Thursday, March 3, 2011

Ben Is Writing

I have long thought that I could create a compelling video game that people would want to play. Of course, I'm sure that many people who enjoy gaming as much as I do feel similarly, but nonetheless I though my story would be special. However, video game companies aren't exactly combing through their players looking for the next great idea. Realistically no video game executive will likely ever read anything that I write.

Until now that has been keeping me from organizing my thoughts. I often think about what my story would be about, but never do anything with it. My brother, Clay, recently divulged to me that he had written a novel last year. I was surprised at first, but then he went on to explain that by writing a mere 1,000 words a day it took him only a couple of months to turn out almost 100,000 words of text. This was all exciting, but the original problem still existed: how would anyone ever read what you wrote?

Welcome to the year 2011 where spaceships take you to and from work, your lunch is teleported to your desk, and books can be purchased and read on a magical tablet. Amazon, and various other websites, now have the means to electronically distribute books. With Amazon's Kindle fast becoming a household name it is now realistic to believe that you can write a book, and people will read it. Under Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing program you can submit your text as soon as it is ready for consumption, and that's not all you can even earn 35% to 70% royalties off of the sales!

So here I am, finally with a median that can get my story out. I'm taking it one step at a time. As a software developer I am taking a very developmental approach to writing, and that is I am creating chapters, and describing what main goals and events that I want to take place in them. I am then dividing the chapter in to various scenes that also come complete with their own descriptions.

Last night I decided to take a break from the overall design of the book in order to flesh out the first scene in the book. I had a tentative goal of writing 500 words last night, and boy that came fast. I knew where I wanted to start and end the scene, and by the time I had written everything in between I had hit almost 600 words. To anyone like me, who hasn't written before, 500 words sounded like a lot. My brother wrote 1,000 or more words a day! However, after doing it once I realize that it is definitely an attainable goal.

To anyone out there like me, with a story to tell, there's now a way to get it front of people. The only thing stopping you now is yourself.

3 comments:

  1. Good for you Ben! Seems you are very determined and motivating others at the same time, I am sure your book will be amazing.

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  2. Thanks! Knowing what you like I think that if I execute it well you will enjoy it.

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  3. Hey, some days when I got in the groove I hit 3k+ words ;) You can do it!

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