Any other writers in the house?

[SteCenturion]

If you've written a novel, started a novel, or contemplated a novel then you are a novelist. Getting it published by a company who wishes to exploit you to make money for themselves has naff all to do with it.

I own a bike so I'm a cyclist, I don't need to get signed by Team Sky to be validated

And so say all of us

 

[CopperBrompton]

If you've written a novel, started a novel, or contemplated a novel then you are a novelist.

You're an amateur novelist if you've completed a novel; I don't think there's any way one could stretch the definition to contemplating one! That would mean anyone who's ever thought about learning to fly a plane is a pilot.

I'm with you on properly planning the plot being the key, though. Technically I've completed two novels, but the first was written with no more than a beginning, middle and an end, and consequently wasn't any good. I now view that as my practice novel. The second and current novels, I planned in great detail - pretty much to scene-by-scene level - before I started writing.

I highly recommend Scrivener as a tool both for planning and for writing novels:
http://9to5mac.com/2013/12/20/revie...e-software-for-would-be-novelists-everywhere/

 

[Andrew_Culture]

I've heard Scrivener mentioned a lot, I write everything in Google Drive at the moment.

 

[Cyclist33]

I used to be something of a poet. Now I'm nothing of the sort!

Well that's not entirely true, I did write one a week or two ago and have got some ideas but not the wherewithal to execute them.

My stuff from around 5-10 years ago was pretty good, I'm told, but I never "made it" and so continue to earn my keep by protecting the country's rivers one milligram of BOD at a time

 

[Over The Hill]

I am 40,000 words into a novel. It has been a rather long term project probably kicking around for the last 8 years. Life just seems to get in the way of writing and so it does not get finished. I have an odd push at it now and again.
Around new year ,as it the way, it gets pulled out and I vow to do something with it; which is where I am at the moment. But I need to get the tax returns done first, mend the leaking radiator etc...
It is just a light, coming-of-age story but I really feel that it would make a great film and would be quite commercial.

In my new year review I decided to not try to get it finished (and fail) but to get together a good three-chapter presentation and actually get that out into the world. Most pitches seem to just want a chunk of it to assess rather than the whole finished work and I have that just about ready to go.

 

[welsh dragon]

I have thought of becoming a writer, novelist, I even started writing, then deleted everything. That was 4 years ago. I didn't think anyone would want to read anything that I would write. However, recently I have been thinking of taking up the pen again so to speak.

Who knows, maybe this time I will write and not delete my musings. Then again.........

 

[vernon]

I wrote and published a web site assisted by a sixth former that won the £10,000 Microsoft Road Ahead prize for High Schools in 1998.

I was flown out to Expo '98 to be presented with the cheque from Bill Gates, was feted on Portuguese National TV and more or less ignored in the UK.

 

[Flying_Monkey]

I think everyone has an idea for one novel; a tiny percentage start it; a tiny percentage of those finish it; a tiny percentage of those find an agent for it; a reasonable proportion of those find a publisher; and a tiny percentage of those make any significant income from it ...

I'm lucky enough to know several novelists in the last category and quite a few in the penultimate one... I think that when I do make the time to write fiction more seriously again, I will at least have good feedback and advice!

 

[Over The Hill]

I don't mind celebs writing (or even just putting their name to) their biography but I do get rather annoyed with the constant stream of celebs - Dawn French seems to be the latest one- who suddenly write a novel the is of course published and pushed by the publisher on the back of the celeb doing the rounds of chat shows and getting endless free publicity.

A typical review of her latest blockbuster -
The problem is that the story and the way it's told just isn't very good. The story is neither funny, dramatic, romantic or poignant. It sometimes tries to be all at once and normally fails. It's characters are dull - as Silvia thought of some of them herself when she was alive and well - or just downright annoying. The characterisation and accent of Winnie, Silvia's caring nurse, teeters from stereotypical to a wee bit racist. The story development is slow, some of the hospital visits are the same or similar to those which preceded them. That may be representative of real life but an exciting book it does not make.
It was a real struggle to get through.

Sounds like one that should have been left on the slush pile and as a result a better novel by a more deserving writer will be.

 

[vernon]

Anyone published?

Yes, my work, supervisor's name attached, my name deleted, megaflounce - goodbye PhD.

 

[Spinney]

Anyone published?

No doubt @Flying_Monkey is?

I write textbooks/worksheets etc used in schools - my main source of income.

I'd love to write novels as well, but I'm still in the 'stalled at chapter 3' stage!

 

[ColinJ]

I am writing something, but it will be a few weeks before it is finished. And then I will be writing something else, and that will take a few weeks more!

If I make any money from those two projects, then I will write more. If I don't then I will have to switch to 'Plan B' (developing apps for phones and tablets).

 

[Jon George]

I had two SF novels published by Tor Macmillan a few years back. My agent was unable to place a couple of WW2 action thrillers, so they're now available on Kindle, as are/will be some of my SF work (including the first two). I'm currently in the process of writing my next SF novel. My best advice? Adopt an attitude of sheer bloody-mindedness and keep putting that bum on the seat - you just have to be relentless.

 

[jhawk]

I, sir, am a published author! Ok, so I did the publishing, but still...

Self-publishing appears to be the way the market is going! Well done you!

 

[jhawk]

I've heard Scrivener mentioned a lot, I write everything in Google Drive at the moment.

I'm getting into the swing of Google Drive - better than saving everything local when writing with OpenOffice!