WOW

[Darkness Rising]

At exactly 1:54 am, on july 15, I completed my first novel! This is my third stab at it and in the back of my mind I never thought I would finish it... All I can say is... wow. The feelings washing over me are crazy. I never thought I could feel like this over simply writing down a few ideas. It is amazing. Am I weird, or does this happen to everyone?

Now that I've finished my first novel, sudden questions have popped up. I am begining to feel a surge of confidence. I've completed a 90k novel at the age of 17, am I right to feel that it is only a matter of time before I am published? My writing has improved drastically and I've been told that my editing skills are exceptional. I hope I don't sound arrogant or nothing, but its just the way I feel. :) Do you think my assumptions are correct?

Also, after the first, comes the second... How long should I wait before begining my second novel? My plan is to do some worldbuilding and then write it immediately. Now that I know I can complete a novel, I feel like the possibilities are endless! (That's my naive youth speaking, lol)

And so also, do you think it's safe for me to query my new novel? I know first novels aren't supposed to be good, but there are always exceptions (though, I don't think mines is, but who knows what could happen ;) )

Whew! Okay, I think I am done! Sorry for any grammar problems and screwed up sentences. I am perhaps a little too excited to be making this thread. lol. Thanks!

[MoonWriter]

Congratulations, Darkness Rising. That's quite an accomplishment. You should be excited. From what I've learned here, SOP would be to put your novel aside for 4-6 weeks and begin a new one immediately. Then, go back and edit your first one. When it is as polished as you can get it, find a few beta readers. Respond to their critique and repeat. Write a good query letter, get it critiqued, then send it out to the appropriate agents. Agentquery.com is a good source. Good luck.

[txgrl]

Wow! Congrats!
I don't have answers to any of your questions, I just wanted to say good job.

[LaceWing]

This is so cool.

Thanks for sharing!

I see by your other posts you're taking advice under consideration, and you're working hard, and my gosh you're only 17? Yep, you're on the right track all right!

Best of luck to you on this and future novels.

[Starwise]

It's an ethereal feeling, isn't it? It still feels awesome even today.

[heyjude]

Congratulations, Darkness! What a great feeling, huh?

[CaroGirl]

Excellent! Finishing a novel is a huge accomplishment and you should be proud to have done it. Now, what you have there is called a first draft that needs to be edited, critiqued by beta readers, and edited again before it's even close to ready to send to agents or publishers. That's a good thing because it'll take you at least that long to write a decent query letter and short synopsis.

By all means, start your new novel immediately! Way to go and good luck!

[Phaeal]

Make polishing this novel until it shines your goal. Beta readers knowledgable about the craft of fiction (other writers, teachers, editors) would be invaluable to you at this point. Put the first chapter up on the Share Your Work forum for a start -- you'd benefit from objective, impartial evaluation, so you can get some idea how much work you've yet to do.

Rushing into querying when your novel isn't publication-ready will only disappoint both the agents and you. Keep those doors open. You have a lot of time before you, and if you keep up the momentum you've already gained, you may have a great shot at the prize.

However, do consider some wisdom from Bhagavad-Gita:

You have a right to work. You do not have a right to the fruits of work.

If you can accept the worldly truth of that, go ahead and start on that second novel while the first one rests for a month or two.

CGs and welcome! :welcome:

[steveg144]

When you say "completed" do you mean "I finished the final edit, spit and polish, and bounced the novel off readers I can trust to be critical?" Or do you mean "I finished the first draft of the novel"? If it's the latter, you're a long way from starting your second novel. Plan on a couple (or more) revision cycles on the novel, get it critiqued by someone(s) you can trust to be honest and even cruel if necessary, and then incorporate all that input where you think it makes sense.

Whichever it is, congrats are definitely in order. You've accomplished more than 99% of the people who aspire to "be a writer some day."

[James81]

Congratulations! Quite a feat for someone your age. You SHOULD be proud of yourself.

