,766 posts
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Registered 18 years agoUncleLou wrote:
My rule of thumb is: if you have the talent to be a good writer, you will have written a lot, because you have to write, and you will probably have finished a lot of stuff, even if it hasn't been published. Most famous authors start very young.
So if you're 30 or older (or maybe even 20), and think you should write a book, but haven't actually written anything yet, chances are you're not an author, and never will be.
Here in the Netherlands the average age of a literary debutant is around 35. -
Started again on my magnificent octopus a little while ago. Tried a few years back - got 20,000 words in (end of the first 'act')when i had a catastrophic crash and lost the damn lot. Bah.
Starting something then giving up isn't all bad apparently. Helps you find your style and gives you confidence. All good practice.
Those other budding authors - how much planning do you do in advance? I start with a concept, then think about the essential characters then I try and split the thing into three acts, place turning points and then flesh out from there. Start off by summarising first ten chapters (each two to three thousand words) and then create new ones so i always have direction for the chapters i'm writing (if that makes any sense). Occasionally I'll have a flash of inspiration and go and change whole chunks...
I found Story by Robert McKee invaluable (intended for screenplays but a lot applies to novels too) and Sol Stein's Solutions for Writers / Novelists.
As with boo and blerk time is a problem. Full time job, distance learning degree course and a long distance relationship do not leave many spare hours in the day..
Any other ideas or advice? -
Whizzo 44,810 posts
Seen 3 days ago
Registered 20 years agoI don't know if there's a novel in me but I know there's at least a couple of screenplays. Having the time to commit them to paper without interruption is the difficult bit. -
153 pages, 43,000 words, or about 2/3rd of the way through writing my one.
Here's the 'blurb' tried writing for it (back of the book thingie):
[code]When two thieves claim to know the location of the spell book of the greatest mage to have ever lived, Tanya, a young, but high ranking mage in one of the eight mage towers of Pith jumps at the chance of acquiring it.
The thieves unwittingly start a cascade of events that fulfills a prophecy of an ancient and secret organization.
The Covenant believe this ‘savior’ known only to them as the Fire Caller, will be a weapon against evil, given to them by their God in their hour of need when evil threatens to take the land.
But they are not the only ones who have been waiting.
[/code]
I should be writing it now (Curse this forum!)... It's not been proof read of edited, but those who have read it, say it is extremely good and must be finished.
(Anyone want to read some of it)? -
jaxon58 2,555 posts
Seen 2 days ago
Registered 18 years agoMassive respect to all you guys who are writing or have written.
I doth my cap in your general direction. -
Bill Door wrote:
I started a book a few years ago, it was called "The megagalatic hippies and the quest for the cosmic flares." It was shit and I ran out of steam but I was only 11
Then when I got to university I started writing a sitcom. That didn't particularly go anywhere but about 2 years ago I started to try and turn it into a book.
Now (after DIY and getting married) I have a bit more time I've come back to it. Am getting through about 500-600 words a day. I'm up to 30,000 words atm, aiming for 100,000 before I start editing/revising it.
TardKommander and others can see the first few pages here
I've already read that Bill (Alex)... How you getting on with it? -
marilena 8,238 posts
Seen 1 day ago
Registered 18 years agoLou is partially right, in the sense that you need to write some bad stuff in order to improve and hopefully become good at it. If you haven't finished anything yet, there's a good chance you won't have a succesfull novel any time soon. But that doesn't mean you never will. I can't remember any spectacular late debut at the moment, but I'm sure there have been some.
Me, I have a lot of ideas and started on a lot if things, but never finished anything. There are times when I think that all my ideas are crap and that my writing skills will never reach a satisfying level, and there are times when I'm foolishly optimistic.
For every succesful writer there are probably hundreds of failed ones, but who knows, one day the lucky one might be you.
Edited by marilena at 09:30:57 02-03-2005 -
tiddles 3,555 posts
Seen 4 years ago
Registered 20 years agoIn the immortal words of Peter Cook:
Man A: "I'm writing a novel."
Man B: "Neither am I." -
RubyRed 4,303 posts
Seen 4 weeks ago
Registered 18 years agoThere was one that I started a few years ago, but I realised it had no direction, so I gave up. Plus it was shite. I do have another one that I have ideas for, but I'll probably never get round to it and someone will nick my idea. I know it'll be crap though, plus it'd never get published because you have to pay loads of money for a literary agent to check it over and, the way my luck is going, it'll be rejected. So, no point really. -
"There's far too many 'chick books' out these days too - "My Diary of Bum and Shoes" etc, that all seem to have the same cover. Many women seem to have jumped on the bandwagon."
