| Pages in topic: [1 2] > | Poll: Have you ever written a book? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Have you ever written a book?".
This poll was originally submitted by ryancolm. View the poll results »
| | | | | NaNoWriMo; probably won't be published | Aug 27, 2010 |
I have taken part in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) three times now, of which I have "won" twice. "Winning" means writing 50.000 words during the month of November - which not necessarily leads to a polished manuscript worthy of publishing!
One of my entries was in English and I have edited it to take part in an American writing contest, which did consider the quality of its content. The summary passed the first round, but the sample stranded thereafter. It was really jus... See more I have taken part in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) three times now, of which I have "won" twice. "Winning" means writing 50.000 words during the month of November - which not necessarily leads to a polished manuscript worthy of publishing!
One of my entries was in English and I have edited it to take part in an American writing contest, which did consider the quality of its content. The summary passed the first round, but the sample stranded thereafter. It was really just a gamble to see how far I could get with it.
If you put some time and effort in it, taking part in NaNoWriMo can be quite exhilarating, a lot of fun and a good exercise in creativity and discipline.
I do hope to write a "real" book someday in my life and get it published. So do many others, but one can always dream, right? ▲ Collapse
| | | | Fabio Said 
Germany
Local time: 18:57
German to Portuguese
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| Actually, yes :-) | Aug 27, 2010 |
I had written and published two massive Portuguese-language books about family history with the results of a 10-year research (one of them is actually selling well even outside of the family), before I wrote the book I am most proud of.
Last April I published a book about life as a translator. Its title is Fidus interpres: a prática da tradução profissional. It was also written in Brazilian Portuguese and it is a 256-page introduction into the world of a professiona... See more I had written and published two massive Portuguese-language books about family history with the results of a 10-year research (one of them is actually selling well even outside of the family), before I wrote the book I am most proud of.
Last April I published a book about life as a translator. Its title is Fidus interpres: a prática da tradução profissional. It was also written in Brazilian Portuguese and it is a 256-page introduction into the world of a professional translator. It basically covers topics such as competition, on-line and off-line marketing, translation tools, translation techniques and legal/financial business considerations. The biggest chapter is about marketing, and it offers an insight into how to put up a website or blog specialized in translation. Actually, my book originated from my translation blog "Fidus interpres", which has been online for over 2 years and recently reached the mark of 650 thousand unique visitors (quite a lot for a niche blog 100% about translation and language, written mostly in Portuguese, but also in English and German).
For those of you who would like to know more about my book on translation, here is its table of contents (translated into English):
http://fidusinterpres.com/?p=6736
The book is available through print-on-demand bookstores both in Brazil and in the U.S. The U.S. bookstore ships it to anywhere in the world. Here are the links:
Brazil - http://ow.ly/2vBCA
U.S. - http://ow.ly/2vBBo
By the way, I will be presenting at the ATA Annual Conference in Denver, as a "Distinguished Speaker" invited by the Portuguese Language Division. I look forward to meeting some of you there. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Pascale Pluton
Netherlands
Local time: 18:57
Member (2005)
English to French
+ ...
| How can you find the time for it? | Aug 27, 2010 |
No I have not and it is not part of my ambitions
I am way too busy translating, maintaining my skills and maintaining my business (hunting for clients).
I could not possibly write a book and earn enough at the same time, unless doing it as a hobby. But then I prefer cultivating my vegetable garden.
I guess it is all a matter of choice and priority
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Jon O (X)
United Kingdom
Local time: 18:57
Dutch to English
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| Alison Sabedoria (X)
United Kingdom
French to English
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| It still needs some work! | Aug 27, 2010 |
A few years ago I wrote a book to make the music of Hildegard of Bingen more accessible to non-specialist singers, and have had very positive feedback from the few who have used the trial version.
Unfortunately, there appears to be too much text for normal music publishers, and too much music for text publishers (it's about half and half), so I'm hoping to self-publish. In my quest for quality, I've now decided that all the music pages need to be reset, and I've not found a music s... See more A few years ago I wrote a book to make the music of Hildegard of Bingen more accessible to non-specialist singers, and have had very positive feedback from the few who have used the trial version.
Unfortunately, there appears to be too much text for normal music publishers, and too much music for text publishers (it's about half and half), so I'm hoping to self-publish. In my quest for quality, I've now decided that all the music pages need to be reset, and I've not found a music software programme that can handle chant notation adequately and easily. I've my own simple "cut-and paste" work-around, but it's still a very long and tedious job, so goodness knows when it'll get finished.
Then there's my own poetry anthology to illustrate, the Sephardic song book I've promised myself I'll finish editing, and the French Christmas carol book to start....  ▲ Collapse
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In 2000 I co-authored a book on electronic commerce with another business journalist. We did two editions, one canadian and one american. It sold ok, but not as well as we'd hoped....there was almost no PR on behalf of the publisher and then the dot-com bust didn't help. We also had to write it in a very short period of time. It was one of the most stressful experiences ever!
it's not the type of book I ever thought I'd write...I always imagined it would be more literary. But if I ... See more In 2000 I co-authored a book on electronic commerce with another business journalist. We did two editions, one canadian and one american. It sold ok, but not as well as we'd hoped....there was almost no PR on behalf of the publisher and then the dot-com bust didn't help. We also had to write it in a very short period of time. It was one of the most stressful experiences ever!
it's not the type of book I ever thought I'd write...I always imagined it would be more literary. But if I haven't written that fiction book by now, I doubt I ever will! ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Writing and publishing a book is easier and faster than marketing it | Aug 27, 2010 |
Once an idea struck me (and such 'striking' is part of the plot). The friends I told about that idea insisted that I should write a book (which is also part of the 'plot'). So, after a while I did it (part of the 'plot') in Portuguese, and translated it into English (ditto - it was getting boring).
