When do you share

E.M.Sterling · Nov 18, 2007

When do you share a novel? After the first rewrite or in its rough form? Or do you have it completely ready for submission before you let friends or family view it? Or perhaps the answer is never?

Curious to know what other people think about when to share.

Voyager · Nov 18, 2007

Anytime, anywhere. Whenever anyone shows even the remotest interest. I have no shame about showing rough stuff, it's how I make it better. Input at any point is a good thing for me.

Teige Benson · Nov 18, 2007

Write first draft.
Rewrite and edit.
Share for feedback.

Sage · Nov 18, 2007

I share with one friend almost right away. She just wants the story asap, so she gets to check for continuity and plot. Anyone else will only get to see it after I've made at least three passes for editing.

Shady Lane · Nov 18, 2007

First draft.
Betas.
Second draft.
Betas.
Third draft.
Submit.

Lather, rinse, repeat.

Soccer Mom · Nov 18, 2007

There are a small number of people who get to see my first drafts. They don't line edit but read for plot and continuity--but even then I give it a pass through. I can't show raw, unedited material to anyone. I just can't.

ishtar'sgate · Nov 18, 2007

I think someone posted a similar thread but sometimes these threads are hard to find. Anyway, I share the first three chapters with my son to see if it holds his interest, then no one sees it until it's completed and the editing is done.
Linnea

David I · Nov 18, 2007

ishtar'sgate said:
I think someone posted a similar thread but sometimes these threads are hard to find. Anyway, I share the first three chapters with my son to see if it holds his interest, then no one sees it until it's completed and the editing is done.
Linnea

I'm in sympathy with this. I like feedback on the openings: "Do you want to read more?"

After that, I don't need/want anything until I have a polished first draft.

Let me clarify: the way I write, the first draft has solid prose. When something is wrong in the first draft, it's structural: pacing, subplots, etc.

But other people work in very different ways, and I suspect the answer to this question depend on how you work.

David I · Nov 18, 2007

Soccer Mom said:
I can't show raw, unedited material to anyone. I just can't.

I can't show raw, unedited material to myself. That's why I write so slowly.

Note that I'm not recommending this approach.

ishtar'sgate · Nov 18, 2007

David I said:
I can't show raw, unedited material to myself. That's why I write so slowly.

Me too. My rough drafts aren't all that rough because I edit as I go, constantly rereading what's gone before to see if it can be tweaked a bit more to make it better.
Linnea

blacbird · Nov 18, 2007

Share. v.t. To inflict upon.

-- Blacbird's Unabridged Dictionary, 2007 ed.

caw

David I · Nov 18, 2007

blacbird said:
Share. v.t. To inflict upon.

-- Blacbird's Unabridged Dictionary, 2007 ed.

caw

Where can I buy this? My copy of Ambrose Bierce is getting tattered, and seems a bit dated anyhow...

(doffs hat)

triceretops · Nov 19, 2007

I have a heap big pow-wow conference with my roomates before I even start a book. I look for an intriguing premise and engaging plotline. I'll discuss chapter ideas with them too, or ask for opinions. It's all for reinforcement. They are readers so I value their opinions.

Tri

Prawn · Nov 19, 2007

Write rough draft of book (10-12 weeks for 90K)
Revise twice (working on the laptop, about a month)
Let it sit while I write something else (10-12 weeks)
Revise book several more times (working on the lap top, usually a month, including one time reading the whole thing aloud, and one time actually working off printed copy)
Submit to betas.

So I guess it takes me about eight months from writing word one to giving it to betas.

Wraith · Nov 19, 2007

After I'm sure it's consistent and makes sense entirely, which is probably the end. And only after I've gone through and polished. I did otherwise once and didn't like it much, especially when that opening my friend had read changed completely.

The story threads are dancing like crazy in the first draft, you can barely make out the story. Or maybe I just have a fondness for adding alternate povs and layers until myself and the characters reach insanity. I can't let anyone read that, I'm not that cruel.

Shadow_Ferret · Nov 19, 2007

When it's published.

amber_grosjean · Nov 19, 2007

To me it really doesn't matter who reads my work as long as they can be honest about what needs help. If someone wants to read something, just to read it, I tell them to wait until it comes out lol. I have a few friends who love to read my work just to let me know how to make it better. Of course, I give them a free copy of the finished published book as a gift of saying thanks to some of those people, the ones I see most of the time lol.

Amber

Stew21 · Nov 20, 2007

It depends.
Some people I trust to see it first draft ugly: shout to KTC.
Some people can see second draft.
Most people who are reading this novel are reading 3rd which is just red pen edited version of draft #2.
Some people this time around got a hybrid - half red pen edited. To them, I'm sorry.

It really depends on the purpose of the reader and your comfort with the person. I have different people reading for different purposes.
Some people are just reading it for story flow. Just check out the plot, tell me if there are holes, what needs to be clearer, what doesn't make sense, etc.
Some people are reading it with a red pen in their hands. They are circling sentences (or paragraphs) they think may need work.
This is the point where I generate ideas for improvement if it needs any so I can get them in there.
Most people are going to read version 3 or later.
For now though, version 2 with one round of copy edits is what most of the betas have.

KTC · Nov 20, 2007

I will talk about it while I'm writing it, but I prefer to actually share the writing after I am finished first draft. I don't want outside influences while writing. I don't care about letting people see...it's just that I don't want suggestions that may sway me away from the natural flow of the story.

KTC · Nov 20, 2007

Stew21 said:
Some people I trust to see it first draft ugly: shout to KTC.

Hollah!

astonwest · Nov 20, 2007

When I've revised the manuscript so many times, I'm sick of looking at it...

Danger Jane · Nov 20, 2007

I've been sharing my first draft of a rewrite I just started, just with my crit partner. Usually I wait a little longer, but this is coming out pretty decent, and I don't have to resort to "it's a first draft so that's why it's crappy" if she criticizes something.

Zelenka · Nov 20, 2007

Voyager is the only person who's ever seen my first drafts, and that's 'cause she's fab and helps me out big time on loads of the ideas and such. The only other place I show work is here on SYW, and with that I usually don't like to submit anything unless I've been over it at least twice since the first draft. I used to show my family my writing until I actually realised they have no interest in it whatsoever and look on it as 'that stupid fad I really should grow out of'.

OverTheHills&FarAway · Nov 20, 2007

Used to be no one was allowed to read it. Ever.

I'm getting slightly better.

Thanks to my brother who laughs at the good parts and tells me when I suck (this is usually an oral reading), and thanks to my crit partner who reads it as I write it. She is amazing and because of her, I've gotten over a LOT of insecurities!

Varthikes · Nov 21, 2007

I don't even print it out unless I've reread it half a dozen times and made sure everything is more or less how I want it.

When it's printed out, that's when I share it.

When do you share

Ribbed for your pleasure.

Live. Dream. Write.

Our Lady of Parentheticals

my name is hannah

Crypto-fascist

living in the past

living in the past

Writing is finite,revising infinite

The demon in your inkwell.

Court Jester

AW Addict

Stand in the Place Where You Live

Stand in the Place Where You Live

2 WIP? A glutton for punishment

Going home!

McNifico

Dragon Writer