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?

Hi Belle - 80,000 words max for 9-16 yrs - google Chicken House. Whole thing by end Oct (iirc) is via The Times and the publishers.

Good luck - you sound much further along than me (kind of got depressed about it all!)

Thanks. I'm not sure where things are going with the current publisher so I'll have to wait and see.

What's up grumpy??

Speaking from a position of total ignorance. It sounds like you guys REALLY love what you do. I honestly believe that if you're passionate about something and believe you can do it you will. Don't give up Grumpy if you want it you can do it!!!! Put some funky music on, dance around the house in your pants and you'll feel better and ready to take on the world

Thanks Belle % it is. (what % is normal?) I've got nothing to lose so no risk there other than personal humiliation if they sell 10

I've no idea about the %, I think it's different for each publisher as it depends on how many copies they think they can sell. You can get the society of authors to look over the contract before you sign it so it's worthwhile doing this. You can only join once you have been offered a contract though but it's worth the £90 fee. If they only sell 10 then you don't have to repay the advance, generally it's only to be repaid if there's major errors in the novel which you've missed through editing or if you don't get the novel to them on time. This will be in the contract though.

I'm incredibly ignorant and have been picking up info as I've been going along. I only started writing in September

Thanks Belle, you are WAY ahead of me. The Society of Authors is a great tip. I'll definitely do that if they go for it. Good luck with yours.

Hello all, just popping in to let you know that I've now finished editing and revising Chapter 10 and start writing Chapter 11 tomorrow. But then I have the rest of the week off from writing as "real life" is intruding so won't be able to next write until next week. Keep going everyone!

Congratulations! Good luck with Chapter 11.

ils contractual issues are what your agent is there for, and they are best placed to advise. A flat fee is not ALWAYS a no-no, of course it depends on the book and the market. The firm I used to work for paid 4% net. Some authors wanted a gross percentage, ie without costs incorporated, but I don't know if anyone succeeded in getting it. This is non fiction though.
If you get an advance (you don't always) any conditions concerning it will be in the contract.
i disagree that it is normal for agents to ask debut authors to pay for editing and personally I would be wary about this.
grumpy, cheer up! you are doing this for fun, right? no one's making you. I am with you on a new notebook, though. Get down to paperchase and treat yourself, then fill it up!

v disciplined bb! enjoy the rest of the week bet you will still be thinking about it

Thank you Ninah.

ils you will have to drop us some major hints when it comes out cos I for one would love to read it! intriguing!

If I get published I'll be sending you guys free copies

Hi all

The discussion you've been having today sounds fascinating! ILS's story is incredible!

I wrote another 1600 words today and found my story taking a direction I hadn't expected. Now I want to keep writing, writing, writing, to see what on earth happens in the end!

Hello lovely writers.
I'm a newbie to this thread and to writing generally.
I wrote a few stories (on a theme) a while ago. I sent them to a friend of a friend who is a published children's author. She TRASHED them!
Anyway, I have got back on the horse and written a better story aimed at a specific age group. Just the one this time. (Have you noticed my short, snappy sentence use appropriate for children's fiction ? ).
Now, do I send this one to the trashing author or not? I probably should but quite honestly I'm too scared . I don't want to pester her though. Just how annoying would it be to ask her to read through? I don't need it editing just general comments. It is better than the other stories but then again I thought they were ok and apparently I know nothing!
This writing malarky is not easy.
Oh no.

Oh hang on, Jeremy Strong said to be careful that a fart is not a fart too far (I did like his article in The Children's Writers and Artist's Yearbook)

Hello Pure Send it, not just to her though. It's just her opinion, it doesn't necessarily mean she's right. It's like agents and publishers, one may hate it but another will love it, it's a case of sending them out and seeing what happens. If you don't try then you'll never know.

Thanks Belle. Like I said I have THE handbook! I've been through and highlighted all the publishers/agents who would accept my genre/age group of work but it's hard terrifying to know who to pick.
I was advised (by the trashing author not to send straight to publishers as you don't want to burn your bridges with them. What do you think?

There's only a handful who accept unsolicited manuscripts though. I found one who was interested in my work, then looked for an agent. It doesn't really matter how you go about it. If you want to submit to the large publishing houses (penguin/random house etc) then they will only accept via an agent. Twitter is very helpful for information though

I find negative feedback far more helpful then positive as it shows me where I'm going wrong. I can't improve if I don't know.

Sorry, I edited a bit out. I mean there's only a handful of publishers who accept unsolicited manuscripts.

YY Belle, I know that (I do have the bible HANDBOOK ) - I meant out of the publishers who will accept unsolicited manuscripts.

OOH, and can you explain to me about Twitter. Where on Twitter? I'm not on it at the moment.

Just send it to them. They just don't like it if you keep sending them the same one. Join twitter, there's the odd publisher who doesn't usually accept unsolicited who will accept for a month, they advertise this on there IYSWIM.

Just sign up, I'll DM you my name on there, go through the people I'm following as most are lovely publishing/agent/writers/mumsnetter people

Uh... Hi, can I join you?

I am a writer, although I will admit that I've never finished a project. However this year is going to be THE year. I've been writing an urban fantasy story for, ooh, about 8 years now and it never went anywhere, just got longer and more meandering and utterly plotless! So, after a six month break, I picked up my keyboard again mid-Feb this year and started The Big Rewrite. I've reworked the plot/setting/etc enough to force myself to completely rewrite rather than cut'n'paste and edit, so it's as if I'm in those early throes of a new project, whilst still being in familiar territory.

Yesterday I hit 50k.

This means, in my happy mind, that I'm halfway through book 1 (of 3, because it just works as a three-parter) which, despite the sleepless nights when I was on a roll, but still had to get up for work the following morning, is a really encouraging feeling.

I'm intending on looking for editors/agents/publishers etc when all three are finished. Don't worry - I'm not expecting to make millions out of this; I'm very much not thinking I'm the next JKR. To me this is a favourite hobby - something I do because I love it and because I want to do it, not something I think I could happily manage on a more structured businessy level. That said, I do dream of my trilogy gracing bookshops all round the country one day - am aiming high! I'll totally be hitting y'all up for advice when (not if!) I get to that stage, but didn't want to be one of those posters who just comes round looking for advice, and so figured I'd introduce myself waaaay in advance!

So anyway. That's me. Hi!

Oh - I did have one question for any fiction writers in the know. Titles. I hate them! I have a couple of ideas, but none that grab me. I just wondered if anyone had had any experiences where the agent/editor/publishers have suggested/insisted on a title change? Or if you submit the novel with a crapy title is there the risk they'd take one look at said title and refuse to look any further?

Oh well done April

I can't help with the title, I'd have thought that they would help though??

About publishers - I submitted my second book directly to a publisher and it was accepted. I didn't get an advance but according to my contract, I am getting a pretty hefty % of my royalties instead.

I had to change a quite crucial part of the ending before they accepted it but that's all. It's currently being edited by the publishing house, which is a bit nail biting as I am expecting it to come back with a huge list of things that I need to change!

They seemed to like the title but I know of other writers who have had to change theirs for various reasons.

I'm still waiting to hear back from the agent who asked to see my current WIP, but have been keeping myself busy working on it to take my mind off all the angsting about the inevitable rejection! It's now half finished and I've just started researching my fourth book when I have writer's block.