Planning on writing a book about true events - any help appreciated.

[pendragginp]

My point is that someone has to fix it.

If he just wants to get a story out, he might wish to hire someone to simply write for him. If he wishes to do it himself, then he's going to have to educate himself and learn the craft of writing.

I would say if he wants to get the story out he can write it himself and hire someone to simply fix it.

This may be the only story in him. I agree with you that if he actually aspires to make writing a continuous part of his life he will need to 'educate himself and learn the craft of writing.'

By the by, I guess we're just discussing this among ourselves - the OP doesn't seem to have come back....

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by pendragginp

I would say if he wants to get the story out he can write it himself and hire someone to simply fix it.

This may be the only story in him. I agree with you that if he actually aspires to make writing a continuous part of his life he will need to 'educate himself and learn the craft of writing.'

By the by, I guess we're just discussing this among ourselves - the OP doesn't seem to have come back....

Or, he could do what many, many (did I say, many?) youngish writers do these days, in lieu of writing courses, writing groups, critique groups, etc.--join Wattpad and start publishing it, serially, there. He'll get feedback and the like. {shrug}. It certainly doesn't replace real, professional assistance, but it might be better if he got feedback from his own demographic.

Just a thought. I don't disagree with Drib, but...

Hitch

[BookCat]

There are so many books concerning the craft of writing, from grammar to the story arc and much more, that there's is really no excuse for the inability to rewrite ones own work. Get that first draft out, then put all those crafting skills to good use.

I'm of the opinion that freewriting a first draft is fine but the responsibility of the author doesn't end there; it's only the beginning.

[pendragginp]

Right.

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by BookCat

There are so many books concerning the craft of writing, from grammar to the story arc and much more, that there's is really no excuse for the inability to rewrite ones own work. Get that first draft out, then put all those crafting skills to good use.

I'm of the opinion that freewriting a first draft is fine but the responsibility of the author doesn't end there; it's only the beginning.

BookCat:

I'm with you 100%. EVERY writer should, at a minimum, have Strunk & White, CMOS (just in case!) and, absolutely, WITHOUT FAIL, my go-to, http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003JBI2YI/, which is Self-Editing for Fiction Writers. It's the Self-editing BIBLE. As I've mentioned in other forums here, I know a lot--a LOT--of big-time authors, and they all have this, every one of them. They may have scads of other tools, and widely varied, but this book? This book is a must-have.

Hitch

[Dr. Drib]

Originally Posted by Hitch

BookCat:

I'm with you 100%. EVERY writer should, at a minimum, have Strunk & White, CMOS (just in case!) and, absolutely, WITHOUT FAIL, my go-to, http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003JBI2YI/, which is Self-Editing for Fiction Writers. It's the Self-editing BIBLE. As I've mentioned in other forums here, I know a lot--a LOT--of big-time authors, and they all have this, every one of them. They may have scads of other tools, and widely varied, but this book? This book is a must-have.

Hitch

I'll echo that.

While at UALR, my creative writing instructor (an O. Henry award winner) recommended it.

It is, indeed, the bible for writers.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Dr. Drib

One can't "set about the work of changing it where it needs to be changed," if one is incompetent when it comes to lacking grammar skills.

But you can hire an editor. In fact, writers should hire an editor. It's a rare bird indeed who is able to competently edit their own work.

[Dr. Drib]

Originally Posted by HarryT

But you can hire an editor. In fact, writers should hire an editor. It's a rare bird indeed who is able to competently edit their own work.

Sure, one can hire an editor.

Or one can hire a writer.

But the person who actually writes the story will be incompetent in matters of grammar unless she is willing to learn the basics of grammar.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Dr. Drib

But the person who actually writes the story will be incompetent in matters of grammar unless she is willing to learn the basics of grammar.

I'm certainly not disagreeing with the idea that learning the rules of grammar is a Good Thing. All I'm saying is that lack of such knowledge shouldn't stop someone from writing: provided that they don't commit the solecism of publishing their uncorrected work.

[Dr. Drib]

Originally Posted by HarryT

I'm certainly not disagreeing with the idea that learning the rules of grammar is a Good Thing. All I'm saying is that lack of such knowledge shouldn't stop someone from writing: provided that they don't commit the solecism of publishing their uncorrected work.

