Write your stories. New Forum coming soon?

Let's get out the best of your stuff and start you off - whilst I am away from the forum - start by thinking about the best place to begin.

Fact? or fiction based on fact? What genre? Follow your heart Mike. Do what it tells you to do.

I think in view of this you ought to write something on your own. You seem to have it all ready to go. Get some help with critique and use that as a basis.

A friend of mine spent five years researching his book and never wrote a word until I kicked his butt and got him going.

So think about a starting point otherwise you might end up procrastinating without meaning to. I would also consider who might want to read your book. Very important that you aren't writing just about yourself. I think John Goble 'Palm Oil and Small Chop' has done a really good job and well done to his publisher. After reading his book I think we could all use him as a starting point - where do YOU want to go with your well kept information. Fact or fiction? Writing a novel can be more rewarding than factual stuff for some people. It allows you to use the information you have and 'play' with it.

As a starting point go to www.mywriterscircle.com and join up.

Lin x

Lin, Have you read some of the stories in `Seafaring Stories under `SWINGING THE LAMP.` thread ? and what do you think. A few of the lads have written short stories of their experiences in there.
Cheers, Brian.

No not yet but let's get them on board. I am very busy at the moment, but will certainly get things moving in July. Thanks for the tip - I am new here and there is just so much 'stuff' to read. I think you are all wonderful. I will try to take a peek this evening.

Lin x

Lin

thank you for your comments, they are appreciated, guess I'll just have to knuckle down

Regards

Ivan

With a little help from my Merchant Navy Friends could both help and benefit possibly?

All is and will be geared to MN good causes:

WALHFMMNF at:

LINK: With a little help from my Merchant Navy Friends.

K.

Well folks I won't be on the forum until July now so keep up the good work until I get back and thanks everyone today for all the input into the thread.

I will read all your posts upon my return and will hope to persuade Brian that this is the right way forward, although I know already he agrees with the idea.

I am sure each and every one of you will begin to see that writing is not only about putting your words on paper but is also very therapeutic as well. Imagine being able to write your sea stories and know they are appreciated by everyone.

Let me tell you about how it was for me.

When I wrote the first line of my novel I became so involved in the story I found it hard to stop. Three months later I had written my first book. BUT it wasn't finished. Oh no - six years later I have just completed my last draft. The book is now with publishers and I won't give up trying to get published. In the meantime I am writing my second book and already have ideas for my third. The reason it took so long, I learned the hard way. Having said that, the hard way is good, discovery learning is all about taking in information and allowing it to stay there. I am not a young person any more. I normally write in winter when the days are dull, but I write full time 9 - 5 each day. I always take a six week break in summer.

I do, however, have two professional consultants who assist me with the style of my work. They have been most helpful. During the course of my writing I have been very involved in the characters' lives. Being fiction I can play 'God' with them. I cried buckets over one of my characters and then ditched her in favour of bringing in a more stronger character to aid the story. The book I have now is certainly not the book I started with.

Novelist Katie Fforde recently told me she took eight years to get published and now she has so many novels to her name she's almost lost count. She is now president of the Romantic Novelists' Association. A very inspiring author. So you can see writing is not just about putting words on paper, you have to learn what gets published and what goes on the slush pile at the publishing house. Keep going, that's the important factor here.

You have to want to see a smart cover on your book no matter what it takes to get there and then you have to market yourself, over and over again. It becomes an obsession but a very enjoyable one.

So from Holland until July - Tot Ziens en fijne zomer!

Lin x

A good idea, Lin, but I do not agree with Michael that all seamen are writers by definition. Until you have something published, and which has come to their notice, people will not consider you a writer. All seamen have stories to tell, but many lack grammatical skills and, because they are aware of this, hesitate to write their stories down. But lack of the necessary skills should not inhibit anyone from committing his or her story to paper and the suggested forum should help overcome any feeling of inadequacy.

Hello Lin this is a terrific concept as you can tell from the response.I have three or four stories already posted in Personal Tales and Stories and I write childrens stories as a hobby and have self published a novella based on fact within fiction about my adventures at sea.

Best regards Neil.

Quite true Ian
I am possibly one of those,and although i really would love to write my life Story (which i think would be something good)i have never got to that point that i can say i have the knack or correct knowledge to submit it!
Like many others i am sure ,it would be something that one could at least leave for their nect Generations to come,but Oh what a rask!
May be Lin could give a god few pointers (similar to that allready given) on just how to go about all this!
I have a little written .but nowhere near to what i would like it to be!
Thanks for the idea Lin much appreciated!
Cheers

Well Lin, not a bad idea. I started writing my life story about five years ago, mainly anecdotal and it is quite amazing what comes back to mind once you start. Mine begins with the day of my birth with information supplied by relatives. I am currently about three quarters of my way through my sea time, but I know from experience that much of what we did will not be believed by anyone other than those who went to sea. Most landlubbers just look in disbelief when you tell some of the stories. However I consider it a great way of preserving some memories of the British Merchant Navy.