but ....after a long talk with my child, I decided to try another novel. I'll probably still send the last one out more, but not yet. Am I sabotaging the second novel by letting too many people read the first one? I've kept it to just six agents/editors so far. Maybe more is a mistake.
Find a true story with a good arc and make it yours, Megan advised. Write your way into what's already there so the strength and story in the original material can guide you. So I went home, looked at some archives and found a story that perfectly suits an interest of mine: mothers and daughters in trouble. I have 12 pages that I didn't have Saturday. Of course, I had to put my first try at writing a ghost story aside.
Of course, the mother's a real bitch already, but maybe if the daughter isn't such an unlikable character it'll fly. Am I destined to write about bitchy women? Probably.
Writing a practice novel isn't such a bad thing, I guess. Do you have one on your hard drive? If I count the novel in stories from 2006, I have two practice novels. Oh, well. Maybe practice will make perfect. Someday.
13 comments:
Only six agents/editors! I'm a firm believer in the query widely mantra. Until you've submitted a hundred queries I wouldn't even begin to doubt your novel.
I think what I need is a script doctor. I have this feeling the problem is solvable but no one will tell me what it is. Not dark enough, not likable enough. First half is a bit slow.
Patti, I think starting a second novel is a great idea. If it's not related in any way to the first, then no harm, no foul. (I'm a firm believer in not writing the sequel until you've sold the first book.)
Re the bitchy mother, as long as the reader has someone to root for, it shouldn't matter. And if she grows and changes and becomes less bitchy, you've got a good character arc. Give her some motivation for being bitchy, preferably a past that people can sympathize with, and a soft spot. The dog, the cat, feeding the birds, whatever.
Six queries/submissions is just a drop in the bucket, I'm afraid, so keep going. The journey to publication is a long, hard road. (It took me 9 1/2 years and that's not a record!) But writers write, so keep going!
Linda / Lyndi
I have two unfinished novels that I've set aside and one in progress that will very likely become a practice novel. I started the first two when I really didn't have the first clue what I was doing. I have one clue now, but I tend to be a realist and I keep my expectations low, so I tell myself that I need to do the best work I can on this novel, but the immediate goal is to finish it. If I have something promising by that time, then I'll take it as far as I can with revisions, but I am viewing it as a learning experience while I'm working on it. I know this goes against the grain of what I've heard a lot of people say, but I observe so much disappointment out here that I know the only way I'll be able to keep pushing forward is if I tell myself that I'm doing this to learn how to do it. If I'm pleasantly surprised at the end, so much the better. I find denial to be a very productive tool, if that makes any sense.
No one may be able to articulate what the problem is. In my case, the writing was good enough, but the story wasn't original enough. I got that from a pro critic. Know any? It might be a different perspective from the one you've been getting.
HURT was my practice. I was bound and determined for that not to be the case, but in the end, it was pissing me off too much. I still feel good about the decision to pull it, and I know the next WIPs will be better. Good luck with yours!
I'm in about that same place. I'll try the second one for a while and then decide. It still may be I'm a short story writer. And I would be happy with that if there were more outlets.
Sounds like a good idea to try something different. Who knows? Maybe after you've written the new one you'll go back and be able to see what the dealio with the old novel was. It can be very, very hard to get perspective when you're in the trenches.
Mostly, just try and have some fun with the new book. It's way, way too soon to start putting the brakes on about whether or not a character is too bitchy. Write it out and you'll find the balance.
I am having fun. That's what I'm thinking about--that I am enjoying it. 22 pages.
Then hooray for bitchy women!
Happy writing...
Patti: I would tell you if you asked. You haven't asked.
Glad to hear you're climbing back in the saddle. I have one practice novel and two practice screenplays (stored on disks so as not to clog the harddrive). I've heard many say it takes 4-5 practice books till you finally learn craft.
Many write more than 4-5 and NEVER learn. They just keep making the same mistakes - they're not capable of figuring out what they're doing wrong.
I paid for a "sit down" with Stuart Kaminsky about my screenplay. In one sentence, he told me what was wrong, which was what I'd suspected. It helped me address my flaws and work to improve them.
Bitchy mothers are fine, but when I read your post, it made me think for some reason of a few recent psycho mothers--see the mother in Heat of the Moon by Parshall and also in No Time for Goodbye by Barclay (although this time it is a mother/son relationship.)
Oh, I liked that Barclay book. I guess we all get right inside those types of issues.
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