Writing your own book, what are your experiences?

[planingkoala]

I’ve been toying with this idea for a while now, and figured I’d finally throw it out here – has anyone here ever written and actually published their own book? I’m not talking about some ghostwritten business eBook or crypto whitepaper (though that counts in its own way, I guess), but more like a personal project – stories, essays, maybe even poetry or fiction? Something that really came from you.

Lately I’ve felt this weird urge to pull all the scattered texts I’ve written over the years together – some are half-finished, some are just thoughts that never made it past the note app stage. But I keep wondering: what does it take to turn all that into something real? Like, how do you go from idea to book without totally losing steam halfway through?

I’ve read about self-publishing, or doing a small print run with local presses, but I’d love to hear real experiences. Did you do it all yourself? Hire someone? How did you even know when it was done?

And maybe most importantly: how did it feel? To hold the thing in your hands, or to send it out into the world? Was it worth the hassle?

Would love to hear your takes – no matter if you’ve published once or ten times, or if you’re still stuck somewhere in chapter two. Let’s talk.

[boyptc]

I didn't so I haven't but, I am planning this for a long time but I just can't execute it.

But I keep wondering: what does it take to turn all that into something real? Like, how do you go from idea to book without totally losing steam halfway through?

How about by just writing it and looking for the steps and guidelines on how you'd do it.

I think that I've seen some guidelines from udemy or such websites on how to publish one. As long as you've got your write up already, publishing will be easy but of course it comes some investment on your side to pay for the publisher.

It's also likely that the publishers can help you by giving some idea, I haven't contacted any though.

[mich]

Well I do think I did have a very interesting life when I was a kid. It was not a good life but I do have alot of memories I do think I will want to tell some people about them 1 day.
But there is sites on the internet that will publish for you. I have not looked into that alot but the 1 I did find was called Pine Book Publishing.  https://pinebookpublishing.com/

[Reatim]

Well I do think I did have a very interesting life when I was a kid. It was not a good life but I do have alot of memories I do think I will want to tell some people about them 1 day.

if you can find a very interesting and entertaining way of telling the story i am sure it can sell as i am sure that a lot of people would relate to childhood stories if that is what you are talking about

either way telling a story that you remember from when you were a child can be very intriguing to readers as we think and feel differently at the time

But there is sites on the internet that will publish for you. I have not looked into that alot but the 1 I did find was called Pine Book Publishing.  https://pinebookpublishing.com/

accessible but would probably take an awful lot amount of money and people do not have the time to actually write a full book and also not rich enough to publish one

[Fretum]

I’ve been toying with this idea for a while now, and figured I’d finally throw it out here – has anyone here ever written and actually published their own book? I’m not talking about some ghostwritten business eBook or crypto whitepaper (though that counts in its own way, I guess), but more like a personal project – stories, essays, maybe even poetry or fiction? Something that really came from you.

Yes, I have published several articles. But that has to do with my work at university, so I'm not writing any personal stories. You don't have to be particularly creative. You are given a topic and then have to write something about it.

Lately I’ve felt this weird urge to pull all the scattered texts I’ve written over the years together – some are half-finished, some are just thoughts that never made it past the note app stage. But I keep wondering: what does it take to turn all that into something real? Like, how do you go from idea to book without totally losing steam halfway through?

I can well understand that. I think it's the same with every hobby. At some point you want to take the next step. If you run, you want to take part in a marathon at some point, if you paint, you want to exhibit your paintings,...
I would look for help. There are writing courses or you can take lessons from authors. Some publishers also offer writing workshops (Novum publishing,...) or you can look for courses at universities.

I’ve read about self-publishing, or doing a small print run with local presses, but I’d love to hear real experiences. Did you do it all yourself? Hire someone? How did you even know when it was done?

It's difficult to find a publisher. Many switch to self-publishing or get help from service publishers. You could also get a literary agent involved. The alternatives to a traditional publisher are certainly becoming more and more popular because it is so difficult to find a publisher. You have to see which option is best for you.

And maybe most importantly: how did it feel? To hold the thing in your hands, or to send it out into the world? Was it worth the hassle?

I can only talk about the professional perspective. Some articles get a better response, some a worse one. But I have to do it. I'm certainly proud when colleagues approach me about certain articles. That's where the best conversations between colleagues come from. That also helps you move forward. But I don't see it as the main part of my job. That's why I focus on other things. That doesn't mean that I don't enjoy some of it or that I wouldn't be proud of my work.
But I think it's difficult to compare that with personal stories, novels, autobiographies,...

