I have a great idea for a book, how do I find out how to write it and how to get it published?

Question

I don't want to be ripped off! It is something I have always wanted to do and suspect it will take quite a while. I am just wondering what I need to be aware of.
My major problem is I don't know how to start writing it! I have tried to plan it but still don't know how to actually start. Any helpful suggestions would be greatly accepted.

Thanks for any help you can give.
Dickie

Answer 1

First of all, you cannot copyright an idea. So, for example, the guys who wrote "Holy Blood, Holy Grail" failed in their attempt to sue Dan Brown just because he stole their idea. So the "idea" for a book cannot be protected.

You want to start writing? Then stop thinking about starting writing and start writing. As a top tip, unlike the full time writer/playwright above, I'd encourage you to make sure you can spell properly and punctuate properly. If and when you delivr a manuscript to an agent or a publisher, it's going to hit the bin after the first page if it's just incompetently written.

Secondly, begin at the beginning or, more sensibly and effectively, as close to the end as you possibly can.

Thirdly, write like you talk. Tell your story as if you were sitting down with the family at the end of the day and saying: "Hey, you'll never believe what happened to me today. Well...''

Fourth. You can spend thousands on a Masters course and learn to write just like the guy running the course. Charles Dickens, Jospeh Conrad and Graham Greene never did such a course, probably couldn't qualify for such a course but they did publish some of the greatest literature in history - which is more than your course professor could say.

Fifth. You can ignore 4 and just listen to what Elmore Leonard has to say. He will save you thousands and tell you more in a few paragraphs than a Masters in Creative Writing ever could.
This from the master.


These are rules I’ve picked up along the way to help me remain invisible when I’m writing a book, to help me show rather than tell what’s taking place in the story. If you have a facility for language and imagery and the sound of your voice pleases you, invisibility is not what you are after, and you can skip the rules. Still, you might look them over.

1. Never open a book with weather. If it’s only to create atmosphere, and not a character’s reaction to the weather, you don’t want to go on too long. The reader is apt to leaf ahead looking for people. There are exceptions. If you happen to be Barry Lopez, who has more ways to describe ice and snow than an Eskimo, you can do all the weather reporting you want.

2. Avoid prologues.

They can be annoying, especially a prologue following an introduction that comes after a foreword. But these are ordinarily found in nonfiction. A prologue in a novel is backstory, and you can drop it in anywhere you want.

There is a prologue in John Steinbeck’s “Sweet Thursday,” but it’s O.K. because a character in the book makes the point of what my rules are all about. He says: “I like a lot of talk in a book and I don’t like to have nobody tell me what the guy that’s talking looks like. I want to figure out what he looks like from the way he talks. . . . figure out what the guy’s thinking from what he says. I like some description but not too much of that. . . . Sometimes I want a book to break loose with a bunch of hooptedoodle. . . . Spin up some pretty words maybe or sing a little song with language. That’s nice. But I wish it was set aside so I don’t have to read it. I don’t want hooptedoodle to get mixed up with the story.”

3. Never use a verb other than “said” to carry dialogue.

The line of dialogue belongs to the character; the verb is the writer sticking his nose in. But said is far less intrusive than grumbled, gasped, cautioned, lied. I once noticed Mary McCarthy ending a line of dialogue with “she asseverated,” and had to stop reading to get the dictionary.

4. Never use an adverb to modify the verb “said” . . .

. . . he admonished gravely. To use an adverb this way (or almost any way) is a mortal sin. The writer is now exposing himself in earnest, using a word that distracts and can interrupt the rhythm of the exchange. I have a character in one of my books tell how she used to write historical romances “full of rape and adverbs.”

5. Keep your exclamation points under control.

You are allowed no more than two or three per 100,000 words of prose. If you have the knack of playing with exclaimers the way Tom Wolfe does, you can throw them in by the handful.

6. Never use the words “suddenly” or “all hell broke loose.”

This rule doesn’t require an explanation. I have noticed that writers who use “suddenly” tend to exercise less control in the application of exclamation points.

7. Use regional dialect, patois, sparingly.

Once you start spelling words in dialogue phonetically and loading the page with apostrophes, you won’t be able to stop. Notice the way Annie Proulx captures the flavor of Wyoming voices in her book of short stories “Close Range.”

8. Avoid detailed descriptions of characters.

Which Steinbeck covered. In Ernest Hemingway’s “Hills Like White Elephants” what do the “American and the girl with him” look like? “She had taken off her hat and put it on the table.” That’s the only reference to a physical description in the story, and yet we see the couple and know them by their tones of voice, with not one adverb in sight.

9. Don’t go into great detail describing places and things.

Unless you’re Margaret Atwood and can paint scenes with language or write landscapes in the style of Jim Harrison. But even if you’re good at it, you don’t want descriptions that bring the action, the flow of the story, to a standstill.

And finally:

10. Try to leave out the part that readers tend to skip.

A rule that came to mind in 1983. Think of what you skip reading a novel: thick paragraphs of prose you can see have too many words in them. What the writer is doing, he’s writing, perpetrating hooptedoodle, perhaps taking another shot at the weather, or has gone into the character’s head, and the reader either knows what the guy’s thinking or doesn’t care. I’ll bet you don’t skip dialogue.

My most important rule is one that sums up the 10.

If it sounds like writing, I rewrite it.

Or, if proper usage gets in the way, it may have to go. I can’t allow what we learned in English composition to disrupt the sound and rhythm of the narrative. It’s my attempt to remain invisible, not distract the reader from the story with obvious writing. (Joseph Conrad said something about words getting in the way of what you want to say.)

