Anyone here written a book?

Originally Posted by Quiff Wichard

yeppo GG is the lady you need.

I get the impression GG is the lady everyone needs, no matter what the situation.




Stretchie... nice bloke and all that, but you've just got to hate him for being the one.

[ixlr8]

Originally Posted by punyXpress

Log off here.
Go to Word ( others are available )
Start typing & don't stop until it's all out of your system.
THEN start thinking about how to get it prepared for printing.
Oh, don't forget to come back here from time to time.

Do this regardless. Then it's out of your head and cemented in the real world and you (or GG) will be able to see whether there's a publishable amount of knowledge, whether you'll need a ghostwriter, editor, etc., to publish or post as how-to's and so on.

I,ve done one (a history of the wooden bowl), nearly finished a second (how to carve wooden spoons) and chapters in several others. Also have lots of friends that have done others and tried the various options eg self publishing.

It is easier now than it was a few years ago as short run printing costs come down publishers are not looking at such big risks.

If you think it will take 3 months I would say plan for at least 12. The advice about actually blatting a pile of stuff out in word is good, get something down on paper. Look at publishers that publish in your specialist field, for me it is woodworking and there are only 2 or 3 to choose from. Those publishers may well have online guidelines for new authors, if not once you have a sample chapter and synopsis then go talk to them.

When you get sufficiently down the line be aware that design and editing are as important to your book as content, if you have a small publisher you may have some say or be able to choose your own designer and editor, with larger publishers it will just go out in the house style which is fine if you like it. It is easy to think content is everything it is actually only a small part of what makes a book good or bad.

Starting from the point of having this thing in your head you need to get out is good. Starting from the point of thinking you might make some money from it is bad. My book took over 50% of my work time for 18months (and I already thought I had it over 50% written when I started) I get around £2.50 a copy for a £25 hardback book and the publisher thinks it has done well having sold around 3000 copies. So £7,500 for a years work. There are other benefits but from most of the authors I know money is unlikely to be better than the same time working in McDonalds.