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Story[^]
Seriously. It won't tell you anything you don't already know, but it will make you realize you already know it, why it's true, and what to do about it.
And/or go to www.zoetrope.com, sign up and write write write and read read read.
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I've been involved in writing two books, neither was fiction so my experience may be different from what you are about to embark upon.
The writing was hard enough, although cathartic. This process proved a saying I’d heard years before, “You don’t really know a subject until you teach it to someone else.”
Getting the works through multiple rounds of editing was painful. Some of the editors were awesome, but others were not. Correcting an editing mistake for “rogue” (meaning rascal, scoundrel, etc.) which changed it to “rouge” (ferric oxide for polishing metal, or a red makeup, etc.) too far too long. Don’t count on spell checkers.
Having gone through a publisher and gone the self-publishing route, there was far more freedom with self-publishing although you are assuming a lot more work for things like cover design and finding your own editors (friends are not editors, use a professional). With a publisher, these things were taken care of for you. Another valuable service a publisher provides is distribution, if you self-publish all distribution is up to you and you alone.
Write for yourself; there’s no one else more worth writing for.
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Unless you plan to self publish, step number one is to get an agent.
After that write some sample chapters and outline for him to shop around.
Look around for some writer's groups and hopefully find one that has a published author leading it or lurking around it.
Assuming you are a programmer, let me warn you of the culture shock you will probably find. Programmers like to share and collaborate, book authors tend to have raging egos that do not like to share and believe they possess an intellect unmatched by mortal man. Otherwise they wouldn't be writing books.
Psychosis at 10
Film at 11
Those who do not remember the past, are doomed to repeat it.
Those who do not remember the past, cannot build upon it.
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To Quote the Late and Great Tom Clancy:
“I do not over-intellectualise the production process. I try to keep it simple: Tell the damned story.”
Freedom is the right of all sentient beings.
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Find a writing group in your vicinity and join. Not sure how to find one, but I'd try asking around at local bookstores or libraries or something. Worst case, most science fiction cons have writing panels, which might be a good place to get an introduction, get started in the process, and make some contacts.
Gone are the days of needing deep pockets to self publish. So you could write the book and self-publish electronically. My wife's bought a number of self-published mysteries for her kindle.. some pretty good, some not.
But yeah, pretty much what everyone else said.. start writing the story, then worry about the rest.
We can program with only 1's, but if all you've got are zeros, you've got nothing.
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I’ve looked into this ever since my creative writing class a few years ago. Since then my biggest challenge has been allocating enough brain cells after a full week of work + family. (I know to go to bed because I’m falling asleep on the keyboard.)
First & foremost: define success for you. Why do you want to write? Do you want to make a living at it? Personally, I don’t. I’m addicted to coding, writing is my mistress. Success for me is having 5+ fans outside my family & friends (those who would lie to me to save my feelings).
On self-publishing vs. getting published:
You’re trading one problem for another, so pick you poison. Publishers abound but are difficult to get in with, but once you do they have tons of staff and $$$ to get the book in the hands of readers. (Also, agents exist to help you get into publishers… if you can get their attention.) Self-Publishing solves all that “front-end” work, but now you must get you book in the hands of readers.
If you decided to self-publish I’d suggest PAYING somebody to edit your work & give you genre specific feedback. Listen to them, revise, & resubmit to them again. Rinse & repeat until you’re happy. (Or can sell the book, assuming that’s what you want to do.) Outfits like http://www.lulu.com/ can help you.
Education:
Writing is like programming in some ways. You need to do it to get better. Start writing anything. Do outlines, build works, redo existing stories (Romeo & Juliet), build characters, write specific scenes then rewrite those scenes a different way, etc… etc… etc…
Basically start writing to figure out how you write then refine your process. I love listening to Writing Excuses’ Podcast http://www.writingexcuses.com/
- great coders make code look easy
- When humans are doing things computers could be doing instead, the computers get together late at night and laugh at us. - ¿Neal Ford?
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Thanks for the reponse.
One thing I'm curious about....
Assuming I just decide to start writing - is there some special format? Like an outline or college paper? Or do I simply open Word & start typing?
If it's not broken, fix it until it is
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I opened Word & attempt to write, but that's how I attack most things. Getting stuff out of my head helps me figure out how I need to operate, personally. Getting it in front of others helps refine that stuff into interesting stories.
From what I've seen & experienced "how to write" varies greatly. It kind of makes sense; writing is a purely creative act. Programming (at least) tries to solve a specific problem. I’ve heard of others start a story with no idea how it’ll end; I think it’s called “exploratory writing.” I’ve found some success with an outline of an outline of an outline, etc… I’ve started with a single paragraph of the story; expand that into scenes, then chapters. Somewhere along the line I find interesting characters with which to tell the story though. I try to give the interesting characters an arc (change from one emotional state to another via the story) & get the reader to like them.
