Wannabe writer

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Park Bierbower on May 17, 2011 at 9:02am

Hey Grace!  I'm rather fluent in english and grammar and stuff....

Actually, to be honest, I'm a downright prick about it.  "You are doing well, you are not doing good today."  I have no problem editing portions of your book if you'd like~ I'm a bit of a writer myself, just not into writing entire books.

Permalink Reply by Loren Miller on May 17, 2011 at 9:02am

Welcome to the club, Grace.  Back in my first unemployment period (FIRST?!?), I spent my idle time reading a lot.  A friend of mine had given me (please don't cringe!) The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, and I ended up collecting the complete Chronicles on my own.  I found that I was pissed at the fact that only KIDS got into Narnia, and ended up writing my own novella based on C. S. Lewis's books, set just before the birth of Tirian, Narnia's last king.

At least a couple people who have read it tell me that I actually brought something to the world of Narnia and that my work was publish-worthy.  MY problem is simple and two-fold:

1. I know NOTHING about how to get a book published, but more importantly,

2. Narnia and all its appurtenances are the property of the Estate of C. S. Lewis, and I'd need permission from them to use them.

[shrug] At least someone whose opinion I respect (and in one case is a published author) respects what I did.  Thing is, that and $0.50 will get ya a cup of coffee.

Permalink Reply by Ruth Anthony-Gardner on May 17, 2011 at 10:54am

Hi, Loren. Can't you just change all of the names and details enough to not infringe on copyright? It sounds as if there would be a market. I'd like to read it.

Permalink Reply by Loren Miller on May 17, 2011 at 11:19am

The thing is, it's SET in Narnia, and incorporates Narnian themes and at least one Narnian character who is mentioned though never met in the original books.  I don't know if it would mean as much (or work as well) if I somehow sanitized it.

I appreciate the thought, though.

Permalink Reply by Grace Fitzpatrick on May 17, 2011 at 9:33am

I think I paid like $5 or $10 each query.   I submitted my murder mystery about 30 times.  I got a lot of almost takers, but like you said that's not worth much.  They said my book was too risque which I thought was kind of stupid since there was no actual sex in it.  Well, that was during the Puritan Bush era.  Things may have changed. 

 

My science book is finished and sort of published.  It's my master's thesis.   I want to add photographs before I publish it.  I can buy what I need from the state archives, but they charge about $25 a photo.  I'm in a tight spot right now since the prices of everything went way up. 

 

It's not really the grammar or spelling I need edited (although that would be good, too, thanks for the offer Park), I need editing for content.  I had to cut some parts out and I want to make sure everything still makes sense.  From writing my thesis, I know how much work editing can be.  I think I cried the day my advisor cut 11 pages.  The page count is very important on a thesis. 

 

It was so much work.  It took me eight years to write.  I had a guaranteed publisher and they just disappeared.  It was a university press, so who knows what the politics are there.  But it's right down your alley, Loren.  If you're bored, I'll send it to you to read.  It's probably not up there with the Narnia Chronicles though. 

Permalink Reply by MissElainie on May 17, 2011 at 9:25pm

Hi.  I've been pitching my novel to agents for over a year now and something you mentioned above set off alarm bells.... to whom were you paying $5 or $10 each query?  Legitimate agents DON'T charge reading fees.  There's a fantastic site called Preditors & Editors that you can use to start the research and weeding out process in your search for an agent and/or publisher.  Hope this helps and may you have better luck than I have.

Permalink Reply by Grace Fitzpatrick on May 17, 2011 at 9:41pm

The Post Office.  My first three chapters are long.  Plus, if you want it back, you have to send return postage, too. 

 

 

Permalink Reply by Robert F on May 17, 2011 at 6:15pm

If you drop me an email I could pass on some extremely effective tips I learned to help chronic MS sufferers?

 

My email is: franjac1@westnet.com.au

 

Robert

Permalink Reply by Alice on May 30, 2011 at 1:11am

My mum has always said that she wanted to write a book - so for the last 20 years or so to my knowledge - but she hasn't yet written one.  Recently she's had some time to pursue her idea and has joined a writing group - so she might get there yet.  I came up with the idea for myself recently.  Perhaps it's a 30's ambition - you get to a point where you've had enough life experience to share something useful with others?  I don't know what I want to write yet - which sounds silly - but I feel that I need to say something that I'd like to share with others.  I think at this stage it will be about life, the meaning of life, a sort of manual to life or a guide to happiness or some sort of something like that in the form of a novel of fiction or part autobiography.  In other words I want it to contribute something useful to others - but I'm not specialist in anything very useful - other than general knowledge and personal experience - so I think I'm going to have to work hard researching to get something really worth while reading together...