[EliRivers]

Do you want to write a sci-fi book, or do you want to have written a sci-fi book? Serious question, big difference.

If it's the former, just start writing. Just start. Pen and paper, laptop, typewriter, sketchpad with outlines on, anything and everything. Write because that's what you want to do. Cross bits out and throw them away and redo them and change things and add things and cut them out again, because what you want is the act of writing it and doing this is what you want to do. When you find bits that don't go as well as you'd like, you'll know what technique needs improving.

If the latter, save yourself the bother.

[xauronx]

Your first question hit me right where it hurts. I'm not a writer, I'm not even social and I suck at telling stories. However, I've always wanted to "write a book". I have a story in mind, I feel like there's no way I couldn't do it. A while back I sat down and started writing... and I wrote a bit and stopped. Then I tried again. And I realized, I don't want to WRITE, I want to have a book.