Writing your own book, what are your experiences?

[planingkoala]

@BADecker: That idea of temporarily writing like someone else to find a rhythm? I’ve never tried it that systematic, but now I’m genuinely tempted. Kind of like jazz practice – imitate, improvise, integrate. Maybe the voice you’re trying to find shows up more clearly once it’s bounced off a few others. Have you ever felt like the borrowed voice bled into your own in a good way?

@franky1: Your breakdown of the publishing paths is gold – especially the nuance between self-printing and being signed under a label. I keep reading horror stories of “vanity publishers” who basically sell hope, not books. But the idea that real publishers should invest first if they believe in a work? Yes. And that stipend concept? Totally forgot that was even a thing. Makes me wonder: what would be enough for you to say yes to a deal – full rights, partial rights, creative freedom?

@MeGold666: That book concept is... honestly wild. Morally tricky, sure – but if you're serious, the execution will decide everything. Dark satire has its space. But yeah, title’s got bite. Have you started a draft or still playing with the idea?

@wez: Respect. Eight hours from start to finish? That’s a clarity most of us only dream of. Did you go in with a detailed plan or just start typing and see where it took you? And what platform worked best for you afterward?

@Bluedrem: Would love to hear more about your poetry – what themes you explore, what sparked that journey. Have you ever thought about publishing a chapbook, or are the poems more for yourself?

@tekowe: Makes total sense – we all lean on tools. Was there a point where using those tools actually helped you write something that felt more you, oddly enough?

@Antol8133: That balance between writing and life is real. Eight novels is no joke. Did your writing rhythm shift more because of time constraints or motivation ebbing after a few publications?

@OrangeCoinGood: You said it – the outline really is the anchor. I used to resist planning, but now even just sketching the next 3–4 chapters gives me something to swim toward. How do you keep the process fun when the initial thrill starts to dip?

@Bitconsum: Appreciate the broader view – but I’m still convinced that what makes writing matter is less speed, more resonance. If someone finds a line and feels seen, even in a sea of AI text, that connection still counts. Would be curious though – do you still write creatively at all, or have you shifted to other forms?

@Fretum: You nailed something there. The expectation of free help for a deeply human, skilled process like editing says a lot about how people misunderstand books. It’s not just “typing well,” it’s shaping meaning. That line about paying either before or after? Perfectly said. What’s your own experience been so far – more with self-pub or traditional? And have you ever collaborated with an editor who really got your work from the first draft?

[franky1]

@franky1: Your breakdown of the publishing paths is gold – especially the nuance between self-printing and being signed under a label. I keep reading horror stories of “vanity publishers” who basically sell hope, not books. But the idea that real publishers should invest first if they believe in a work? Yes. And that stipend concept? Totally forgot that was even a thing. Makes me wonder: what would be enough for you to say yes to a deal – full rights, partial rights, creative freedom?

full rights are ideal if you think your story is possibly good enough to maybe become a movie, because you get money from movie deal. where as partial rights is more so just like a royalty on the book deal but they own the rights to any other things like movies, audio books and such. so its upto you to think about the future of your story. is it just a novelty book thing or an intriguing story that has enough action/suspense that it can entertain movie watchers

..
as for other idea's for developing your story, look locally for book clubs/readers clubs. get people whom you dont know nor related to, to read your book and get some real critique. also use them as a thinktank of experts if the book is unfinished, ask them where they see the direction of the book going, eg further character development or how they'd want the story to end
usually book club people have already read dozens of books of your genre so they'd know what works or not, and whats been repeated too many times in other books, that its become boring.. so ask them genuine questions like 'what would be an un-expectant plot twist or ending to make your book be better than others like it'
even with creative freedom, dont fear asking for feedback. you can always just not include it after they tell you. so no harm in asking

[Antol8133]

@planingkoala

@Antol8133: That balance between writing and life is real. Eight novels is no joke. Did your writing rhythm shift more because of time constraints or motivation ebbing after a few publications?

