Thursday, September 06, 2007

Suggestions for this hopeful writer...

Here is my embarrassing secret: I desperately want to write a book.

Why is it embarrassing? Because everybody wants to write a book! J.K. Rowling made the world realize that one does not have to be a professional to write a book. Now it's the hip thing to do! But it doesn't change how I feel. I want to write.

But there's a hitch.

The problem? (Besides no experience, no time, and no money?) I have no ideas. No...wait. That's not true. I have too many ideas. I've been fooling around with writing something for a good 6 years now --seriously for about 4. Now I feel this creative void inside of me is going to burst into flames unless I do something about it.

That is where all of you come in! Here is what I need: Suggestions! Honest and open ones. And not just from the people that frequently comment. If you read this (Mom, Grandma, Sister-o-mine!) you have to suggest something. If you are a visitor for the first time, and you've never read my blog before, but you are reading this, you must suggest something!

And please, you guys, take it seriously --if you can. I feel like I'm setting my heart out here on the computer keyboard as I type this. I'm vulnerable right now and I'm hoping for some support. But the suggestions are more important, so even if you think I'm an idiot for thinking I can write a book, tell me I'm an idiot, and then make a suggestion on what I could write about.

Thanks!

11 comments:

flip flop mama said...

Just one question...are you going to give me a cut of your profits if you go with my suggestion and your book gets published? LOL

Seriously though, I don't have any ideas, but if I think of something I'll let you know!

Anonymous said...

I've dreamt of writing a book since I was 4 and have not done so. What does that tell ya?
I have no ideas either! Boo hoo! :(

Amber said...

What if you throw your ideas to us and we tell you what we think of them. I've got nothin'.

Cheryl said...

Okay, I guess I needed to be more specific. It's not really that I need an idea on a plot or anything, it's more that I need help choosing a GENRE. I should have just stated that, but I wasn't really thinking it through, I guess.

Do I do some kind of humorous anecdote on being a mother? Maybe a fun children's book. Perhaps I delve into Romantic Drama (I'm a Hopeless!). Or maybe it should be something full of adventure, mystery, and a good moral at the end.

Jamie, I don't know about profits, but I just might dedicate it to you! :) :)

Sara said...

Do I do some kind of humorous anecdote on being a mother?

YES.

I prefre non-fiction books, like parenting and real-life stuff. A book, maybe, about what motherhood is *really* like. Not the pictures you see in Family Fun magazine, but how about cleaning poop off the crib bedding and turning around to find your toddler dumping pepper on the floor?

Oh! Oh! I thought of something else... You need to pick up the "Real Simple" magazine that is a special Family edition. Let me know if you can't find it and I'll mail you MINE because it had this really cool feature article in it where different people wrote letters to there babies/kids "read this when..."
And there were topics like "...you first have your heart broken."
"...You have your first day of school"
or "... on your wedding day."
Does that make sense?

Not sure if you read dooce.com but she was one of the featured writers there.

Sorry for the novel (har har!)

Rochelleht said...

I would so write what I know. I think a motherhood funny would be great. You do very well relaying the funny stories in your fam.

Scrapbooks by Amanda said...

I like to read romantic-comedy type books so I would go that direction. You really need to write what you know though. It will come across better. Keep us posted on what you decide!

Anonymous said...

Please write about #3. There are so many sassy little girl books out there. Where has Dennis the Menace gone? We need a boy child hero that gets into a lot of trouble.

If you don't do this... I will. AW has sooo many bad behaivior stories I could fill libraries with his antics.

I also think you are a helpless romantic so.. you could be great at writing YA books for Deseret.

Michelle said...

Well, dear sister, I attended a conference this summer called Books for Young Readers. Two of the authors presented on how they got ideas and became authors. I don't know if it will be helpful, but I will email my notes from their presentations. I think they might be useful if I had any interest in writing a book. I guess some of the notes won't be too helpful unless you know what I am talking about, but you know where to find me. Good luck finding an idea.

April J. said...

I don't know but I thought about Laughing your Way through Motherhood, you have some pretty fun ways of writing about your hard days!

Good clean LDS romance is hard to find too!

Cheryl said...

Thank you, thank you for your ideas. Another thank you for not calling me an idiot. :)

You guys are great!