If I write in scenes and always from the point of view of a particular character—the one whose view best brings the scene to life—I’m able to concentrate on the voices of the characters telling you who they are and how they feel about what they see and what’s going on, and I’m nowhere in sight.

What Steinbeck did in “Sweet Thursday” was title his chapters as an indication, though obscure, of what they cover. “Whom the Gods Love They Drive Nuts” is one, “Lousy Wednesday” another. The third chapter is titled “Hooptedoodle 1” and the 38th chapter “Hooptedoodle 2” as warnings to the reader, as if Steinbeck is saying: “Here’s where you’ll see me taking flights of fancy with my writing, and it won’t get in the way of the story. Skip them if you want.”

“Sweet Thursday” came out in 1954, when I was just beginning to be published,and I’ve never forgotten that prologue.

Did I read the hooptedoodle chapters? Every word.

Answer 2

I myself am a playwrighht working in London, i think the fundamental element of writing in any form is the WRITING or more importantly the RE WRITING, dont get to bogged down with structure and planning simply have a go, let you're imagination run away with itself, sometimes something might happen in the writing of a book or play that will turn the so called 'plan' to ash, no publisher will give an uknown writer the time of day on simply and idea, you need to have something down on paper and even then you would have to send that in advance THEY will decide if they wish to see you after this point, so have a go at writing it off the cuff with a small idea of what's going on implanted in the BACK of you're mind. One of the major playwrights in London at the moment, Richard Bean gave me a peice of advice recently and that was this "A good play is about a character wanting something and by the end of it you as the writer have to decide whether that character gets what they want or not" not patronising you atall, hope i was of some help, NEVER STOP WRITING, even when people tell you that you should, i was told that and i'm a full time writer now!!

Answer 3

If you haven't read them yet, check out these books for help in your writing:

1) "On Writing Well" by William Zinsser-- This is an excellent reference for any kind of writing. It will make your emails, essays, stories, and other writing clearer. I recommend this to everyone who wants to improve their writing skills.

2) "Bird By Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life" by Anne Lamott-- This is slightly more geared towards fiction writing, but can be helpful when you are attacking ANY large project in your life. Definitely a must for creative writers, students, or people who are looking for an entertaining book on writing.

3) "Writing Down the Bones" by Natalie Goldberg. You didn't mention if you want to improve your writing for school, work, or if you are a creative writer. This definitely targets creative writing, and focuses on the practice of writing. I write a lot of poetry and am working on a novel, and this is incredibly motivational to me.

You can start writing anywhere you like! Is there a scene you imagine in your head? Do you know what the beginning is like? Just sit down and write. Don't censor yourself and don't worry about the prose being perfect the first time. Every author has to edit.

I really wouldn't worry about publishers right now. Get the book down on paper first. When that is done and you have edited it a few times, take a look at the book "Guide to Literary Agents" (yes, you DO need an agent). Then, use the website Preditors and Editors to help you avoid scams:
http://www.anotherealm.com/prededitors/

Happy writing!

Answer 4

There is tons of ways to write and you just have to sit down and start. You will find the way that works for you. Some people have to schedule a time every day for writing, some write when an idea hits them. Some do outlines, some don't. Most have a rough draft and work from that. I don't.

Here is a site with some tips.

http://www.writersdigest.com/articles/tips/blocksom_tips_new_writers.asp?secondarycategory=Fiction+Subhome+Page

http://www.ericajong.com/tipswriters.htm

http://www.uswebpros.com/?Top_Ten_Tips_For_New_Writers&a=1179

Just a few sites that have good tips. You can also subscribe to such magazines as Writer's Digest for interesting helpful articles. As for finding a publisher, you can also look online. Another really excellent resource is the 2006 WRITER'S MARKET® put out each year. You don't have to buy it, most public libraries will carry it. It is really helpful. Hope that helps. Good luck and Good writing!

Answer 5

I'm in the middle of writing my fourth book in a series. How I started was just to sit when i felt the urge and started to write, i literally improvised most of my first book and from that i had a good background to work from involving back stories and different avenues to explore.

The best way to find a reputable publisher is to buy the Writers and Artists Yearbook. This lists just about everything you could ever want to know about being published and has many publishers in there and their chosen genres so you at least don't waste your time trying to pedal your story to people who print, say, cook books!

Good luck and get writing, then get looking for a publisher!

Answer 6

I've never wirtten a book, but from writing my thesis the best advice i can give is to just start writing. It doesn't matter if it isn't very good, you can go back and edit it as you develop the story more. Getting stuff down on paper helps to focus your thoughts and gives the work some shape. In my experience drawing up plans doesn't take you very far and the final article will often not follow your plan at all.

Answer 7

just to make it easier to be attentive to, writing a e book entirely for funds is an extremely undesirable thought. not basically is it very complicated to be revealed, yet maximum authors do not make virtually adequate to stay off of writing on my own, even in spite of the indisputable fact that splitting the sales with yet another guy or woman. greater suitable than possibly, you will not even get revealed and not something will come of it. Addendum: I wasn't attacking you. i grow to be informing you of reality. you may not write with the expectancy which you are going to be revealed and you gets rich off of it. the generic public of comments written finally end up making *not something* for the author.

Answer 8

Go to a creative writting class and this will help you with method and technique.
You should finish the book before you even consider geting it published - this will be months off and you should just concentrate on writting it first.

Answer 9

Oh Gosh, for another time I must explain it to you guys...
You better sell this idea to some talented people. Maybe they will not destroy it as a poor writer could...

Answer 10

you want me to do all the work for u?