first novel?

sassandgroove · Nov 29, 2005

First novels... I understand that the first novel I write probably will never get published. I get that I need to write it so that I can have that experience to apply to later efforts to make them publishable. But my first attempt at writing a novel is the novel that is close to my heart. We’ll call that Novel A. Right now I have a first draft of Novel A, and I am sort of in a holding pattern. It still needs a lot of work, and I’ve been researching stuff to build the world and flesh out the details. It needs work, but I think it can be great. Anything worth doing takes work. So here is my thought.

I have this idea for another novel, we’ll call it Novel B, in a different genre. While I like the idea, it is not as close to my heart, I wouldn’t be heartbroken if it never sees more than the inside of the drawer. Should I write it now, and come back to Novel A when I have more experience?

Kiva Wolfe · Nov 29, 2005

I feel your pain. I think if you're not thrilled about what you're working on, it might come across in the writing. My question to you would be, why not do both? I always have a project on a back burner, but I feel compelled to work on what I have a passion to write. Whenever I need a rare break, if I'm not walking my dogs, I go back and work on the other project. Now, you have me curious about Novel A and Novel B. Don't keep me in suspense. What are you working on?

scarletpeaches · Nov 29, 2005

There are many 'A' novels that have been published. Keep the faith!

Don't however, ask to read my 'A' novel. It was a steaming heap of dog turds.

scribbler1382 · Nov 29, 2005

scarletpeaches said:
There are many 'A' novels that have been published. Keep the faith!

Don't however, ask to read my 'A' novel. It was a steaming heap of dog turds.

And if you scrape them out of the way, that thing at the bottom that's festering was my 'A' novel.

azbikergirl · Nov 29, 2005

Why not write Novel A now, then send it out and write Novels B and C while you're waiting? If Novel A doesn't sell, then rewrite it when you're done with the next two and give it a new title.

three seven · Nov 29, 2005

scribbler1382 said:
And if you scrape them out of the way, that thing at the bottom that's festering was my 'A' novel.

And if you put that thing in a metal box and leave it in direct sunlight for five or six months, you'll end up with mine.

Julie Worth · Nov 29, 2005

There’s no rule. I’ve just finished the first draft of my sixth novel while working on rewrites on my second and third novels. Each has a different voice, but I never get them mixed up. In fact, it’s a bit of an advantage, because working on one frees me up on the others.

SusanR · Nov 29, 2005

For novel B, start writing down ideas, premises, character sketches, whatever occurs to you, until something catches fire in your heart. You'll know it. Your heart will race, words and ideas will spill out of you onto the page, you'll fall in love.....

For novel A, put it in a drawer and leave it alone for a little while, say a month. Then go back and see what you think, refine it, revise it, rewrite it. Get objective readers and see what they think. Then rewite and revise some more. Finally, when you find yourself taking out and putting back in the same sentence, you're done. Send it off and try to get it published.

SusanR

Writer2011 · Nov 29, 2005

I still have YET to finish everything i've started

I know though i'll probably end up writing a "GONE WITH THE WIND" type novel and never write one again

Although it would be nice--just won't take me forever.

kathompson · Nov 29, 2005

sassandgroove said:
First novels... I understand that the first novel I write probably will never get published.

Ya never know...lots of first novels make it to print.

Right now I have a first draft of Novel A, and I am sort of in a holding pattern. It still needs a lot of work, and I’ve been researching stuff to build the world and flesh out the details. It needs work, but I think it can be great.

If this is the novel that ignites your passion to write, then do it. Do everything you can to make it the best you can, and if, when you're done, it still doesn't feel quite right, set it aside and then work on Novel B.

I wrote my first book when I was 15. It was horrible but it had the bones of a good story. I set it aside--mostly because I had no clue what else to do with it--and when I was 40 I did 20-some-odd rewrites, and it was published (after some irritating and annoying twists and turns, but that's a whole other story...) You just never know what's going to come out of that first completed novel.

maestrowork · Nov 29, 2005

Never say never. When I started my novel A I didn't know what I was doing (I still don't!)

