Ask HN: I want to write a Sci-fi book. Where do I start?
I have an idea - but do no have any writing experience or confidence to do so. I'm a programmer in my day job. How can I start? Where do I look?
12 comments
The practice of writing is, in fact, about practice. It is a craft, and you need to work at it. Writers have peer review workshops (like Clarion https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clarion_Workshop which is for aspiring scifi/fantasy writers) they have editors who know how to make a good idea better, clearer, etc.
Don't worry that your writing isn't great. Get the ideas out, hammer out a story, don't prematurely optimize. Refactoring is something you'll do later. But definitely write every day, or at least sit at a desk. You won't know what to start with... If you are idea based, you will probably lack for characters, plot, scenery. Don't worry, you can work on that as you go.
But fundamentally, write, then write, then write some more.
Don't worry that your writing isn't great. Get the ideas out, hammer out a story, don't prematurely optimize. Refactoring is something you'll do later. But definitely write every day, or at least sit at a desk. You won't know what to start with... If you are idea based, you will probably lack for characters, plot, scenery. Don't worry, you can work on that as you go.
But fundamentally, write, then write, then write some more.
And then, if you want to publish it, you should read some of the articles from this website:
http://www.fonerbooks.com/pod.htm
Start by writing every damn day. storyfix.com is a fine place to learn more.
I do try and write as often as I can. I need to be more regular.
I'll check out storyfix - Thanks - it looks like what I need (This blog is about getting real with your writing dream)
I'll check out storyfix - Thanks - it looks like what I need (This blog is about getting real with your writing dream)
I kind of disagree. OP needs to start by reading. Read the classics of the genre. Read trashy pulp. Read what gets published online and in magazines. Definitely read things that aren't SF. Consume ideas, themes, thoughts, motifs, tropes, find out what's been done, whose style you like, whose style you don't, and what's been done to death.
Then write, but don't write in a vacuum. Maybe join a writers' group. Maybe take some classes. I might not necessarily start thinking about 'book' right now. Books are hideously difficult to do properly, and publishing is a competitive field, and editors have wastebaskets and know how to use them (for putting almost everything they receive into). Start thinking about short stories, and if you can manage to get published in the short form, then worry about the long form.
Also be careful about rights. If you put a story online, technically it's published. Doesn't matter where - facebook, livejournal, your personal site. That can affect whether a market is willing to pick it up afterwards.
Then write, but don't write in a vacuum. Maybe join a writers' group. Maybe take some classes. I might not necessarily start thinking about 'book' right now. Books are hideously difficult to do properly, and publishing is a competitive field, and editors have wastebaskets and know how to use them (for putting almost everything they receive into). Start thinking about short stories, and if you can manage to get published in the short form, then worry about the long form.
Also be careful about rights. If you put a story online, technically it's published. Doesn't matter where - facebook, livejournal, your personal site. That can affect whether a market is willing to pick it up afterwards.
I'm not a writer, so take my words with a grain of salt, but this is what I'd do:
1. Make tangible progress most days per week.
2. Write more than necessary, and edit later.
3. Try to have as much fun as possible
1. Make tangible progress most days per week.
2. Write more than necessary, and edit later.
3. Try to have as much fun as possible
I would start by reading, not so much for source material, but for getting a feel for what structure and style works. See how other authors handle pacing, character development, exposition, etc.
(About me: English major turned programmer)
(About me: English major turned programmer)
I have the same ambition. Though I haven't written a novel (other than timelines, outlines, descriptions, and other notes), I have set some goals for myself:
If writing stories is like any other difficult skill, the important thing is just do it. Practice, practice, and practice some more. Knowing this, I've focused on completing short stories. Once I feel ready, I try my hand at a novel.
This also might be relevant to your interests. It's a snippet of Ira Glass talking about the difficulty of being a beginner getting into story-writing for the first time: http://vimeo.com/24715531
If writing stories is like any other difficult skill, the important thing is just do it. Practice, practice, and practice some more. Knowing this, I've focused on completing short stories. Once I feel ready, I try my hand at a novel.
This also might be relevant to your interests. It's a snippet of Ira Glass talking about the difficulty of being a beginner getting into story-writing for the first time: http://vimeo.com/24715531
Do you want to write a sci-fi book, or do you want to have written a sci-fi book? Serious question, big difference.
If it's the former, just start writing. Just start. Pen and paper, laptop, typewriter, sketchpad with outlines on, anything and everything. Write because that's what you want to do. Cross bits out and throw them away and redo them and change things and add things and cut them out again, because what you want is the act of writing it and doing this is what you want to do. When you find bits that don't go as well as you'd like, you'll know what technique needs improving.
