I need help with writing a book???
Posted by: paradox
19th Oct 2011 08:34pm
I am trying to write a book about all the interesting things that happened to me and my family in Australia and prior to us migrating here. I could use some hints on how to structure this and in particular whether to tell the story in the first person or mix it up. I have lots of hilarious, funny and sad stories to tell. At present I'm narrating so I wont forget anything and I'm correlating facts and places. I just have no idea how to present it to the readers. If anyone knows anything I would appreciate any help. Cheers all
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Comments 7
Phi
Hi, there will be an abundance of material avail for you to read at your local library.Topics range from writing tips & styles to help with approaching publishing companies & dealing with the inevitable rejections!.The librarians are usually very happy to asist you in your search for material.Possibly THE most useful thing I did prior to putting pen to paper was to enrol in a short course run by my local council on creative writing.They usually run for 6 to 8 wks & Ive found the courses to be very affordable.Good luck with your venture!
paradox
Ermar, thank you for your advice. I have already incorporated some of your suggestions. I have had to make enquiries with officials in the old country as have lost important documents during Cyclone Tracy in 1974 and my parents (deceased) have left me very little of our families history. So far I have had reasonable success with the authorities in Germany and I am piecing my early childhood together. In some cases the Internet is a great help as it lets me find additional contacts in a matter of minutes.
If anyone out there could guide me to a free program for my laptop so I can actually write in book form it would make it easier to arrange pages and illustrations. I am an old age pensioner and am not able to spend a great deal of money on these things. Cheers and thank you.
Ermar
i am writing my life story at present. I too am an immigrant and I want to write it for family coming after me.
i began chronologically and included photos, postcards, certificates and photos of artifacts in the text. I am of course writing in the first person.
I think the audience you are writing for is important and you will then write as if you are speaking to them.
If you are writing about the home country which the family or reader has not been to, description in detail is important to give them a picture of it.
Another way to write would be to roughly lay out all the pages, then go back and put in the detail and stories.I do a little of this. i always go back and reread each time I work on the text. Sometimes I see errors and sometimes I remember something else to add.
Good luck with your writing and enjoy it.
paradox
Hi all, I thank you all for your suggestions and I will certainly follow up on all. I will enquire at my local library here in Brisbane and on their website. I have now found that as I re-read what I've written that I keep adding more and more detail. So far I think I am one quarter of the way into my story and have written 25000 words. thanks for your encouragement and cheers to you.
lisa170
The best way to get started would be just sit down and start writing. Make a collection of all the stories you want to tell and then when you're done put them in order and re-write any that need it. You will probably find that it will all come together easier than you think.
HJW
Great advice. Can you suggest When Re-write is done) how to/where to start with where/how to submit to get it out there?
paradox
Thanks for the reply Lisa170, I appreciate any feedback. I have submitted a few short stories to various magazines and await the out come. One story was published on a website and had a few hundred visits. I love to tell my story and that of my parents and hope to get something sorted by mid 2012. A friend is also helping me with my own website and once that is up and running I will advertise it somewhere in these pages. My main problem is that English grammar and diction is not very strong to say the least and end up correcting my progress half the time. Thanks once again.