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Tuesday, January 10, 2006Dispelling the Starry-Eyed Writer's BeliefsBy "starry-eyed," I mean the writer who has just finished his first novel -- the sweat and passion and master creation of his life -- and who is now plunging forward into the world of I-wanna-be-published. By "beliefs," I mean just that -- the things a starry-eyed writer believes; about himself, about his work, about publishing in general. 1. It's perfect. No, it's not. In fact, the manuscript is about as far from perfect as it could possibly get. What it is, actually, is a first draft. Period. First drafts don't get published. They generally don't make very good reading, either. It took me six months to write my first novel. I was in love with it. Each word was sacred. Golden. I thought "editing" meant fixing the typos. My agent (who is my agent-no-longer, but that is another story) claimed to have read it (I doubt she ever did). Her response? "It needs a little tightening up." I had no idea -- no minute fleck of understanding -- what "tightening up" meant. What was I supposed to do? Bind it with thick rubber bands? Single-space it? She offered no other feedback. I was too intimidated to ask questions (she never answered my email, anyway, so it's just as well). As time went by, I read and I researched and I came to realize exactly what "tightening up" meant. There were too many words -- too much unnecessary dialogue -- too much "telling." The most recent draft of the novel is my fourth. I am getting ready to rip into it for Round Five. This from a woman who swore she wouldn't meddle with a single phrase. My novel didn't need "a little tightening up." It needed a major overhaul. It got one. 2. Bombarding New York with hundreds of query letters will ensure my securing an agent in short order. Actually, it will ensure you nothing but a stack of rejection letters. The querying process should be preceeded by intense research: Who represents your genre, who takes on new authors, who has a solid sales record. Sending a chick-lit query to a strictly non-fiction agent, or a sci-fi query to an agent who advertises "absolutely no genre fiction" does nothing but make you look stupid (and waste the agent's time). The folks at AgentQuery have recently dubbed me an "honorary VIP" because of the glowing testimony I sent them (you can read it on their testimonial page). AgentQuery is my favorite web site for researching agents, and I never hesitate to send aspiring authors their way. (I'm still waiting for an AgentQuery T-shirt or something to arrive in the mail, but it just isn't happening.) 3. I've got something really, really, really special here. Well, maybe you do. But I think I must gently point out that your story is much more "special" to you than it is to anyone else. You've got to stop treating it like it's a physical extension of your body, and start viewing it as a project that is either marketable or not. And if you've been fortunate enough to land a good agent, then he'll know the answer to that. I still love my first novel -- I think I always will. But the stars have fallen out of my eyes, and I no longer view it as "really, really really special." Just "really special." And on my cynical days, "Absolutely not special and needing a full year of dismantling." Perhaps my cynical days are going to end up being the productive ones. 4. My best friend's aunt's neighbor is an English teacher. She read my novel and said it was the best book she's ever read and it should sell millions. Your best friend's aunt's neighbor doesn't know what she's talking about. Even J K Rowling's agent never predicted the huge success of the Harry Potter books -- and he knows a thing or two about the publishing world. The rest of us are just readers with opinions. Take the compliments of your "beta readers" with a grain of salt. And even if twelve people find your work astounding, do another edit, anyway. There you have it. I could certainly go on, but let's leave it at that for today. Nuggets of wisdom for the aspiring authors among you -- chew them or spit them out as you will. As for me, I've got some writing to do. It's a gray, low-cloud type of day -- perfect for the melancholic in me to get cracking. It's amazing that I don't kill off more people in my stories (especially on gray, low-cloud type days). One more thing. Kathie asked me about my planned serial. Since I announced it several months ago with such grand promises, I figured I owed all my readers an explanation, so here it is: I fell so deeply in love with the story that I decided to complete it as a novel. That's the long and short of it! I'm still keen on the notion of an online serial, and will probably pursue it at some point. My goal for the remainder of the winter, though, is to finish this new story (it's really, really, really special) and forge ahead with it (both of my daughters absolutely love it, my son says it's better than Harry Potter, and my third-grade English teacher who got my poetry published in the local newspaper will probably think it's worthy of a Newberry award, so I think it will sell millions). First, I've got a fairly disgusting toilet to unclog. Which dispels yet another faulty belief: The life of a writer is glamorous. More on that another day. Labels: writing |
About Me
I am: Mother to five stunningly individualistic children... Writer of young adult fantasy... Passionate advocate for Women At Home... Madly in love with my husband... In need of Organic Gourmet Chocolate on a regular basis. I've got a Paypal account if you'd like to contribute to the cause....
