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A negative article. I spent 2 years writing a sci-fi about a guy who builds a blackhole powered computer to simulate another universe. It got less than 150 down

A negative article. I spent 2 years writing a sci-fi about a guy who builds a blackhole powered computer to simulate another universe. It got less than 150 downloads in 18months. I did it because I was doing nothing else with my life. Ultimately it failed to be succesful. But I gained a lot. It really helped me get a lot of crap off my mind. I learned a lot. I also read 400 books and graphic novels over 4 years. It was a rewarding proccess and would recommend it to anyone. So in that respect I disagree with this article. You don't need financial reward or peoples approval to gain from the experience of writing a book. Everyone does have a book in them.

spiritcat 8y ago
link?
throwaway7827 8y ago
Its a negative, click-baity headline. A more accurate headline that matches the article would be "Its harder to write a bestseller than most people think." Ultimately the article agrees with your perspective. The last paragraph: "If you want to write a book, do it. It’s wonderful and horrible and fulfilling and soul-crushing all at the same time. But do it because you want to, not because someone suggested it one time."
- byteface 8y ago
  Ye I got that. But in my experience EVERYONE should write a book. If deluding yourself that it will be a best seller helps, then do it. I imagined many scenes in my book as movie scenes. People are allowed to dream. For all those failures like me out there, that's all we get.
charmides 8y ago
Please post a link. I have a couple of questions: i) Have you been able to apply the skills you gained for something else? Did it help you career-wise in any way, or do you just feel like it made you a better, more well-rounded person? ii) Did you have a job at the same time to sustain yourself?
- byteface 8y ago
  Apologies, Can't link as I used a pen name for freedom of expression. So far nothing attaches me to the book. Yes I do use the skills, on email daily for example. I understand punctuation a bit better and many word definitions are clearer. As a programmer I could already touch-type. I repeat myself less and edit down my copy removing redundant words. One concise sentence is better than saying the same thing 10 ways. I don't have as much anxiety or stress in general as writing things down gets it all out and helps you understand yourself better. Turning mentalses into logic. You may even find you logically disagree with how you 'thought' you were thinking. This is very resolving. You also learn a lot about the subject you are writing. Yes I had a job, yes it did affect it. For 2 years writing became my evening hobby instead of coding. Sometimes it felt like I was deviating from what I should be doing. I ignored those feelings. Peers that didn't know me very long judged me as not being into my vocation (something I normally pride myself on.) I felt this affected my stance in the team. But I had more to gain than other peoples opinions. I've been a generalist coder for 15+ years so was a decade ahead of many of them and could afford to drop a gear. I admit to cheating in the editing phase. After 11 months of editing I'd almost re-written the whole book. I realised like painting, writing is never finished, only left. This is partly because you're always changing. I tried modafinil, wrapped up in a few weeks and moved on.

spiritcat 8y ago

link?

throwaway7827 8y ago

Its a negative, click-baity headline. A more accurate headline that matches the article would be "Its harder to write a bestseller than most people think." Ultimately the article agrees with your perspective. The last paragraph: "If you want to write a book, do it. It’s wonderful and horrible and fulfilling and soul-crushing all at the same time. But do it because you want to, not because someone suggested it one time."

byteface 8y ago
Ye I got that. But in my experience EVERYONE should write a book. If deluding yourself that it will be a best seller helps, then do it. I imagined many scenes in my book as movie scenes. People are allowed to dream. For all those failures like me out there, that's all we get.

charmides 8y ago

Please post a link. I have a couple of questions: i) Have you been able to apply the skills you gained for something else? Did it help you career-wise in any way, or do you just feel like it made you a better, more well-rounded person? ii) Did you have a job at the same time to sustain yourself?

byteface 8y ago
Apologies, Can't link as I used a pen name for freedom of expression. So far nothing attaches me to the book. Yes I do use the skills, on email daily for example. I understand punctuation a bit better and many word definitions are clearer. As a programmer I could already touch-type. I repeat myself less and edit down my copy removing redundant words. One concise sentence is better than saying the same thing 10 ways. I don't have as much anxiety or stress in general as writing things down gets it all out and helps you understand yourself better. Turning mentalses into logic. You may even find you logically disagree with how you 'thought' you were thinking. This is very resolving. You also learn a lot about the subject you are writing. Yes I had a job, yes it did affect it. For 2 years writing became my evening hobby instead of coding. Sometimes it felt like I was deviating from what I should be doing. I ignored those feelings. Peers that didn't know me very long judged me as not being into my vocation (something I normally pride myself on.) I felt this affected my stance in the team. But I had more to gain than other peoples opinions. I've been a generalist coder for 15+ years so was a decade ahead of many of them and could afford to drop a gear. I admit to cheating in the editing phase. After 11 months of editing I'd almost re-written the whole book. I realised like painting, writing is never finished, only left. This is partly because you're always changing. I tried modafinil, wrapped up in a few weeks and moved on.