I keep a folder in my skydrive specifically for story ideas. I've been in the checkout line getting groceries and typed a quick idea from my phone that I'll work on later. It might be a character idea/arc or a scene or whatever.
I need to get my stuff in front of others but I'm also struggling on exactly how to do that. I'm currently thinking using writing contests or hunting down some kind of writing blog... I'm not sure. (just google, but make sure to read the fine print. I'm still a bit leery of them in general.) I've even hit the print button, put it in a nice folder, and hand it to family/friends. While that was encouraging I don't believe I got objective feedback... with the exception of my wife. When I can get a story somewhat finished I’ll probably pay an editor to review it. At least then I can get a professional, genre specific objective feedback. (I recall lulu.com had editing services?)
I’ve picked up a ton of stuff from the Writing Excuses Podcast. They also hold an annual writing retreat I’d love to attend.
- great coders make code look easy
- When humans are doing things computers could be doing instead, the computers get together late at night and laugh at us. - ¿Neal Ford?
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Wrong forum. Use the WPF forum
If it's not broken, fix it until it is
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RIP Tom[^]
I love his books, well the one's HE actually wrote, a lot of the later ones were ghosted.
Ever so well researched and fantastic to read when lazing by the pool whilst sipping gulping gin when one is on holiday.
Alas no more Jack Ryan.
---------------------------------
Obscurum per obscurius.
Ad astra per alas porci.
Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum videtur .
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I just learned of this a few minutes ago; a great loss to those of us who still read. It was quite sad to me that, other than The Hunt For Red October, not one of the movies based on his books bore any resemblance to the books. It's as if the producers never read the books at all.
It was eerie to me to read some of his stuff, as the accuracy was incredible, and some of what was published is detailed information I'm still not allowed to talk about, as far as I know. I've been out of the defense biz for over 20 years now, so I'm sure much of that old stuff is open news now, but no one's told me I can blab yet. 
Oh well, maybe it was time. After all, what's left for Jack Ryan to do? He and Mr. Clark have saved the Free World so many times; they deserve a peaceful retirement.
Will Rogers never met me.
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If I remember right, wasn't he investigated by the FBI asking where/how he got all his intel?
If it's not broken, fix it until it is
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Yes, turns out he read every declassified gov't document.
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Hard to make a movie that will match the book. Not many have. There are issues with cost, length, and viewpoint, to mentiona few. Still they were fun movies and a large part because of Harrison Ford and Sean Connery.
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Clifford Nelson wrote: Harrison Ford
He's no Jack Ryan. "Clear and Present Danger" was horribly cast. 
"Red October" is awesome.
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PIEBALDconsult wrote: Clifford Nelson wrote: Harrison Ford
He's no Jack Ryan. "Clear and Present Danger" was horribly cast.
"Red October" is awesome.
Not nearly as bad as Afflack in Sum of All Fears.
Psychosis at 10
Film at 11
Those who do not remember the past, are doomed to repeat it.
Those who do not remember the past, cannot build upon it.
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I'm fairly sure I skipped that one entirely.
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PIEBALDconsult wrote: I'm fairly sure I skipped that one entirely.
Good call.
Despite how it has been said that the movies did not follow the books, I thought they did a good job. You'd be going along knowing the scenes from the book and then they'd diverge, which to me, I took as something to keep the book readers engaged. Other times for the sake of budget and/or "movie making", but I did not feel they had violated the spirit of the books. (alright the climatic battle with Harrison Ford/Jack Ryan in Patriot Games was stretch, but I'm sure the producers felt that the "action hero" had to have a heroic moment as opposed to the Coast Guard cutter catching the bad guy)
Sum of All Fears was a screenplay by someone who read the book on acid and then tried to recreate it from memory.
Psychosis at 10
Film at 11
Those who do not remember the past, are doomed to repeat it.
Those who do not remember the past, cannot build upon it.
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So who did you like at Jack Ryan. I was not impressed with Alec Baldwin as jack Ryan. Sean Connery just dominated the film, and he was not supposed to be the main character. Do you have someone you would like to see as Jack Ryan.
I know that I was totally disappointed in Tom Hanks as Robert Langdon, and hated what they did to the female characters that were strong in the book, but wimpy in the movies and made Robert too spiratual. Think that Russell Crowe would have been much better, but would have to fix a whole lot of things to make them the movies I think they could be. Tom Hanks has never impressed me except Forest Gump.
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I very much liked Alec Baldwin in Red October. I can't stand him now though. 
And changing actors made no sense.
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