![]() But that was before there were 3 million new books a year for readers to choose from. Yes, you’ve read biographies of so many writers that say Jane Austen, or Charlotte Bronte, or Charles Dickens began writing because they needed money. “If you desire to write a novel because you want to have a bestseller and make a bundle of money, my advice is to play the lottery it will take much less time and your odds will be about the same, if not better, and I can guarantee that the work involved will be much less.” Bob Mayer put it very well back in 2016, and the problems have only increased. Anybody who’s been in this business for any length of time will tell you why this is a bad idea. 10 Dos and Don’ts if You Think You Want to Write a Book 1) DON’T Write a Book to Make MoneyĮspecially a novel. Here are some Do’s and Don’ts for people who think they want to write a book. Please note I do not want to step on the dream of anybody who really longs to write book-length narrative. Why be a mediocre novelist when you might be a great painter, stand-up comic, poet, potter, gardener, designer, or chef? I firmly believe that everybody has a creative self that needs to be nurtured, but that creativity may express itself in hundreds of different ways - all of which enrich our culture. There’s nothing intrinsically “better” about writing books than any other form of creative expression. If writing novels doesn’t feel like playing, try another medium. He basically thought he should write because he didn’t enjoy it. He said he felt that writing was “serious,” while painting was “play.” He’d found his medium.īut he said he still felt guilty about this abandoned novel. His paintings were fantastic: vibrant and creative and alive. He dropped out of the group and I ran into him several years later. The group tended to be hard on him because he didn’t seem to grasp the concept of conflict in a scene, and his characters were stereotypical lumps who mostly sat around musing or admiring the drapes. Years ago, I was in a writing group with a man who struggled with every sentence of his WIP. Not everybody has the talent or inclination to create with words. Don’t get locked into the idea that writing books is the only path to creative expression. Remember there are lots of outlets for creativity. Is a Book What You Really Want to Create? ![]() So people need to make sure they actually want to embark on the journey before they start down the book-writing road. No matter how much native talent you have, you need to study and practice a long time before you’re going to be able to create something that will succeed in the marketplace Nobody’s born with the knowledge of how to craft a novel or memoir any more than anybody is born with a perfect golf swing or a great operatic voice. Projects always take longer than we expect. It’s also hard on our friends and loved ones. voila! books happen.īut those of us who write professionally know that learning this trade is a long, tough slog. For some reason, many people think all you need is a keyboard and a block of time and…. The problem lies in the fact that lots of people think learning to write is somehow easier than learning to paint, play an instrument, compose music, or design clothing. I honestly believe not everybody is cut out to write book-length narrative. ![]() Estimates say 3 million books were published in 2022. ![]() Indie publishing has brought an explosion of new books. And that’s where it should stay.” Unfortunately, it’s kind of true. There’s an old, unkind joke that says, “Most people think they have a book in them. Of course, most of that 81+% won’t ever write a word. With the indie ebook revolution, the percentage has only expanded. Back in 2002, a New York Times survey showed 81% of Americans want to write a book.
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