Who wants to join me in starting to write a novel in 2013?

[milk]

As subject says: Who wants to join me in starting to write a novel in 2013?

I thought we could push each other on to get it finished :) Similar to a losing weight thread, except it would be for gaining words

[AlottaReading]

Don't worry Drink I only started writing my draft last week. I don't think I'll get any further than writing a first draft this year but it's helpful coming onto a thread like this for some motivation.

I've done nearly 10000 words since I started last week, a lot of it garbage but I'm pleased so far.

[DrinkFeckArseGirls]

Oh, sorry. Just saw date it was started. You must be all well into your drafts. Nevermind me.

[DrinkFeckArseGirls]

Dies it have to be a novel? Can it be a script?

[milk]

In theory I should have wriiten 21,000 words...

In reality I have written 3,681 words

[KinkyDorito]

I finally have an idea, but I suspect it has probably been done before. I always do this and it puts me off.

I also need to do lots of research.

I just need to overcome the doubts and get on with it!

[AlottaReading]

I've written down a structure for what I want to write now and all I need to do is start writing. I'm jusy worried that I'll start writing then not have time to carry on and lose motivation. On the other hand if I don't start writing I could lose motivation anyway.

I have assignment due beginning of May then last one for this year mid-June, I did think I could wait till then and then try and have first draft done before October. But I don't think I can wait that long. I'll have to make a plan for writing short amounts once studying is done. And deal with the procrastination when it bothers me.

[TunipTheVegedude]

'I'm keeping the first draft of their death though, just to keep them on their toes).'

LOL!

I have a scene where someone is about to die (though the death itself is offstage) and I cry again every single time I rewrite it.

[sadeyedladyofthelowlandsea]

They didn't deserve to die, but it was needed. I cried for my protagonist when she realised what had happened.

The reprieved character...I thought 'HAHAHAHARRRRR!' when they died. But then I rethought and grumpily rewrote (I'm keeping the first draft of their death though, just to keep them on their toes).

Morris Mentum is my friend at the moment, but I'm prepared for him to bugger off at the first sign of trouble. Hopefully his sister Maureen will hang around.

[theoriginalandbestrookie]

Hello alotta and joshandjamie.

It's funny I thought I hadn't done much apart from a bit of concerted effort last night but just checked word count from last Sunday and I've done 2k this week so that's ok, will try to do some more today.

In the Stephen King book he gave the example of someone who wrote 300 words per day. I was reading it and though pshaw what a lowly amount, but actually it's great to sit down at my notepad or computer and think well all I need to do today is 300 and that will only take 20 mins at most. Usually I keep going so it's nearer 500.

I don't do that every day as life or Mumsnet gets in the way, but it keeps the momentum going.

[TunipTheVegedude]

Did they deserve it? Did you cry or think 'Ha!'?

[sadeyedladyofthelowlandsea]

I killed someone today.

I feel bad about it, but it had to be done.

Now it makes much more sense why my protagonist has such a terrible relationship with her mother.

But I did also spare someone else from death in an RTA. So it all balances itself out

[TunipTheVegedude]

Well done JoshandJamie!

Don't worry too much about whether it's any good. First drafts are meant to be crap. Just get the first draft down and then once you've got it on paper you can work on making it better.

[joshandjamie]

Can I join too? I've always wanted to write a novel but life has got in the way. I am now in the position where I can write due to not working. I decided on 10 march to just do it. Since then I have come up with a plot, wirtten backstories for characters, written a story outline and have spent the last two days writing the actual book. I'm over 5000 words and loving it. I have no idea if it's any good but at least I am at long last doing what I've wanted to do since I was 10.

[AlottaReading]

Can I join you all?

I usually join these threads every year but end up giving up as trying to write a novel while juggling uni work and a job is a bit of a nightmare and I haven't written or edited anything since Nano last year.

Anyway I had a dream last week and when DH woke me I HAD to write it down (I usually forget dreams before writing them down) first time I've had a story come to me so clearly, normally I struggle with endings but I already know the ending this time!

