Books Writing

Killswitch

FH is my second home
Joined
Jan 29, 2004
Messages
1,584
Soooo....

I've always figured I'd be a decent writer if I put my mind to it. I have a grasp on the English language that veers between mediocre and tenuous depending on my caffeine intake during the previous 4-6 hours and a variety of exciting mental problems which often lead to an original and idiosyncratic turn of phrase. All this on top of a vocabulary and knowledge of grammar that would put to shame the vast majority of Scandinavian children in the 8-10 age bracket.

Anyway, I had some stuff published (poetry mainly) when I was a nipper but then got sidetracked by the pressing need to be as drunk as possible as often as possible for as little money as possible which was a challenge of optimization of much greater magnitude than any of my Comp Sci courses and my plans for writing fell by the wayside.

I have recently come up with an idea for a story (Sci-Fi/Fantasy - pretty clichéd but with a couple of twists and some nice narrative on the fragile nature of relationships, the psychology of belief and so on) and with the recent development of being able to self-publish in eBook form, I'm thinking about having a crack at it. If I can knock it out in my spare time and sell a few dozen copies at £0.79 a pop then it might pay for a celebratory Big Mac and fries down the local McHostelry.

Does anyone here have much experience of writing and (specifically) self-publishing? Would they be willing to share any choice titbits of information that might help me out?
 

DaGaffer

Down With That Sorta Thing
Joined
Dec 22, 2003
Messages
18,397
Soooo....

I've always figured I'd be a decent writer if I put my mind to it. I have a grasp on the English language that veers between mediocre and tenuous depending on my caffeine intake during the previous 4-6 hours and a variety of exciting mental problems which often lead to an original and idiosyncratic turn of phrase. All this on top of a vocabulary and knowledge of grammar that would put to shame the vast majority of Scandinavian children in the 8-10 age bracket.

Anyway, I had some stuff published (poetry mainly) when I was a nipper but then got sidetracked by the pressing need to be as drunk as possible as often as possible for as little money as possible which was a challenge of optimization of much greater magnitude than any of my Comp Sci courses and my plans for writing fell by the wayside.

I have recently come up with an idea for a story (Sci-Fi/Fantasy - pretty clichéd but with a couple of twists and some nice narrative on the fragile nature of relationships, the psychology of belief and so on) and with the recent development of being able to self-publish in eBook form, I'm thinking about having a crack at it. If I can knock it out in my spare time and sell a few dozen copies at £0.79 a pop then it might pay for a celebratory Big Mac and fries down the local McHostelry.

Does anyone here have much experience of writing and (specifically) self-publishing? Would they be willing to share any choice titbits of information that might help me out?

Damini is our published writer-in-residence, but she's not been around for a while.
 

Damini

Part of the furniture
Joined
Dec 22, 2003
Messages
2,234
That's because I ended up lodged in my back up job of SOUL-CRUSHING RETAIL and I was too busy crying into a polyester jumper after spending a day selling toilets to use the internet for anything other than googling "how to tell if a colleague is pissing in your tea".

I'm out now though. Whoo. Ask away. (First lesson - have a back up career).

Edit: And yeah, I have appalling grammar. It's probably just as well I wasn't self published, and had an editor.
 

Chilly

Balls of steel
Joined
Dec 22, 2003
Messages
9,046
That's because I ended up lodged in my back up job of SOUL-CRUSHING RETAIL and I was too busy crying into a polyester jumper after spending a day selling toilets to use the internet for anything other than googling "how to tell if a colleague is pissing in your tea".

I'm out now though. Whoo. Ask away. (First lesson - have a back up career).

Edit: And yeah, I have appalling grammar. It's probably just as well I wasn't self published, and had an editor.
Second lesson: have a second backup career that involves designing the most ugly stuffed toys on the internet.
 

Scouse

Giant Thundercunt
FH Subscriber
Joined
Dec 22, 2003
Messages
35,980
I'm out now though. Whoo. Ask away.

1) You got owt coming out? :)


And 2) Why the fuck do I choose to play CS over writing? What the fuck is wrong with me?! :(
 

Damini

Part of the furniture
Joined
Dec 22, 2003
Messages
2,234
Second lesson: have a second backup career that involves designing the most ugly stuffed toys on the internet.

Yeah, it's a pretty weird fall back but it's going really well. For something that started as a joke, at any rate :) It's a lot more serious now though, and I'm having to read books that don't have any beheadings or plague in them (boo, hiss) and learn about start ups and marketing and investors (apparently they are NOT magic money fairies). Don't worry though, my drama degree is helping.

Ahahaha.

Ahaha.

:unsure:
 

Damini

Part of the furniture
Joined
Dec 22, 2003
Messages
2,234
1) You got owt coming out? :)


And 2) Why the fuck do I choose to play CS over writing? What the fuck is wrong with me?! :(



1) Working on a Fuggler story, but only half heartedly until I can secure the factory deal to mass produce. I'm also writing a pilot for an animation company, but that's very speculative at the mo, and taking an age with all the Fuggler business going on.

2) Because distractions are awesome!
 

Jupitus

Old and short, no wonder I'm grumpy!
Staff member
Moderator
FH Subscriber
Joined
Dec 14, 2003
Messages
3,285
If you've got a business plan I know someone with cash to invest...
 

Damini

Part of the furniture
Joined
Dec 22, 2003
Messages
2,234
I'm not short of investors actually, what I am short on is business knowledge of what the hell I do with an investor. They are not, apparently, just human money pinatas. I wish business books weren't so boring :(
 

Chilly

Balls of steel
Joined
Dec 22, 2003
Messages
9,046
I'm not short of investors actually, what I am short on is business knowledge of what the hell I do with an investor. They are not, apparently, just human money pinatas. I wish business books weren't so boring :(
I've been running a startup (two, in fact) for ~9 months now. I may have useful experience of stupid mistakes I might be able to help you avoid :D
 

Damini

Part of the furniture
Joined
Dec 22, 2003
Messages
2,234
I've been running a startup (two, in fact) for ~9 months now. I may have useful experience of stupid mistakes I might be able to help you avoid :D


Do tell! By message if your mistakes are so embarrassing you don't want to publicly associate with them :)
 

TdC

Trem's hunky sex love muffin
Joined
Dec 20, 2003
Messages
30,801
I would lick an investor.
 

Shagrat

I am a FH squatter
Joined
Dec 23, 2003
Messages
6,945
Most people on this forum would lick someone if they thought money was involved.....
 

Scouse

Giant Thundercunt
FH Subscriber
Joined
Dec 22, 2003
Messages
35,980
1) Working on a Fuggler story, but only half heartedly until I can secure the factory deal to mass produce. I'm also writing a pilot for an animation company, but that's very speculative at the mo, and taking an age with all the Fuggler business going on.

Hope you've taken the time to patent or in some way copyright Fugglers Dams. I think someone's trying to muscle in on your business - "Ugly Buddies", IIRC - look like a bit of a rip off and I think they went into production post-fuggler. Wouldn't mention it to your potential backers until they're locked in tho.


2) Because distractions are awesome!

Annoyingly so :(
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Top Bottom