Feb 1, 2016 I'm looking to write books. Nothing serious, just something i want to do as a past time. I have dozens of ideas id love to flesh out, but i don't know which software to use & whatnot. I would love to know where do i begin? what free software to get?
Feb 1, 2016 I would skip any fancy software to start and just open up Word. Start with an outline of the story (just jot a few ideas you want to cover in each chapter, or just overall ideas if you want to let chapter breaks come naturally), and then just start writing. Formatting, table of contents, etc. with a free software program can be done at the end, same with the cover art, and any other things that aren't the story itself. Microsoft OneNote is a good program & phone app for keeping your ideas organized if you think of things on the go and wanna jot it in your phone. You can organize notes into separate notebooks, sections, etc. Good luck!
Feb 1, 2016 Like loyalty said just let it come naturally with chapter breaks. I'm nearly done with my first novel, a young adult romance novel but not very traditional. This is mostly me trying to improve my skills for the bigger stories(spy stuff and sci fi) i've outline and constantly brainstorming on. going basic (teen drama) to complex (space opera level). for example my newer chapters have improved so much over the older ones. I just use MS Word atm and Google Docs when im away from the computer. Depending on how you want to do it. I suggest a timeline of events you want to happen. Character profiles(what do they like? What are they like? what's they're birthday?) and character connections (who knows who, who's related. best/Friends, Family, Exes', Enemies). Look forward into your story and compose a scene then you write towards that scene. This is what I mostly do. Formatting will be after but you should keep things clean. i've been over writing unfortunately i need to clean up and refine my own stuff as well. good luck
Feb 2, 2016 Thanks man, this really helps Thanks for the reply man, i have ALOT of ideas, ive always wanted to translate them into something bigger but it has been h--- trying to find something to write it all down in a clean format without it looking clunky. When i come up with an idea, & im out of the house, i text it to my phone, & when i get home i type it up. I always write the synopsis, i find that helps to put borders on the writing process as i know exactly where im heading with the stories. But its a horrible mess as i typed them all up in Notepad lmaooooo. Thanks for the reply man, i like to keep a note of each character & their back stories, though their back stories might not be mentioned in the story, it makes writing the character alot easier as you can mold their decisions around their past. I really want to progress with this, as its something ive been itching to do for years. I literally write about EVERYTHING. Alot of the stories are deep & dark, i get sad even coming up with the ending for certain characters lol Last Night i was watching something & an idea sparked in my mind for a story, an idea that really pushed me to progress forward with the whole writing thing. As i dont have word, would using google docs be a good alternative?
Feb 2, 2016 Check out WattPad once you're confident with your work you can make money off it there I believe. My sister is 16 and has progressed a LOT as a writer on WattPad fr seems like the people on that site loving her romance based s---.
Feb 2, 2016 Im a bit of a freak, every day i write stuff down, i could be out somewhere, someone could say something & i get an idea & make sure to text myself with the idea so i can type it up as soon as im home. EVERYDAY! Well what im working on right now is called ''Work Set Me Free'' [Thats What Its Called At The Moment] In the concentration camps, there used to be signs that said ''Arbeit macht frei'' which means work sets you free. Its about a man in a concentration camp, who is seperated from his family, it follows him as he hopes he'll be reunited with his family. You witness him losing friends to illness & extermination, but he still keeps his hopes that he'll be saved, you see him grow weaker physically but the hope remains.. So its about hope remaining in you no matter how bad things get. The first thing i wrote was the ending, which is pretty sad, but it truly gave me the vision of how the rest of the book should be. Reading the end actually makes me feel sad lol I know thats a bit dark, but as dark as it is, i really really love writing it. The other book idea i have is ALOT darker. Which is a very complex one, as it is very mental based. It is currently untitled, i have a few title ideas,but im waiting until the perfect one comes to mind. It features alot of torture, both mentally & physically.
Feb 2, 2016 Brainstorm ideas, get something to write with, and develop what you want to happen in the story more beforehand than after just to avoid getting stuck
Feb 2, 2016 i wish u luck on this fam always had a s--- ton of ideas for writing when i was younger, never did much with them and it sucks
Feb 3, 2016 Well I got MsWord through Torrent. Google docs will work, you can properly space and set up your document. Msword starter (this has ads on it) is available for most laptops, if not all i remember my old acer netbook having it. Its not visually something you want look at as you write but it's full featured i believe. If you have a Mac/macbook you should have Pages free. But there are a few free open source word editing programs available on the internet. A quick google search and you will find a list of them I wouldn't say my first novel is dark or too deep, But it has some interesting topics things like cheating, Lost, Envy, incest(very lightly covered between cousins, though brother and sister in law do have sex.) Death but that's in the backstory, Drug addiction(pain medicine) The past, lies, and attachment. Some are pretty common but its suppose to be basic anyway. my second project will be lengthy over multiple books i'm thinking 4 to 5 books looking at my plot and timeline and will be dark, government and conspiracy related, killing, murder some social commentary, psychologic and it deals with tropes of a specific genre etc. It also have a few characters from the first story (all of it takes place in one universe) but centered around a new singular protagonist. It can't hurt to try I don't my first novel will do well. Im banking more on the Second novel/series. Though i plan on releasing small stories via Amazon publishing to see what happens.
Feb 3, 2016 d--- man, you have to let me read what you've done some time, seriously, you've sparked my interest.
Feb 4, 2016 I used to write books at age 8, like actual good stuff. I was really into fantasy, wish to God I had them but that old computer is gone :/ Just read a lot of books and then write, nothing much to it. I used Microsoft word, depends on what you prefer.
Feb 8, 2016 The first stories I plan on selling are very short I'm Talking 40 to 80 pages. They are side stories, stories in between novels and in universe entertainment. The first small story is a 80 page ninja drama, semi romantic action piece. (I wrote it years ago and decided to incorporate it into my universe. (Like in the first novel they go to the movies and this is the movie they watch) It has a end and completed but that could possibly get a part 2.
Feb 13, 2016 I recommend writing fanfiction for your favorite series. I know it’s considered a past time for hacks or prepubescent teenage girls who just like to write yaoi stories, but it’s a great exercise, since the world is already built for you & all you have to do is make sure the characters are intact and don’t deviate from their original stories. It’s surprisingly difficult to do, and why fanfics with OOCs (out of characters) get shat on five ways to Sunday. If you want to use pre-existing characters but establish your own setting, just write an AU (alternate universe) fic that way you can work on your own world building. But honestly just constantly read, watch tv, listen to music, whatever just make sure you’re constantly getting new sources of information and inspiration for ideas. If you’re for example writing a fantasy series, it would behoove you to read as much non-fantasy as possible (and fantasy this goes without saying) so that you’re not just regurgitating lord of the rings or star wars with different character names (Eragon) and hopefully bring something new to the table. There’s a great quote somebody said that If you want to write like Tolkien don’t just read what he wrote, read what he read or whatever inspired him. That is unless you plan on being a best selling author who just regurgitates past plots but gives them new paint jobs and leather seats to cover up the decating wooden doors & moldy seats. Like Hunger games is just Battle Royale with a girl (who doesn’t do anything) as the mc, Harry potter is just your standard fantasy story except it’s about a bratty kid in school, Wheel of Time is just a third rate Tolkien knock off, etc (u get my point).
