Are you writing a book?

[Larrynautik]

I have written a 253 pages science-fiction novel, a tragedy that takes place in Mars in the future. A young student in science accidently discovers a mathematical theory able to calculate everything that could happen to an object. The government gives him credit to create a weapon based on this. But during the conception of the perfect ultimate weapon, able to predict the efficiency of an attack and to change the strategy in case of bad result, the student - that is now a scientist - discovers that the end of the life of every human being he makes experiment on happen the same day, for everybody. He can't explain this, but tries and notice that only one man is not concerned by this fact. They will have to encounter to know the truth... but this encounter will not be as easy as the young scientist believed...

I've sent this novel to something like 10 french editors, but it was refused every time without an explanation

I've worked 4 years on it. It was a cool experience but really hard too. You must stay focused on what you are writting and try to find the contradictions of the novel. You must get your whole complex story in your head to do that and it's really hard

But no regrets

Now I have no book I work on, as it's really hard for no result. I have a ton of other ideas of stories such like this but... no motivation ! I'm writing poetry about paradise, eternity and divinity now. It's more relaxing

[Mr Man]

I've sent this novel to something like 10 french editors, but it was refused every time without an explanation

Really , have you tried getting it published abroad?

[LEGOman273]

No, she isn't.

*cough* look here *cough*

Um. . . Is Sandy male or female?

Allow me a small dig here. The "ever vigilant spam zapper" becomes the spammer.

Ooops...I'm spamming!

Be careful that you don't get zapped.

[Eskallon]

I've sent this novel to something like 10 french editors, but it was refused every time without an explanation

Really , have you tried getting it published abroad?

Well, JK Rowlings Harry Potter book was denied by more than 200 publishers and today it is read my millions and a hugely successful film series. I say, don't ever give up, because one day it will get approved and its true potential will be realised.

Now, I myself have sat down and tried to write a book many a time, but Im not exactly the cleverest of people and I find it hard to stick to a storyline.

[Palathadric]

Um. . . Is Sandy male or female?

Be careful that you don't get zapped.

...annoying!

A lot of famous authors had their works turned down many times, before they finally found the right publisher and their works exploded. However, there is nothing like publishing a book from a late publisher. Fame almost always comes after the author has passed on.

[Mr Man]

Um. . . Is Sandy male or female?

Male.

I've tried to wright many times but I just cant translate my head images in to words .

[KisKatona]

Well, I'm writing a book about magical ponies modern warfare (surprise). It is kinda based on Call of Duty.

[SilvaShado]

I've written a lot of short stories. I succeeded in writing a novel for National Novel Writing Month a few years ago. While I have a 54,000 word novel, it's a complete mess because I wrote it in 26 days. I think I'm going to return to my short stories and try to publish a collection.

And to all those people who have written a novel, but can't get a publisher to publish it, you can always do it yourself. I highly recommend CreateSpace as that's what we used for my husband's book The Cleric. It automatically lists it on Amazon and there are options for expanded distribution. We also made a Kindle Ebook version pretty easily. The hard part is self-promoting, but we're taking it slowly. We started with a Facebook Fan Page. Next step is creating press kits and sending those out to get reviews.

[Larrynautik]

Really , have you tried getting it published abroad?

I haven't tried, in fact, as I don't know which french-speaking country I could contact, but maybe I should.

But I think I would have greater chances if I was translating the novel in English, and sending it to english-speaking countries that are more opened to science fiction.

However, translating such a novel is not possible to me because I'm not good enough in english.

[Princess Muttonchops]

I have three and a half half written novels to my name! Actually, two are close to completion, so I really should pull my finger out and finish one of them, and then try to get it published (heh).

[RPGer]

Tanma, Mr. Man, I've got the same kind of thing, I have great ideas but I can't translate to paper.

[Larrynautik]

Tanma, Mr. Man, I've got the same kind of thing, I have great ideas but I can't translate to paper.

Why is it problematic to put your ideas in a story ?

[Mr Man]

Why is it problematic to put your ideas in a story ?

It just is . Lots of ideas no coherent thread to follow, so many different beginnings, different writing styles etc.

