Anna
asked
Katy Upperman:
I just finished The Impossibility of Us, loved it! I am trying to write a book and have been for about two years, man it's hard. Do you have any advice for someone who has no writing background or even knows how to make chapters, I just write? The idea is something that happened from my real life but with more of a love story. I feel at a loss at times and that I don't even know if I can do it. Thanks for your book.
Katy Upperman
Hi Anna! Thanks so much for reading TIOU; I'm so happy you enjoyed it!
Um, yes, I totally agree -- writing books is HARD. It took me over a year to write my first book because I was experimenting and learning as I went. While writing doesn't necessarily get *easier* with time, practice does make the process go a little bit quicker, and more smoothly. That said, every book seems to have its own unique challenges. :-)
I have three recommendations for you, and I hope they'll help...
1. Don't give up. Even when you're feeling at a loss, try to push through. Once you have a complete draft (even if it's a mess, as first drafts tend to be!) you can revise to make it what you've always envisioned.
2. Read as much as you can, and pay attention to how other writers pace their stories, organize their plot points, and develop their characters. I haven't had any formal training in writing, but I've learned SO MUCH from reading fiction in the same category/genre I write.
3. Pick up some books on craft from your bookstore or library. Some of my favorites are On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King, Take Off Your Pants!: Outline Your Books for Faster, Better Writing by Libbie Hawker, Save the Cat: The Last Book on Screenwriting You'll Ever Need by Blake Snyder (focuses on screenwriting, but great for fiction writers, too), Plot & Structure - Write Great Fiction by James Scott Bell, and The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr.
Wishing you all the best in finishing your book, and writing many more. <3
Um, yes, I totally agree -- writing books is HARD. It took me over a year to write my first book because I was experimenting and learning as I went. While writing doesn't necessarily get *easier* with time, practice does make the process go a little bit quicker, and more smoothly. That said, every book seems to have its own unique challenges. :-)
I have three recommendations for you, and I hope they'll help...
1. Don't give up. Even when you're feeling at a loss, try to push through. Once you have a complete draft (even if it's a mess, as first drafts tend to be!) you can revise to make it what you've always envisioned.
2. Read as much as you can, and pay attention to how other writers pace their stories, organize their plot points, and develop their characters. I haven't had any formal training in writing, but I've learned SO MUCH from reading fiction in the same category/genre I write.
3. Pick up some books on craft from your bookstore or library. Some of my favorites are On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King, Take Off Your Pants!: Outline Your Books for Faster, Better Writing by Libbie Hawker, Save the Cat: The Last Book on Screenwriting You'll Ever Need by Blake Snyder (focuses on screenwriting, but great for fiction writers, too), Plot & Structure - Write Great Fiction by James Scott Bell, and The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr.
Wishing you all the best in finishing your book, and writing many more. <3
More Answered Questions
Sunny (Jupiter's Solo Bibliophile)
asked
Katy Upperman:
Hello Ma'am. Just wanted to know any favourite LGBT book of yours. As I am writing one book on Wattpad based on these people, I just wanted to have your personal recommendation for this genre. By the way, when is your book coming to India? I would love to read your novel(s) this new year!
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