What to Do with All These Half-Finished Novels?

Norligh · Jan 15, 2009

I have four half-written novels sitting in my laptop. And one finished novel. In a twist of irony, it has taken me three years to write four half-finished books, and two months to write one book to completion. I am currently querying the finished book but in the time being I want to sharped and finish the ones I've worked on in the past.

The book I finished might not be marketable- I don't know. But what I DO know is it is formatted correctly. Meaning, I've finally learned the proper way to write dialogue, etc. My writing has been a learning experience (as it is for all of us.) But while my past writing may not have been very good, the ideas are fun, and if written correctly, totally doable. I think maybe now it is time for me to go back and work on my unfinished babies, now that I've learned I CAN finish something. LOL.

So- I have a few questions. One- are pirate stories marketable right now? I don't want to plug away at something else that has no chance in Hell of getting a second look right now, even just for my self-esteem and desire to continue in this heart-rendering act called writing. I have a book where my MC and her friend go back in time... and it is half romance and half adventure. It is not a "bodice-ripper" in the sense of a typical romance, but my pirate and my MC are attracted to each other from the start, despite the fact they should hate each other. I was NOT planning on ending it with my MC having completely decided whether or not she wants to be with her pirate... so it can't be labeled romance unless it has a happy ending (so I've been told.) But if, say, 40% of the book concerns romantic tension, but the romance is not the main plot, how do I label it?

Thanks so much.

Jennifer

scarletpeaches · Jan 15, 2009

First things first:

Finish one.

Then finish a second.

Complete the third.

And finally...guess!

maestrowork · Jan 15, 2009

a) if you haven't finished it, finish it.

b) if you have finished it, edit it.

c) if you have edited it to satisfaction, submit it.

d) rinse and repeat.

NeuroFizz · Jan 15, 2009

Half-finished novels don't deserve to be. Either put them out of their misery or give them a complete life. Either way, whatever you do next, make sure you do it to completion. It's the only way to break the bad habit of jumping to something else every time writing gets a little difficult.

sassandgroove · Jan 15, 2009

I'd say Pirates are marketable. Ever hear of Pirates of the Caribean?

Get to writin'!

Clair Dickson · Jan 15, 2009

Last time I checked, anything that's got a GREAT story is marketable. Even in a saturated market, there are always things that stand so far above and beyond the rest that those stories will be published.

So, if you think those stories can be sharpened up and finsihed, then don't worry about 'trends' 'markets' etc. You don't know what the market will be like in 2 years (which is about how long it takes books to hit the shelf.) So write the best story you can, edit it to make it even better, and then submit. If it's REALLY GOOD, it doesn't matter what the market or trends or anything is. Great story trumps all.

Diamond Lil · Jan 15, 2009

If romance is not the main point of the novel, then it would be classified as mainstream fiction with romantic elements.

For a story to be a romance, it needs the HEA and the developing relationship as the main focus.

And as a romance reader and writer, I'd like to read a good pirate story.

virtue_summer · Jan 15, 2009

Finish the novels and then worry about marketing. Really, at some point just about anything is likely to be marketable somewhere if it's good and if you approach writing from "what's marketable?" then you're likely to fail. One, what's marketable at the moment might not be what's selling when you finish the novel and if you're going for a current market you might be tempted to rush to the submitting stage and thus not do your best work. Focus on the writing. Write the best stories you can, to completion. Then polish and find homes for them.

The Lonely One · Jan 15, 2009

I agree with what's being said here. If you focus on marketing after you finish a manuscript, you're a wise and informed writer.

If you focus on marketing while you write fiction, you're not focusing on the fiction.

Red.Ink.Rain · Jan 15, 2009

Please write a good pirate stories. The world is seriously lacking them, IMO.

ccarver30 · Jan 15, 2009

I bumped a thread I made about "hump stalls" but it has to do with the inability to finish a novel. Maybe it will help.

James D. Macdonald · Jan 15, 2009

Pick one.

Finish it.

Repeat.

Norligh · Jan 15, 2009

Man do I know what you mean about the inability to finish a novel. It is a very frustrating experience. This is why I realize that even if the book I finished at 105,000 words doesn't get published (fast LOL) I still taught myself a great lesson- that I CAN finish. I don't even know how it happened- but it did, and it lets m realize that I can repeat that wonderful process of writing something to fruition.

ccarver30 said:
I bumped a thread I made about "hump stalls" but it has to do with the inability to finish a novel. Maybe it will help.

Norligh · Jan 15, 2009

You are correct. I guess I am just a little disillusioned because the book I just finished- well I love it but so many people are telling me it is not unique. Hey, I just wrote. I did not research. I did not look to see if those character names had been used before. I just wrote what was in my HEART. So, after hearing, "it's not unique- agents have all seen this before," I want to make sure my next project is *somewhat* marketable. I don't want to write forever just as a learning process.

The Lonely One said:
I agree with what's being said here. If you focus on marketing after you finish a manuscript, you're a wise and informed writer.

