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Self-publishing is a very tricky business. Since your work does not go through the extensive editing and review that it would get by using a publishing house, it becomes very easy to put out work that has lots of misspellings and is grammatically sloppy. I've seen a number of otherwise good authors tank their careers because of that. Promotion can be a real challenge too: without a publishing house backing promo tours, bookmarks and other forms of advertisement, chances of building up an audience large enough to make a living at writing is very small.
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--Since your work does not go through the extensive editing and review that it would get by using a publishing house, it becomes very easy to put out work that has lots of misspellings and is grammatically sloppy. I've seen a number of otherwise good authors tank their careers because of that.
I've seen a number of self-published authors put out stuff with lots of spelling and grammar issues.
When you publish via a normal publisher, editors and proofreaders are automatically part of the process.
However, getting someone to proofread/edit isn't hard. Friends will do it for free (usually). If you want a professional job, there are those on the internet that will do this for a small fee.
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Start with the research, you need to try out your idea and see if it works.
Be excellent to each other. And... PARTY ON, DUDES!
Abraham Lincoln
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Quote: but I don't have the first clue how to start.
Perhaps start off with a murder in the work break room. The victim has purple on their face and a broken mug of coffee on the ground next to them. It can only get better from there. 
There are only 10 types of people in the world, those who understand binary and those who don't.
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Here is insight from one author.
"One man's wage rise is another man's price increase." - Harold Wilson
"Fireproof doesn't mean the fire will never come. It means when the fire comes that you will be able to withstand it." - Michael Simmons
"Show me a community that obeys the Ten Commandments and I'll show you a less crowded prison system." - Anonymous
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+5 
/ravi
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I have never been published but I have been rejected. At least I got a response.
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How do you mean, "start"? Are you talking about how to start writing, or how to get published? Are you asking about things like plot structure and story arc, or how to motivate yourself to writing, or how to find an agent?
Your best bet is to track down a writers coffee-klatch or support group, and actually speak with local authors. A lot depends on where you live: in the US Pacific Northwest, where I live, there are a great many resources that range from weekly "type and gripes" to annual conventions and workshops of international repute. If you live in Kansas or North Dakota, there will probably be fewer options.
If nothing else, get a few issues of Writer's Digest magazine, it usually has good articles suitable for beginners. Or go to a bookstore and ask for the Writing shelves, there are a number of good books that will outline what you need to know.
As one aspiring author to another, good luck!
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Rule #1: Writer's block is a lie. It's actually just laziness.
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This dude was born.
Then, many years later, he died mysteriously.
Now fill in the details...
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Hi, Kevin.
While I have a few books on the street, I tend to write non-fiction. However, after writing a screenplay for a sitcom I directed, I started thinking about writing fiction as well. The rules are different in that field, of course, so I've been reading a few books to get a feel for that style of writing. This is by far the best I've read.
How To Write A Damn Good Novel[^]
And at the risk of offering tired old advice, the most important thing is to just write. Like coding or any other creative pursuit, you'll get better and better at it. People love a good story, so have some fun and write one!
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lately, i fell in love with Homunculus. It's a manga, tells about trepanation.
Just try create a character, a girl. She is not good with math and computer, like the one of his old friend did. She always thinks she is a dull, so that's why she wants to put some trepanation surgery when she was seeking an internet. She takes too seriously that trepanation could make someone become smart, but she got to obsessed with it. Then she become smart, more than smart.
it will be a great opening though
KTBFFH
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Take a look at critters.org
I've taken part both as a critic and a submitter.
Provides a friendly and honest way of trying out your work and getting very useful feedback on it...
Lots of tips about writing available too...
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Story[^]
Seriously. It won't tell you anything you don't already know, but it will make you realize you already know it, why it's true, and what to do about it.
And/or go to www.zoetrope.com, sign up and write write write and read read read.
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I've been involved in writing two books, neither was fiction so my experience may be different from what you are about to embark upon.
The writing was hard enough, although cathartic. This process proved a saying I’d heard years before, “You don’t really know a subject until you teach it to someone else.”
Getting the works through multiple rounds of editing was painful. Some of the editors were awesome, but others were not. Correcting an editing mistake for “rogue” (meaning rascal, scoundrel, etc.) which changed it to “rouge” (ferric oxide for polishing metal, or a red makeup, etc.) too far too long. Don’t count on spell checkers.
Having gone through a publisher and gone the self-publishing route, there was far more freedom with self-publishing although you are assuming a lot more work for things like cover design and finding your own editors (friends are not editors, use a professional). With a publisher, these things were taken care of for you. Another valuable service a publisher provides is distribution, if you self-publish all distribution is up to you and you alone.
Write for yourself; there’s no one else more worth writing for.