LOL! Wheres the new sci fi 'n' that? I've got a novel bubbling away that I have been 'working-on' for a while about the disparities of space/time compression and its effects on the deep space explorer, but I'll probably never get round to it.
I know what you mean about modern books. On the train, there are normally women reading books like 'My Complicated Shoe Shopping Disaster' or the lates spiffing detective novel written by someone unheard of, but who happens to be the 'greatest writer ever' and such and blokes reading things like 'Titanic battle of the King of Kings' or 'clever' comedy. Y'know....the sort of books that may look fashionable on the coffee table.
I'm thinking of taking a porn mag on the train tomorrow and reading that, just to see if anyone reacts! -
What's important is that you enjoy the writing. I always enjoyed playing football - the fact that i knew i was never going to play for england didn't mean it was a waste of time.
The odds of any one of us having anything published are small. But that doesn't mean it's impossible.
For inspiration see Lee Child. Lost his job in his thirties so decided to write a book (Killing Floor). The book was the first thing he'd written longer than a memo. Occasionally (very occasionally) it works first time. John Connolly had a hell of a time writing Every Dead Thing (five years i think) but it got picked up in the end.
As a side note.. my current project has a character named otto in it. Wouldn't like to say where the inspiration came from
) Now, can i shoe-horn an old misery named blerk and a young man with a colourful personal life called peej in? Hmm... -
Fozzie_bear wrote:
What's important is that you enjoy the writing. I always enjoyed playing football - the fact that i knew i was never going to play for england didn't mean it was a waste of time.
How uttery, UTTERLY true... You have to enjoy writing it.
Now that I've written out a plot (chapter by chapter) it's a lot easier to finish it (I know know precicely how it will end - Yay!) which it nice...
It's shaking off these damn forums and using my time at work to write my book is the problem!
Oh and if it doesn't get published, I'll just do it myself and place it on amazon and 'electronic book' sites... Not exactly hard to do... Just need to register a bar code really... -
Oh and if it doesn't get published, I'll just do it myself and place it on amazon and 'electronic book' sites... Not exactly hard to do... Just need to register a bar code really...
Oh? How's that work, then? -
boo 13,901 posts
Seen 5 days ago
Registered 18 years agoThe Diary of Bridget Jpwnz
Fri, 8pm
Alcohol - not enough
Calories - ongoing
Disaster! I've been sacked from Higgins, Miggins, Wiggins & Throck! One of them (never did learn which one was which), called me into their office this afternoon and just said that I was being 'released to fulfil my destiny elsewhere'.
B*$&%$ds! I bet it was because I wouldn't sleep with him. I'm sure that's what he was after last week. All that 'can you type this up by 5pm' was just a chat up line - he really wanted to get in my knickers.
Well I'm better off out of there.
Sat, 9pm
Alcohol - hair of the dog
Calories - nobody saw me eat it so it doesn't count
Ooooh dear. I feel... unwell. That 11th Bacardi breezer may not have been the best idea. Am going to bed.
Sun, 10.30pm
Alcohol - just the one
Calories - a few. Will go to the gym
Damn. No longer have company gym membership. Will have to walk to work.
Damn. No longer have job.
Mon, 11pm
Alcohol - just a couple of white wine spritzers for me, thanks
Calories - a girl's got to eat!
Mondays off. Could get used to this.
Jo came over and told me I must get another job. Remember. JOBS = SHOES!
Have looked through local paper. All jobs too far away apart from one. Advert for job in Gamezshack. It's
just selling things to spotty boyz, and besides, it's right between Dotty Perks and Monsoon.
I shall apply. Bridget is back!
Tue, 10pm
Alcohol - the only thing in the cupboard was peach schnapps from that ski trip. Needs must and all that...
Calories - Mars Bars for moral support
Went to WH Smith and bought some videogame magazines. Must do some backgound reading before interview.
Apparently there are three main game thingies. The playstation is rubbish but everybody has one. The gamecube is brilliant but nobody has one. The Xbox is good but nobody can carry one.
Boys who play games like: semi-naked women, guns, cars, semi-naked and physically implausible women, swords, elves and semi-naked women.
