# Could you write a book? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 17, 2016, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-write-a-book/752429 "2016-04-17T01:19:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Enginerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bcef8e/32.png) [@Enginerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enginerd)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2016, 8:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-write-a-book/752429/21 "2016-04-17T08:19:25Z")
God no. I’m an academic and my job depends on publications, so I write articles and the odd book chapter, but I hate it. I love research, I really like teaching, and writing is the price I have to pay to continue to do those things for a living. But if the word came down from on high that I wouldn’t be judged on publications, I’d stop writing immediately and spend more time in the field. ---
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2016, 8:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-write-a-book/752429/22 "2016-04-17T08:31:24Z")
Nope. No patience. I do write short posts, short pitches, short essays, and short self-reminders. ---
**Author:** ![DorkVader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/73ab20/32.png) [@DorkVader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DorkVader)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2016, 8:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-write-a-book/752429/23 "2016-04-17T08:35:10Z")
I could, yes, and I’ve been praised many times (even here on the Dope) for my prose. But, like so many others on here, I am plagued with doubt about readership and lacking in self discipline for the work. ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2016, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-write-a-book/752429/24 "2016-04-17T11:08:04Z")
Nope. My fiction would sound like a third grader wrote it. ---
**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2016, 11:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-write-a-book/752429/25 "2016-04-17T11:12:11Z")
Yes I could but why? I seriously doubt I would get published so it seems a waste of time. ---
**Author:** ![quiltguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e47774/32.png) [@quiltguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/quiltguy)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2016, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-write-a-book/752429/26 "2016-04-17T11:48:33Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > Sure, if they asked me… Can you write one about the way I walk and whisper and look? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Mapp](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miss_mapp/32/369_2.png) [@Miss\_Mapp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Mapp)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2016, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-write-a-book/752429/27 "2016-04-17T13:20:20Z")
I’ve written 3 fantasy novels and 3 period mystery novellas. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2016, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-write-a-book/752429/28 "2016-04-17T13:47:08Z")
No. As a working broadcast journalist, I learned that any story can be told in 60 seconds. My mind now composes that way. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2016, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-write-a-book/752429/29 "2016-04-17T14:15:08Z")
My first novel came out in 1986; my second in 2005 or so. I’ve finished nine others, and have started (and put aside) about five more. In addition, I’ve sold over 50 short stories (had another sale just yesterday). It’s just a matter of keeping at it. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2016, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-write-a-book/752429/30 "2016-04-17T15:23:42Z")
I could definitely write a book. Maybe many. Whether the books would be popular (or any good at all) is a different question. ---
**Author:** ![purplehearingaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@purplehearingaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehearingaid)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2016, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-write-a-book/752429/31 "2016-04-17T15:59:45Z")
> [@RivkahChaya](#): > > I have written several for my own catharsis or the entertainment of my friends, but I’ve never attempted to publish, because I don’t think I could take the rejection. If you’re willing to pay $5,000 or more you can get your book publish , my sister publish a kid book this way . She didn’t made a profit on the book and the publishers had to been laughing all the way to the bank ! ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2016, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-write-a-book/752429/32 "2016-04-17T16:02:44Z")
You can self-publish for a lot less than that. Near free, if electronic is good enough. ---
**Author:** ![Chihuahua](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dec6dc/32.png) [@Chihuahua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chihuahua)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2016, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-write-a-book/752429/33 "2016-04-17T18:36:39Z")
I wrote a novel once. It took three drafts and about ten months. Nobody was interested in buying it because, let’s face it, it was pretty niche subject matter to begin with. I did get good reviews from a SME though. Anyway, I could probably pretty it up in a fourth draft and try again, but I just lost interest over time. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2016, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-write-a-book/752429/34 "2016-04-17T18:46:49Z")
I have written or cowritten three books. The first was cowritten between about 1980 and 1984 and published at the end of 1984. The second, with the same coauthor, between 1986 and 1989. The third, I started writing in 1990. I taught a course based on it around 1995. Answering a couple questions asked by a student resulted in my rethinking the subject entirely and I tore up most of what I had done and finally published it in 2002. All three advanced mathematics. ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2016, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-write-a-book/752429/35 "2016-04-17T20:02:57Z")
I’ve published four picture books, one easy reader, and I’ve e-published a children’s fantasy novel. I’ve written another children’s novel that I haven’t published yet (although I’m still trying to find an agent for it) and I have a fifth picture book coming out January, 2017. Now I’m working on another children’s novel, which I hope to send to a beta reader in a month or less. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2016, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-write-a-book/752429/36 "2016-04-17T20:06:50Z")
Do piles of company manuals count? Got a ton of those plus an actual published article and a few letters to the editor. ---
**Author:** ![Arrendajo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Arrendajo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arrendajo)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2016, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-write-a-book/752429/37 "2016-04-17T20:18:22Z")
I doubt I could write a book, but I’ve written a couple hundred songs. Does that count for anything? ---
**Author:** ![CCitizen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4af34b/32.png) [@CCitizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CCitizen)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2016, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-write-a-book/752429/38 "2016-04-17T20:51:55Z")
> [@guestchaz](#): > > I could, yes, and I’ve been praised many times (even here on the Dope) for my prose. But, like so many others on here, I am plagued with doubt about readership and lacking in self discipline for the work. Thanks. Where can I write short fiction stories where someone will read them? ---
**Author:** ![CCitizen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4af34b/32.png) [@CCitizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CCitizen)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2016, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-write-a-book/752429/39 "2016-04-17T20:54:55Z")
> [@Arrendajo](#): > > I doubt I could write a book, **but I’ve written a couple hundred songs**. Does that count for anything? WOW! I envy your achievement. I can not write poetry. ---
**Author:** ![CCitizen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4af34b/32.png) [@CCitizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CCitizen)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2016, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-write-a-book/752429/40 "2016-04-17T20:56:05Z")
> [@Miss\_Mapp](#): > > I’ve written 3 fantasy novels and 3 period mystery novellas. WOW – Great! I can not write long novels. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-write-a-book/752429.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-write-a-book/752429.md?page=3)