Congratulations on your writing success. There are several of us tech/fiction writers out there. I believe we have a leg up when we begin pursuing fiction because we already know a lot about grammar, style, and formatting.

I appreciate your comments.

Carol

In 2003, I decided to try my hand at fiction for the first time since high school (way back in the ’70s).

I wrote a “hard sci-fi” novel with plenty of real science thrown in (astronomy, cosmology, metallurgy, etc.). Doing so allowed me to use both sides of my brain at once.

The quality of the writing itself, however, didn’t equal the inventiveness of the storytelling. Improving the writing was a process that took several years of learning, workshopping, and polishing. (My writing at the time was too mechanical, too nonfiction-like.) In the meantime, I wrote a second, a third, and half of a fourth novel, each one better than the last. As I finished one, I’d go back and edit and polish the ones that came before, improving the quality as I went along.

Then last year I sold the first two (The Mars Imperative and The Tesserene Imperative), both receiving rave reviews from readers and reviewers. This year I sold the third (Sunrise Destiny) to another ebook publisher (Red Rose). The book will be out in early 2009. (Still working on selling the fourth while I finish my fifth.)

All but Sunrise Destiny have been hard sci-fi, so I get to stretch my technical muscles while writing creatively. It’s a win-win situation for me. I’m glad to hear it worked out as well for you.

Mark.
Web: http://tesserene.com
Blog: http://tesserene.blogspot.com

Thanks for your kind comments. Keep at it. One day it all comes together.

Have you visited my web site to download some writing tips? The link is http://carolnorth.com/writing-tips.htm.

Carol

I am a 5-year technical writer who has been writing fiction and poetry on and off his whole life.

I have always believed that a methodical left brain attitude can actually HELP produce a readable novel. I’ve written four, and none of them are close to publishable yet, but I’m sure learning a lot and having a lot of fun! In my writers group, I’m always the one pushing people to strengthen story arch and specific motivation leading to specific action. They keep pushing me on more right-brain-style areas of writing. It’s enjoyable.

Thank you for your thoughts and experiences. Keep blogging about this stuff! I will read.

I am at http://beagley.livejournal.com/

-Douglas in Vermont