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15of my readers are feeling chatty:
You know - I can't wait until you get it published...and I bet you kids are right!
I was wondering about the on-line serial, but figured when you have time you will post the link to it :)
It sounds like you have it all together! I haven't wrote a novel yet...but I have been woking on it. Haven't we all?? I took writing courses and it guided me thru alot of the correct ways to query. I still haven't sent one in yet! I have lots of writing but I need to build my confidence up:(
But Jilly, life was so much FUN when you were hopelessly head-over-heels with that first novel!
It was contageous! I miss the literary honeymoon, the excitement, the thrill, the promise of even better things to come.
Ahh...those were the days, even if I never did get to read a single page. ;-)
Dear Jill,
The Queen of The World's lifelong dream has always been to pen a million-selling novel.
Thank you for smashing that fantasy into a million pieces.
Very truly yours,
EB
P.S. Just kidding. No dreams of novels for Her Majesty. Just corny silliness, mostly for the entertainment of my younger siblings. Your blog is wonderful. I love it!
I have been following your posts through BE for a while now and very much appreciate the things you have to say. I run my own peer review writers group (www.notebored.com/board) and the things you are saying are RIGHT on target. I am currently editing my way through a drawer full of short stories while my friends edit their novels. It's fun to cheer each other on because... writing is such a lonely sport!
Anyway, write on, sis. You are doing a great job.
Jill:
Did the timing of this have anything to do with my announcement that I had finished my first draft? ;)
What you said is absolutely true. The first draft is crap on a cracker.
Mine does have a good base, but there is a ton to do still.
I have already begun rewrite #1 on BWaSOG, and about the first thing I did was axe the first 2 pages.
I read an article on revising, and one thing it asks is if you started your story to early. I most certainly did.
Although I liked one of the scenes that got caught, it tended to weaken a character that proves himself to be strong in the following chapters.
My intro is way better now.
I have no visions of granduer about getting this published any time soon. It has to be perfect, and that means rewrite, revise, resculpt, retread, a regurgitate. LOL
Why is there a "re" on "gurgitate", who ever says, "MOM, I GURGITATED!"
But my A.D.D. is kicking in. LOL
I do love sections of my book, but there are some that I dont like much at all.
I learned while writing my short story that the parts you love the most, are usually the parts that need to get whacked.
Press on, oh revising one!
This post is fantastic. As a struggling writer myself (I write, yet I struggle to find time to write) I need these realities to remind me that it's not all glitz and glamour once the hard work pays off. I'm visiting from BE and I've blogmarked you. What a great blog!! I'll be back!
Excellent post, Jillian. Thank you for sharing your wisdom and experience. I also can't wait to hear you are published.
Everyone supposedly has one book inside them, mine is staying there :)
I am "published" but only in a small way,I have no delusions of grandeur what so ever.
Great post as always Jill, btw want a Skor bar LOL
Great post, though I learnt this a while ago, I just have to get my ass in gear and get moving. Thanks for the AgentQuery site, it looks useful.
And I love the idea of an online serial. Since I've decided my short stories are best for magazines, I haven't posted much writing online. Though, I may pinch your idea in the future.
Well, if that book is better than the Harry Potter series, then I want a signed copy as soon as possible.
Good luck with that evil toilet. ;)
Take care,
Vic
Tell your new agent or publisher or whoever, I'll take two copies. That help any? :-)
Ken
Ohhh, a comment fest! I love comment fests. :o)
Natasha -- Believe in yourself!
Kerrie -- I love you, sweetie -- I needed that. :)
Empress Baggie -- I appreciate your sense of humor and I'm dying to know what your name means!
Dea -- THANK YOU! Methinks I'll be checking out your site.
Dave -- Well, ur, no! But I confess that I couldn't help but think of you as I wrote it. I'm excited for you, and I will be pulling for you all the way.
What, you've never gurgitated?
Amy -- Thank you kindly, and I'm glad you stopped by!
Seawave -- Thank you! Your blog mesmerizes me because of the waves. I'm an ocean junkie. ;)
Wendy -- I'll bet you've already eaten the Skor bars.
Ben -- Thanks for stopping by! I hope you find AgentQuery useful. And if you do write a serial, let me know!
Vic -- Wonders never cease; someone ELSE took care of the evil toilet before I got to it! I'm still amazed...
Chench -- I wish I could hug you. Right now!
oooohh... Free hugs? I wonder what I'd get for buying a dozen?!
Just Kidding!!!!!
:-)
Ken
A dozen? I'll add you to my Christmas card list. ;)
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