Writing First Novel

Hi Darth Dean, welcome to A2K.

Can you let us know which genre/category you want to write your novel in? For e.g. is it a thriller, romance, science fiction, historical, chic lit etc

Science fiction.
I have many stories for a particular individual, enough that it may be a series.

Hey Darth

It is not a bad thing to not have "formal" training...because this way...your writing is strictly YOU and what you want to do with it.

Being poor is actually....an advantage....welcome to the Starving Artist's Society....where you have time to write because you have no money to have a life.

Writing Sci-fi is a trip!!!! I have two books started...one has the beginning and one has the middle.....I am in the process of a major REWRITE to merge the two as one....now the ending...where in the world do I take this crazy plot????? One thing about Sci-fi....no rules, dude.

My best advice to give you is this.....simple enough.....write. Just let the story unfold. You can change, edit, rewrite later, but if you don't get it down in writing...there is nothing to work with later. Just write it without anyone's expectations, permission, or ideas other than your own. You may end up beginning with the middle or the ending and realize later that more has to be on either end. First get the story down, then fill it in, if need be.

me agapi kai filia

Thanks for the replies.
Starving artist without a life, LOL, that is me. I do enjoy solitude, and that helps me to get what I need down on the screen(I mess up waaaaay too much to write on paper), that and a little help from mary ;D
Formal training would be nice and I have found some creative writing classes hosted by local community colleges, but once again, the $$$ situation hinders such, possibly, eye-opening ventures.
I just have sooooo msny questions about plot and prose and all of the elements of the craft. I love it and I think it is what my life's calling is.
If anybody has any questions to ask me, feel free and I will help in any way I can.
The idea here is, afterall, to help each other create ideas that turn dreams into reality.
Happy writing!

John Barnes recommends Stephen L. Gilette's World Building: A Writers Guide to Constructing Star Systems and Life Supporting Planets.


Orson Scott Card--another successful author--wrote How to Write Fantasy and Science Fiction


In the Self-Counsel Writing Series Crawford Kilian has written Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy

Good luck.

Thanx Noddy!
You can bet I'll be looking into those.

My partner writes science fiction and found the Orson Scott Card book very good, as well as 'Characters and Viewpoint' by the same author.

Also a general recommendation is 'Self editing for Fiction Writers' by Renni Browne and Dave King.

Good luck with your writing.

Hilary

www.kelltium.com
Software for writers

TY Hilary.