[Sisco]

I just started writing a book. I was inspired by a dream of an Irish girl that was incredibly detailed. The next day, I saw the exact same girl on an album cover while listening to Pandora. I had never seen the girl before in my life. So I thought what would happen if I dreamed of a girl, perhaps repeatedly, then met her in real life? So I began writing a book.

Martin, the protagonist, is a High School student in the U.S. He dreams of a girl named Luna, an Irish girl. Martin dreams of Luna for about a year, believing that she is a figment of his imagination. Then, in his senior year, World War Three suddenly begins. The Draft is reinstated, and he is drafted into a unit that evacuates civilians from battle zones. He is deployed to Ireland, where he evacuates civilians. He meets Luna, and after some internal turmoil, deserts the army and runs off with her.

I think that will be the end of book one. I'm still debating on whether I want to make a series out of this, though.

Thoughts?

[RPGer]

I just started writing a book. I was inspired by a dream of an Irish girl that was incredibly detailed. The next day, I saw the exact same girl on an album cover while listening to Pandora. I had never seen the girl before in my life. So I thought what would happen if I dreamed of a girl, perhaps repeatedly, then met her in real life? So I began writing a book.

Martin, the protagonist, is a High School student in the U.S. He dreams of a girl named Luna, an Irish girl. Martin dreams of Luna for about a year, believing that she is a figment of his imagination. Then, in his senior year, World War Three suddenly begins. The Draft is reinstated, and he is drafted into a unit that evacuates civilians from battle zones. He is deployed to Ireland, where he evacuates civilians. He meets Luna, and after some internal turmoil, deserts the army and runs off with her.

I think that will be the end of book one. I'm still debating on whether I want to make a series out of this, though.

Thoughts?

Ooh! Sounds exciting, Sisco!

[Sisco]

Ooh! Sounds exciting, Sisco!

Thank you! Do you think I should make a series of it?

[RPGer]

I say just this one book. It's sounding like a single book.

[Sisco]

Yeah, that's sort of what I was leaning toward.

Anything else?

[Poison Ivy]

As my thread is mostly for feedback, I'll post the main plot of my story here.

------

Cody Brackenheim and Eric Aotheran are two normal fourteen-year-olds, living in a small town in the U.S, until a creature from another dimension kidnaps them, considering them to be two out of the prophesied three "Controllers"; ones who can each master a different aspect of the universe. Thrown into prison on a moon brimming with creatures out of nightmares, Cody and Eric meet a young man, Aaron, who helps them escape to the nearby planet, a twisted version of Earth that serves as a battlefield for warring species of the two moons. While on the planet, Rean, Cody and Eric encounter the third and fourth prophesied humans, Arriana and Lily, and are suprised to find that one of them is from their very own hometown, brought to the planet by the Resistance, a group of humans fighting a hopeless battle against a new power rising amongst the legions of the black empire Car'Chaka. This dictator leads armies of thousands, while the Resistance is spread thin and losing badly on all fronts. Taken to the Resistance base of operations, Cody and Eric learn that Aaron was a part of the former Resistance who was thought to be dead for many years. Trouble seems to follow the two, as when they are dropped in a canyon for training, Car'Chaka forces attack, kidnapping their fellow trainees and injuring both badly. Separated, they wander throughout the canyon, searching for any life, and finding it. Eric fights wild animals and a war beast of the Car'Chaka, then is captured for a gladiatorial arena. He participates in, and wins, the blood sport, and escapes, to be found by Aaron hours later. Cody, however, finds a passageway through the canyon wall, and follows it, finding himself at a vast lake. He encounters a Leviathan, a gigantic beast that lives in the water. He attempts to kill it, but is captured by the Car'Chaka and thought dead. After a series of misadventures, he escapes and reunites with Eric, Aaron, Arriana, and Lily, only to have to fend off a gigantic attack by the Car'Chaka forces, and all five find their true powers in the process.

----

That, I'm thinking, will be the end of Book 1.

[RPGer]

As my thread is mostly for feedback, I'll post the main plot of my story here.