Now, to answer some of your questions...

When I finished my first novel (just a few months ago actually), I actually IMMEDIATELY started my second one and let my first one sit for a couple of months. Only recently have I begun to edit it. So I see no harm in you starting on another one if you want. In fact, I encourage it to keep the writing juices flowing.

Let your novel sit for a month or two, then go back and read and edit it. During the month or two you could send it out to a beta or two, just to get comments on your first draft. That way you'll get a feel for what people LIKED so you don't edit it out in your subsequent drafts.

When you finally get it polished and editted, send it out again to some other beta readers and let them give you final comments on it.

Then, query the heck out of it.

I don't know how long it takes from the point of "finishing" to the point of publication (I'm sure it varies), but I'm pretty sure it's not a "quick" process. I've read others here saying they were at it for months, years, etc. It's a slow process, but it's worth it to stick it out.

Don't give up. A lot of people (myself included) consider their first novel as "practice". So it's important you get started on your second one and stay consistent with it.

[MoonWriter]

Congrats!!! As someone told me the day after I finished, "Great job, now go start your second one."

Sounds like the immortal words of Uncle Jim.

[Use Her Name]

So you've edited it a zillion times and re-written it too many times to count until it is a sparkling gem that no critique could disparage? You've had a hundred people from all walks of life test read it and they could make no comments on improvement?

WOW!

Whether you are 17 or not, what matters are your writing skills, and dexterity with a story.

Is it good? The proof is in the pudding. It could be good, and it could be bad. In the end, it is the audience that makes the choice. Only a small percent of novels are published, and of them, only a small percent of novelists go on to write a second, or to make a "career" of it. I agree with the idea of sending it to beta readers. You need to find out if you have been "blinded" by love of your own writing, or a lack of technique, or simple inexperience. I think that all novelists no matter how great or poor always have a bit of fear when sending something out.

[lawtowriting]

Congrats! I echo the advice others have given here. Edit, edit, edit. You can also start on something new at the same time, but don't start sending your novel out until it's as good as it can be.

[jannawrites]

Wow, congrats! It's a great feeling, and I'm glad you were able to experience it. :)

[dwellerofthedeep]

Good job, but don't let it go to your head. Edit your novel and keep writing. You have a good start but only a start.

[IceCreamEmpress]

I've completed a 90k novel at the age of 17, am I right to feel that it is only a matter of time before I am published?

As long as you understand that "a matter of time" here could be months, years, or decades, you're right on. Congratulations to you for making this first big milestone!

[jannawrites]

<snipped>

Also, after the first, comes the second... How long should I wait before begining my second novel?
<snipped>

And so also, do you think it's safe for me to query my new novel? <snipped>

You can start Novel 2 as soon as you want. But don't get ahead of yourself. And I wouldn't recommend querying Novel 1 until you've edited the manuscript, had others look at it, and researched the entire process of seeking an agent.

Good luck!

[ORION]

At 17 you SHOULD be arrogant - that's just the way 17 year olds are! lol
What you have done is a huge accomplishment. My first novel is in a trunk- consider it a learning experience. Start your next project and let the first one sit - after a few months go back to it and edit and revise again. Rinse and Repeat.
Oh and read EVERYTHING you can get your hands on.

[Robin]

It's a wicked cool feeling, isn't it? Everyone here has already given some great advice. Good luck with your revisions and with Book 2!

[tehuti88]

Congratulations! :D I'm always very jazzed, as well as sad, when finishing a written work, so you're definitely not weird in that. I was beyond impressed to finish my first attempt at a serial; I'd had no idea I could keep a story going for so long, nor that I could actually finish it!

I intended to wait a while after finishing my first serial before starting the next--taking a break to work on something unrelated--but I just couldn't. I missed the storyline so much. So I plunged right back in, and did the same with the third (current) story. And when it's done I'll probably plunge right into the next! So I couldn't tell you how long to wait before starting the next, except to say, don't start it until you feel ready. Otherwise you might find it stalling out prematurely. But if you feel ready immediately, then go right for it!

