For anyone else who wants to start/progress/finish writing a book in 2011

[artifarti]

As the title says really!

Me: After several years of dithering with short stories, I committed myself to Nanowrimo last month and managed to bash out a 50,000 first draft of an idea I've had for ages. There is some excrutiating crap in there but also the bare bones of a plot and some interesting characters. So I'd really like to spend 2011 trying to develop it into something better.

But I need some company so that we can mutually kick each other's arses when the temptation to watch Holby City is proving too great. Anyone else?

and me! wd prefer to avoid any hurtful rejection - bad enough to get a bland no...

Sorry, I can't remember the name of the agent - it was a woman though.

I wasn't hurt, more angry and a bit confused. I mean, I may not be Jane Austen but I think that 'barely literate' is pushing things a bit! It's really put me off trying to get an agent though.

I've emailed a couple more, I'm not too bothered if they say no/don't reply though. I've spent an hour in Waterstones and I don't think my mms are in need of too much work going by the looks of others on sale. If the publisher says no then I'll just look for another one I think.

I have a lovely idea for a new picture book, parents are going to hate it though

belle - do you do the illustrations as well? i think you must be aiming at a younger age group then me; i'm thinking b&w every chapter or so. I'm going to complete the rewrite and this new one before I send anything off - so after summer i think.

No. I can illustrate but only if I copy and I don't want to do that, I need to find my own style (not managed this yet). The picture books are for 5 and under, the novel is for 9+. I could try a 5-7/7-9 I suppose... I'd imagine this age group needs more key words that are repeated?? I've read the magic tree, it was erm...not quite what I'd write.

I wasn't really aiming at picture books, I'm looking for an age group that I feel comfortable in writing for. I didn't expect the publisher to say 'yes, I like all of those, lets have a look!'

I just posted this to my blog, which some of you may find useful in the future!

madameguillotine.org.uk/2011/03/13/kindle-publishing

who are dorrance publishing? they look like a vanity outfit - did you use them, or self publish?
Be interested to hear if self publishing in e-book format is a useful avenue. I haven't written anything yet that's fit to be 'out there' but I do have editing and layout experience.
I love the images you've used for your blog.

Ninah, was that to me?

I've never heard of Dorrance Publishing, sorry!

I self published the book that I put on Kindle last week, initially as a print by demand via Lulu a year ago. My next book is being published this summer by a traditional publisher though. I haven't decided what I am going to do with the one I am working on at the moment. I like that I have options though - I could go down the traditional path but right now I'm very tempted not to bother and just put it on Kindle myself.

I think e-book self publishing is going very well. It's been less than a week and I'm very pleased with the sales so far. My book was available as an actual book or an e-book on the Lulu site and I noticed that the vast majority of buyers were still opting for an actual printed book, even though it was much more expensive.

However, I've also noticed that putting my book on Kindle generated a LOT more excitement and buzz than publishing it for the first time a year ago. People are seemingly much more prepared to pay for it if it is on Amazon. :)

it sounds an interesting option, thanks!
dorrance was at the bottom your blog, just noticed that it was one of the ads.
interesting too that people are still keen to buy printed copies, sometimes in preference to the e book
wonder how long this tendency will continue

Is it too late to join in here? I have only just found out about this board.

I previously wrote a novel at 70,000 but I need to re-write it.

Also I put stuff on Fiction Net, for fun. Last completed work @ 65,000 words but it was very much a first draft standard.

wannabe that means you and I are in the same boat as I am currenly on second draft of 70kish novel
welcome!

and I am crossing my fingers for arti's play - do you have to wait another age, arti?

Thank you for the welcome, ninah.

Mine's a fantasy novel, and I have at least four or five solid stories that would slot right in to the same background. I have more ideas than I can cope with.

Settles back to work through entire thread, aware that this may take some time.

Hello wannabe

Keep at it ninah!

Hello, can I join too? I've written two books, both unpublished way back in the dark ages. The first was written in my early 20s and was picked up immediately by an agent and then Random House but circumstances too complex to go into now led to the novel not being published (summary: agent went on maternity leave, editor left Random House, I went off travelling - book dropped by wayside!). The second novel was written in my late 20s but it was awful so I binned it.

I'm now 40 and am a third of the way through my third novel - first draft only. I have stalled and wrote another thread in this section where I got some great "kick up the backside" responses to get back into writing.

So I thought I would join you all here. I want to finish this draft by August so will try and be as accountable as possible by sharing my progress with you.

I write contemporary women's literature (not chick lit - a bit more literary - but women characters).

hi bb
certainly sounds like you have talent ... what a shame about first novel, might be worth trying again with that, also! have a look at the 'awful' one at some point, too, might not be as 'awful' as you remember!
Guess all this is immaterial for the moment, when you are powering ahead with number 3. Are you writing every day? do you feel excited about the outcome?
I love the first draft bit. It's the revision stage I struggle with, though I'm getting better with practice. It's so hard to step back and look at your own hard work impartially ...
am planning a word by word examination of the first three chapters - have been putting it off all week, but tomorrow night it will have to be done

Hi bb Keep at it!!You came so close the first time, is it not possible for you to submit this one again?

Hi ninah Hope you are well.

I contacted a couple of agents this week who have both asked for the manuscripts! One has an appointment with the publisher tomorrow for something else but I've not told the publisher that I'm looking for an agent, not sure if I should email and tell her??

I don't think I would email the publisher, she's had your ms a while now, hasn't she? even if you post now them now, the mss won't arrive with agents til after agent's meeting with publisher.
When is publisher likely to give you feedback?
Well done by the way, all sounds very positive.

She's had versions since Jan. I know she's busy, hence why I've been looking for an agent, I don't want to keep submitting revisions that are not good enough IYSWIM.

I'd send them the mss then and leave it at that. See what comes back!

The agent wants hard copies and I'm out of ink and almost out of paper so I can't do that until tomorrow. I just don't want her to meet the publisher tomorrow and say, 'Oh, Belle's emailed me looking for representation' and for the publisher to think I'm up to no good. I need the agent to help with the revisions. Snot easy stuff hey!

Thanks for your kind words, Belle and Ninah. I will take a second look at the first novel but after I've finished the current one as I am extremely excited about the current novel, just need to get off my backside and start writing every day again. I plan on getting back to writing daily again from Monday so will keep you posted.

online naming and shaming re wordcounts works v well for me! (or it did during nanowrimo)

Okay, it's Sunday. Tomorrow I vow to all who read this thread to kickstart my writing and get back to writing my novel tomorrow. My novel is divided into 4 parts and I stalled on Part 2. So tomorrow I plan to:

• Order and summarise all the scenes for Part 2
• Start writing a key Part 2 scene to get back into the swing of things
• If time, start making amends to Part 1 based on notes I've already made

I'll report back tomorrow night on whether I've accomplished any of these things.

Now is my time to be accountable about my writing publically - at least until I've got my regular writing rhythm back.

Hello everyone. I have been on Mumsnet for a year before finding this thread. I am so glad I have and hope you don't mind me joining.

I have written one novel (finished last Nov) which I have just received feedback on from 5 very helpful friends - in process of re-reading myself and making extensive notes for re-writes.

I am also about halfway through first draft of novel 2. I am speed writing this one and want to have first draft done by second week of April.

Anyway - just marking my place before Sunday evening - hope to contribute in a more helpful way and see what you all are up to.