r/writers

"... so in that forthcoming moment the first person in line walked out of the balcony onto the balcony and formed a form."

You guys think its usable?

Sorry this is so long! I got carried away. Also, sorry in advance for any spelling errors. If I catch them later, I’ll fix them =)

I’ve been a writer since I was a little kid. One day, I was asking my school librarian to find this book. I had very specific guidelines and tropes I wanted. Eventually, after looking for 30 mins straight as I was following her around like a poodle dog, she crashed out a little bit (understandably). I’ll never forget that her she said.
“You know, if you want this book so bad, why don’t you go and write it yourself”
My mouth fell open and I was just like “I can? I can just do that?”

Needless to say, the rest was history. I went to class that day and finished my work as fast as I could. When I was done, I took a blank piece of paper and started writing something that wasn’t fan fiction for the first time (it totally was btw, I hadn’t gotten that far yet. My training wheelers were still on, but the heart was there). It was different in the since that it was an idea and a concept that I had fully intended to be a book.

It took about 8 ish months of me doing nothing but typing on my tablet in my bedroom. 50k words.

That one sentence, that was honestly said in defeat to just get a kid to go away, led to a complete book. I was about 8-10 at the time, and it was by far the biggest thing I’d ever made. By the time I’d finished it, I’d grown out of fan fiction. I failed to realize at the time that second drafts were 100% a thing, so I just moved onto my next idea. Then the next idea, then the next. Nothing really stuck around for more that 5 chapters untill I was 14, and I decided I wanted to challenge myself by not writing girl characters all the time. I was kept inside for recess, but instead of doing my work I put my pencil to paper. I wrote a list of names of the characters and that became the cast of my WIP to this day.

I’m 21 now, almost 22. I’m still just as passionate about all of these ideas. I understand what editing is now, and I still have my first manuscript. I know I could cut out all of the fan fiction bits and turn into into some real, if I wanted. I know I’ve been a writing machine before, I could be a lot further along that I am now. I keep feeling like I could have been published by now

It feels like there is something missing. The same fire that I had as a kid for this doesn’t burn as strong. I took a break, but I never stopped daydreaming. My fire never did leave after all, but something is keeping my hands from reaching for my keyboard.

I’ve come to the conclusion that maybe it’s because it’s more real now. It’s not just a fantasy world I have fun with. Pretty soon, in less than 6 months if everything goes to plan, I’ll hopefully be published.

Ever since I was told by my school librarian that I could write a book for real, I’ve had the dream to publish a book ever since. Kids don’t have the fear that adults do. The thought of someone reading my book feels like letting another person walk around inside my scull. I think that’s what’s slowing me down so much these days. I want my book to be read more than anything, I’ve spent an insane amount of time with these characters, their world, and the lore. I want to share that more than anything. I don’t know why it feels so wrong.

I asked an author friend (4x published), what he thought of my book cover I’d been working on. When he said the title of my book I wanted to puke from nerves. He also gave me some super solid marketing advice, which I’m forever greatful for. Yet, I still haven’t acted on it because I am so terrified for no reason. I don’t even know why I’m afraid. I should be excited. I got through three drafts! I’m finally in the home stretch for the first time. I’ve designed a cover I’m really proud of to match the book that has been my main passion for seven years. I’ve read my own fanfics on the bus to multiple kids at once with nothing but excitement for my ideas.

Yesterday, I was asked what I was drawing by two sweet people in the coffee shop yesterday and I wanted to evaporate. Why couldn’t I just say “oh, it’s my book cover!”

If I’m already this much of an anxious mess, what is it going to be like later on? Is this normal for first time publishing? Is it supposed be to feel like I’m allowing a group of scientists to make a pay per view video of my insides? How can I get this feeling to go away? I know some anxiety is to be expected, but this feels like too much. Will it eventually fade away?

Any advice would be much appreciated. I want to be able to go back to how this felt before. The whole reason I write in the first place is because it’s fun! It’s nerdy heaven, and I’d like to get back to that feeling again asap haha.

