The will to write

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I've always been quite interested in writing and my childhood dream "job" was to be an author. However, I must admit I'm not really too sure about the whole process.

Does anyone know how exactly you would go about the whole process of 'becoming an author'? I'm sure that the obvious first step would be to come up with an idea and then write it, and then find a willing publisher and send them the draft...

But, I don't know. I've had many ideas over my time but never have I really had any drive to fully flesh them out into novels.

It's not that I don't like the ideas - I constantly come up with updates to the plot and characters and write them down on loose pages or pieces of paper, I have so many fileblocks and notepads filled with random ideas that have came into my mind at some point but never have I actually sat down and attempted to construct a book because I'm really just not too sure how to go about the process.

I've wrote short stories before, that's easy really, but what I'd really like to do is find some way to write a full length story. I just can't stick with it. Does anyone have any experience with writing lengthy pieces of fiction? What would be your recommended strategy?

I'm going off to America this Summer with my laptop in hope of finding peace with my girlfriend to write, and I'd really like to make sure that the holiday is both relaxing and a good use of my time, so I figured that now would be a better time than ever to try and work out writing exercises of some sort to ensure I can at least make an attempt in the coming months at a book.

I don't have a lot of experience with publishing stories. I do have some experience trying to write one.

First thing I would do when writing a story is just make a quick outline of the story. Something I can look at later so I know how the story will proceed.

Second I would just write the story. Don't be critical of what you write down at this point. Just do it. If I become too critical at this stage it blocks the creative part of my mind that is trying to express itself and then writer's block sets in.

Once you have the first draft done, then go back and look at it critically. Does the story flow properly. Is there plenty of character development? Will it grab the reader's attention? Are you expressing yourself properly with the words. Is your grammar and spelling right? Does the story follow your outline?

Then let someone else read your story. Better if the person reading it does not what the story is about. That way you can judge by their comments if you expressed the story properly and the reader understands what you wrote. Allow the person reading your story to be honest in their judgement of your story.

Then revised the story based on the reader's comments.

When it comes time to sell your first story, go to the agents or publishing house web site and see what their guidelines are for submitting a story. Your not going win anyone if you do not follow their guidelines.

I would even start by trying to sell short stories to magazines, find websites for amateur authors to submit stories. Even write a blog that will show how good you write. This allows you to get feedback from people on your writing skills, Also gives you a resume of sorts that the agent or publishing house can look at to see if its even worth reading your novel to see if its worth publishing.

The hardest part of becoming a author is just selling that first story. Be prepared for a lot of rejections. Just keep trying to sell it and maybe write other novels that might sell. Once you have a name for yourself selling stories then it becomes a lot easier to sell them.

Just my opinion on it, like I said I don't have a lot of experience in this field but just giving you ideas to think about

That's good advice. The only thing I'd add is that in the modern digital world some authors are having some success bypassing the publishing houses and going straight to things like Kindle. This might be especially good for niche markets, I've thought of writing fiction specific to gamers and trying to promote it at a video game convention like PAX east.

Thanks mike, useful advice as always.

As for Kindle... I do own one and have noticed there are quite a lot of short stories, I've read many of them. I hadn't really thought of the idea which is unusual, but that does sound like an idea. Perhaps I should work on short stories to try and go through Amazon's Kindle rather than straight to a full novel, as mentioned, it would provide me with a resume of sorts!

Okay, I'll do that. No problem. I'll make sure to post again once I've finished!