Paid Members CuckedByMenry Posted January 2, 2011 Paid Members Share Posted January 2, 2011 I'm setting myself a number of targets this year and one of them is to write a fiction novel. I've read a fair number of books and will be reading up on some of the "How to..." websites for guidelines, but since there are several writers on the UKFF, including published ones, I figured it wouldn't hurt to ask here for some general advice. Be it on structure, staying motivated, writers' block, rewrites, learning from mistakes or even if it's just a link to a decent writing site, any tips would be muchly appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Pitcos Posted January 2, 2011 Share Posted January 2, 2011 My own advice when Chilli Dog asked a question about writer's block... http://ukff.com/index.php?showtopic=121668 Â In my experience, the two things that work best are:Â 1) Fuck off out the house. When I'm sat in front of a blank document on the computer trying to force myself to come up with ideas, I struggle (and then give up and come here). But I find that I'm full of ideas when I'm en route somewhere. In the car, on the bus, on the train, even walking to Tesco and back. I usually carry a little notepad with me. Sometimes on the coach, when I'm getting it out and scribbling something in it every five minutes, I wonder if the passenger across from me thinks I'm a serial killer. Â 2) Talk it through with someone you trust and have some respect for as a writer (or at least as an ideas person). The solitude of writing is often the hardest part, I think. Bouncing ideas with someone is really productive, in my opinion. Even if a lot of what they suggest doesn't work, there will be little chunks that do, or that spark off other ideas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdh85 Posted January 2, 2011 Share Posted January 2, 2011 I've always liked Charlie Brooker's advice on how to write: Â "Get a deadline." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Green Posted January 2, 2011 Paid Members Share Posted January 2, 2011 The old "just sleep on it" advice can work wonders. Don't over-stress yourself else it'll be even harder to trim down some of your ideas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpiralTap Posted January 2, 2011 Share Posted January 2, 2011 The biggest problem I have is my english grammer and stuff is quite bad, im more of a concept guy. I can come up with the who, what, where, when, why and how but i struggle to put it in a document that doesnt look like it was written by a 7 year old. Â Motivation is a killer, ive been working on the same project for near 20 years. Also my stories need pictures and I cant draw for toffee so im screwed in that aspect too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turnbucklepads Posted January 2, 2011 Share Posted January 2, 2011 My advise is the develop thick skin. Because when you post it on here, the UKFF will rip the piss out of it to make themselves feel better about themselves, and then it will go in Gold. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Devon Malcolm Posted January 3, 2011 Paid Members Share Posted January 3, 2011 My advise is the develop thick skin. Because when you post it on here, the UKFF will rip the piss out of it to make themselves feel better about themselves, and then it will go in Gold. Â Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Chris B Posted January 3, 2011 Paid Members Share Posted January 3, 2011 I'm setting myself a number of targets this year and one of them is to write a fiction novel. I've read a fair number of books and will be reading up on some of the "How to..." websites for guidelines, but since there are several writers on the UKFF, including published ones, I figured it wouldn't hurt to ask here for some general advice. Be it on structure, staying motivated, writers' block, rewrites, learning from mistakes or even if it's just a link to a decent writing site, any tips would be muchly appreciated. Â Find a writer's group near you. I've just set up one in North London, and it's good for motivation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vamp Posted January 3, 2011 Share Posted January 3, 2011 My biggest piece of advice is, if you don't mind waiting that long, start in November. My reasoning is simple, if you sign up for this NaNoWriMo it'll make it that much easier to get a first draft out. It gives you the deadline you need, its normally a busier time of year (for me at least) and I find that when you've got a thousand other things you should be doing than you're more willing to write and it has a wonderful community spirit which is sure to help you along. What you'll end up with will seem like absolute crap, but then you can edit on it and work on it. Josh Ritter, who's one of my favourite writers (he's a singer/songwriter who's lyrics are fantastic) said that he thought it'd be easier to write a novel because he could just write, he realised afterwards that it needed to be honed down just like a song. That's the process of writing as far as I can tell, you need to have this messy chaotic world and then chisel it down until you have the bare essentials of the story.  Obviously reading fiction will improve the quality of your writing but when it comes to ideas you might want to venture into historical books or something else non-fiction. Terry Pratchett often says that he gets his ideas from reading history, not from reading other novels.  Then we've got this. Personally I think you should read it, then ignore it. Any bits that you think were true and worthwhile will stick in your mind but the bits that you don't personally agree with will just blow away in the wind. That's good. Write your story, nobody elses or you'll never get through it. 10 Rules for Writing Fiction  I honestly think the most difficult skill for a writer to get is perservereance. You will at some stage think your idea is crap or look at the first draft and think there's no point working on it any further. I've got a few first drafts for novels just gathering dust because I haven't worked on them. You should work on them, even if you're certain there absolute crap because out of 50,000 words plus there's bound to be at least one ember you can blow into life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yoghurt Posted January 3, 2011 Share Posted January 3, 2011 My advise is the develop thick skin. Because when you post it on here, the UKFF will rip the piss out of it to make themselves feel better about themselves, and then it will go in Gold. Â Not they won't, there isn't anyone on this forum good enough to do that, aimless people like Gladstone who need high fives from equally witless cretins to validate themselves. I wouldn't worry what such uncreative people think or do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Devon Malcolm Posted January 3, 2011 Paid Members Share Posted January 3, 2011 My advise is the develop thick skin. Because when you post it on here, the UKFF will rip the piss out of it to make themselves feel better about themselves, and then it will go in Gold. Â Not they won't, there isn't anyone on this forum good enough to do that, aimless people like Gladstone who need high fives from equally witless cretins to validate themselves. I wouldn't worry what such uncreative people think or do. Â I agree completely, especially with someone as cultured as yourself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Surf Digby Posted January 3, 2011 Paid Members Share Posted January 3, 2011 "Lol". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members SpursRiot2012 Posted January 3, 2011 Paid Members Share Posted January 3, 2011 Find a writer's group near you. I've just set up one in North London, and it's good for motivation. Â Any details on that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Chris B Posted January 3, 2011 Paid Members Share Posted January 3, 2011 Find a writer's group near you. I've just set up one in North London, and it's good for motivation. Â Any details on that? Â It's at the Big Green Bookshop in Wood Green. Fortnightly on Wednesdays. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FireBrand Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 After a good few years getting stuff printed for nothing in the small presses I finaly got my first paid short story in a publication sold a major retial outlets. Â From my experence it takes a long time to develop an identity and presence for anyone to take a chance on you with fiction but I would never put anyone off doing it. Â I would advise starting out in the small press by writing short fiction for free and building up from there unless you can make decent contacts by yourself. A friend of mine thought she could make a mint by penning a childrens story and then getting a publisher to do the rest for her. Â She got a deal, a shit one a deal where the publisher asked her for around Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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