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?

[FortunateHamster]

Hi all :)

I'm also editing a Nano novel - though mine is two years old and has been rewritten from scratch at one point. I need to write the end of it and then edit the whole lot into shape.

I've been working on it for far too long and it's very rough, but I just want to finish it so I can submit it and move on to the next thing. I've been dilly-dallying too long! Though I will the fact that I've got a five-month-old son as an excuse :)

Unfortunately he's stopped napping and I'm exhausted in the evenings, so getting much work done on the novel is hard work - but I need to stop giving excuses and just get on with it. Even a couple of hundred words is progress, and I should be able to do that in relatively little time.

[Litchick]

Abr1de - you must never feel like a failure over money. I have friends who have won prestigious awards and are still earning less than you.

Tis the way of the publishing industry. Particularly if you write literay fiction.

I have to say that I make a comfortable living but that comes not from my UK advances, which are ok, but from ancilliary deals - foreign, large print, audio, telly options etc.

Also I bang out a book a year so there is always something for my agent to sell.

I think most of the public would be very suprised to learn which authors made a good living and which didn't. It really has nothing to do with who is on the Sunday Times list, and has all to do with how many ancilliary deals can be made per book.

I recently ventured into radio drama - out of a hankering for change - and that really does pay badly.

[Abr1de]

Thanks, Litchick. I'm supposed to be A Bestseller in Germany, but it is amazing how long it takes for the money to come my way. New agent soon...

I write a book a year, usually, but the latest one has just been put back six months. Which is not helping.

Thanks for the kind words.

[Litchick]

Germany is good - very decent advances and lots more people than in the uk!!!

[grumpypants]

Hi - ok, I'm in. Have a report from Cornerstones and some encouraging words (but ultimately nos) from an agent or two, and a novel that needs rewriting! My problem is the report suggests a lower age group, and the agents say its too adult for nine year olds! That's my excuse for doing nothing...

[strandedatseasonsgreetings]

Grumpypants - what did you think of the report from Cornerstones? Are you glad you did it? Am wondering if it's worth doing, having heard mixed reports of these sort of thing. Just can't help but think it might be the thing I need to encourage me to cotinue/give it up forever as a lost cause.

I also have an idea for a non-fiction book I want to do next. I need to start thinking about that.

[artifarti]

Oooh lots of posts! Hello to everyone. And some advice and support from real life writers too!

Litchick - I wrote a radio play this summer and sent it off to the Beeb. I saw the link that has the pay rates on it and crikey, you are not wrong! I think they would pay more if you fixed their photocopier!

I am trying to replot now for a second draft. My highly scientific method has been to list all the 'scenes' I've written and then write out how they move the plot forward/develop the characters (so as to chop superfluous bits) and then outline where scenes need inserting, developing, researching etc. (as well as all the huge character inconsistencies that have inevitably occurred and need sorting.) It's turning into a bit of a monster but seems to be coming together. How does everyone else do this bit?

[strandedatseasonsgreetings]

artifarti - sounds fairly similar to what I will need to do soon. I have been keeping a running record of what happens in each chapter as I go along and used this to highlight areas that need to be worked on. But overall I can't think how I am going to do a major re-write without losing the will to live. It's hard enough doing the initial write but at least this still seems exciting as the characters keep surprising me and doing their own thing.

I thing I have found is that I am only starting to develop some of the characters late in the novel, as if I have had to get to know them first. So I need to go back and put some of that development into their earlier selves, I think. If that makes sense!

[FortunateHamster]

arti I'm doing something similar too. I set up a spreadsheet in google docs and have written down what happens in each chap, whether there needs to be any revisions and how it moves the plot forward. Some writers would find it a pointless waste of time but for me it helps pinpoint which bits are slow and padded out and which bits are working well.

stranded that does make sense re. getting to know the characters. I always find that the end of a book influences the beginning so I have to go back and rewrite that. Rewrites can be tough. For once project I made myself start with a blank document and I actually retyped everything so that if a better sentence came to mind, I was more likely to add it in than if I was just skimming a load of already written text. Took a bloody long time though!

Ab1de Wasn't there a survey a couple of years ago about how much the average writer makes and wasn't it similar or less? I should probably look it up but am feeling too tired at this time. I know many authors get advances a lot lower than that and probably don't make much more during the course of a year. Not sure if it helps to hear that or not, but really I think any writer making money at the moment is doing well!

As for me, I've written nothing today but may have lined up some freelance work reading manuscripts (would rather not say where as am anonymous-ish here) and am quite excited about that. I want to write at least 100 words tomorrow. That's a couple of paragraphs. Easy. Well, it'd be easier if I wasn't breastfeeding and nappychanging all day but am sure I can manage it somehow.

[grumpypants]

Um, it had very good points about things thst didn't marry up, and I aim to reread it. On the whole, I think I'm glad I did it: I had positive responses from 2 of 13 agents (ultimately nos) and didn't want to keep sending it out without some input iyswim?

[Abr1de]

Yes, average earnings are poor.

Sorry for moaning. Usually my years are more financially rewarding. :)

[Zoidberg]

I'd like to join you all, though I'm a bit of a sporadic poster. I am writing short stories, want to get a dozen done within 2 years, am on the third one at the moment.

