If you were to publish a book, what will it be?

[Vash01]

Have you published a book? If you haven't, what kind of book would you like it to be?

You may pick more than one (no limit).

[Buzz]

It would be a novel and historical fiction. Think a Boris Akunin type book. LOL

[JAF]

A Cookbook and novel about a family through multiple generations.
I love to cook, so I can write a cookbook - right?

I love novels about families, I think it would be fun to make up a family, but of course writing is hard.

[AliasJohnDoe]

I'd write sci-fi/fantasy/horror comic-books or short stories. Though my writing skills suck, I have a good imagination. I have already outlined a few ideas, and many of them have come from dreams.

[nubka]

Definately a biography.

[KatieC]

My first thought was a novel, spy/thriller/adventure genre, but then I saw travel guide. I love reading travel guides and love writing notes about my own travels.

[danceronice]

Here you go:

http://www.amazon.com/Strange-Roads-...mm_pap_title_0

It's contemporary fantasy (ie modern-set fantasy that is not about 'does she sleep with the vampire, the werewolf, or the ghost?' There are no werewolves, the ghost isn't that kind of person, and the vampire's in a committed relationship already.)

[agalisgv]

^^^apparently it just came out last week--congrats!

I've published articles and book chapters, and am working on my monograph. All my stuff is academic though.

[Matryeshka]

I've published articles. Dry, horrible stuff.

I have half-written stuff, and ideas for more half-written stuff, but nothing finished.

I'd blame commuting and being too tired, but I was unemployed for eight months and still didn't write anything so there you go

[danceronice]

^^^apparently it just came out last week--congrats!

I've published articles and book chapters, and am working on my monograph. All my stuff is academic though.

Also available for Kindle, for those who like ebooks--been out since Christmas day with over 500 downloads now.

I suck at academic writing. I have been trying to write even a "light" article (for a state history pop-mag) and it's just misery. It sounds so DRY. And pedantic. Plus using my own photograph (I took it, ergo I own the rights) to create the cover of my book was easy, rights-wise, while sorting out who owns what photograph of various historical figures and places and stuff in our collections ("We own the stereopticon slide, but who owns the photo ON it?")...aiieee.

[agalisgv]

I suck at academic writing. I have been trying to write even a "light" article (for a state history pop-mag) and it's just misery. It sounds so DRY. And pedantic.

Yes, and it will translate to your other writing--even on internet message boards ...

Personally I don't mind the dryness, but it's the level of precision that is difficult. I can spend six hours just double-checking one sentence with other resources. So much time, so little to show for it :sigh:

But that's really wonderful about the 500 downloads. Is there a sequel in the works?

[ChelleC]

Fiction---Historical romance. I have an idea brewing in my head, if I can ever sit down to write it.

[danceronice]

Yes, and it will translate to your other writing--even on internet message boards ...

Personally I don't mind the dryness, but it's the level of precision that is difficult. I can spend six hours just double-checking one sentence with other resources. So much time, so little to show for it :sigh:

But that's really wonderful about the 500 downloads. Is there a sequel in the works?

Yes, though my immediate priority was a short story with a 12/31 deadline (Bloodsucking by Gaslight anthology for Black Sails Press) and there is a new call that just went out from a horror imprint for "Steampunk Cthulhu" (which the editors swear is a working title--Steampunk with Lovecraftian twist.) I am determined to get something in closer to this side of the deadline this time...another reason I suspect I suck at academia, I am the worst of the deadline-pushers. I have to have a Titanic lecture (we have five survivors from our town and more from the area, plus the US Senator who lead the American investigation was born in our town, so the anniversary's a big thing for our museum) that I really need to have ready by the first week of March. REALLY REALLY NEED. I can crank out fan fiction like nobody's business, I can, when necessary, crank out a short story in six hours (see that deadline I mentioned for the first story?) but this is like pulling teeth.

Worst part? Topic's FASCINATING. I love it. But I never feel as if I can make it SOUND fascinating.

