Are you thinking of writing a novel or non-fiction work but not sure what's involved? The internet has many useful sites covering writing techniques, grammar, story structure and how to publish and market your book. But where do you begin? Finding the most useful sites is a time-consuming task. This book is about the things I learned after I began writing my first novel. Prior knowledge would have been helpful and saved me a lot of time. This is the story of my experience and the lessons I learned along the way. Would it have made any difference to my decision to commit to writing a novel? Perhaps, but I can confirm it has been a rewarding exercise for me. Irrespective of how well my books sell, my unexpected education has been most satisfying, and I am the richer for it. I point out the websites and resources I found most useful in my writing, and the surprises, both good and bad. My commitment to writing endures, but my view of it has changed. The book is in three parts. The first six chapters explain how I came to writing and my approach to it. Chapters seven to fifteen relate to the various stages of self-publishing, from completing the first draft through to publishing and marketing a book. This part includes the various tools I used. Chapter sixteen includes a list of websites I found most helpful. I do not presume to tell you how you should write and publish your book, but I try to explain how I wrote and published mine.
