I'm going to write a own koi book!

[lildude]

Quote: Originally Posted by PapaBear Just a few ideas to make the most of your writing. #1 As already mentioned begin in personal Journal form. You are writing to yourself that way, which is different than writing to others. (you can take risks in your private journal that may provoke you to greater things) #2 From your Journal, then glean the best information you wish to communicate and write it for public consumption. #3 Find your wise counsellor(s) to review what you have written for accuracy. After all, if you want to publish anything you want to make sure you provide value, and if your info is bad the value is zero. (In the professional world it's called "peer review") #4 Get CREDIT for your writing. Find a journalism/english teacher at your school that would be willing to critique and grade your work (before submitting for publication). You can get some extra credit in school and refine your writing skills at the same time. I know that sounds like a cumbersome way to go about things, but in publishing it all takes time anyway. (just ask Brian how far in advance articles are written before they EVER see print). It will also make you a better writer, researcher, student, AND teach you PATIENCE... which is a valuable commodity you are in need of aren't we all

Ok I need Patience, I know that.

So you are saying to give koi usa my Journal that was from my book? But would that really help someone? I just want to know what I should think about doing to write. I will probably use my english teacher to grade it for me.

[PapaBear]

Quote: Originally Posted by lildude Ok I need Patience, I know that. So you are saying to give koi usa my Journal that was from my book? But would that really help someone? I just want to know what I should think about doing to write. I will probably use my english teacher to grade it for me.

Re-read SLOWLY (patience practice )
The Journal is for you to write to yourself, raw and unedited.
Then go back and review it, take from it the things you think have value to your potential readers and re-write it for public reading the way a journalist or novelist would. (This is your edited draft)
Let one or two Koi hobbiests you trust read it and evaluate it for accuracy and make any corrections needed.
Once you have what you believe is a good finished product take it to a teacher and let them critique/grade it so you can polish it up (if needed) before submitting for publication.
It will make you a better student of Koi and a better writer.

[lildude]

Quote: Originally Posted by PapaBear Re-read SLOWLY (patience practice ) The Journal is for you to write to yourself, raw and unedited. Then go back and review it, take from it the things you think have value to your potential readers and re-write it for public reading the way a journalist or novelist would. (This is your edited draft) Let one or two Koi hobbiests you trust read it and evaluate it for accuracy and make any corrections needed. Once you have what you believe is a good finished product take it to a teacher and let them critique/grade it so you can polish it up (if needed) before submitting for publication. It will make you a better student of Koi and a better writer.

Ok sounds good! I have to ask permission to use Pskoi in the article as well as kari's and russ's names too!

[koiczar]

It's nice that you would want to write about the adventures of Russ and Kari in Japan. But is that really an article about YOU and your ADVENTURES? Besides, it would be harder to write seeing as how you would have to try to translate what they saw to what you write. Very difficult first article if you ask me. I think some of the BASIC information you wrote about here already has some goood context that could be condensed into an enjoyable article for others to enjoy.

As Antonio said, YOU NEED TO GO TO JAPAN so you can experience it yourself. Then write about it!!

Mike

[mynamy1]

Yeah, yeah, also include the part of meeting Miwa the first time at the show .... then later travel to Isawa to learn more about koi and some other things ....

MALe

[koiczar]

Quote: Originally Posted by mynamy1 Yeah, yeah, also include the part of meeting Miwa the first time at the show .... then later travel to Isawa to learn more about koi and some other things .... MALe

Eric

Russ and I could introduce you to Miki!?!?LOL

[koiczar]

Quote: Originally Posted by aquitori Mike your journal would be like 50 pounds...hahahahahaha...

Tony

You're right!! Mine would have to be an abridged version. Nobody could carry it around and it might break your coffee table - I know, I know, I talk too much - LOL!!!!

What's even funnier is that I write the way I talk!~!

[lildude]

hmm. I guess I could use my journal/About the author to teach how a koi pond should be, or something like that.

So how do I prepare an article once it is ready? do they do it themselves?

[mrbradleybradley]

Quote: Originally Posted by PapaBear Just a few ideas to make the most of your writing. #1 As already mentioned begin in personal Journal form. You are writing to yourself that way, which is different than writing to others. (you can take risks in your private journal that may provoke you to greater things) #2 From your Journal, then glean the best information you wish to communicate and write it for public consumption. #3 Find your wise counsellor(s) to review what you have written for accuracy. After all, if you want to publish anything you want to make sure you provide value, and if your info is bad the value is zero. (In the professional world it's called "peer review") #4 Get CREDIT for your writing. Find a journalism/english teacher at your school that would be willing to critique and grade your work (before submitting for publication). You can get some extra credit in school and refine your writing skills at the same time. I know that sounds like a cumbersome way to go about things, but in publishing it all takes time anyway. (just ask Brian how far in advance articles are written before they EVER see print). It will also make you a better writer, researcher, student, AND teach you PATIENCE... which is a valuable commodity you are in need of aren't we all

I hope that some of these ideas will help. I work for a publishing company in Australia, so hopefully a few extra suggestions will help. As it is 4am in the morning here I will make some quick points before attempting to cure my insomnia! These points are based on an assumption that you do not have formal training. Writing a book is the merging of 2 skills - expertise + the ability to comunicate. Everyone can write but not everyone can communicate.

A few suggestions.

1. Buy a book on how to write a book. You can get them on how to write a particular type of book, whether it be romance, newspaper articles, technical books, etc.
2. Write. Write. Write. Everyday. And cull heavily. If you decide to write first in the Journal form as Paperbear suggests, the culling will be heavy.
3. Know your audience and the know the style you wish to write. That means reading. If you write a romance novel, you would read other romance novels in order to immerce yourself in that style & learn from it. So read other publications aimed at the novice & learn. Look for how they use language, pictures, construct sentences, paragraphs, chapters etc. And do this outside the koi hobby as well. If you pick up a book aimed at a novice bonsai hobbiest and it teaches you straight away & easily, then it can also teach you how to communicate to any audience.
4. Publish smaller articles in reputable magazines. This will give you experience. It will also mean that when your book is finally published, you already have some credibility.
5. Dont worry too much about the cover and title right now. Unless you self-publish, you may not get to choose.
6. Have a plan. Every story has a beginning, middle and end.
7. Give it to others to review. Not friends, but those willing to tell you the truth. This is another reason to be published with smaller articles in reputable magazines

I am off to hopefully find sleep. I really think the best advice you can follow is get that book on how to write a book. It will teach you much more than I can in this post.

Oh, one more thing. You will have put your heart into this, feel proud and feel that its perfect. But once you give it to a book publisher, expect the it to go through many changes. The publisher wants to sell your book, how you feel is secondary.

My intention is not to dull your enthusiasm. Writing can be hard work.

I hope this helps

BB

[koikiller]

i didnt read your paragraphs but is this a autobiography? i think the best book to write is a fictional one about kois.