I've had an idea for a children's/young adult book for a while now that I've been meaning to sit down and write.

Strangely, the hurricane disaster has me really thinking about actually getting started on this project. Life is short and all...

Anyway, I thought I might try out a service I heard about on the TWiT podcast a few weeks ago - www.lulu.com

It's a print on demand service, so if only my family and friends bought it it would still be out there, and I'd certainly have a copy for myself. Sounds like it might be the best way to go, since I doubt I'm good enough to break into the real publishing world.

I did a lot of creative writing in my youth and do a lot of corporate writing for work, so I'm fairly confident I could bang something out.

Any general tips before I start on this venture?

Coming up in November is "National Novel Writing Month", a group challenge in which folks from around the world pump out a novel in a month. It's a very useful motivator in getting out a first draft (or just writing for fun).

http://www.nanowrimo.org/

That sounds really fun, and I'm big on deadlines.

Thanks for the link.

Write, write, write! You might as well inquire with some publishers while you are at it. You never know.

I can get you illustrations... not that I would do anything like that.

Well if he needs any anthropomorphic nudity in his children's book, you can help him out

Yeah, I suppose it couldn't hurt. I know it's a tough biz.

I'll think about the nudity question - it's definitely a choice for direction of the book

I've been thinking about writing a book as well, and would probably go through lulu.com. Seems like a good way to start out.

I think so. Just being able to sell through Amazon means that someone, somewhere might randomly decide to check your stuff out.

However improbable that would be

If you're seriously interested in publishing a book (not just printing one) and actually having people read it, then I would strongly urge you to stay away from all vanity presses (lulu, iUniverse, xlibris, etc.).

If all you're interested in is a amateurishly printed and bound copy of your book, those services are fine. But it doesn't make you a published author in any meaningful sense. It would be just as easy (and probably cheaper) to run off copies at Kinkos and send them to your friends.

If you truly have the desire in your gut, though, to write and be read, to be a serious author who gets reviewed and has books in stores, there's no getting around the old-fashioned way. Write a great book, get an agent, get a publisher, and then feel the joy that comes from success that most can't attain.

Draven, did you ever finish this?

Especially nowadays with the ease of uploading your own eBook to Amazon and such. Much easier than getting it printed and trying to find someone to sell it.