I'm afraid I haven't any suggestions or advice on publication or querying as I'm not bothering with that myself, apologies. Good luck with the next one though. :D

[sheadakota]

Wow indeed and congrats! I was 17 when I finished my first novel as well, I rewrote that sucker a total of five times before I finally put it to rest- now eight novels later I have one that I believe is marketable- I wrote that one three years ago and have been editing and rewriting it since- took me six months alone just to get the query letter right!

It takes time- and patience-But nothing compares to being able to write THE END- well maybe siging a contract with a publisher:D- I'll let you know!

[superman skivvies]

I am 17 also. I finished my first novel (85K) last year in the fall. Just a heads-up, be prepared to have your newfound confidence be shot down when you get your first rejection letter. How can an agent refuse it, right? Well, they will. Right now my MS is being looked at by an agent and it takes a LONG time. You have to have a lot of patience. Also, I would start on your next novel asap, unless you have not finished a second draft of course. First you'll want to make sure your MS is PERFECT before sending any queries out, though.

[scheherazade]

Congratulations on finishing! It's always exciting to type in that last period, but also a little depressing the next day when your body wants to write again but the story is closed. I recommend you try to hold onto your writing habits by starting with something new - maybe play around with some ideas for a new novel (even if it's just research or outlining), or try a short story or poem or something else that strikes your fancy. When I was around your age I took a break from writing after I finished each novel, and somewhere along the line I stopped starting again. Now I find it very difficult to rebuild that habit of writing.

If you need the break, take a couple of days, maybe a week off writing. I still suggest you try to write something every day, but you don't necessarily need to start the first chapter of your new novel just yet. It's like, you just ran a marathon. You might want to take a few days off running, but you still need to do yoga or weight training or go swimming or something so your muscles don't cease up.

I suggest you put your manuscript aside for at least 2 weeks, if not a month, before you start going back over it and revising/editing. It's a lot easier to be objective when you're distanced from the work, especially if you've started working on something new. That way your last novel isn't your only baby, and you can be brutal in revising it if for the good of the novel.

[Darkness Rising]

Wow, thanks for all the helpful replies! Yeah, I'm starting to think it will be wiser to not query my first novel. I can just use it as practice.. a learning experience, I guess. I will start on my second novel today, I'm still worldbuilding, but I can always come through on the edit and change things around if need be. I got most of the essiental points of the world written down though, so it shouldn't need much changing. Thanks again and it's nice to know I'm not weird. lol.

[Matera the Mad]

WOW back atcha! Ending is such a rush. :D

[ynoirb]

Congratulations!!!

[Inkdaub]

Good work, Darkness. Enjoy an accomplishment that few people will ever share.

[Reilly616]

I'll share :D Well done Darkness! I've got just over 11 months if I want to finish my book before I'm 18.

[ClaudiaGray]

Congrats!

[Feathers]

Amazing, right? When I finish a novel, I'm pretty much on a high for a week. I just feel so completed. Love that. (or, alternately, I can feel horrible like I ruined everything; and it's not until I re-read the ending that I get my high. Oh well.)

Everybody else had some great answers to all of your questions, so let me just add that you might want to take a short break between novels. (Like, a week or two.) This doesn't mean you can't write; but it's a good idea to write a short story or a novella or something, if possible. This prevents burnout and makes your drive to start the novel all the greater. But then, yes, I would jump right into the next novel. While you're writing No 2, you may want to ship out No 1 to some betas for a complete read. Then by the time you complete No 2 you can plenty of comments about No 1.

Good luck!
-Feathers

[Nateskate]

Congratulations! I think I generally feel if a load has been lifted. Just a little of this side of jubilation.

[MsK]

Congratulations!

[Renfaery]

You've already gotten all the advice you really need, but I wanted to say congratulations anyway.

:D