If the latter, save yourself the bother.
If it's the former, just start writing. Just start. Pen and paper, laptop, typewriter, sketchpad with outlines on, anything and everything. Write because that's what you want to do. Cross bits out and throw them away and redo them and change things and add things and cut them out again, because what you want is the act of writing it and doing this is what you want to do. When you find bits that don't go as well as you'd like, you'll know what technique needs improving.
If the latter, save yourself the bother.
Your first question hit me right where it hurts. I'm not a writer, I'm not even social and I suck at telling stories. However, I've always wanted to "write a book". I have a story in mind, I feel like there's no way I couldn't do it. A while back I sat down and started writing... and I wrote a bit and stopped. Then I tried again. And I realized, I don't want to WRITE, I want to have a book.
The important thing is to first wait for inspiration. You have to watch a lot of tv to "get ideas."
Also, when you sit down to write, you might notice that you are hungry, or thirsty. You might also notice that your books are in the wrong order. You really have to completely stop what you are writing and go and put the books in the write order and go get a snack.
Also, first log on, and browse the web for a while to get the juices flowing. Check out Facebook, HN, twitter, Google News, Tech Crunch. Just get the juices flowing.
If, by the end of the day, you haven't started writing, well, no problem, you can wait till the weekend.
If you have a trip planned, just do it the next weekend.
At parties, it is important to let people know you are a writer and are working on a project.
Those are the main ways people that I know write books.
Those are the main ways people that I know write books.
Check out the Writing Excuses podcast (http://www.writingexcuses.com/).
They're all published and commercially successful genre fiction authors, and the podcast is consistently high on quality and low on BS, unlike at many other sites offering writing tips, tricks, strategies and advice.
All the episodes are ~15 minutes long, and most have a writing prompt or exercise at the end that can be completed in roughly the same amount of time.
Block out 30-45 minutes of time in the morning to listen to an episode and write on the prompt.
They're all published and commercially successful genre fiction authors, and the podcast is consistently high on quality and low on BS, unlike at many other sites offering writing tips, tricks, strategies and advice.
All the episodes are ~15 minutes long, and most have a writing prompt or exercise at the end that can be completed in roughly the same amount of time.
Block out 30-45 minutes of time in the morning to listen to an episode and write on the prompt.
NSFW, even the URL so I ran it through a shortener you're welcome: http://bit.ly/Zfi1J7 (Chuck Wendig)
Very simple one year plan: write 350 words each weekday. Take the weekend off. Done. Chuck Wendig provides more obscenities, but that's the meat of it.
http://www.amazon.com/Writing-Novel-Print-Lawrence-Block/dp/... is a really good book on how to write a publishable novel. Block has written an awful lot of them, some of which are great, some of which were cranked out to pay the rent.
Do not hold yourself to impossible standards. Everyone's first million words are not so great. (Some of them still get published, which is OK.)
Write, keep writing, revise, find discipline.
Very simple one year plan: write 350 words each weekday. Take the weekend off. Done. Chuck Wendig provides more obscenities, but that's the meat of it.
http://www.amazon.com/Writing-Novel-Print-Lawrence-Block/dp/... is a really good book on how to write a publishable novel. Block has written an awful lot of them, some of which are great, some of which were cranked out to pay the rent.
Do not hold yourself to impossible standards. Everyone's first million words are not so great. (Some of them still get published, which is OK.)
Write, keep writing, revise, find discipline.
Stephen King wrote a book called On Writing that is part memoir and part guide to writing. It's not intended to be a full writing course, but it's a great intro to the important bits presented in a really entertaining way.
I also really like the Self-Publishing Podcast. If you're interested in being an indie author rather than pursuing traditional publishing, it's a fantastic look at three guys finding their way in that industry. The Writing Excuses podcast (recommended earlier by joanofarf) is a better podcast for the craft of writing, but I find the Self-Publishing guys both entertaining and inspirational.
I also really like the Self-Publishing Podcast. If you're interested in being an indie author rather than pursuing traditional publishing, it's a fantastic look at three guys finding their way in that industry. The Writing Excuses podcast (recommended earlier by joanofarf) is a better podcast for the craft of writing, but I find the Self-Publishing guys both entertaining and inspirational.
Heinlein's advice for aspiring writers, retold by Robert Sawyer:
http://www.sfwriter.com/ow05.htm
http://www.sfwriter.com/ow05.htm