Any advice on how I learn to write a book?

MrsKen33

*Primrose*. I use Word on my computer and ‘word count’ is under ‘Review’ on the tool/ task bar.

Hope this is of help

thank you so much! X

Primrose. I use Word on my computer and ‘word count’ is under ‘Review’ on the tool/ task bar.

Hope this is of help

Primrose There is a facility on the task bar of your computer which will give you the word count, number of pages etc.

Dim question but how do you keep track of the word count when you are writing?

Jist to say I did the year long Creative Writing course not the 'Introduction to' which might be more enjoyable than the one I did.

All of the above advice. I would just reading books, keeping a journal and writing what you know are my main points. I did Creative Writing at the Open University and it put me off writing and it took me years to get back to a more naturalistic style and to enjoy the process. Some people find poetry the best place to start with material such as you describe - it helps to capture the emotions. Good Luck but do juts get on and write something.

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Start your own small writing group. Limit it to 5-6 so you all have time to read your piece and discuss others. I did this on our local Nextdoor and had a good response.

But vet people beforehand. You don’t want bossy, critical types or those with nothing to add to the group. If you offer to host it during daytime you will probably get a more ‘mature’ group of retirees. It depends what you prefer.

Oh yes you can . Just do it. I did and I have a publishing contract. Your way and your ideas . Go for it Freda

The Open University has an Introduction to Creative Writing Course. There are no entry requirements as its a stand alone course. Costs £99 to register. Might be a good place to start. Or maybe look at your local colleges and see if there's anything suitable. Few people can sit down at a keyboard and bang out a book without some tutoring.

I've just finished Sally Magnusson's excellent book about her mum's dementia - "Where do the Memories Go?". Great for reference and research as well as really well written and an example of the genre. Good Luck

Skyos holidays do creative writing classes.
Both in Greece, been twice alone, and the Isle of Wight.
Tbh mostly went for a holiday and picked a diary style based on own experience. Wouldn't sell! But enjoyed it. Met some lovely people.
Also did a writing course locally.

Read books, read lots of books, and then read more. You will absorb how others before you have written them.

Write down something every day in a notebook (or most days, if you can't manage every day) Write anecdotes, quotes, musings, references to other stories connected with yours.

When you are ready to start, make a list of chapter headings that follow a recognisable "journey" through time, or through the progress of your parents' dementia, and shuffle the "material" in your notebook into appropriate chapters. Expand them, add to them, and refer back to them in other chapters.

There are lots of helpful ideas here, and suggestions for finding more help.

Good luck.

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Hi there Freda65. I have written quite a few books, none have been published and it isnt through trying.

The majority of my books ( over 60,000 words in each ) are all based on an event which is in my life ( as yours will be ).

Because you have lived through the situation you are writing about, your experiences lay raw throughout the book. I can't give you a detailed method of writing because mine just flowed from mind to laptop.
You will laugh, you will cry, all your emotions will find themselves written down,its fantastic therapy.

When the time is right, your story will flow, you can't force it. When you read it back, you will be amazed that every single word has come from YOU, I read mine back and think have I written this???

All the best.

Do you mean you want to write this as novel? Think about taking part in NaNoWriMo - National Novel Writing Month and investigate what support programmes are available in your area.

Also look at Myslexia tools especially How to write a first page to get you going. I can recommend their quarterly magazine.

Witzend, Marika Cobbold wrote Guppies for Tea. I read it years ago, and remembered the title, but not the subject.?

That’s brilliant, thank you so much everyone for all the great advice and experience you’ve shared here! It’s certainly given me the initial direction I was looking for. I’ll let you know how I get on ...thanks again x

I have just got a publishing contract. Sit down and start writing. It will come and in your own authentic style. Good luck.

Sorry…. From the time…not timer.

Look at Bookemon. It’s a simple layout which you can amend as often as you like. I took a year to write my mother’s life story and I interspersed it with bits of information from the timer. It’s so easy to put in photos too. When you are satisfied you can buy a hard copy or obviously as many as you wish. Very reasonable price. Excellent quality. I’d recommend this company.

Google 'writing a non-fictionbook hits and tips' and you will be inundated with helpful sites.

Ernest Hemingway wrote, "There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter* and bleed." (*or the modern equivalent)

Are there any creative writing classes in your area? These may help you to hone your craft and you'll meet other writers.

I am echoing everything that Witzend said, particularly point 3 about starting with something dramatic.

I found that the easiest part was writing the book (I wrote and self published three books), but the tricky bit is the formatting and uploading. I used KDP publishing for mine.

For the third book I used a professional to upload it for me.

I am currently thinking of a plot for another book.

I don't want to put you off, but it probably won't make much money for you. Although the achievement in itself is a great reward.

Good luck.