posted
I already wrote a book a poetry that i want to get published, but my main issue is i dont think im good enouph to write a solid book.
Posts: 63 | Registered: Aug 2005
| IP: Logged |
If your book is anything like your first post, you have some work to do before you'll get published.
Having said that, there are a whole bunch of us here who are writing books and other things. There's also a writer's section on this website you might want to check out. The link is at the top of the page.
Posts: 8355 | Registered: Apr 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
I think I have enough talent to write a book of bad poetry, and have it be so bad that people would buy it, just to say "now thats some bad poetry".
Posts: 9754 | Registered: Jul 2002
| IP: Logged |
quote: but my main issue is i dont think im good enouph to write a solid book.
I don't think I am either, but that's not going to stop me from trying.
The way I figure, write the book, then read it over. If it's crap, oh well, time to do a whole re-writing of it.
If it's not and you think it's good, find some people willing to go through it and give advice on what they think of it. Someone whose opinion you trust. If you agree with what they suggest, change it.
After all of this, then you might want to consider getting the agent.
If no one wants to publish what you wrote, that's fine, you just went through a learning experience. But you were able to finish it at least, right? It's the feeling of self-accomplishment I strive for, not so much on the publishable side.
Posts: 1831 | Registered: Jan 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
Poetry is an extraordinarily hard genre to break into in book length form. Have you considered submitting individual poems to magazines, perhaps your school's literary magazine if you're a college or high school student?
Posts: 650 | Registered: Mar 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
I have great ideas for books, one especially that I'm holding onto and treasuring. I can plan a book out, plot it out, come up with an awesome storyline, but by the time it actually comes to write the book, I'm so afraid I won't do it justice that I just stick it in a drawer for fear of screwing it up.
Posts: 21898 | Registered: Nov 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
Lyrhawn, honey, you need to give yourself permission to write crap. You really do.
quote:"Every first draft is perfect because all the first draft has to do is exist. It's perfect in its existence. The only way it could be imperfect would be not to exist." --Jane Smiley
quote:Originally posted by ambyr: Poetry is an extraordinarily hard genre to break into in book length form. Have you considered submitting individual poems to magazines, perhaps your school's literary magazine if you're a college or high school student?
Did that already I got one put in my the highschool newspaper I got one put in my college newspaper and if you own a very lame book calld, "Accross the Abyss: The International Library of Poetry" Im on page 35, my poem is calld FUSION.
Posts: 63 | Registered: Aug 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
This is the reason I write lots of things at once. If i write lots of crap spread out over three or four stories, then I get to the good stuff sooner.
I also write fanfic that I have a really good grasp on the characters, because then i feel like i can work on my plot, or pacing, or things that i don't bother with when i'm still feeling my way around with a character.
I realize this has nothing to do with poetry, and I don't care.
posted
LK, are you writing a fiction book in addition to poetry? Or just the poetry book?
If the first, I suggest you start with short stories. With those, it's easier to figure out what you did wrong and to change it to be more effective. It's also easier to get other people's help, because a lot of people don't mind reading a bad 10 page story to help somebody learn. But getting somebody to read a much longer book is difficult. Once you've written a couple of stories that you are proud of and think are very good, then go back to your novel and edit it with your new knowledge. Posts: 1947 | Registered: Aug 2002
| IP: Logged |
posted
It's been my experience that it's not until you've written at least 3 novels that you've learned enough about writing novels that you can go back and do a decent job of editing the first. After all, writing papers and short stories requires a whole other set of skills than writing a novel, and it takes practice to figure out what works in any of them.
So my suggestion is write a few novels, but don't bother trying to fix the first ones yet until you've written at least a few.
Posts: 8355 | Registered: Apr 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
Some of the comments in this thread remind me of a story. Short* version, off the top of my head:
A young man who played the violin managed to get a meeting with the great and famous Master Violinist. He told the Master of his love of music and his desire to become a professional violinist, and he humbly requested that the Master Violinist listen to him play and tell him whether or not he had what it takes to be a successful performer. The Master Violinist smiled kindly and agreed.
The young man played several songs for the Master, performing the music brilliantly and demonstrating great skill with the instrument. When he was finished he looked expectantly at the Master Violinist. The older man looked into his eyes and said simply "I'm sorry, you do not have the Fire in your Soul."
Crestfallen, the man left without saying a word. He stopped playing violin and kept the instrument on a shelf in his closet. He went on to become an accountant, get married, have children, and lead a good, if somewhat ordinary, life.
Many years later he saw the Master Violinist at a concert and caught up with him after it was over. He told the Master of their meeting so long ago and what had become of his life. He thanked the Master Violinist for being so honest with him so that he could give up his unacheivable dream and focus on the respectable career which now supported his family. "But I have one question," he said. "How did you know back then that I didn't have the fire to become a great musician?"
The Master Violinist looked him in the eyes and said "Many young musicians have come to me through the years to ask me the same question that you did. I say to all of them, as was said to me when I was a young man 'You do not have the Fire in your Soul.' I have no way of knowing when I say it whether it is true or not. But I do know, that if you had truly had the Fire in your Soul to become a great musician, you would not have let the opinion of one old man such as myself stop you."
Printer-friendly view of this topic
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
![[ROFL]](graemlins/rofl.gif)
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