------

Cody Brackenheim and Eric Aotheran are two normal fourteen-year-olds, living in a small town in the U.S, until a creature from another dimension kidnaps them, considering them to be two out of the prophesied three "Controllers"; ones who can each master a different aspect of the universe. Thrown into prison on a moon brimming with creatures out of nightmares, Cody and Eric meet a young man, Aaron, who helps them escape to the nearby planet, a twisted version of Earth that serves as a battlefield for warring species of the two moons. While on the planet, Rean, Cody and Eric encounter the third and fourth prophesied humans, Arriana and Lily, and are suprised to find that one of them is from their very own hometown, brought to the planet by the Resistance, a group of humans fighting a hopeless battle against a new power rising amongst the legions of the black empire Car'Chaka. This dictator leads armies of thousands, while the Resistance is spread thin and losing badly on all fronts. Taken to the Resistance base of operations, Cody and Eric learn that Aaron was a part of the former Resistance who was thought to be dead for many years. Trouble seems to follow the two, as when they are dropped in a canyon for training, Car'Chaka forces attack, kidnapping their fellow trainees and injuring both badly. Separated, they wander throughout the canyon, searching for any life, and finding it. Eric fights wild animals and a war beast of the Car'Chaka, then is captured for a gladiatorial arena. He participates in, and wins, the blood sport, and escapes, to be found by Aaron hours later. Cody, however, finds a passageway through the canyon wall, and follows it, finding himself at a vast lake. He encounters a Leviathan, a gigantic beast that lives in the water. He attempts to kill it, but is captured by the Car'Chaka and thought dead. After a series of misadventures, he escapes and reunites with Eric, Aaron, Arriana, and Lily, only to have to fend off a gigantic attack by the Car'Chaka forces, and all five find their true powers in the process.

----

That, I'm thinking, will be the end of Book 1.

I bow down before my master and kiss the floor!

[Palathadric]

Thank you! Do you think I should make a series of it?

I don't think so, although it really depends on how in-depth you are planning to get into this. Will he be fighting a lot of battles and stuff when in Ireland? Or, more or less, just evacuating people? It could possibly be a series, but as of now I see it more as a single book. I don't really know what else to comment on though, the description is a little short...Is it leaning more towards the romantic side of writing with a lot of character study and thought, emotions, etc or is it more of a war deal with the romance just thrown in, or a bit of both?

[Professor Flitwick]

Then, in his senior year, World War Three suddenly begins.

If I may ask, what causes this outbreak of war? It's just the only way I (from a British person's perspective) could imagine Ireland as the battle ground for a war is if it were involving the IRA.

Thank you! Do you think I should make a series of it?

It all depends. Would your first novel have a natural end, or be a cliffhanger. I'm not against sequels Per Se, but I dislike cliff hangers, and some readers may resent your novel for it. It's like games that come with DLC on first-day-release. Some like it, others are ambivalent, and others dislike them, and think less of them because of it.

[Peanuts]

It all depends. Would your first novel have a natural end, or be a cliffhanger. I'm not against sequels Per Se, but I dislike cliff hangers, and some readers may resent your novel for it. It's like games that come with DLC on first-day-release. Some like it, others are ambivalent, and others dislike them, and think less of them because of it.

I agree. I myself am also highly averse against cliffhangers. While they may be okay in a TV series and tolerable in movies, I definitely can't stand having them in a book, but I guess there are people who think otherwise. But I have nothing against sequels or series, if they are good. If you've got a good story, go for it. But don't make a sequel for the sake of having a sequel.

On another note, why exactly is the protagonist deserting, and why exactly is she following him? I guess they are trying to avoid the war, but to me evacuating and even more being evacuated doesn't sound that bad, at least not worse than deserting in a battle zone. Just wondering, no critizism intended.

Oh, and I myself am also thinking about writing a book, but the story still needs some work. I've got several ideas, right now I pursue a story in a Cyberpunk/Post-Cyberpunk setting, though it's rather down-to-earth regarding the technology. No spaceships, lasers or flying cars. Maybe not even airplanes, I think.

The time is about 150 years after a world war and the breakdown of civilization and loss of most technology. The story is set in a country, which has been build mainly by few large Tech Companies, which adopt and improve the technologies used before the Breakdown, so that this country is far more advanced than other countries. These Tech Companies not only satisfy most demands, but also control the medical system and the board of education.

Then there's the dictatorial government, which uses the Companies' technology to secure their power. They tolerate and even support the might of the Companies, as long as they don't oppose the government.