It shifted because regular writing took longer every day, along with the increasing amount of work I needed to do to earn cash. The time I could spend with my family shrank drastically. Besides, I didn't earn much from those published books. It wasn't only about the money, but the fewer books you sell, the fewer people read them and can appreciate your stories. That was the problem. It was pretty discouraging. But I continue to write.

[planingkoala]

@franky1: That’s exactly the kind of clarity I wish someone had told me earlier – the part about thinking beyond the book itself. I used to see full rights as just some technical detail, but yeah, if there’s even the slightest chance the story could live on in another form, why hand that away too easily? And your take on book clubs really made me think. I’ve always hesitated to bring unfinished stuff to strangers, but the way you framed it – not just as readers, but as a thinktank with lived genre experience – that actually sounds kind of brilliant. Asking them what hasn’t been done too often… that’s a way better question than “do you like it.” Have you ever seen someone really change the direction of their book based on that kind of group input?

@Antol8133: That balance you talked about – writing, family, the money side, the energy drain – it’s so real. I really felt that line about how fewer readers means fewer chances for your work to mean something to someone. It’s not even about fame, just about resonance. And yeah, it gets heavy when the return isn’t there. But the fact you still write says a lot. Do you still have moments when it feels like you're writing toward something – a future reader, a version of yourself – or is it more like you’re writing because it’s just part of who you are at this point?

[OrangeCoinGood]

How do you keep the process fun when the initial thrill starts to dip?

That's the rub, isn't it?  I have no ideas.  I just kind of forced myself to write every night before bed.  Sometimes I'd only do a few lines, but sometimes I'd get into a groove and write for hours.  I'd get a spark and off I'd go.

[franky1]

@franky1: That’s exactly the kind of clarity I wish someone had told me earlier – the part about thinking beyond the book itself. I used to see full rights as just some technical detail, but yeah, if there’s even the slightest chance the story could live on in another form, why hand that away too easily?

before getting too excited about possibilities of turning book into movie, the book needs to get enough interest from readers. so take advice from book lovers.. but then add enough extra emotion/imagery to the words that people could or want to visualise it, which can create the demand to want to see it as a movie

you might even, when you think you have finished, decide to take the story but convert it into a movie script, which may reveal where the story is weak or strong to help emphasise where you can add or remove detail in the book to garner more interest from book readers, to draw demand to make it into a movie
(you separately write book in a way that's ready to make a movie out of it.. which publishers also notice and see $$ signs of possibility)

And your take on book clubs really made me think. I’ve always hesitated to bring unfinished stuff to strangers, but the way you framed it – not just as readers, but as a thinktank with lived genre experience – that actually sounds kind of brilliant. Asking them what hasn’t been done too often… that’s a way better question than “do you like it.” Have you ever seen someone really change the direction of their book based on that kind of group input?

personally me in regards to book clubs, no. but others i spoke with have
but the advice applies to all industries. if you are a chef and you get a group of experienced food tasters, instead of asking them if they like it, asking them whats different to the norm about it. whats been made too often a certain way.. same with clothing

when comfortable with a book group you could even just show them a pivotal scene/paragraph/chapter but wrote in several different styles, to ask their preference.. much like cooking pasta 4 different ways to get food tasters preference for best recipe

when it comes to writing a book it can be as simple as being told that certain adjectives are used too often and told to just use a thesaurus or synonym index to find better words that provoke different emotion/mental imagery for the same scene. they may not be asking to change the story, just how the words hit them in their hearts and minds better.

never fear asking for advice from others, big industry do it as standard. even in the movie industry, they do test screenings before releasing a final edit to theatres
even if a movie is based on a book they still test screen the movie to see if the directors cut is entertaining or needs further work
(everyone knows the story of snow white, but it went through many changes and edits before the recent 2025 movie release, they tried to be too different(woke) initially)
(everyone knows batmans origin story, but look at how many movies of batman have different levels of emotion.. from comical to dark-knight)

simply changing the adjectives changes the emotion imagery, which can be the difference to a unsold book, to best seller, to adapted for screenplay
EG when saying "the boy walks passed a man with a limp"
it can be changed in many ways
"the boy crept by a stranger with a limp"
all the way to
"as the youngster strides like a king down his street, a frail shadowy figure hobbled by in the opposite direction"
..