In the little spare time I had I wrote down the basis of the dream and now I'm using snowflake (I love snowflake but only use about the first 6-7 steps I don't note down all the scenes first). I'll probably wait till I finish my last two assignments before first draft but at the same time don't want to lose my motivation for writing it. Doutful I'll get beyond first draft this year, and I usually do a second draft before editing too, but I could do with some support.

[allbie]

Thanks Tunip...I shall forge ahead! The original, I'm a runner too. I love to have a think whilst running!

[theoriginalandbestrookie]

Anyone still doing a Sunday word count
I'm up to 17k - came up with lots of great scenes when I did my running race today ( I go quite slowly so I have lots of time to think) but unfortunately just need to get to those bits before I can write them.

[TunipTheVegedude]

Don't self-publish as a way of avoiding getting rejected. Self-publishing is wonderful if you do it for the right reasons but you need to polish it just as much (and ideally pay a professional editor) and be prepared to put some effort into marketing.

The odds of getting picked out of the slush pile are terrible but it's not a game of odds - it's in your hands because the better you make your book, the more likely it is.

[allbie]

Thanks Tunip and Sadeyed! Will create a list and send a few more out. Too many rejections at once may just be a little too hard! Ho! 1%, eh? What the hell am I even bothering for? I should go straight to Kindle, eh?

[TunipTheVegedude]

I agree, submitting in batches is the way to go.

Have you had it thoroughly test-read by perceptive friends or acquaintances? You want to make it as good as possible before sending it off and a fresh pair of eyes is likely to pick up things you've missed.

Good luck!

[sadeyedladyofthelowlandsea]

allbie, send it off to lots of agents. That's the advice I've seen again and again, because if you invest too much emotion in one agent and they reject you, it feels really personal. Send it out to six people, and that first rejection won't sting so much Also, everyone says that agents take forever to get back to you - one of the agents I sent to said they'll contact you within seven days. It's been four weeks and I have heard nothing (which is probably a good thing. The chapters I sent out were terrible.)

I met a proper writer type lovely person recently, and she said that the chance of a book being written, taken on by a agent and published is something like 1%. And after that, you can add in reviews. So if your sole Amazon review is crap, no one is going to buy it.

Why do we write?

Oh yes. Because we need to.

[allbie]

Thanks, theoriginal! I have finally come up with a working title, done the synopsis and am happy with the covering letter! Found the details of an agent I like the sound of too....so, just need to do the print off and just manage expectation!

[theoriginalandbestrookie]

Wow notsosadeyedlady you sound like you're on a roll - enjoy.

I'm almost up to 15k, was hoping to get there today, but it's a scene I want to get just right, so I thought it best to start afresh on it hopefully tomorrow.

[sadeyedladyofthelowlandsea]

Ah well, now you see, I had a lovely chat with someone last night who gave me massive amounts of ideas and now I'm back to story one, rewriting like a demon and thinking how to integrate what's in book two with book one. I'd forgotten how amazing it feels when you know you've written something good that really works, dammit! It's so exciting and so overwhelming I just want to write and write and write while the house falls down around me.

[theoriginalandbestrookie]

Hi sadeyed and welcome to our suspiciously quiet at the minute thread !

I know what you mean about the editing - I suspect I rather under edited by last effort as I just got fed up with hacking away at all the bits that I felt were rather good in the first place.

I'm up to 14k tonight and was thinking that the second one wasn't going so well but checking back I was on 7k at the end of Jan so actually that's not so bad progress wise.

Sorry albie I think I rather missed your post on 20th Feb congratulations on completion, thats fab news.

[sadeyedladyofthelowlandsea]

Hello. I finished editing and rewriting a few weeks ago and have moved onto the sequel (I love my characters so much I cannot bear to let them go just yet, also there were issues I deliberately left hanging to give me a reason to carry on writing).

I have my synopsis done, and am up about approx chapter four. Feels very good to be writing again, rather than nitpicking at myself as I've done for the last three months.