Letters and Imagination: Mastering the Art of Writing

Disclaimer

This book is a compilation of personal insights and experiences related to the art of writing. I am not a professional writer, linguist or critic, and the advice presented herein is not intended as definitive or prescriptive rules for writing. I am aware that some of the mistakes that I will advise against are present in my books; by making the mistakes is how I came to know about them.

Readers are encouraged to approach my advice with an open mind, recognizing that writing is deeply subjective and personal. My advice is shaped by my own style and preferences as a writer, and as such, it may not align with every reader's individual writing goals or taste. The suggestions offered in this book are merely one perspective among many in the vast world of literature. Readers are not obligated to take on all my advice nor are readers disallowed to disagree with me. Ultimately, the decision to take any of the advice provided rests with the reader. Writing is an art form that thrives on diversity and individuality, and this book seeks to assist you in improving your art. If you have a query at any time, please leave it as a comment and I will provide an answer as soon as possible.

Let's dive into the realm of literary works right away. A disclaimer is a statement or notice that serves to clarify possible confusion and prevent misunderstandings. There are many fanfiction books on this app that have a disclaimer at the being of the book which is completely unneeded. If you chose 'fanfiction' as the category your book falls in, then you need not clarify that your book and characters are fictional and have nothing to do with the real people - that is exactly what fanfiction is. Most of the people who open your book know what fanfiction is and do not want to read an explanation of it. They rather want to see the first chapter and start reading.

In the rare case that someone has a problem with your book or misunderstands the concept of fanfiction, you can handle the issue privately. Most people understand the concept of fanfiction just fine and most also are aware that the ideas, storyline, and characteristics of the characters came from the author's imagination so there is no need to explain the most basic concept of creative writing.

Also, avoid clarifying that your work belongs to you and if readers find similarities between your book and other books it is just a coincidence - no one would have thought that; it makes your readers suspicious instead. Readers can see in the description that all rights have been reserved to you.

Avoid writing a disclaimer containing superfluous warnings that put your book in a bad light for the readers before they have read a word. A lot of writers ruin the reader's first impression of the book by warning them about or apologising for mistakes, cliches or cringy moments that appear in the book. Readers most likely would have not noticed any of it until the author pointed it out.

Rarely a disclaimer is justified. But it is needed when for example:

· Your book contains pictures/videos that don't belong to you

· Your book is based on a true story

· Credit needs to be given to someone who helped you write the book

· Stating that you're not a professional expert in the subject matter

Similar to disclaimers are these 'Author's note' that can be found at the beginning of a lot of fanfiction books. Think about whether the information in the note is truly important. Do your readers really have to know that you are excited for them to read your book or that you worked hard and for long on the book or that English is not your native language or that your book contains 80% chat and 20% descriptive chapters? When readers open a book for the first time, they are excited and curious which is not something you want to ruin. Give them what they want: Chapter 1.