Charlotte Said:

How to write a good book-report?

We Answered:

1
Take thorough and careful notes as you read the book. (See "How to Take Reading Notes.") Use Post-it flags to mark pages that contain important passages or quotes.

2
Gather your reading notes and the book and have them by your side as you write your report.

3
Ask yourself, What would I want to know about this book?

4
Look through your notes and decide, based on the length of the book report and your answers to the above question, what is essential to include and what can be excluded.

5
State the main point of the book: Why did the author write the book? Or for fiction, give a brief plot summary.

6
Outline the plot or main ideas in the book (See "How to Write a Paper Outline"), or for fiction describe the story and key dramatic points.

7
Follow your outline as you write the report, making sure to balance the general and the specific. A good book report will both give an overview of the book's significance and convey enough details to avoid abstraction.

8
Summarize the overall significance of the book: What has this book contributed to the knowledge of the world? For fiction: What does this story tell us about the author's take on life's big questions?

Ross Said:

how do i find another aspiring author to write a book with me?

We Answered:

Post a request on your local Craigslist under the heading 'writing'. I've seen several such ads like there.

Roberta Said:

Would people pay to have someone write a book for their child?

We Answered:

My wife and I recently contacted a dentist to make a first ever appointment for our 3 1/2 year old daughter. A few days later we received a letter addressed to her from the dentist's office and in it was a storybook about a child's first visit to the dentist. My daughter was the main character as they used her name throughout.

I checked the back of the book and saw "dentasaurus". I just searched it on Yahoo and it found www.dentasaurus.com which is a company that does that sort of thing but I guess for the dental industry.

I don't know whether you can contact someone there and ask for advice but it's a place to start at least.

Dorothy Said:

How do I use Microsoft Word to help me write a book?

We Answered:

You can do this in Word. Open up a new document and go to the right hand panel and click on "templates." This will take you to the MSWord template search. Go to "other" and scroll down to books. Towards the middle of the second page, there are some options for book templates. It may not be exactly what you need, but it will be close enough to get you started.

Warren Said:

How do I get a book published?

We Answered:

http://books.cafepress.com/
self publishing.

getting your books sold is the real trick.

Mary Said:

How do I get help to write a book?

We Answered:

Ghost writers are VERY expensive. Celebrities can afford to pay them to write the books. Most normal people cannot. Typists are less expensive than ghost writers, but you will still have to create the entire story on your own.

Just write it yourself, you can do it! Yes, it takes time and a lot of hard work but it is so worth it.

I would recommend reading as many books as possible in the genres that you like to write, as well as about the craft of writing. When you are reading other fiction books, pay attention to how the authors structure their work.

Here are some of my favorites about writing:
1) "Writing Down The Bones" by Natalie Goldberg
2) "Bird by Bird" by Anne Lamott
3) "On Writing Well" by William Zinsser
4) "How to Write Science Fiction & Fantasy" by Orson Scott Card (if those are your genres, of course)
5) "On Writing" by Stephen King
6) "No Plot? No Problem!" by Chris Baty
7) "Eats, Shoots, and Leaves" by Lynne Truss
8) "The Elements of Style" by Strunk and White

Also, take a look at a few websites where authors gather. Some of them have very helpful articles and forums. Holly Lisle has a fantastic website that has articles on both the business and writing aspects:
http://hollylisle.com/fm/

Forward Motion is a wonderful, helpful community:
http://www.fmwriters.com/

Absolute Write is one of my favorite author communities, with a vast pool of resources and helpful people:
http://www.absolutewrite.com

Write every single day. Set a target for yourself. For instance, my goal right now is to write 1,000 words a day. I get this done before I go on the internet, read, watch TV, or goof around. To begin, maybe set an easier goal for yourself-- try 250 words each day. Write in a journal as well, if you feel so inclined!

Also, never forget how important it is to edit and rewrite! When you finish a short story or novel, I suggest setting it aside for a month. Don't look at it or think about it (if you can help it). Work on another project. Once that time has passed, go back and read what you wrote. Try to be objective-- are there parts that need to be expanded? Cut out? Rewritten? How is the grammar and spelling? Editing could (and should) take more time than the original draft!

The ideas really have to come from within you. We can give you all the ideas in the world, but if you aren't passionate about it then the novel won't end up being any good IF you even finish it. Write about what you love. The rest will come!