Then I self-published it, due to convenience, first in the USA, and later in Brazil. De... See more Once an idea struck me (and such 'striking' is part of the plot). The friends I told about that idea insisted that I should write a book (which is also part of the 'plot'). So, after a while I did it (part of the 'plot') in Portuguese, and translated it into English (ditto - it was getting boring).
Then I self-published it, due to convenience, first in the USA, and later in Brazil. Details may be found at:
in English: http://www.lamensdorf.com.br/my_book.html
in Portuguese: http://www.lamensdorf.com.br/meu_livro.html
... about the respective editions. You may even read the first ¼ of it there, slightly abridged.
Friends who read it, loved it. However the quantity of copies 'given away' so far outnumbers those actually sold, i.e. purchased by complete strangers.
So, for those who are thinking about doing it, here is my advice: don't consider your potential market, but your potential in marketing instead! ▲ Collapse
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Tim Drayton
Cyprus
Local time: 19:57
Turkish to English
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Yes, but that was many years ago and I have long since abandoned the idea of having it published.
| | | | Susi Giaroli
Italy
Local time: 18:57
French to Italian
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Wordeffect wrote:
A few years ago I wrote a book to make the music of Hildegard of Bingen more accessible to non-specialist singers, and have had very positive feedback from the few who have used the trial version.
I would be interested in purchasing the book. Can you notify me when you self-publish it?
| | | | Jessica Noyes
United States
Local time: 12:57
Member
Spanish to English
+ ...
| Creative only in the context of the ideas of others | Aug 27, 2010 |
Many years ago, "Mad" magazine ran a little satire of "the language major", who "spends all her time studying languages, and doesn't have anything to say in any of them!" I identified with the geeky girl in the cartoon, and still do.
Though I like to write, I can't identify a body of experiences or feelings that inspire me to write a book. I have not been blessed (or is it cursed?) with the soul of an artist.
My artistic passion lies in understanding the ideas of others a... See more Many years ago, "Mad" magazine ran a little satire of "the language major", who "spends all her time studying languages, and doesn't have anything to say in any of them!" I identified with the geeky girl in the cartoon, and still do.
Though I like to write, I can't identify a body of experiences or feelings that inspire me to write a book. I have not been blessed (or is it cursed?) with the soul of an artist.
My artistic passion lies in understanding the ideas of others and summoning all my creative faculties, and the breadth and depth of my experiences and knowledge, to convey them truly and accessibly. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Rebecca Garber
Local time: 12:57
Member (2005)
German to English
+ ...
I rewrote and published by PhD thesis
Feminine Figurae: Representations of Gender in Religious Texts by Medieval Women
published by Routledge in 2002
And apparently it still sells, because every 2 years I get an itty bitty check from them.
It was actually my first profession translation project: Routledge wanted all, and I do mean all, of the second languages banished to endnotes so that only English was on the page. So all of the Latin, French, German, and... See more I rewrote and published by PhD thesis
Feminine Figurae: Representations of Gender in Religious Texts by Medieval Women
published by Routledge in 2002
And apparently it still sells, because every 2 years I get an itty bitty check from them.
It was actually my first profession translation project: Routledge wanted all, and I do mean all, of the second languages banished to endnotes so that only English was on the page. So all of the Latin, French, German, and medieval German got buried. Esp. after I figured out how to make an umlauted w. Crazy letter, one of the medieval German texts used it for subjunctive... ▲ Collapse
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Thayenga
Germany
Local time: 18:57
Member (2009)
English to German
+ ...
Several years ago I wrote a novel "Sonseeama, Tochter der Cheyenne" which was published here in Germany. Then the publisher, a small company, went out of business.
I wrote another novel "Children of the Wolf" based on my screenplay and which is about to be self-published.
And then there are my poetry books. The printed version (paperback) are self-published, the electroni... See more Several years ago I wrote a novel "Sonseeama, Tochter der Cheyenne" which was published here in Germany. Then the publisher, a small company, went out of business.
I wrote another novel "Children of the Wolf" based on my screenplay and which is about to be self-published.
And then there are my poetry books. The printed version (paperback) are self-published, the electronic version is available at
http://stores.lulu.com/store.php?fAcctID=4134642
Except for the first novel in German, all books are in English under my pseudonym E. C. Montana. Of course, all of my works are copyright registered with the Library of Congress, Washington D. C.
Being a writer at heart, there's more to come. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Jessica Cade
United States
Local time: 09:57
English to French
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| I wouldnt know how to publish | Aug 27, 2010 |
Im almost done writting my book but I still dont kow how to publish it or who to conatct and/or trust? Any leads would be GREATLY appreaciated.
| | | | | For Jessica, on getting published | Aug 27, 2010 |
Jessica Cade wrote:
Im almost done writting my book but I still dont kow how to publish it or who to conatct and/or trust? Any leads would be GREATLY appreaciated.
You may read my links-laden adventure at http://www.lamensdorf.com.br/the_search.html or go directly to https://www.createspace.com/ (the new name for BookSurge). If you are a DTP wiz, or have one in your immediate family, you can get your book published and available for sale at Amazon for as little as $99 (unless they've changed the rules there).
This is the easy part. After that is done, the selling game begins. Hope you make it a bestseller. In the past 5 years, I didn't... yet, I hope.
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