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?

Popping in to say that I've done no actual writing this week but loads of (much needed) research for upcoming scenes. Research will be completed tomorrow and then writing commences next Monday .

Welcome funtime! I found that posting my word counts on here was all the "kick up the arse" I needed and am now thoroughly back on track with writing. What kind of arse-kicking would work for you? .

BsshBossh. The word count thing is a bit scary, to be honest. The largest thing I've ever written to date is a 10,000 word dissertation and it just seems so daunting. I can see every little plot detail and conversation in my head, it's just trying to bridge the gap between brain and fingers! So frustrating.

When I get the chance to do a good long stint, I feel great. Is it illegal to park the kids in a cupboard for a couple of hours with a sausage roll and a fruit shoot ?

Hi Funtime.
Try and get into the habit of writing everyday, even if it's only 100 words and you're writing rubbish, if you set a time for doing it every day and get in the habit then it seems a lot easier.
I have lots of free time at the moment as both my kids are both at school and I'm an unemployed student. At the minute I'm writing when I'd normally be doing studying. I'll be struggling again once I either get a job or come October when studying starts again. Oh and the school holidays when I have 2 children demanding attention, but I'll still try and do about half an hour a day to keep the momentum going, I know once you get out the habit it becomes harder to start again, I'm an expert procrastinator.
I also leave all editing till the I've finished the first draft, apart from spelling, i write so fast I'd never be able to understand it again on readback. I hate editing but knowing I have finsihed getting my ideas on paper spurs me on to getting it finished.

Funtime, I think Cassie's advice is spot on. I remember reading about a number of productive female novelists (all mothers responsible for their DC before/after school and during school holidays) who manage to write novels in snatches of time. 10 minutes here, an hour there, 15 minutes here, five hours there - you get the picture. There is one poster here (ninah) who writes in the evening after work and DC are in bed. It's all doable. You just have to write a little bit each and every day, whether it's 10 mins or several hours.

If you want to do it, you'll find a way.

Oh yes, and I know another writing mother. She has a pre-schooler but puts her in nursery one day a week in order to write. In that one day a week, she's completed her novel in a year and is subbing to agents now.

Thanks for the encouragement . Ds1 goes full-time in September and we've decided to send ds2 to nursery for a few hours a week. We were already talking about it, as ds1 enjoyed it so much, but you've made my mind up!

She said it didn't sparkle enough for her and that it needed some editing but she didn't have the time. Pah!

Checking in because I need some discipline. Editing a novel at the moment. It's literally been years since I last completed something and was able to (unsuccessfully) submit it, and I'm keen to get out there again. Finding it a bit hard with work and a one-year-old but it has to be done.

Two chapters edited today :)

ohoh this has moved on since dd stepped on my laptop ... haven't done any writing i should admit
belle who said that? publisher or agent? keep working and keep believing in yourself a face to face meet is v impressive, and wouldn't happen unless they think you have real potential
i finished a final draft of last novel and sent to five agents, one rejection to date. I have shelved current project as gtp course means it's unlikely I'll have time to spare for a while but it's def on back burner for when things settle down again
good luck everyone else

Twas the agent. I've not sent it to the publisher yet. She had nothing positive to say at all. I wouldn't have minded but her criticism wasn't even constructive, I can't do anything with it at all. It was more like an attack on my novel and how let down she was then anything else. I've submitted to three other agents, I'm really not sure what's going to happen now. A pal is reading it for me and I'll send it to the publisher when he's done.

Keep at it ninah, you've got so close. A GTP can be hard work though.

Sorry to hear that belledechoc. I'm too new to this lark to be able to offer any advice but lack of constructive feedback must be extremely frustrating .

Well done for getting the first draft sorted Ninah. It still seems a lifetime away for me although I've been good and written a short chapter this morning.

Sorry, that should say final draft .

That's OK Fun. It's very frustrating but writers don't really need agents, the society of authors will look over a contract for free (well, it costs £90 to join) once one has been offered so it's no biggie.

Am back with slightly refreshed username (only posted once about working on revised book at the mo - decided it was time for a change).

Belle - that sounds incredibly frustrating. I do think it's rude to completely slam a book like that. I've worked in publishing (albeit at a very junior level) and we were always told to be polite and constructive in how we phrased things to authors. It's worth remembering that you only need one agent to like it (or one publisher) and it's such a subjective business anyway.

I put a chapter of my novel up on critique circle this week and was absolutely terrified. As a newbie I only got six crits and they ranged from useless (someone who didn't like first person POV read half of it then decided it was a waste to read any more - but you could tell from the first line it was written in first!), to quite harsh but useful.

Congrats on subbing, Ninah

Funtime - a chapter is still pretty good progress!

Thanks mysterioushamster .

A publisher likes it, I was looking for an agent.
I've been rejected by another agent today, I stated in the email that I have a publisher who is very interested in the novel, they replied saying they didn't think it (three chapters of it) was strong enough and they didn't think they could sell it to a publisher . I'm not sure why I'm bothering at the moment.

Did you send the publisher the first 3 chapters or the whole thing belle?

The first 3 chapters (unless it says otherwise on their web site). I thought they would ask for the rest if they thought this was OK.

your publisher sounds like the best contact belle. Don't be discouraged (I know you won't ..). It's disappointing - I was v excited to be asked for a whole ms and now it's rejections again, same old .. saying that you have got a lot further than I have, I've not had a face to face meeting!
you're right about gtp which is why I plan to shelve the new novel for the time being. I have lots and lots of material for it, though, so when life eases up it should fly! and I still think the finished one works, even if no one else does
waves to everyone else

yeah a chapter in one day rocks funtime!
hamster you are v mysterious I can't work out who you were but hi

Keep at it ninah!! See how it goes in September, you may be able to squeeze in some time.

I need a critique partner. That may help.

I haven't much writing the past week, I have had my DS off school since last Wednesday with chicken pox so not much time but feel like last part of story has gone astray from me. Think I'm going to sit on it a couple of days to work out where I'm going with it.
Belle - it all sounds really frustrating for you, I hope you find an agent soon.

I have 2 left. I don't hold out much hope, it's harder for Children's writers.

I hope DS is feeling better soon.

Ninah - it's odd, isn't it? Some days it all flows easily and other days I'd be hard pressed to write a full shopping list .

now that makes sense, fun ... having just had to nip back to shops specifically for loo roll, which is not something you can improvise all that readily ...
belle a critique partner sounds interesting. As in, swap a chapter for comments? I'd be up for that. Not that I'm any great expert at children's literature but I might be able to get some real life dc to read it too ...
when you say you have two agents left, that means two on this particular sub, there must be suitable agents out there for a second and third tranche? I'm planning to send out to at least 15 in batches of 3 over the summer