I got a letter on Wednesday telling me I've been shortlisted for the Asham award, totally thrilled about that. That story was my first since leaving school 20 years ago and picking up the leaflet in the local library was what got me started.

I have 19 month old DD and work part-time. I need to get off the internet in the evenings and write more often.

[FortunateHamster]

Oh don't be sorry, moan away, everyone's got to have their venting space and if other years have been better it's perfectly understandable.

grumpypants Sounds like it was worthwhile. Have often wondered about doing it myself but found it hard to justify the expense. Maybe one day though.

Zoidberg Congrats - being shortlisted is fantastic! I need to do the same as you, the internet and I need to split up or at least separate a bit.

[strandedatseasonsgreetings]

I find it helpful to take my netbook somewhere where there is no internet access - for some reason the wireless doesn't reach out bedroom so that's good. I also often write in one of our local cafes - sometimes their wireless isn't working and I get so much written those mornings....

[strandedatseasonsgreetings]

Oh and Zoidberg, congrats on getting shortlisted for an award. That's fantastic.

[FortunateHamster]

stranded you've reminded me of a brilliant writing gadget I got ages ago and haven't used for a while - my Alphasmart Neo. They're basically word processors - fullsize keyboards with a tiny screen. It saves as you type and batteries can last for a whole year.

They're mostly used in classrooms but lots of writers use them too because there's no internet and they're comfortable to type on. When you want to get the info to your PC you just use a cable or on some of the more expensive ones you can do it wirelessly now apparently.

I don't know if I'd say it's a must-buy, but I do love my alphasmart for typing on while watching TV and you can occasionally get them cheap on eBay. You can't see much of your work so they're useless for editing on, but excellent for just getting the words out.

[artifarti]

I have often found myself looking longingly at the Neos but realistically, I do most of my writing at home and when I'm not there I have my face in someone's armpit on the tube or I'm busy at work.

Has anyone ever used Scrivener? Sometimes I think it looks useful and sometimes I think I would spend so long faffing around on it that it that I would never actually get around to writing. But it might stop me having seven different notebooks and lots of research sources with sticky notes poking out of them.

Yes, well done Zoidberg!

[grumpypants]

I think the problem is procrastination - I spent a year researching rerading aghes and story lengths and tbh I think it's fear of being rejected that puts me off. When the agent asked fr a full copy of my book, I didn't want to send it because I wanted to think what if, and not oh well iyswim?

[Zoidberg]

Thank you

I try to write on the train to work, 2 or 3 times a week, that works well actually, and during DD's nap. She's napping right now...

Procrastination certainly kept me from writing, much less so now I have little time oddly.

Am reading The Sound of Paper by Julia Cameron and although a bit airy fairy for me in places, I am absorbing the message that writing is done little by little every day, not waiting for that day when hours stretch in front of you, your desk is tidy, research done etc.

[storygirl]

I am reading The Sound of Paper too Zoidberg, is there any other books that you have found helpful?

[strandedatseasonsgreetings]

I think that's a good point (and gives me hope). Up until this September, I had much less time to myself - but seemed to get a lot more writing done. For the past few months I have had 7 child-free hours a day, 5 days a week. I thought I would have finished my first draft by now but somehow there is always something else to do..

Anyway, will be returning to live in the UK next weekend and dd2 (3) will be at home with me - initially full time as I don't have a place for her at playgroup. I have no idea when I will get any writing done. But perhaps if I can just write a couple of times a week, or the odd two or three hundred words here and there, it'll eventually all get written.

My problem is flow - when I'm not writing for a while I lose the plot a bit and have to re-read everything. WHich wastes even more time....

[ninah]

omg I love love love the Neo!

[Novelist]

Lol, Abr1de! People are always asking my husband (a medical specialist) why he is still working when his wife's a novelist. He always tells them he's still working because we like electricity and food!

Am just starting the ms I'll be writing in 2011, so am here for support, too! No fiction for me this year -- all non-fiction. I can't wait, actually. Have fictioned myself out this year/last year and now have two young adult novels lined up for 2012 and 2013. Also changed agents and now have the best agent ever. Feel really supported and can't wait to write some non-fic.. The first ms I'll be working on in 2011 is based around motherhood and kindness and when we move the family to the UK in June, I'm going to try my hand at a Bill Bryson/Erma Bombeck mash up over the time we're there.

I think Litchick has said before she writes crime. Is everyone else mostly writing women's fic.? Sounds like there's quite a few people a decent way in to their mss. I hope you know you've already beaten a huge amount of people by doing this. Most people never get beyond the 'I'm going to write a novel... someday...' bit!

[sam12]

Hi can I join in please? Am about halfway through mine but my main problem is that whenever I turn on the computer to write I read what I've written to get back into it and edit as I go along and then run out of time before I actually write much more.

My plan was to really get going whilst on maternity leave- how unrealistic was I? Dd is now 8 weeks old and I haven't even thought about writing a word until I saw this and thought this might be just what I need to get me back on track.

[strandedatseasonsgreetings]

Hi and welcome Sam12 - you're brave trying to write a novel on mat leave

Novelist - not sure I can categorise my novel. It is a thriller but the two main protaganists are women. Does that make it women's thriller lit?

I also want to write non-fiction next. I have a good idea and it's something I would LOVE to write. But I would need interest from a publisher before I really got stuck into it as it would be a lot of work.