Note to self: wear low-cut top for interview tomorrow.
Wed, 9pm
Alcohol - wine gums
Calories - Chinese takeaway. Chinese people are all thin, right?
I think interview went well. Good idea to wear low cut top and short skirt. Not sure whether I answered all the questions right, but he didn't seem to be listening anyway.
Saw pair of killer kitten heels on way home. I MUST get this job.
To be continued...?
Edited by boo at 10:00:09 02-03-2005 -
sephy 4,036 posts
Registered 18 years agoI could never write a novel. I have enough of a job with forum posts and livejournal entries 
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sam_spade 15,745 posts
Seen 5 hours ago
Registered 20 years agoI don't think you do have to enjoy the writing part of it. I've spoken to two published authors (one wrote sherlock holmes the other did sci-fi fantasy) and they both said that the actual writing was the worst part of the job, sometimes it's just a chore that you have to go through.
For budding writers, who fancy a big challenge you should check out the Nanowrimo project. -
boo, that sounds like the REAL Bridget Jones. -
Blerk wrote:
Oh and if it doesn't get published, I'll just do it myself and place it on amazon and 'electronic book' sites... Not exactly hard to do... Just need to register a bar code really...
Oh? How's that work, then?
By reading this (Although it's a TINY bit more complicated than what I said).
So... Who among us can design a cover for a book. Any artwork must be 'public domain' or whatever...
. o O ( Actually, I know photographers!)
Edited by Djini at 10:04:13 02-03-2005 -
I've spoken to two published authors (one wrote sherlock holmes the other did sci-fi fantasy)
You spoke to Arthur Conan Doyle? -
sam_spade 15,745 posts
Seen 5 hours ago
Registered 20 years agoI tell ya! Those seances really work. .gif)
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boo wrote:
The Diary of Bridget Jpwnz
Fri, 8pm
Alcohol - not enough
Calories - ongoing
Disaster! I've been sacked from Higgins, Miggins, Wiggins & Throck! One of them (never did learn which one was which), called me into their office this afternoon and just said that I was being 'released to fulfil my destiny elsewhere'.
B*$&%$ds! I bet it was because I wouldn't sleep with him. I'm sure that's what he was after last week. All that 'can you type this up by 5pm' was just a chat up line - he really wanted to get in my knickers.
Well I'm better off out of there.
Sat, 9pm
Alcohol - hair of the dog
Calories - nobody saw me eat it so it doesn't count
Ooooh dear. I feel... unwell. That 11th Bacardi breezer may not have been the best idea. Am going to bed.
Sun, 10.30pm
Alcohol - just the one
Calories - a few. Will go to the gym
Damn. No longer have company gym membership. Will have to walk to work.
Damn. No longer have job.
Mon, 11pm
Alcohol - just a couple of white wine spritzers for me, thanks
Calories - a girl's got to eat!
Mondays off. Could get used to this.
Jo came over and told me I must get another job. Remember. JOBS = SHOES!
Have looked through local paper. All jobs too far away apart from one. Advert for job in Gamezshack. It's
just selling things to spotty boyz, and besides, it's right between Dotty Perks and Monsoon.
I shall apply. Bridget is back!
Tue, 10pm
Alcohol - the only thing in the cupboard was peach schnapps from that ski trip. Needs must and all that...
Calories - Mars Bars for moral support
Went to WH Smith and bought some videogame magazines. Must do some backgound reading before interview.
Apparently there are three main game thingies. The playstation is rubbish but everybody has one. The gamecube is brilliant but nobody has one. The Xbox is good but nobody can carry one.
Boys who play games like: semi-naked women, guns, cars, semi-naked and physically implausible women, swords, elves and semi-naked women.
Note to self: wear low-cut top for interview tomorrow.
Wed, 9pm
Alcohol - wine gums
Calories - Chinese takeaway. Chinese people are all thin, right?
I think interview went well. Good idea to wear low cut top and short skirt. Not sure whether I answered all the questions right, but he didn't seem to be listening anyway.
Saw pair of killer kitten heels on way home. I MUST get this job.
To be continued...?
Edited by boo at 10:00:09 02-03-2005
After reading that, I think you are..." One of the greatest emerging literal talents of the 21st Century!" -
boo's effort is very good, not sure you needed to quote it all though!
.gif)
) Now, can i shoe-horn an old misery named blerk and a young man with a colourful personal life called peej in? Hmm... 
.gif)
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