its all part of story development.. dont fear it
the movie industry is a great example of story development: test screenings, edits, re-writes, re-shoots.. so if a billionaire movie industry doesnt fear getting advice from interest groups. nor should you fear getting advice
dont take it as critique take it as a thinktank exercise to maximise the entertainment value of your story

[Antol8133]

@Antol8133: That balance you talked about – writing, family, the money side, the energy drain – it’s so real. I really felt that line about how fewer readers means fewer chances for your work to mean something to someone. It’s not even about fame, just about resonance. And yeah, it gets heavy when the return isn’t there. But the fact you still write says a lot. Do you still have moments when it feels like you're writing toward something – a future reader, a version of yourself – or is it more like you’re writing because it’s just part of who you are at this point?

@planingkoala, It's kind of both and I'm still enjoying it.

[planingkoala]

@franky1: Absolutely – that landed hard in the best possible way.

It’s funny, I used to think writing meant protecting a story like it was this fragile thing – like, don’t touch it, don’t poke holes in it, don’t even look at it until it’s “done.” But what you’re saying flips that completely. It’s not about shielding it – it’s about letting it breathe in front of people who actually know how stories move. And yeah, maybe the first draft limps a bit, but so what? Limping can still get you somewhere if you pay attention to the terrain.

The bit about asking what’s been overdone instead of “do you like it?” – oof, that’s a sharper question than I’ve ever asked in a workshop. I’m stealing that. There’s so much more to learn from that angle – like, not just “is it good” but “what makes it stand out in a world where everyone’s already read twelve versions of this?” I guess that’s what separates resonance from redundancy.

Also: turning the story into a script to find weak spots? That’s honestly genius. I’ve never written a screenplay, but the discipline it forces – just the bare bones of action, voice, and motion – could strip away a lot of the fluff I’ve been clinging to. Maybe even stuff I thought was poetic, but is really just fog.

And the thing about adjectives? Guilty as charged. I swear, I must’ve used “tired” twelve times in one chapter. Not even in different ways. Just… tired. The character was tired. The light was tired. I was tired. I needed a damn thesaurus and a wake-up call. So thanks for this little reality-check-without-the-condescension. It hit right.

Honestly, all of this makes me want to go back to that one scene I thought was finished and read it like I’m prepping it for an audience of ten strangers with no reason to lie to me. If it stumbles, I’d rather know now than after it’s in print.

So yeah – not fearing the feedback. Not treating the story like porcelain. More like clay. Let it get messy. Let it get better. Thanks for handing me that lens. It’s staying on my desk.

[Fretum]

@Fretum: You nailed something there. The expectation of free help for a deeply human, skilled process like editing says a lot about how people misunderstand books. It’s not just “typing well,” it’s shaping meaning. That line about paying either before or after? Perfectly said. What’s your own experience been so far – more with self-pub or traditional? And have you ever collaborated with an editor who really got your work from the first draft?

I don't think it's just about books, that also shows the attitude nowadays. People often believe they are entitled to everything. They don't want to do anything for it, and of course they don't pay for it or pay as little as possible. But of course they do take the benefits, they are supposedly entitled to them.
People don't see or don't want to see the work behind a success. It's often a long and rocky road. But others don't get to see all the setbacks and all the work. As a result, many people assume it's easy.

I have published many articles in connection with my work, but you can't compare that with a novel. It's a completely different process. I no longer have to worry about a publisher. People come to me and want an article on a certain topic. The process is completely different in the academic field.

[planingkoala]

That line about people wanting the benefits without effort? Couldn’t agree more. Feels like everyone loves the result but skips the climb. And yeah, when something looks easy, folks assume it was easy. Nobody sees the drafts that never made it or the nights you sat there, stuck between two half-sentences.