But Novel A is coming out in February.

And Novel B is in progress.

My thought is, never give up Novel A if you really do think it's a good story, and it's close to your heart -- it just needs lots of work and TLC. Put it in a drawer for a few months, while you start work on Novel B. When you're good and ready, and have learned more about the art of novel writing, bring Novel A back out from the drawer, and start rewriting.

mkcbunny · Nov 29, 2005

Finish A. You are motivated, and—to be blunt—if you get hit by a bus and there's only one novel ready for publication, isn't A the one you'd want to have completed?

I am in the same boat. I began three novels two years ago when I was unemployed. "A" was close to the heart, as you say, and fairly complicated. "B" was rather gimmicky, something I know I can pitch, probably the right length, but more routine. "C" was a young adult sci-fi thingamajig. I had all three on the fire at first, but I realized that I needed to do research for C and that I was most interested in tackling A.

So, several chapters into C and one chapter into B, I dove into A—and here I am, editing at 300 or so pages. Some days, I think it's really strong. Other days, I think it's indulgent hogwash. It may be some of both. But it was the one I had the most vested in, and, of course, it was the most difficult to write. Lordy, why couldn't I pick B, the easy one? But I had to take the most challenging.

Frankly, being back at work, I get so much less done than when I was not working—for obvious reasons. [Big surprise there.] If I only get one novel finished in my life, at least it'll be the one I really cared about.

So, my plan is to finish A, and when it's out in the hands of a few beta readers, work on B. If A doesn't sell, I have much better marketing hopes for B. But either way, I will be very proud of finishing A.

James D. Macdonald · Nov 29, 2005

Maybe novel A will get published, maybe it won't.

A novel that you don't love, and aren't passionate about, won't get published.

mkcbunny · Nov 29, 2005

I should add that I do care about B and C very much. It's just that B is one of those easy-to-sumarize ideas, much easier to pitch than what I am working on right now. It would have been a more sensible choice as far as marketing is concerned. When I get back to it again, I will be delighted to write it.

Jamesaritchie · Nov 30, 2005

A

Finish novel A. It may get published, it may not. No one can say. But it will be written. And you can always apply later experience to it by rewriting it. First attempts aren't cast in bronze, but in clay. It may sell as it stands. Sometimes first efforts do sell. But if it doesn't, experience will let you remodel the clay.

Finishing is the largest possible step any writer can make.

scarletpeaches · Nov 30, 2005

maestrowork said:
Never say never. When I started my novel A I didn't know what I was doing (I still don't!) But Novel A is coming out in February. And Novel B is in progress.

My thought is, never give up Novel A if you really do think it's a good story, and it's close to your heart -- it just needs lots of work and TLC. Put it in a drawer for a few months, while you start work on Novel B. When you're good and ready, and have learned more about the art of novel writing, bring Novel A back out from the drawer, and start rewriting.

I think your post has inspired me to pull my A novel out of the drawer and have an attempt at editing. If nothing else it will be good for a laugh, right?

sassandgroove · Nov 30, 2005

Thanks to all of you. I think I will start Novel B. I have written the first draft of Novel A, and that is why I am thinking of this. I'm not feeling very motivated right now to work on it. I guess I need to give myself permission to start something else. But I bet once I get the creative juices flowing on Novel B, I will break out of this slump. And for the record, I love Novel B Idea too, it is just that Novel A has been with me since I was a kid.

zeprosnepsid · Dec 1, 2005

I think that's probably for the best. I find it's generally better to work on what you want to be working on. I've wanted to work on my novel for a year but felt it was more important to be writing screenplays. But none of them were all that thrilling so I've finally given in to writing my novel because it's what I want to be doing.

