Should I write this story?

[Alice-Elizabeth (Prolific Reader Alice)]

I've been writing stories since the age of six (I'm 18 now) and have slowly been building up a following on GR for my book reviewing which has been great but I also would like to be recognised as a writer too.

Recently, I found out I had a condition called Trichotillomania. It's not pleasant and everyday is a constant struggle. Having looked around for books featuring young characters with the same condition and not finding any. I then had an idea about writing my own novel about it. My idea would be a diary format, the main character seventeen/eighteen years old but it would be for a young-adult audience younger than sixteen as well. It would be based off my own experiences but some of it such as certain settings would be fictional.

I have talked about this idea to a few people online and I was told not to write it because no-one would read it. I did find that rather disheartening but it's important to know if this idea is stupid or just plain old rubbish.

If I did write this, I would be looking to either self-publish or post to the website Swoon Reads who offer publication deals to YA stories.

Thanks for reading, have a good day.

[Nik]

Hey Alice,
I don't think the idea is rubbish. Don't know whether it's a good example - Annie Arcane, if I understand correctly, features crippled protagonist in her book and it's pretty successful...
There are books about coping with cancer, some of them humorous and successful.
But don't jump for joy just yet, it may still come out rubbish - a lot will depend on delivery (writing style, actual plot, etc) -:)
I think the decision of fic/non-fic is not obvious and needs consideration and as such might entail different readership and different content.
Not sure you need to build a lot of hope around its commercial success, but if you feel enthusiastic about doing it, why not give it a try and see how it goes? Don't put everything else aside for doing this though.. And probably don't force it.
Worst case - you'll have scarce readership's attention, but so what? -:)

[Alice-Elizabeth (Prolific Reader Alice)]

Nik wrote: "Hey Alice,
I don't think the idea is rubbish. Don't know whether it's a good example - Annie Arcane, if I understand correctly, features crippled protagonist in her book and it's pretty successful...."

Thanks for your advice Nik, really appreciate it :)

[Nik]

Welcome! Hope it goes well, if you decide to do it, and most importantly - hope you cope well with your condition and will be able to put it behind one day!

[Alice-Elizabeth (Prolific Reader Alice)]

Nik wrote: "Welcome! Hope it goes well, if you decide to do it, and most importantly - hope you cope well with your condition and will be able to put it behind one day!"

Thanks again. :)

[Quantum]

opinions are a dime a dozen--especially online naysayers. however, i don't want to be a pollyanna either. why don't we do some market research and find out if any of these kinds of books have actually been published. well, what do you know? some have been. ^_-

(I just searched amazon for "Trichotillomania" and filtered the search to "books")

one is teen/YA fiction--like your target genre--and some are in the memoir category, but, as expected, most of them are non-fiction self-help. you could do more market research and use the results as one component in the determination your genre. although market research should not be the sole determining factor--the one major one being which genre, style makes you inspired to write.

one tool that you can use for genre/sub-genre research is authorearnings.com. Here's a really instructive genre analysis that authorearnings.com ran on romance.. You could even answer questions like "how often do I have to publish to keep sales momentum?" and "At what price are most books getting the best ROI?"



You could download their data into an excel spreadsheet and run your own analyses. hmm... maybe I should write up an FAQ for new writers.

Short list of the amazon titles that I thought were relevant

https://www.amazon.com/Perfect-Pull-L...
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #228,593 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)
#23 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Teen & Young Adult > Literature & Fiction > Personal Health > Diseases, Illnesses & Injuries
#342 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Teen & Young Adult > Literature & Fiction > Social & Family Issues > Girls & Women
#822 in Books > Teens > Literature & Fiction > Girls & Women

https://www.amazon.com/Stop-Pulling-Y...
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #890,052 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
#713 in Books > Self-Help > Anxieties & Phobias

https://www.amazon.com/Life-Trichy-Me...
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #737,572 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
#19914 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > Memoirs

[Alice-Elizabeth (Prolific Reader Alice)]

Alex G wrote: "opinions are a dime a dozen--especially online naysayers. however, i don't want to be a pollyanna either. why don't we do some market research and find out if any of these kinds of books have actua..."

Alex, thanks so much for this! I really appreciate it, I'll keep searching Amazon and see what else I can find. :)

[Tara Woods Turner]

If you feel in your heart that one young person might gain inspiration or hope from your story then write it and publish it. Most of what happens after that is out of your hands but write what's in your heart.

[Elizabeth ♛Smart Girls Love Trashy Books♛]

I wrote a short story inspired by my life as a girl with Asperger's that was really popular, so anything's possible.

[Quantum]

Alice (marriedtobooks) wrote: " I'll keep searching Amazon and see what else I can find. :) ."

Let us know how things go and what you decide!

Elizabeth♛ Everyone Else Has a Super Long Name With a Symbol So I Might as Well Do it Too♛ wrote: "I wrote a short story inspired by my life as a girl with Asperger's that was really popular, so anything's possible."

there you go. ^_-

[Alice-Elizabeth (Prolific Reader Alice)]

Tara wrote: "If you feel in your heart that one young person might gain inspiration or hope from your story then write it and publish it. Most of what happens after that is out of your hands but write what's in..."

That's exactly how I feel :)

[Alice-Elizabeth (Prolific Reader Alice)]

Elizabeth♛ Everyone Else Has a Super Long Name With a Symbol So I Might as Well Do it Too♛ wrote: "I wrote a short story inspired by my life as a girl with Asperger's that was really popular, so anything's possible."

That's amazing Elizabeth, is it on Amazon? :)

[Alice-Elizabeth (Prolific Reader Alice)]

Alex G wrote: "Alice (marriedtobooks) wrote: " I'll keep searching Amazon and see what else I can find. :) ."

Let us know how things go and what you decide!

Elizabeth♛ Everyone Else Has a Super Long Name With a..."

Will do Alex :)

[Elizabeth ♛Smart Girls Love Trashy Books♛]

Alice (marriedtobooks) wrote: "Elizabeth♛ Everyone Else Has a Super Long Name With a Symbol So I Might as Well Do it Too♛ wrote: "I wrote a short story inspired by my life as a girl with Asperger's that was really popular, so an..."

Not yet, but it will be soon!

[Alice-Elizabeth (Prolific Reader Alice)]

Elizabeth♛ Everyone Else Has a Super Long Name With a Symbol So I Might as Well Do it Too♛ wrote: "Alice (marriedtobooks) wrote: "Elizabeth♛ Everyone Else Has a Super Long Name With a Symbol So I Might as Well Do it Too♛ wrote: "I wrote a short story inspired by my life as a girl with Asperger's..."

Awesome, let me know when it is up on Amazon :)

[M.L.]

A memoir would be good. You might also check Skinny. It's about a teen who weighs 300 pounds and has gastric bypass surgery, a fictional setting dealing with the problems she has both before and after. It's a YA book and the author had the same surgery.

[Alice-Elizabeth (Prolific Reader Alice)]

M.L. Roberts wrote: "A memoir would be good. You might also check Skinny. It's about a teen who weighs 300 pounds and has gastric bypass surgery, a fictional setting dealing with the problems she has bo..."

I'll check it out, thank you!