Your academic writing sounds like a totally different rhythm. Like, when people ask for a text, that must shift the pressure, right? Less guessing, more delivering. Do you still tweak endlessly, or does the structure help you let go sooner?

Also – when you write without that academic frame, do you ever catch yourself editing too cleanly, too soon? I wonder if switching voices like that reshapes how we write without us noticing.

[franky1]

Honestly, all of this makes me want to go back to that one scene I thought was finished and read it like I’m prepping it for an audience of ten strangers with no reason to lie to me. If it stumbles, I’d rather know now than after it’s in print.

choose a scene of interest and just record yourself narrating it. then watch/listen to it. see where it appears like you need to force yourself to emphasis things, where the word plainly spoken does not convey the importance of the story, but your brain knows its of importance. where you need to use your vocals to push the words further..(like a subtle nudge/wink to the audience that they need to be aware a detail) then adjust those words to be pushy by themselves by changing the words

reciting the story to yourself vocally not only prepares you for any speaking engagements but also lets you hear the story in a different format(instead of written paper) and allows you to hear if its even good enough for a audiobook.. because lets face it not many people have time to sit still and read, they prefer to listen to audiobooks while at the gym or work or doing home chores. so it can help prepare the story for audiobook format

if your book was to be made into audiobook format, and a publisher hired a narrator. your story should be readable that a narrater that does not have your vision in mind can see where the things of emphasis are, via the word play you use. so without pre-coaching a narrator about which parts to emphasis with vocal pitches/emotion/tone. try to use specific words that convey its importance to the story plot

[Fretum]

That line about people wanting the benefits without effort? Couldn’t agree more. Feels like everyone loves the result but skips the climb. And yeah, when something looks easy, folks assume it was easy. Nobody sees the drafts that never made it or the nights you sat there, stuck between two half-sentences.

Your academic writing sounds like a totally different rhythm. Like, when people ask for a text, that must shift the pressure, right? Less guessing, more delivering. Do you still tweak endlessly, or does the structure help you let go sooner?

Also – when you write without that academic frame, do you ever catch yourself editing too cleanly, too soon? I wonder if switching voices like that reshapes how we write without us noticing.

Because you only ever see the good sides on social media. You don't see the hard work, the stress, what you had to sacrifice for it. Only the beautiful pictures are shown, how easy not everything is, how quickly it went, how easy it went,... That attracts other people and of course tempts them. You can see that in all areas (sport, losing weight, etc.). It's always portrayed as easy and that everyone can do it.
This can also cause a lot of frustration - if you can't do it even though it's supposedly easy, I can understand why many people despair. It often takes a bit more and you really have to make an effort and sacrifice a lot for success.

The pressure comes from elsewhere. I also have to publish some writings. As everyone has to and everyone has their own specialism, it all goes round in circles. I write for you, you write for me....
I've already written most of the texts and I just have to adapt them to a specific question. Then you already know what is expected of you and what you can contribute. You build up expertise over the years, and of course you live from that. It makes things a lot easier and quicker.

Of course, it makes a difference whether you have very precise guidelines as to what you should write or whether you write completely freely. These are completely different things. You learn a lot over time and can approach things much more consciously with a lot of practice. You also have to read a lot in my job, which also helps.

[planingkoala]

@franky1: That whole “read it out loud like you’re performing it” thing – yeah, I can already picture myself doing it and immediately cringing in three places I thought were “fine” before. It’s such a different filter when you hear it instead of just staring at it. And you’re right, if the line doesn’t carry its own weight without me artificially leaning on it with tone or hand gestures, then the word choice probably isn’t pulling its load.

And the audiobook angle – hadn’t even put myself in the shoes of a narrator who knows nothing about me or the story. That’s a brutal but necessary test. I like the idea of words being able to “self-direct” the performance just by how they’re built. Have you ever found a moment in your own work where just swapping one or two verbs totally shifted how the whole sentence lands when read aloud?