I agree: It shouldn't stop someone from writing.

But, in my opinion, such an exercise is merely therapeutic, at best.

Some people would argue that writing IS therapeutic. Some, however, need therapy more than others.

[Nancy Fulda]

Originally Posted by Dr. Drib

I agree: It shouldn't stop someone from writing.

But, in my opinion, such an exercise is merely therapeutic, at best.

I disagree. Writing, at its core, can be broken down into a number of distinct elements. One of them is basic grammar. Another is a grasp of plot and story structure. A third centers around the idea of passion, and learning to put not just words, but emotion onto the page. And perhaps the most critical is a sort of tethered hubris: enough confidence to believe people will pay money for what you have to say, without becoming so overconfident that you reject all outside input.

The exercise under discussion will do nothing to further the first basic skill. But it is extremely valuable as a means of developing the other three. Particularly the last one. Fledgeling writers, in my experience, tend to be delicate and tentative. Before tackling grammar, before diving into an analysis of story structure or market trends, it can be incredibly valuable to simply experience the act of creation: to discover the techniques that keep the words flowing onto the page, to convince oneself that yes, this can really be done, and it is worth doing.

Will the product of such an exercise be immediately salable? Probably not. But it is far, far more than merely a therapeutic exercise.

[pendragginp]

Amen. I agree.

[Dr. Drib]

I respectfully disagree.

Writing is therapeutic - every act of writing is, in my opinion - and with it one discovers new linkages to that which makes us human.

One can break writing down into any number of elements one cares to make - your scenario seems workable enough - but another scenario might be just as effective.

Fledgling writers may certainly be delicate and hesitant, but it's not a rule or a given. Look at Ann Rice (although certainly not a fledgling writer!) and her cult of personality - she's as narcissistic as they come.

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by Dr. Drib

I respectfully disagree.

Writing is therapeutic - every act of writing is, in my opinion - and with it one discovers new linkages to that which makes us human.

One can break writing down into any number of elements one cares to make - your scenario seems workable enough - but another scenario might be just as effective.

Fledgling writers may certainly be delicate and hesitant, but it's not a rule or a given. Look at Ann Rice (although certainly not a fledgling writer!) and her cult of personality - she's as narcissistic as they come.

Well...

let's separate "writing," as an act in and of itself, and "authoring" and "publishing." Lots of people write. Many people journal, or blog. That's not the same thing as authoring a book, or publishing the same.

If someone simply wishes to write for his/her own enjoyment, a record for sometime later; or freely blog...hey, that person can write in any style, manner, etc. That's their choice. It's a form of experimental fiction (or non), in that sense.

BUT...once a body starts thinking about the hubris of being PAID for those efforts, all that self-indulgent crap should fly out the window. I mean, sure, write whatever makes your heart sing, or whatever exorcises your demons (seriously, would anyone want to be Stephen King's psychotherapist? I would not), but it has to be remotely coherent. Otherwise, the writing gets in the way of telling the tale, whatever it is.

To me, that's the first rule of writing--for an author not to get in the way of the story through artifice, bad grammar, homonym errors (my personal bugbear), or simple laziness (as in, too lazy to learn the HOW). And, yes, I'd be the first to agree that I am waaaaaay over-sensitive to this, due to what I see daily. Unlike Elsa, most of the books that I see, professionally, really, really REALLY oughtn't be released into the wild.

Just my $.02. I have many of my own scribblings that have met the Trash Bin, thank the gods, long before I lost my mind and inflicted them on innocent bystanders.

Hitch

[Jack Torrance]

As much as some people will call a misspelled word, a missing comma or an occasional fragmented sentence the end of the world, they are not.

I have yet to read a book without errors, and I am hardly OCD on the subject. I'm not talking about random indie writers but national bestsellers.

Personally, when I'm reading a book, involved in the story and characters then an error is very, very easy to overlook. Write the story, get it down on paper and clean it up afterwards. Get someone else to look at when your done, as it's almost impossible to catch your own errors.

Something I recall reading a few years ago was that if a car came of the assembly line being 99.99% perfect there would still be 10 things wrong with it. So just write your story, if its good, it will be good typos and all.