[Fretum]

I didn't so I haven't but, I am planning this for a long time but I just can't execute it.

What's stopping you?

But I keep wondering: what does it take to turn all that into something real? Like, how do you go from idea to book without totally losing steam halfway through?

I think that I've seen some guidelines from udemy or such websites on how to publish one. .
[/quote]
I'm glad you mentioned it, I'd forgotten about it before.
You can also simply search for help on YouTube. There is really good help there for all kinds of areas.
You'll also find a few blogs that can help you.
Podcasts have also become increasingly popular recently. You could also find help there. Although the focus here is certainly on book reviews. But you will also be able to find discussions about literature.

[DediRock]

Writing a book is a rewarding but challenging journey. Gathering your writings is a great start! Self-publishing gives control, but an editor helps. You’ll never truly feel “done,” but holding the final book is worth it. If you’re feeling the urge, go for it—you won’t regret it!

[boyptc]

I didn't so I haven't but, I am planning this for a long time but I just can't execute it.

What's stopping you?

Time maybe. Real world problems that I have to deal with and that's what makes me stop me from doing.

I think that I've seen some guidelines from udemy or such websites on how to publish one. .

I'm glad you mentioned it, I'd forgotten about it before.
You can also simply search for help on YouTube. There is really good help there for all kinds of areas.
You'll also find a few blogs that can help you.
Podcasts have also become increasingly popular recently. You could also find help there. Although the focus here is certainly on book reviews. But you will also be able to find discussions about literature.

Yeah, there are so many resources that you can check out that shall guide you in publishing one.

All you need to do is to gather them all or whichever covers the entire thing for the instructions that you need. It might take time but as long as you're encouraged to do that, you'll be able to do it.

[BAIROT]

Try it, good luck to you. Maybe you'll make some money from it.

[planingkoala]

@boyptc: Totally get what you mean with “planning for a long time but can’t execute” – same boat here, to be honest. Life keeps getting in the way, and even when I sit down with the best intentions, something always pulls me out of the zone. I guess it’s that combo of wanting it to be good and not knowing where to start that slows me down. Curious, though – if you did get the time, what would your book be about?

@Fretum: Appreciate the detailed reply. Your point about this being like a natural “next step” in a hobby hit me right in the gut – never thought of it like that, but yes, that’s exactly the itch I’m trying to scratch. That mix of pride and self-doubt, you know? I hadn’t thought much about writing courses, but now I’m tempted. Do you think it helps more with structure or with staying motivated?

@mich: Childhood stories can be powerful stuff – especially if you can weave them into something relatable. Don’t underestimate your experience just because it wasn’t easy. Often, that’s where the truth lives.

@DediRock: Thanks for that encouragement – and yeah, the “never really done” part feels very real already. I keep tweaking things endlessly. Maybe the trick is to just set it free at some point and let go?

[boyptc]

@boyptc: Totally get what you mean with “planning for a long time but can’t execute” – same boat here, to be honest. Life keeps getting in the way, and even when I sit down with the best intentions, something always pulls me out of the zone. I guess it’s that combo of wanting it to be good and not knowing where to start that slows me down.

You know that feeling right? 

Curious, though – if you did get the time, what would your book be about?

Maybe an autobiography type, life experiences, some life hacks, what I've figured out. So, that's pretty much it and it will circulate to what I've been through.

The worst and the best of my life's journey.

[planingkoala]

Absolutely, I do know that feeling. That tug-of-war between ideas and reality – and the gap in between where time disappears. An autobiography with life hacks and real moments though? That actually sounds like something people would really want to read. Honest, raw, and a bit reflective – I’d pick that up over another polished “how-to” any day. Sometimes sharing what you've been through helps someone else figure out where they’re going. Have you ever tried just recording voice notes when things come to mind? Sometimes speaking feels easier than writing – and you can shape it later.

