I want to write a book. What should I write about?

Question

I am just looking for some suggestions. I need direction. Thanks!

It's not that I don't have ideas, I have tons of ideas and I was hoping that I would find some answers that would be in-line with some of the topics I was considering. Funny, one of the ideas I had was a book about people who aren't helpful and take every oppotunity the have to be nasty, sardonic, and rude even if it means they have to go out of their way to do so. So, thanks to the first responder--I will consider that a vote in favor of the "What Make You A Pric--I Mean, Tick" category...

Answer 1

The best answer I can give to this, you may have heard before, but it is still very true. Write in a field about which you know something.

As an example, if you decided to write a spy novel but know nothing about surveillance, how a spy operates in the field, or how their control agents work, anyone reading the story (ie. an editor or publisher you wish to buy your story) may see these errors and inconsistancies and toss your story aside.

For similar reasons if you set your story in a certain location you have never visited, (a foreign city, perhaps) you need to research the place (the web is generally an excellant source of information...) for street names, favorite hang-outs for people of the same type/class as in your story, etc. If you don't have the experience do some research on the subject...

Since we are trying to write to sell, we need to write a story that flows well and has all the standard points of well-developed characters and plot. The best way to accomplish this is to know the subject about which you are writing.

Therefore, it is going to be from hard to impossible for one of the other writers on here to suggest a storyline or genre for you. We simply do not know what you are already capable of writing.

I might give it a go, if you could give us at least a small idea of some of your life experiences or interests. (but nothing too personal.) Let us say for the moment that you were quite young and lacked experience in a lot of fields, I might suggest writing a children's story for younger children. Your own childhood can be full of 'life experience' from which you can write. If you like mysteries, then toss around the idea of writing a story of similar genre to the "Hardy Boys" or "Nancy Drew" mysteries which were written for readers in the middle school years.

If you like animals you could write a story with an animal at the heart of it, like "My Friend Flicka", "Lassie Goes Home" or "Black Beauty".

I cannot actually suggest these as right for you, since I do not know your background, but hopefully you see where I am going with all this.

If you want to write, but do not know what to write, my best advise is to write in a field where you know all those little details that will be important to a good working (and saleable) plot.

Hope I have helped you arrive at an answer.

Answer 2

this is more of a scary story but it works. here it goes. Suppose a family is drving down a highway on a nice sunny day, then all of a sudden out of nowhere a thunder storm starts to take place. The family decides that they should get off the highway, the went on to a side road a drove on for a few miles. The rain still continued to poor down on the car. Then they come up to a run down hotel. The family decides to spend the night. during the night a scream was heard as if somone was screaming for their life. Then the power went out in the room and all was quiet. however when the lights turned back on, one of the children in the family was missing. They went to the man at the front desk, but he was not there. the door behind the desk was open so the parents decided to go through and they were astondend by what they saw. They saw what appeard to be a tourture chamber and they saw their sons dead cold dead body haging over a fire with a bunch of masked men chanting somthing that sounded like no language known to man...

I don't know that sounds good to me. You could say that it was a place were people did satanic rituals and that the hotel is huanted by the devil and that any mortal soul that walks in will never walk out, and that they will be doomed to burn in hell forever.

Answer 3

There is a teenager e-book referred to as "Go Ask Alice" and it is creator is quite simply referred to as "nameless". So I'd say sure. The so much popular instance. A sequence of Unfortunate parties. The creator writes below the final identify "Snicket"..(sorry I are not able to spell it) however his truly identify is some thing average, I are not able to don't forget which. But should you ever pay attention approximately "Snicket's illustration".... that is the creator. You can selected a pen identify, or discover out out of your writer if you'll obstain from including a reputation. Though, that could harm you eventually. A lot of the clicking a e-book recieves while it's released is through the creator. Interviews, e-book readings, signings, and so on. If you're nameless, your e-book might endure on account that you're no longer out their speakme it up.

Answer 4

No, you shouldn't skip writing. Nobody should ever skip writing. You should, however, learn how to develop your own ideas. And you will.

Don't start with a book. Start with brainstorming in a notebook. Journal ideas and thoughts. Then go through it and look for ideas and write some short stories. Write about what you know. Use observations of people around you to help you form fleshed out characters. Sooner or later, one of your stories will give you an idea for a longer work.

If you need to ask what to write about, you aren't ready for a novel. Short stories are great experience builders. They teach you writing skills, discipline as a writer, etc. And one day, just as you are about to fall asleep, an idea for a novel will pop into your head. Many writers keep notebooks and pens next to the lamp beside their beds just for those occasions.

If you look at my profile, you will see I have starred many great Q and A regarding publishing and writing. There are several Questions that are about what to do with short stories to get them published. Try for a couple published stories - build a name for yourself.

Nobody writes a novel without writing a lot of other things first. Just like you give a concert at Carnegie Hall the first time you play the violin. It takes practice and patience.

Good luck - Pax -C

Answer 5

I wish you to consider this recent "Globalization" with internet world as basic idea of your fiction (or any form of writing you would wish to develop). There are many incidents in young lives unfolding due to internet relationship....some are delightful...some are scary....some are helping both parties... some are becoming nuisance....and awesome too. But as there are bad aspects...there are good ones too...and it seems you do have solid sparks in your person as a writer (I say so after reading your "Additional detail"), just consider giving a serious thought on this internet theme for a starter.
Best Luck !!

Answer 6

Go out and talk to people. Or IM and chat with people on here. Get a feel for general concerns and challenges that people are likely to relate to.

Keep a dream diary. My dreams serve the best inspiration for me.

Answer 7

Daydream a story. If it holds your interest, start writing it down. You need to know who your main character is, what he wants, and what he's gonna get and what happens to him. Give him a sidekick. Give him something to protect or seek.
Have fun with it.

Answer 8

Write about something that you're interested in and that youa hve a lot of general knowledge about - using your own experiences is a good start.

Answer 9

If you are so devoid of imagination that you have to ask others to CREATE an idea for you, skip writing, kid, and go do something else because you would be WASTING your time! If you haven't a clue what to write about, how do you imagine you will be able to create characters, narrative, and dialog? Really, skip writing. Believe me, journaling and all that other garbage is just a waste of time. If you have no imagination, you have no BASIS for writing. You will never be a writer if you need to ask others to do the work for you.

Answer 10

Perhaps you can write about love or comedy. People usually like read them.