[Vash01]

Here you go:

http://www.amazon.com/Strange-Roads-...mm_pap_title_0

It's contemporary fantasy (ie modern-set fantasy that is not about 'does she sleep with the vampire, the werewolf, or the ghost?' There are no werewolves, the ghost isn't that kind of person, and the vampire's in a committed relationship already.)

Congratulations!

[Japanfan]

Congratulations danceronice, you got great reviews.

I've published as a journalist in newspapers and magazine and work as a editor/writer - but I actually find writing to be very painful and laborious as I'm such a perfectionist. I've attempted one novel already but it really got out of control and I learned that a mastery of fiction style is something I don't yet have. I think I could probably learn, but don't know if I have the motivation. When I'm not working the last thing I want to do write anything (excepting posts on FSU). I would very much like to do my own writing again some time, but I'd have to be free of working with words for income.

I have written a few prose poems - I spent an entire year perfecting one and it was only about 2500 words long - and aim to publish them some time, perhaps I would do a few more, should I be inspired. And I've thought that the short story might be worth a try and be a good way to learn fiction writing.

Two things I learned from my book attempt. 1) Don't try to emulate your favourite writer's style, as I did Kurt Vonnegut Jr. It doesn't work because it isn't your style. 2) Don't write a book about yourself or life. Instead, create characters and a story.

When people tell me they want to write a book about their life I'm always rather blah and cynical about it. And honestly, I wouldn't want to be expected to read their books - my brother, a retired mathematician, is now writing books and I was obligated to read one of them. It wasn't bad but not great or publishable and it didn't give me any personal insights into him, as the journals my mom wrote for a creative writing class did, they are a true treasure.

[Holley Calmes]

I write for a living-publicity, grants, marketing. So when I tried my hand at a novel, it was amazing how difficult,what hard work,it was! My hat's off to anyone who can write a novel.

I had worked for a woman for ten years at a museum. When her husband died, she freaked out, understandably, but instead of grieving at home, she came immediately back to work and fired me for "trying to take over her job." Ten years there, ten years her friend. I'd say it was the grief talking, but she'd always been....difficult.

Anyway, I wasn't exactly fired-they just eliminated my job so I could collect unemployment. So I enjoyed my summer by writing a mystery about a museum in suburban Atlanta, and I killed off all the obnoxious people I had known there. Changed the names, looks, etc., but there was always something about the character that if you knew them...

I have a sweat shirt that says "Careful...or you'll wind up in my novel." I can honestly say I have been there, done that.

I'm on a second draft. I've had folks read it, and although it needs a LOT of work, the characters and plot are there. I keep toying with how to actually "off" the woman in question. Such fun!

[danceronice]

I write for a living-publicity, grants, marketing. So when I tried my hand at a novel, it was amazing how difficult,what hard work,it was! My hat's off to anyone who can write a novel.

Lol..I find fiction easy and grant-writing like pulling teeth! (Can't I just say "We're a nice little museum, give us money? Pretty please?") Grant-writing is HARD WORK!

[Holley Calmes]

Well, I will say that spinning tales is a lot more fun if harder work than writing grants! Grants can be a chore, but they seem to come relatively easy for me. Wonder what that says about my personality???

[Japanfan]

Well, I will say that spinning tales is a lot more fun if harder work than writing grants! Grants can be a chore, but they seem to come relatively easy for me. Wonder what that says about my personality???

Maybe it's what you've learned? Once you've mastered one style of writing, it should be easier to master another. Much like learning languages.

There is a natural inclination of course, I was naturally gifted at essay writing in school and now help people with essays. After I studied journalism, I naturally excelled in feature article writing. I am somewhat versatile in that I can write fluff when I have to and I also do website content, which has a copywriting aspect.

As I can do dynamic and descriptive writing for non-fiction , I figure I might be able to do fiction well if I practiced.

[Vash01]

I have published technical articles, but never a book. I don't even want to think about writing/publishing a text book (technical topic). My dream is to write a screenplay for a movie, but that won't qualify as a book. I would like to publish a cookbook though.