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Unless you plan to self publish, step number one is to get an agent.
After that write some sample chapters and outline for him to shop around.
Look around for some writer's groups and hopefully find one that has a published author leading it or lurking around it.
Assuming you are a programmer, let me warn you of the culture shock you will probably find. Programmers like to share and collaborate, book authors tend to have raging egos that do not like to share and believe they possess an intellect unmatched by mortal man. Otherwise they wouldn't be writing books.
Psychosis at 10
Film at 11
Those who do not remember the past, are doomed to repeat it.
Those who do not remember the past, cannot build upon it.
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To Quote the Late and Great Tom Clancy:
“I do not over-intellectualise the production process. I try to keep it simple: Tell the damned story.”
Freedom is the right of all sentient beings.
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Find a writing group in your vicinity and join. Not sure how to find one, but I'd try asking around at local bookstores or libraries or something. Worst case, most science fiction cons have writing panels, which might be a good place to get an introduction, get started in the process, and make some contacts.
Gone are the days of needing deep pockets to self publish. So you could write the book and self-publish electronically. My wife's bought a number of self-published mysteries for her kindle.. some pretty good, some not.
But yeah, pretty much what everyone else said.. start writing the story, then worry about the rest.
We can program with only 1's, but if all you've got are zeros, you've got nothing.
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I’ve looked into this ever since my creative writing class a few years ago. Since then my biggest challenge has been allocating enough brain cells after a full week of work + family. (I know to go to bed because I’m falling asleep on the keyboard.)
First & foremost: define success for you. Why do you want to write? Do you want to make a living at it? Personally, I don’t. I’m addicted to coding, writing is my mistress. Success for me is having 5+ fans outside my family & friends (those who would lie to me to save my feelings).
On self-publishing vs. getting published:
You’re trading one problem for another, so pick you poison. Publishers abound but are difficult to get in with, but once you do they have tons of staff and $$$ to get the book in the hands of readers. (Also, agents exist to help you get into publishers… if you can get their attention.) Self-Publishing solves all that “front-end” work, but now you must get you book in the hands of readers.
If you decided to self-publish I’d suggest PAYING somebody to edit your work & give you genre specific feedback. Listen to them, revise, & resubmit to them again. Rinse & repeat until you’re happy. (Or can sell the book, assuming that’s what you want to do.) Outfits like http://www.lulu.com/ can help you.
Education:
Writing is like programming in some ways. You need to do it to get better. Start writing anything. Do outlines, build works, redo existing stories (Romeo & Juliet), build characters, write specific scenes then rewrite those scenes a different way, etc… etc… etc…
Basically start writing to figure out how you write then refine your process. I love listening to Writing Excuses’ Podcast http://www.writingexcuses.com/
- great coders make code look easy
- When humans are doing things computers could be doing instead, the computers get together late at night and laugh at us. - ¿Neal Ford?
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Thanks for the reponse.
One thing I'm curious about....
Assuming I just decide to start writing - is there some special format? Like an outline or college paper? Or do I simply open Word & start typing?
If it's not broken, fix it until it is
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I opened Word & attempt to write, but that's how I attack most things. Getting stuff out of my head helps me figure out how I need to operate, personally. Getting it in front of others helps refine that stuff into interesting stories.
From what I've seen & experienced "how to write" varies greatly. It kind of makes sense; writing is a purely creative act. Programming (at least) tries to solve a specific problem. I’ve heard of others start a story with no idea how it’ll end; I think it’s called “exploratory writing.” I’ve found some success with an outline of an outline of an outline, etc… I’ve started with a single paragraph of the story; expand that into scenes, then chapters. Somewhere along the line I find interesting characters with which to tell the story though. I try to give the interesting characters an arc (change from one emotional state to another via the story) & get the reader to like them.
I keep a folder in my skydrive specifically for story ideas. I've been in the checkout line getting groceries and typed a quick idea from my phone that I'll work on later. It might be a character idea/arc or a scene or whatever.
I need to get my stuff in front of others but I'm also struggling on exactly how to do that. I'm currently thinking using writing contests or hunting down some kind of writing blog... I'm not sure. (just google, but make sure to read the fine print. I'm still a bit leery of them in general.) I've even hit the print button, put it in a nice folder, and hand it to family/friends. While that was encouraging I don't believe I got objective feedback... with the exception of my wife. When I can get a story somewhat finished I’ll probably pay an editor to review it. At least then I can get a professional, genre specific objective feedback. (I recall lulu.com had editing services?)
I’ve picked up a ton of stuff from the Writing Excuses Podcast. They also hold an annual writing retreat I’d love to attend.
- great coders make code look easy
- When humans are doing things computers could be doing instead, the computers get together late at night and laugh at us. - ¿Neal Ford?
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