The relationship between this country and their neighbor are very tense, and when the neighbor country's vice president is assassinated during a diplomatic visit, it's likely there will be war, which is obviously teh intention of the far superior dicatorship. Yet, they allow the other country to send in a single, unarmed agent (the protagonist), in order to solve the crime.

Of course, the dictatorship has no intention of getting the crime solved, so they try to kill the agent, claim that he was sent as a spy, and invade the other country.

The agent survives, but is trapped in the enemy's capital and has to evade the Ministry of Inner Order (the police/secret service/intelligence). It's a city full of social problems, criminality, a bit of jingoism, intrigues of the Companies against each other, competition of the various Ministries, an impending energy crisis, and the Minister of Propaganda has some plans of his own...

And, by the way, all military technology is severely controlled by the government. While the government is using assult rifles, tanks, helicopters, railgun artillery and has all it's soldiers equipped with automatic targeting systems, the criminals and the few rebels barely have revolvers, makeshift rifles and few self-constructed gatling guns. And hardly any ammo. They barely play a major role in the plot. Don't expect a happy ending...

What do you think?

[Palathadric]

It all depends. Would your first novel have a natural end, or be a cliffhanger. I'm not against sequels Per Se, but I dislike cliff hangers, and some readers may resent your novel for it. It's like games that come with DLC on first-day-release. Some like it, others are ambivalent, and others dislike them, and think less of them because of it.

I wouldn't say natural endings and cliffhangers are two opposite things. I think a cliffhanger may even be more natural than a utterly "happy ending", if you know what I mean, which I doubt you do because I didn't explain it well. (I confuse myself a lot...it must be a disease )

Anyhow, what I mean to say is that I prefer endings that leave the option open for a sequel. Okay that's not really what a cliffhanger is, but you get the picture, right? It's true that real cliffhangers that render the first book useless unless it has a sequel are not my preference though. However, I believe they do have their time and place.

I don't really agree with the idea of writing a book and all along thinking that it is going to be divided into ___ number of books so you prepare for a dramatic ending for each book. If you want to make your book a series, I would almost say that it is better to write the whole thing first and, if it is that long that you want to make it a series, then you can divide it into separate books after.

If you are planning on publishing a series of books then I suggest you have at least two finished before you publish the first, that way if the public demands more, you can, fairly soon, put out another one fairly soon and not keep the public waiting too long which may make them lose interest.

Am I rambling? Whenever I write a longer post I feel like I'm rambling incessantly. Let me know if I'm annoying.

[Peanuts]

I wouldn't say natural endings and cliffhangers are two opposite things. I think a cliffhanger may even be more natural than a utterly "happy ending", if you know what I mean, which I doubt you do because I didn't explain it well. (I confuse myself a lot...it must be a disease )

Anyhow, what I mean to say is that I prefer endings that leave the option open for a sequel. Okay that's not really what a cliffhanger is, but you get the picture, right? It's true that real cliffhangers that render the first book useless unless it has a sequel are not my preference though. However, I believe they do have their time and place.

I don't really agree with the idea of writing a book and all along thinking that it is going to be divided into ___ number of books so you prepare for a dramatic ending for each book. If you want to make your book a series, I would almost say that it is better to write the whole thing first and, if it is that long that you want to make it a series, then you can divide it into separate books after.

If you are planning on publishing a series of books then I suggest you have at least two finished before you publish the first, that way if the public demands more, you can, fairly soon, put out another one fairly soon and not keep the public waiting too long which may make them lose interest.

Am I rambling? Whenever I write a longer post I feel like I'm rambling incessantly. Let me know if I'm annoying.

Well, you are a bit confusing, but I guess I get what you're saying.

You think the plot should be elaborated, and then the author should decide wheter to make it a series or not, right? Kinda makes sence to me.

But I myself actually prefer each book of a series to have its own plot, and if I'd write a series, I'd make sure that each book in itself is satisfactory, so that nobody is actually forced to read the next book just to make some sense out of the story. Doesn't mean book one ends all smiles and sunshines, and then suddenly it's all bad again. I almost always leave speace for a sequel, or even give hints, especially in aforementioned Cyberpunk story, in which things still aren't good, just slightly better. But still every book will have it's own arc, and not end in the middle of something.