Get ready to write fiction

Puff… I know this is a blog about how to write fiction and I should encourage you but this is also true: there is no way to get prepared for something you don’t have idea how to do… Each book is different. Each book is as difficult to write as the previous one. Thus, whatever you learnt about writing becomes useless… In a sense. Nonetheless, we need to review the following 2 steps.

1. DECIDE THE FORMAT

The website on how to «Ki», says it all depends on if you want to tell a genealogy of the character’s relatives lives o a memory regarding a single character.

As certain as it might come as difficult for me to base a whole book in a single character’s psyche whilst some people are more than skilled in doing; this doesn’t determine the format. The less if we include comics or other adaptations.

Truthfully, the format might come out from abandoning technologies. Webtoons for example are wildly more popular now than the overpriced gringo[1] comic of 25 pages and their publishing, is more a result of public approval than one editor’s solo decision. Yes, webtoons have editors but you can still publish digital comics in your own page, Patreon, Webtoon or other places I have no idea about. And get popular without having an editor to decide if it can be published there. Editors jump into scene once you become popular … Same wise, self publishing in Amazon or other places, «erases» the editor as intermediary but it carries within on other troubles. Such as paying ourselves for publicity.

Besides these, there is Twitter, for there already are novels published 140 types at a time. Thus, why not Facebook, Line, Wattpad? Wherever.

Plus, there are many other things to consider about. Rookie writers like I was when I first wrote this entry in Spanish, use to start by writing short stuff. Which doesn’t mean something as a short story, can’t become a 150 pages length, in a more experienced writer’s hands. Like Brilliant phoenix by Bradbury. What started a short story, ended a great novel.

The decision of format is not just a decision. It is a summation of chained elements.

2. GET ANY IDEA OF SOME KIND

The phrase would get Sarah Domet a ‘little’ upset. How could you get an idea of any kind when you shall use the third or the fourth, perfectly reflected upon?

Not that the advice is bad. It is just the wording. It sounds like us corrupting the idea genie by buttering his toast[2] in order to be given one.

The website adds some more advice on how to better the empty universe of our mind, which I think, belongs to the area of creative or not creative exercises to write taught by different writers to start writing. You might know some, after all you must have already seen a lot or can read some more in Terrible minds[3].

Did you learn something new? If you did, give a like or comment and subscribe. Pasto kalo. Next entry I’ll review the advice. Let’s keep it short and simple for you to mull it over. Writing is an activity that needs lots of ruminating.

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[1] Even Batman and Marvel have migrated to Webtoon

[2] I’m kinda aware my country is famous because corruption and in the original it says «mordida» (bite). Tough, one never knows who is reading and my particular way to anglanize idioms is not to translate but by making dot connections. Anyways, a mordida is a nice encouraging donation of security plastic paper printed with heros and remarkable people to enhance the imagination of its acquisitive power. And it is quite universal. You might say your country is free from, but I’m sure there are cases of it very well hidden on plain sight. Only in the Antarctic it must be difficult to be practiced.

[3] Original entry, there’s a reference to tips by Viaja con P de Pasaporte in Spanish.