[franky1]

alot of people want to start but dont know how to start. EG they dont even know what the story will end up being but want to worry about do they start with "once upon a time" or other beginning. and how to introduce characters

.
whats sometimes best is forget the start.

just ponder a story you want to tell like a simple 1 sentance overview

"a boy is kidnapped and raised by space aliens"

then break it up into parts

"the boys family life"
"the event"
"the transition from foe to friend"
"growing up"
"the conclusion"

then keep expanding each part to be more descriptive, more detailed
you dont have to start with the start. if you have idea's for details of the mid section. add it to the mid section
build the story up from within
that way you have many places to start coming up with idea's for, instead of one position(the start)

that way you can think of surprises/plot twists in the mid section. which you can then subtly add to the beginning which go unnoticed at the beginning for readers, but then when the mid surprise is read, causing readers to realise 'omg so thats what the beginning was on about' which adds more entertainment and makes it more interesting
EG
adding to start. "the boy walks passed a man with a limp, on his way home" (no other mentions of man with limp so its dropped as a non-important narrative/thought/observation)
but later in the book you write "the alien has an accident while using the time machine to stalk his prey, he breaks his leg stepping into the machine"
and now your like 'omg he was stalking the boy at the start, it was the alien that walked passed the boy at the start'

..
so yea dont try to write a book in logical order. doont try thinking of surprises and plot twists in start to finish order.
develop the book in sections adding detail in different parts which you can then edit other parts to reference to add more detail to other parts to create the plot twist from the mid point backwards

once you have the content, you can then re-read the book and then change a few words to be more embellishing, emotional
EG instead of just "boy", change it to "the lad who loves to chuckle"
EG instead of just "mother", change it to "the well dressed, beautiful, huggable woman to whom he calls mom"


a life hacks book, has no flow of narrative, so can be better as its just a collective list of things to try. however making it interesting requires learning some synonyms and using a thesaurus to change words to make them more interesting to the reader, adding some jokes or context to keep the reader entertained aswell without going off-message
ordering the life hacks into a chain of idea's that are most useful but not ruining the good stuff just at the start to bore people with useless stuff at the end
so deciding which order to put the life hacks in sometimes is the tough part
but sometimes the easiest part. EG categorising them "tips for boys(children), tips for men(adults)"

as for publishing. to even get to a full production with a publisher, usually you need to do a small self funded batch to have copies to send to publishers. even if its just 100. heck you can keep 50 as a limited 'first writers draft' edition to auction off when the book goes mainstream via a mass publisher. but mass publishers like to see your book and read it to be interested in taking you on as a client. which requires you having a few copies ready to give them to have their team read/vet your quality

also if you mock up a book cover and self do a small print run. as oppose to whitepapering it with a paper clip to mainstream publishers.. you can trick publishers into getting more invested by saying you are open to them changing the book cover and critique, so they then actually not just read it and bin it. but start thinking of how they will control the presentation and thus you cause them to get more interested in and invested in

where as just whitepapering it. they have to first enjoy the book to see potential and then scratch their design brains to think of how to present it.

its one of those reverse psychology tricks

[Hydrogen]

November in the USA has something known as nanowrimo. National Novel Writing Month.

https://nanowrimo.org/

I tried for multiple years to participate and write a 50,000 word novel inside of 31 days of november.

The best I've done is to get 5'ish words down.

Maybe this year is the year.

[planingkoala]

@franky1: That was honestly the most unexpectedly useful breakdown I’ve read in a long time – thank you for laying it so clearly out. That idea of not starting from the beginning kind of hit me in the best way. I’ve definitely gotten stuck trying to write “the perfect first line” while the rest just floats shapeless in my brain. Starting with a sentence like “a boy is kidnapped and raised by space aliens” and building out from there? That flips everything for me.

Also, this whole concept of planting small details early that pay off later – I love that kind of structure as a reader, but I never thought I could engineer it as a writer. Do you think that kind of “backward foreshadowing” works just as well in nonfiction or memoir-style writing too? Or is that more a fiction trick?

And re: your publishing advice – super smart. I hadn’t even considered the psychology angle of handing publishers something physical and “almost ready,” just to draw them in. Did you (or someone you know) actually try this approach with a print mockup? Curious how it played out in practice – especially whether it helped spark any real publisher engagement.

@Hydrogen: Respect for trying NaNoWriMo even once, let alone multiple years. I’ve stared at that 50,000 word target and immediately retreated into making coffee instead.  What usually stops you – time, motivation, or just not knowing where the story’s going? And… any chance 2025 is finally your year? If so, maybe we start a micro-accountability thread here? Just sayin’.

[boyptc]

Absolutely, I do know that feeling. That tug-of-war between ideas and reality – and the gap in between where time disappears. An autobiography with life hacks and real moments though? That actually sounds like something people would really want to read. Honest, raw, and a bit reflective – I’d pick that up over another polished “how-to” any day. Sometimes sharing what you've been through helps someone else figure out where they’re going.