@Fretum: I feel that hard – social media’s endless highlight reel is the perfect recipe for unrealistic expectations. Like, the “before” never makes it into the post, only the “look at me now” version. And yeah, it’s the same in writing – nobody posts the 17 discarded drafts or the week you wrote nothing because the plot just… stopped moving.

What you said about having a bank of already-written material to adapt – that’s kind of genius. It turns “blank page” panic into “okay, what fits here?” instead of starting from zero. Do you ever feel like that speed and structure from your professional writing leaks into your free writing – like you catch yourself setting imaginary guidelines even when you don’t need to?

Also, that bit about reading a lot for your job – does that make you more critical of your own sentences, or does it loosen you up because you’ve seen so many different styles work in their own way?

[Fretum]

@Fretum: I feel that hard – social media’s endless highlight reel is the perfect recipe for unrealistic expectations. Like, the “before” never makes it into the post, only the “look at me now” version. And yeah, it’s the same in writing – nobody posts the 17 discarded drafts or the week you wrote nothing because the plot just… stopped moving.

What you said about having a bank of already-written material to adapt – that’s kind of genius. It turns “blank page” panic into “okay, what fits here?” instead of starting from zero. Do you ever feel like that speed and structure from your professional writing leaks into your free writing – like you catch yourself setting imaginary guidelines even when you don’t need to?

Also, that bit about reading a lot for your job – does that make you more critical of your own sentences, or does it loosen you up because you’ve seen so many different styles work in their own way?

Exactly. That's why many people think it's so easy, that you don't have to invest a lot of time and resources, that everything happens quickly and easily... until you realise that it's not that simple after all. Then many people despair, or they stick with it and believe that they can achieve success with little effort. You can see that in their stories, or they simply have no chance of being accepted by a publisher.
Yes, writing is certainly influenced. I find it difficult to write freely and really get creative. I have clear structures and if I'm not careful, I squeeze everything into these structures. Because I write more professionally, everything tends to go in that direction. Certainly not the best structure for a novel. 
At work, I don't really care, because it's about the content, and the faster and more accurately I get it, the better for me. There's no need for sentences that go across the whole page. I don't see myself as a literary critic either; all I can say is whether I like a style or not. And everyone has their favourite authors and authors they can't stand. No matter how good a story is, if you don't like the writing style, you just don't read the books. At least that's how it is for me.

[Hydrogen]

I'm starting my outline for nanowrimo 2025 in november.

Hopefully I can get more than 5 words down this time before november ends.

[planingkoala]

@islasmith: Totally feel that – reading aloud is like shining a harsh light on stuff you thought was smooth. I’ve had lines I loved collapse the second I tried speaking them. That thing you said about outside feedback is spot on too – sometimes you’re too close to the page and all you see is what you meant, not what’s actually there. Curious, when you got that feedback, did it change the way you approached new drafts from the start, or was it more like a polishing layer after you already had a full draft?

@Fretum: I get what you mean about structure sneaking in even when you don’t want it. It’s like muscle memory – your brain defaults to what it knows. But maybe that’s not always a bad thing? Like, could those structures act as scaffolding you later break apart once the draft’s alive? And that bit about style being such a personal thing – yes. I’ve dropped books mid-way just because the rhythm didn’t click with me, even if the plot was solid. Do you ever catch yourself resisting certain writing styles just because they feel “wrong” to your trained eye, even if they’re effective for other readers?

@Hydrogen: Starting the outline early is a power move – respect. Five words last year is still five more than zero, so maybe this year’s the breakthrough. Do you see yourself actually sticking to the classic NaNoWriMo “write now, edit later” chaos, or would you still want the outline to feel polished before diving in? Also – what’s your gut telling you the theme will be this time around?

[Hydrogen]

@Hydrogen: Starting the outline early is a power move – respect. Five words last year is still five more than zero, so maybe this year’s the breakthrough. Do you see yourself actually sticking to the classic NaNoWriMo “write now, edit later” chaos, or would you still want the outline to feel polished before diving in? Also – what’s your gut telling you the theme will be this time around?

I need to feel good about the outline or I can't commit to it.

