Durban author shares tips for aspirant authors
Leonard Moodley, a Durban-based author, shares some valuable tips on how to get started if you want to become an author.
We recently featured a Durban-based author, Leonard Moodley. He shared the news about his first book, 'When Tomorrow Starts Without Me, We Didn't Get to Say Goodbye', which is set to release in March 2024.
As a grief survivor, Moodley believed that it was important to share his story and advice to help others who might be going through the same thing.
We asked him to share some of his tips with us on writing a book. It's not as easy as it sounds. Check out some of his tips below.
The journey of writing this book started a few years ago. It was when thoughts entered my creative energy. I started writing down everything I was feeling in no particular order. I made notes of things that I heard from others who were grieving. I made notes on my phone memo and I sent voice notes to myself. If an idea or thought came up while I was sleeping, even at 2am or 3 am, I would jump out of bed to make a note so that I didn't forget. Ideas come to you in the most weird of places and times. Just find a way to make notes. WhatsApp yourself if you have to. Keep all your notes in one place, and have a hardcover notebook or writing pad. If you don't, you will lose valuable information. Do not delete any notes no matter how strange it may seem. It's coming from your thoughts and you might get to use it somewhere in your book.
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What do you want to write about? Give order to your writing. Give your book chapter titles and write under these chapters focusing on what you want to say. Chapter titles will change a few times. Don't stress. Keep going. It will be ok and come to finalisation closer to the time when the book is taking shape. Don't write in one big essay style. It will cause confusion and frustration.
Establish who your reader is: Who are you targeting? Make 'Google' your friend to help with the grammar. Write one line at a time or a paragraph. Read it over and over until you are happy with its meaning.
Read books: It will give you ideas on how to process your thoughts. Paragraphs will change places quite often, that's ok. Let it fit in where it belongs.
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Be prepared for distractions: They slow down the process. Just when you are having a good flow of writing, distractions happen. They come in many forms; family commitments, TV/radio, work, fatigue, loadshedding etc. Keep going, work through them. Never quit.
Find that person who will support you, share your ideas, challenge you, and help you put your thoughts into focus. It will cost you money to be a self-published author, but it will be worth it in the end.
The book, 'When Tomorrow Starts Without Me, We Didn't Get to Say Goodbye', will be released in March 2024 and will cost R250. Moodley will be selling his book at different venues in the coming weeks leading up to the release. This information will be released on his social media platforms.
Facebook: Leonard Moodley
Instagram: moodley_len
Email: [email protected]
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