Authors, Writers, Publishers, and Book Readers

Starting a new book...

I have a new book I'm working on. Thus far all I've done is write the highlights. The meat and potatoes. I have been revising my first book, so I haven't had mich time to work on the second book. Do you guys start from the beginning and work forward or like me run with the ideas then fill in the blanks...

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Permalink Reply by Anna L. Walls on September 10, 2011 at 2:10am

Good for you, Garry. Good luck with it.

Permalink Reply by Stacy Eaton on September 10, 2011 at 11:56am

lol.. do you hang upside down too Garry?

Garry Edward Lewis said:

I've just started volume two of my Father Patrick series, entitled: Father Patrick In Black Magick Woman." As my new series continues. Hoping it will be popular with the young adult crowd. Of course it will be available on Kindle as well. Best of luck to all of you talented people on your books! I like writing in the evenings or late at night. I'm like a bat I sleep during the day and I'm up at night. LOL

Permalink Reply by W.J. O'Neil on October 3, 2011 at 11:59pm

I was told once you can't fix a story if you don't finish a story. For me it was so true. I just run with the ideas and finish the story first. Then I go back to square one and begin the process of making it a worthwhile endeavor. If an idea slips in that fits somewhere I've already been I keep a log to write it down in so its not forgotten later on. On my website ( http://wjobooks.org ) there's a download link for free software to keep track of everything from plots to character descriptions if it helps.

Permalink Reply by Robert L. Allen on October 4, 2011 at 8:30am

Hi, W.J. I also have a page in word that I created to keep track of notes and ideas, thus, later in the story when I'm attempting to remember things, all I have to do is go into the notes of the book I'm working on. I even have a page with words I frequently misspell, therefore when I run into them I go to my notes and move on. I agree with the thinking to complete the story and then edit. But the book I'm working on now, I'm trying to edit as I finish each chapter. I want to be done when I am done...Happy to have you here. Hope to hear more about your work...

W.J. O'Neil said:

I was told once you can't fix a story if you don't finish a story. For me it was so true. I just run with the ideas and finish the story first. Then I go back to square one and begin the process of making it a worthwhile endeavor. If an idea slips in that fits somewhere I've already been I keep a log to write it down in so its not forgotten later on. On my website ( http://wjobooks.org ) there's a download link for free software to keep track of everything from plots to character descriptions if it helps.

Permalink Reply by Anna L. Walls on October 4, 2011 at 10:01am

Robert, I'd be interested to see if your strategy of editing by chapter works. Somehow I can't see a manuscript being done when the end of the story is reached. I'm willing to bet you're going to want to do another read-through just to make sure. haha I too try to make sure each chapter is error free as much as possible. I even have a list of my common mistakes, but I still will read through my ms before sending it off to the editor.

Permalink Reply by Robert L. Allen on October 5, 2011 at 7:31am

Well, the book I'm working on now is coming quite fast. One thing I did today is add a chapter between chapters, thus forcing me to go back and reread. But I'm hoping to edit along the way so that I don't have to go back. When I do return and read the entire book, I MAKE CHANGES. And that is not going to get the book out...

Permalink Reply by Anna L. Walls on October 6, 2011 at 11:35pm

I do much the same thing Becki. I generally get an idea for a scene, and then I have to wrap the book around it.

Permalink Reply by Anna L. Walls on October 7, 2011 at 3:08am

Such a journey could be interesting. Put yourself in her shoes. What would you do? What could you do? I'm sure, as a peasant, becoming a princess is little more than a dream, so things have to really fall into place fortuitously.

Permalink Reply by Robert L. Allen on October 7, 2011 at 8:27am

I just had that happen too. I'm into chapter seven but I had to go back to chapter one to delete one sentence and I'm still there a week later. However in deleting the sentence, I added a few more, what a surprise!!! Anyways, now I have added another chapter between chapters. Fun! Fun! Fun! I think...

Permalink Reply by Anna L. Walls on October 7, 2011 at 11:01am

Always - love that kind of journey.

Permalink Reply by Cleveland W. Gibson on October 25, 2011 at 11:55am

Robert L. Allen said:

I read somewhere to leave every chapter hanging so the readere moves forward.

What you read might have been one solution to 'writer's cramp' when all words etc dry up.The suggestion made involved leaving a sentence half finished, right in the middle of action.

A day or days later the writer completes the sentence . And so on and so forth. Again leaving a half finished sentence for the next time.

What works for you is fine. It is your choice after all.

Permalink Reply by Anna L. Walls on October 25, 2011 at 8:15pm

I write an idea at a time or a scene at a time. Sometimes I have to stop and think my way through said idea or scene. Leaving incomplete sentences at these times would drive me nuts. haha