Wanting to write a book (Either creatively or to publish)

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Write what you know and write constantly. Those are words every writer should live by.

Settings, characters, overarching plot, etc all happen organically for me. My first attempt at a novel sprung from an idea I had during a drunken conversation with a good friend, a discussion in which we reminisced about our shared experiences, both good and bad. It was provisionally titled "What If", and I may revisit it in the future. I wasn't skillful enough to bring my ideas to life to match the passion I had for the concept.



I doubt anyone here will be nearly as brutal as you probably are when assessing your writing, and there's not a lot there to respond to, but I'll give it a crack.

The tone is odd because of the third-person/present tense combination. It's somewhat reminiscent of Noir, which might actually be a great fit for a story in which a serial killer takes down criminals - an inversion of the classic hard-boiled style - but as you pointed out, it immediately brings Dexter to mind.

You've opted to set the scene in intimate detail, which isn't necessarily 'wrong', but be careful not to focus too much on unnecessary minutiae. The reader doesn't need to have detail repeated; you mention "night" and "dark" multiple times in the opening two paragraphs, for example.

I could continue, but I'd prefer not to come across as twisting the knife, especially considering your current mindset. I hope you recognise that this is intended to be constructive, and also that you can find solace in your craft as I have.



I'm only able to write decent poetry when my thoughts are in a dark place. Misery fuels creativity, especially humour.

If you experience difficulties finding inspiration for your writing, read any classic novels that you believe are similar in tone and featuring similar themes to your own writing.

Writing is obviously and will always be a slow process. Don't allow yourself to become frustrated.

We will all be cheering for you regardless if you successfully finish a story or not.