I'm retired now, but I spent my working life as support staff at assorted universities. I have held many a doctoral candidate's hand during their dissertating. If you have done a dissertation, you have very likely already written a book. I hope you have more fun with this one.
I wrote my dissertation 25 years ago and did all of the requisite journal publications expected of an academic. I just published my first nonacademic book in September. It felt better than all of the rest combined.
Congratulations!! It’s an amazingly challenging process but oh so worth it!!
I just finished my first ever short story and it was really fulfilling. Slowly building up to a novel. It really is anxious to deal with though hahaha.
Just do your best to get it out of paper before editing. A lot of first time book writers get stuck trying to be perfect the first time and get discouraged. But once it's done it'll feel so rewarding!
You got this. take it at your own pace so that you don't fall out with the work, stock up on hugs/ kitten photos/ whatever it is you need to keep going, and remember that there are much worse things published than the worst thing you ever wrote. take the pressure off
That’s exciting to hear. I just finished writing a book, and I think it’s one of the steepest learning curves you can opt for. Good luck! And any tips needed, let me know!
👏👏👏 Courage! Please wish me whatever I need to get started on my own. 🤞🙏 “Angoisse de la page blanche “ (white page anxiety: FR for writer’s block) is a curse!
That’s amazing! I’m currently writing my very first set of short stories. Been writing scripts and screenplays for years but never this - I’m with you in all of it 😵💫
Good luck to you! I’ve always wished I was talented in some way, it but I’m just ordinary. I’ve always envied talented people, in a good way. I wish you great success
Just keep in mind writing well is hard, writing really well is really hard. A high school class mate of mine in the late 60's recently wrote me in to a semi autobiographical novel about our freshman high school experience. He is an English teacher it took me 4 hrs. to compose a 2 page letter to him.
I'm also writing my first book, and it is indeed scary. I doubt myself a lot, but I always take time to remind myself that this is something I can do. That roller coaster of emotion can discourage you, but it can also keep you moving toward your goal.
Don't be too critical of what you're writing the first time around.
Just get it down, first, and then go back and review it.
Nothing gets in the way of a writer more than "this is shit, I should stop".
You don't have to 'stop' if you wait until the end.
It's already done!
I just finished mine. It’s rubbish, but the sense of accomplishment I feel from closing out of it for the last time before it gets sent for editing (if that ever happens) was amazing.
The thing about being a writer is, you have a universal skillset which can be applied to any creative outlet you fancy, like fiction writing! I'm working on my first book, too.
Yep! Mine's a children's novel about a boy with cerebral palsy (like me!) who adopts a disabled dog. She gets a canine wheelchair and they enter as a race team in the annual school race!
I’ve taken writing lessons, the most important thing is just to write don’t worry about grammar or great story structure or you end up in an endless cycle of editing and remember something is always better than nothing
Comments
Congratulations!! It’s an amazingly challenging process but oh so worth it!!
I’m only a few chapters from finishing my first book and I’m so nervous about publishing it all of a sudden 😭
Unfortunately, I haven’t had a lot of time to work on it/them because of work and grad school.
My advice? Take your time and just write it all out and edit later
"Patience is a virtue because it teaches good things come to those who work their ass off for it" -Abraham Lincoln, maybe?
You next...
it's just like the previous stuff you've written, but bigger, longer and uncut (until you edit it)
Just get it down, first, and then go back and review it.
Nothing gets in the way of a writer more than "this is shit, I should stop".
You don't have to 'stop' if you wait until the end.
It's already done!
You've got this!
Sending you good vibes and a clear mind while your write your book.
Good luck ☺️☺️☺️✨✨
Congrats on writing your first book!
Really good scotch.
Taco Bell can be mediocre.
Do you have enough beta readers (hint, hint)?
Download a formatting template, copy paste your essays, add a toc and anything else design a cover and upload all to Amazon.
MUCH, MUCH, better than any trad publisher. I've done both