Every once in awhile I have an idea for something that might work.

In the way Michael Crichton wrote a story about dinosaur DNA being collected from prehistoric insects preserved in amber.

Sometimes, I write these ideas down and think they might make for a decent story.

Although maybe the world has too much content, data and information atm and my time would be better spent elsewhere.

[Fretum]

@Fretum: I get what you mean about structure sneaking in even when you don’t want it. It’s like muscle memory – your brain defaults to what it knows. But maybe that’s not always a bad thing? Like, could those structures act as scaffolding you later break apart once the draft’s alive? And that bit about style being such a personal thing – yes. I’ve dropped books mid-way just because the rhythm didn’t click with me, even if the plot was solid. Do you ever catch yourself resisting certain writing styles just because they feel “wrong” to your trained eye, even if they’re effective for other readers?

Structure helps me. But when I write academic essays, I'm not trying to entertain. It's all about the facts. That can be very dry at times, but it's better to be brief and concise than too long and ultimately meaningless.
That's basically the opposite of creative writing.
So structure may help with research and planning, but I don't find it helpful when it comes to the actual writing. There is no right way to do it. Everyone is different. I always thought that longer stories in particular needed a plan. But then I read in a blog article by novum publishing that there are also authors who just start writing. In the end, it works that way too, you just have to be the type of person who can do it. I couldn't do that, I like to have a plan. You don't have to stick to it 100%, but it's good to have something that gives you structure. But not too much
When I write, I always slip into a rigid structure. You have to keep reminding yourself that this is creative writing and not a scientific text.
Yes, of course, that's exactly what I'm talking about. I have to make a clear distinction because you can't apply the structure of an academic text to a novel. You'd fall asleep. It's a text that wants to bring you closer to another world in a playful way. Academic texts are meant to explain and present results.

[planingkoala]

@Hydrogen: That bit about needing to feel good about the outline before diving in? Yeah, I’m with you. If it doesn’t carry a kind of tension or movement already, I end up staring at it like it’s a locked door with no key. It’s wild how sometimes a sketchy note with the right energy pulls you further than a polished plan ever could. And you’re right – there’s a lot out there, but I don’t think it’s too much. The stuff that cuts through still does. Probably because it doesn’t try to be loud – just honest.

@Fretum: That thing you said about academic rhythm sneaking in – oof, I felt that. I catch myself doing it too: suddenly there’s structure, subtext, clean transitions... and the soul of the piece starts fading out. Like you, I’ve been trying to lean into the drift. Let it get messy first. Let it wander. Weirdly, that’s when the voice feels truest. It’s not about rebelling against structure, but about remembering it’s there to serve the story – not the other way around. Thanks for naming that so clearly.

[franky1]

@franky1:
Have you ever found a moment in your own work where just swapping one or two verbs totally shifted how the whole sentence lands when read aloud?

yes. however many times. just writing straight from the head without thinking, ends up with the wrong landing initially, but thats what drafts are for and proof reading

its the difference between 'walks' vs 'hobbles'.. 'looks' vs 'notices'

a boy sees an old man walking down a street
a boy recognised an old man walking down a street

the first sounds like just a meaningless passing glance
the second lands more like there is some relationship that might get explained later, or hints the boy is having thoughts about the person more so than just a passing glance

that one word change puts a unanswered question into the readers mind
the second one makes the reader intrigued to read on, hoping to find out more about the story between the boy/old mans relationship,

leaving subtle unanswered questions is how you hook a reader to read on

even then

a boy sees an old man walking down a street
a boy recognised an old man hobbling down a street

now adds extra questions, is the boy feeling sympathy for the old man by noticing the old man struggling? will the boy stop and help?
you as a writer can use synonyms to help give new ideas for possible story development archs
..the boy continues home [left as a meaningless glance. until a time travel/flashback plot twist many chapters later]
..the boy realises it's Col Jim McBride, the villages famous war hero, shot in the leg by the nazi's in WW2
..its 11pm, the boy realises it's just Jim, the villages famous drunk walking home from the pub