Raw with your personal experience seems to be the interest of people. I don't know but it looks like this idea is what is on the mind of most people.

We're interested to know how other people went through thick and thin and how they are storytelling their life experiences and what we can learn from that.

Have you ever tried just recording voice notes when things come to mind? Sometimes speaking feels easier than writing – and you can shape it later.

Yeah, I tried it but just for a few times.

[Hydrogen]

@Hydrogen: Respect for trying NaNoWriMo even once, let alone multiple years. I’ve stared at that 50,000 word target and immediately retreated into making coffee instead.  What usually stops you – time, motivation, or just not knowing where the story’s going? And… any chance 2025 is finally your year? If so, maybe we start a micro-accountability thread here? Just sayin’.

Never had an outline I liked enough to develop.

I'd be down for micro accountability thread 100%.

[Theupdude]

Yeah I actually went through that process last year and it was one of the most challenging but rewarding things I’ve ever done Mine was a mix of essays and personal reflections nothing too polished but it felt honest I did most of it myself from editing to designing the cover and used a self publishing platform.It took a lot of pushing through uncertainty particularly in the middle when I felt like none of it mattered but completing it provided me a form of closure I didn’t foresee 
Holding the first copy felt surreal like all those scattered thoughts had found a home I’d say it’s completely worth it even if only one person reads it and connects with your words

If you’re experiencing the desire to create then go for it You don’t need a faultless plan simply start bringing the parts together and trust the process

[Fretum]

Writing a book is a rewarding but challenging journey.

If it's a hobby and you're not just doing it because it's a ‘job’, then the most important aspect is the journey.
Writing should also give you something. Normally, it's a kind of balance to stressful everyday life, you can forget everything and let your thoughts run free.
The journey is certainly worth much more than the result.

It might take time but as long as you're encouraged to do that, you'll be able to do it.

You are happy to take the time if it brings you something. You also benefit from it.
You can assume that you're interested in writing and literature, so you're happy to put in the time.
As long as that's the case, you should give it a go. It just shouldn't become a burden and you shouldn't stress yourself out.

@Fretum: Appreciate the detailed reply. Your point about this being like a natural “next step” in a hobby hit me right in the gut – never thought of it like that, but yes, that’s exactly the itch I’m trying to scratch. That mix of pride and self-doubt, you know? I hadn’t thought much about writing courses, but now I’m tempted. Do you think it helps more with structure or with staying motivated?

This point is likely to come up for many people. You are not sure whether you should run your first marathon, whether you should really take part in a competition,.... When you've jumped in at the deep end, you often think to yourself, it's not that bad, I should have done it much earlier. These concerns are usually unfounded.

I think such courses can also show you that you're ready for it. When you get feedback from other authors or you get good reviews for your stories and writing style, it takes away those doubts we're talking about.
Courses or exercises could be the final push you need. As long as it's not the motivating words here in the forum

[planingkoala]

@boyptc: Yeah, it’s wild how drawn people are to real-life stuff that’s unfiltered. Like, even when it’s messy or quiet, if it feels lived, it sticks. Your point about learning from other people’s stories really hit. That’s the kind of reading I crave too – someone putting it out there without smoothing all the edges.

@Hydrogen: I feel that on the outline. I keep changing mine every time I open the doc, which basically means I never get past the early chapters. But alright, let’s do this micro accountability thing. Could even keep it super low pressure – like one-liner check-ins: “Wrote 120 words and hated 90 of them.” Still counts. What would your ideal story feel like, if you didn’t need a perfect outline first?

@Theupdude: Really appreciate you sharing that – especially that bit about it not being polished but feeling honest. That’s the energy I want to hold on to. I’ve been so caught up in shaping it into “a book” that I forget it’s allowed to be raw and incomplete before it finds form. The part about closure resonated big time too. Did you hit a point where you almost quit – or were you able to push through without too much second-guessing?

@Fretum: That metaphor with the marathon got me. Like, you’re absolutely right – half the hesitation is just standing on the edge of the pool, looking at the water. And I love how you framed writing as something that should give something back to you. That’s probably what I’m trying to reclaim – letting it be a balance, not another pressure point. Quick question though: have you taken a course yourself that really helped shift your perspective or flow? Would love a recommendation if any stood out.