If you focus on marketing while you write fiction, you're not focusing on the fiction.

C.bronco · Jan 15, 2009

Mix up all of the pages, take out one fourth of the pile, publish it and call it stream of consciousness.

virtue_summer · Jan 15, 2009

Norligh said:
So, after hearing, "it's not unique- agents have all seen this before," I want to make sure my next project is *somewhat* marketable. I don't want to write forever just as a learning process.

Yet that's exactly what you could end up doing, no matter how marketable any of your ideas seem. It's just a fact. There are no guarantees in publishing. No one can predict the next big hit, anyway. What seems marketable today is not necessarily what will be marketable tomorrow. For years agents have been complaining that there are too many vampire novels saturating the market, that they're not marketable anymore. But what's the big hit right now? Twilight. And as for uniqueness, that book itself is proof positive that uniqueness is not the be all end all of a marketable work. I mean it's not the first vampire novel. It's not the first teenage vampire novel. It's not even the first teenage vampire novel about a vampire boy falling in love with a human girl (by the way, I'm not speaking about Twilight's quality which I can't judge because I haven't read it. I'm only speaking about the uniqueness, or lack thereof of the central idea). You should read other novels in your genre and pay attention to them and not intentionally copy something else, but please don't freak out if your story shares some resemblance somewhere to something else. And it's impossible to be "sure" that your work has a chance. There are no guarantees, no certainties, when it comes to publishing.

SilverVistani · Jan 15, 2009

In regards to classifying your story:

Have you ever picked up a mystery or fantasy or science fiction novel? Chances are, there's always romantic tension. For some reason, that's just the way it is. People like reading about people loving or being loved. I'm sure there's lots of weird little psychological reasons for this, but I haven't taken a psychology course since high school, so I can't explain them to you. ^_^()

But seriously, in almost any book you'll ever pick up there will be some sort of love story, no matter how behind the scenes.

Really, though... My main suggestion for you comes in two simple pieces of advice.

1) Worry about finishing writing the story before you worry about what you're going to classify it as.
2) Write the story!

blacbird · Jan 15, 2009

They make excellent kindling.

caw

sunandshadow · Jan 16, 2009

Norligh said:
You are correct. I guess I am just a little disillusioned because the book I just finished- well I love it but so many people are telling me it is not unique. Hey, I just wrote. I did not research. I did not look to see if those character names had been used before. I just wrote what was in my HEART. So, after hearing, "it's not unique- agents have all seen this before," I want to make sure my next project is *somewhat* marketable. I don't want to write forever just as a learning process.

Trying to write with the brain rather than the heart tends to cause writer's block.

Hillgate · Jan 16, 2009

sunandshadow said:
Trying to write with the brain rather than the heart tends to cause writer's block.

I think you need a little bit of both: the heart to think up the concept, the brain and the heart to pummel it into 300 pages of beginning, middle and end, although, as a great man once said, not necessarily in that order.

Norligh · Jan 16, 2009

Head~Heart

The only time I've finished a book is when I wrote from the heart. I depended on my head for editing, choose the proper vocabulary, etc. But overall I wrote with my heart.

I respect what you've said about possibly writing forever as "practice," but no- I can't do that. I won't just write forever and never be published. I don't need to write "The next big hit," I just NEED to eventually be published. My life won't be complete without it. I'm a very happy satisfied individual, but it is that one thing in life that I must have, come Hell or high water. So- I'm waiting for a flood or for Satan to make a house call.

Thanks and have a great weekend!

LOL~ I tore my house apart last night looking for notes- writing I've done long-hand. I can't find it all but that's ok. But reflecting on my other ideas I'm excited because they are good ideas, and I'm pumped to start writing (other stuff.) The vampire book has been edited to death, so all I can do right now is query it, which I am. But- I'm also going to start writing something else too. Never say die!

Phaeal · Jan 16, 2009

If readers wanted only unique stories, whole genre markets would be wiped out. Many readers like the comfort of the same old story, told with just a little twist. It's the writer's unique perspective and voice that make the ancient bare skeletons of plot new.

Bubastes · Jan 16, 2009

Norligh said:
I respect what you've said about possibly writing forever as "practice," but no- I can't do that. I won't just write forever and never be published. I don't need to write "The next big hit," I just NEED to eventually be published. My life won't be complete without it. I'm a very happy satisfied individual, but it is that one thing in life that I must have, come Hell or high water. So- I'm waiting for a flood or for Satan to make a house call.

Even more reason to finish everything you start. The more projects you finish, the more you can submit.

maestrowork · Jan 16, 2009

Norligh said:
...even if the book I finished at 105,000 words doesn't get published (fast LOL) I still taught myself a great lesson- that I CAN finish...

That's exactly what I did. I didn't even think of publication when I set out to write a novel. I just wanted to prove to myself that I could finish it. It was really amazing when I finished it. Then one thing led to another and it was eventually published. So you never know, but just getting it finished is definitely worth it.

What to Do with All These Half-Finished Novels?

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