For anyone else who wants to start/progress/finish writing a book in 2012

[BsshBossh]

Sign in here, whether you are published or not :) Perhaps we can keep each other motivated.

I am a first time writer, never been published, have completed two drafts of my novel and am now working on the third - revising/editing.

How about you?

It's been fab but exhausting Lady S. Schools hols here, hence posting instead of lurking. I even managed a couple of chapters (well started at about five and cut down to a total rewrite and left with two, which is why grendels post leapt out at me!). Head in sand about work for another few days!
How's things with you? good Easter? sound like you've been consistently productive!

You'll get there! It helps to have the persistance of a rottweiler

I'm not bad, thanks. I'm getting some agent help but she's so busy and I've been waiting...erm...you get the idea.

Hello all! Some familiar faces back too :) Easter school holidays over soon so back to draft 3 on Monday. Whoop! Have really missed it.

persistence of a rottweiler, patience of a saint yy waiting ....
hi bssh! I think I'm dreading monday as much as you're looking forward to it!

Poor agent has not realised that the longer she takes, the more I will have for her. I've just about mastered the art of rhyming texts. Possibly. Hi Bssh

Hello BshhBosshh. Nice to see you back.

Ive just had an inspiring day at Cambridge Word Fest - was anyone else there?

Ninah, are you teaching now?

I'm gtp bssh, I teach a 70-80% timetable this term and I am hoping to ramp up a level in terms of standards too. Did a couple of full on weeks before Easter and it nearly killed me. Tbh this holiday has made me wonder if I'm cut out for it. Ex has had dc for a few days and i've rediscovered all the things I liked doing and have been too busy for! There are some real highs to teaching but it doesn't half take over. I think I'll be OK when I'm actually back, and see the children again, it's just daunting when the start of term is looming; I think it's not unusual to feel like this at the end of the hols.
I booked myself into a b and b at the start of the hols and slept swam and wrote. It was brilliant!
Cambridge sounds good grendel, I've never been to a literary festival, the nearest I've got is the literary tent at a music festival. I quite fancy having a go - it's a bit tricky with dc but as they get older it will be easier I guess. What did you see/do?

I'm still messing round with my first draft, think I know where I am going with it now but don't want to start second draft till I have more time on my hands, After my mid June exams are over then I can plug away at it.

I went to the writing workshops, rather than to hear authors speak. Just went to a couple of events, as they're all quite expensive, but they were well worth it for an aspiring writer - including the names of a few recommended literary agents for my genre. A lot of very good, solid, practical helpful advice, which to some extent has reassured me I'm on the right track in terms of the shape of the novel. Mind you, I've come away with so many options for where to go next that I'm even more confused!

I've told myself I'll finish draft 3 and then think about the options of where to go next.

excellent, sounds useful
I've just paid for some advice on an intro. Bit sceptical but I'm stuck and need blunt, impartial input. If it works out I'll recommend.

I got about 7 chapters, roughly 20, 000 words. :S Lot of work though, now I know why it takes so long for writers to get new books out!!!

That's very interersting, Ninah. One of the events I attended covered that kind of advice among lots of others things, so I'd be particularly intersted in finding out how useful it was.

yeah me too! it's only a short report so not too pricey. Will let you know!

OMG, I finished the sixth episode today. 120,000 words in around six months. Off to faint now. Can't even think about the edits at this point. Wish I had made it to the Cambridge Word Fest, GrendelsMum, but was slack...

Thanks for the welcome GrendelsMum! Only just discovered I had a reply!Ive not been able to work out how the Im Watching bit works.
I am about half way through writing my book, 1st draft i believe it is called.Though I keep thinking I am about half way through!
I have found a publisher that I think would suit the book, and they do allow unsolicited manuscripts, but it seems to be done through sort of writers discussing which books they like, if that makes sense and they go up and down a list, and the best 5 get to the editors desk or something like that.Does that sound worth doing?Thanks.

Not sure if I should be in this group.Feel very out of my depth.

I should say my potential book is very niche, and I did read that sometimes for something like that, an agent is not always necessary.And I cant find a similar book in the UK, 1 a little bit similar in the USA.

hi, million! why out of your depth? jump in!
are you talking about authonomy? (sp) I had a look on there it seemed a bit of a swamp tbh
fwiw I'd finish the book before you think about publishing. Finish, and then the most difficult bit imo, edit!
do feel free to discount my advice, though, I'm completely unpublished

Yes, authonomy, dont know what the sp bit means!
Im out of my depth because, I never set out to write a book. I just had a load of notes in a drawer, and suddenly realised one day they could all be put into a book .haha.
People go on about writing style, well I wouldnt know 1 style from another.
Wouldnt know how to edit, again I would have to research that as well.
Thanks for replying ninah.

I hated Authonomy. Within an hour of joining and putting up a little of my novel I had people begging me to 'support' their work. It's a popularity contest, nothing more.

Thanks LadySybilDeChocolate.That is sort of what I thought.It did seem an odd way to go about things.Is it just used by the one publisher do you know?

I think so. There's so many other publishers out there though and I bet a good book will get to them via an agent anyway. I did use critique groups but really struggled to find one which wrote like me. I found a few of beta readers though but it was the same, once I read their work it was full of errors & wasn't like mine at all. My novel is with a publisher at the moment and I have a picture book with an agent who is trying to sell it.

wow.well done.Being naive at this, does that mean that your novel will definitely get published? And am I right in assuming that an agent must get paid somewhere along the way in commission?

No, they are just looking at it so it could go either way. It is a rewrite and they have seen (and rejected) the first attempt. I was asked to send it back one it was finished but they can still reject it. The agent gets 15% of whatever the book sells for. She's helped me to edit it though so it sounds reasonable to me. They also collect the royalties and deal with the publishers/contract so they do a lot.