Novilia · Dec 3, 2005

Sometimes I need a break from the novel closest to my heart. Sometimes it's because of writers block and other times, I get a little bored because I'm stuck on boring to write yet nessesary stuff, but I always find it nice to have other novels to work on when you need it. The thing is, sometimes working on novel B allows the passion and longing for Novel A to build up and you can even get ideas from novel B for novel A. Right now I have several on the back burner books, but I still spend most of my time on my own Novel A.

Jamesaritchie · Dec 3, 2005

Novel

I think it's always good to be working on something you like, on something that excites you. I also think not finishing can quickly become a bad habit that's hard to break. Not finishing anyting can be dangerous. When you don;t finsih one thing, there's always the temptation not to finish the next when it starts to get boring, or when a new, more exciting idea pops up.

banjo · Dec 4, 2005

I say, first write the novel that is close to your heart. How do you know it will not be published if you make it a good novel? But whether it is published or not, you have a much better chance of finishing a book that you are into, and making it an interesting read for somebody else. You can always write your second novel, but if you don't get past your first, whatever that first one is, there can be no second.

I find it very hard to get motivated to write about something that doesn't interest me, even for money.

I've begun several novels that exist in various states on incompletion. I have interest in them, and will complete them eventually. But I've had one story that I wondered how well it would sell. Yet I've been compelled to write it. So finally I put the others on hold until I finish the one I NEED to write. It has turned into a trilogy, perhaps a tetrology, but I know I have to write it before I can move on.

My advice is to follow your inner voice. Write what your heart tells you you must write, then write on. My 2 cents.

DamaNegra · Dec 4, 2005

Definitely start novel A. I started my novel A a while ago, but it sucked so bad I lost all interest in writing. Then, I decided to give it a chance and rewrite it (about the only thing I kept were the main characters and a vague outline of the plot, in fact, the first draft of novel A had no plot) and it's coming along nicely. I kept A's first draft, and I laugh my head off every time I see it. It's too pathetic to see light, but my experience has helped me make it better.

SeanDSchaffer · Dec 4, 2005

Now for try #2....

Jamesaritchie said:
Finish novel A. It may get published, it may not. No one can say. But it will be written. And you can always apply later experience to it by rewriting it. First attempts aren't cast in bronze, but in clay. It may sell as it stands. Sometimes first efforts do sell. But if it doesn't, experience will let you remodel the clay.

Finishing is the largest possible step any writer can make.

The first time I tried this post, my machine decided to restart without my telling it to. So I'll try to post this again.

James makes an excellent point. My A Novel was never published, but if I were to ever find it again and re-write it, I think it would turn out closer to publishable if I did so. My reason is that I have much more experience with writing than I did when I wrote Novel A at 13 years of age.

The only thing is, I've lost the original manuscript, and would have to go completely by memory to figure out exactly how the story went. That could be a major problem.

Nevertheless, if I ever do find it, I look forward to having the chance to someday have some serious fun with it.

sassandgroove · Dec 5, 2005

Thanks again for the sage advice and thoughts. Lets look at it like cooking/baking. I have a first draft of novel A. So, like dough, i now have to let it rise a while, and while it is doing that, I can start on something else. Novel B. I haven't decided yet what it will be, cookies, marinade for meat, or a nice side dish. maybe just a snack. And I need to remember to preheat the oven.

first novel?

sassandgroove

Sassy haircut

Kiva Wolfe

scarletpeaches

scribbler1382

Write For You, Edit For The Reader

azbikergirl

I really do look like this.

three seven

(Graeme Cameron)

Julie Worth

What? I have a title?

SusanR

Writer2011

kathompson

maestrowork

Fear the Death Ray

mkcbunny

Bufflehead

James D. Macdonald

Your Genial Uncle

mkcbunny

Bufflehead

Jamesaritchie

scarletpeaches

sassandgroove

Sassy haircut

zeprosnepsid

Novilia

Jamesaritchie

banjo

DamaNegra

Mexican on the loose!

SeanDSchaffer

sassandgroove

Sassy haircut