First off, please excuse me if this is the wrong area to post any/all of this information. I'm new to the Reddit world, and while it seems lovely, I am most certainly not confident in my abilities to post 'correctly'! All I know is this - I. Need. Help!

I’m a new writer and veteran teacher who has an idea I can’t seem to let go of: I want to write a mystery series centered around a murder in a school setting. The protagonist is a current teacher, who keeps getting pulled into mysteries involving her school, other staff, families, and the small-town community she teaches in. Her teaching background becomes her greatest investigative advantage.

To put it bluntly, I'm done pouring my all into education. It no longer provides me with any source of satisfaction or the joy I once knew. Sadly, it's been that way for far too long. I've dreamt of becoming a writer my entire life, and these last few days I finally allowed myself to start the pen to paper process of planning it out and - my goodness - even just the opening of my mind to that creativity that's been stuck there for so long has brought me more joy than I've felt in so many years. I want to share that with the world, especially the teaching community! We teachers LOVE to read, particularly if there's a murder mystery involved. You earn extra credit if the pompous principal gets the boot in the end! :) I've designed a school logo, mascot, color scheme, and have the whole staff planned out - along with a story line, of course!

Having worked in education, I know there are so many behind-the-scenes dynamics that could make a school the perfect setting for a mystery series.

I’d especially love advice from anyone who has written their first novel or turned real-life professional experience into fiction. What do you wish you had known when you started? Is there a different area of Reddit that I should have started at?

Again, I'm SO sorry if this was the wrong spot to ask this question. Please excuse my ignorance.

My name is David Shikongo and I am an avid writer. I have gotten into poetry over the last three years and have been writing more than a couple. I would like to publish a poetry book and I have started editing the ones I have. I just don't know what format where and how I can put my work out..... How would I do this? Any advise?

I've written a character who at some point in time purposefully destroys and buries eons of records regarding her people and her species.

So I ask one thing: would you rather be forgotten or remembered?

You're a rare species, viewed as a myth or dying. You're going to die someday and you have the control to let the future discover your history, or you can destroy it all. Not letting anyone know about your people, your culture, yourself. Anything. They won't remember you, and if they do find any remnants, you will be nothing but some myth. A story.

If you're remembered, there's a chance future historians can get your culture and society wrong—even by a smidge...or a lot. However, if you're forgotten, there's nothing to get wrong. The only thing is that nobody will remember you.

Which do you choose?

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I lve recently discovered a passion for writing and i have all these great ideas for fantasy worlds with some interesting themes to explore within them. But I know nothing about writing and would like to know from the experts where should I start in teying to develop this skill. Ill really love to get deep into this hobby even if i never become a rich and famous writer as long as I get to write great stories.

Finished my second draft of my book and I STILL am having the hardest time getting my word count down without feeling like I’m killing off half of my book. Any suggestions for editing?!

Hi , im new here. How to write a good writing in WordPress or blogger etc ? I want to write something about facts and review. Thank you

EDIT So I'm writing the book, and the book follows an individual who can lucid dream. This individual goes onto create sentient life(without realising it), this sentient life goes onto escape her mind(It is sorta powered by the parts of their brain not being used) into the shared human conciousness. The being is able to duplicate itself and goes on to try to take over the human race by kicking humans out of their bodies during sleep and putting them into the shared human conciousness in their place. They can only access people while they're sleeping. The protaginists have to try to stop them in the dreamscape.

After almost 5 months, and God-knows how long beforehand planning it all out, this morning I finished the 1st draft of my fantasy novel. LibreOffice tells me the word count is 78,661, although that counts all the chapter titles and suchlike.

Of course, I know I'm nowhere near done. Just from writing this I have made a list of things I want to change or add in draft 2, with several things needing expanding to emphasise the character and worldbuilding themes that are crucial, and several plot points need tightening up. But for now, it's getting filed away. I'll probably not look at it again until some time in the new year. Until then, I have another project I want to work on, one I abandoned a while back due to my lack of planning causing it to fall apart.

But yes, I'm very happy about finally getting down all the ideas I've had in my head and in my planning docs for so long!