Another writing support thread

[LaBarbera]

Hi all,

I've been lurking here for a while! Now breaking cover to ask if anyone wants to chat during drafting/revisions/submissions/whatever circle of Hell you're in.

Mine is, I think, a literary novel of sorts, historical and with a fantastical element. I don't know if it's good, though feedback is promising, but I do know it's the best thing I've written so far. I am currently on my third draft, and copying over/writing in a new document, which is going well. I'm anxious about wordcount, though, as it's short at the moment and neither I nor my mentor can see anything obviously missing or any big pacing problems. I'm hoping that taking the time to draw out those moments of discovery or change or suspense will take it into short-but-publishable territory.

Anyone else? :)

[thenewname]

What i hate most about it is the distraction it gives... a bit like entering competitions, it makes you check the inbox constantly.

I need to send out to a whole raft of new people, but it's distracting me from my new book! So even though it's coming close enough, do I just pack it away for now? Aargh.

[LaBarbera]

I think you've got to do for now whatever will make you feel best. There's no rush -- the story won't go off, like milk.

[thenewname]

I think you're right, going to try and take a step back from the relentless checking of email and just refocus on new book.

How is your rewrite going? How did you find your mentor?

[LaBarbera]

That sounds like what you need right now, I agree. Really wise move. The rewrite is really hitting a pace, thank you! My mentor is actually someone I've known through writerly circles for a while, and I also know a few of her past and current mentees, so she was the obvious choice when I decided to invest and I have no regrets. I'm happy to share details by PM if you are looking.

I have some good writing news! A couple of weeks ago I had a Big Scary Literary Feature in a Big Scary Literary Publication, and it went down so well that I now have another. Woohoo!

[IndefatigableMouse]

Can I ask a stupid question about what a literary feature is? Ie fiction or a non-fiction article? Like something about writing?

I've started subbing one novel to agents but all I've had is silence and one R so far. Going to send to another batch over the next couple of days.

I also want to keep writing. The novel on sub is a fantasy one. Now the dilemma - do I dive into a contemporary romance/women's fic I was writing (only 20k in but all outlined), or start a brand new shiny fantasy idea (I'd have to actually come up with the idea first).

I do like the romance and want to finish it, but historically I've always read more fantasy and I do have short fiction published in that genre but no contemporary stuff...

I know if I got anything published I'd have to stay in that genre for a good while so I want to get it right!

[LaBarbera]

It's fair -- I was being vague. In this case, a big scary review-essay-article. :)

I know various writers who write in different genres under different pen names. I think maybe the thing is to pursue the project you want to pursue right now.

[thenewname]

Oh wow congrats that is really brilliant! Well done you, I bet you’re so pleased.

[thenewname]

I would be interested if you don’t mind! How is she rewarded for this mentoring? Ie do you pay her (just asking as I used to work in a creative field doing a sort of mentoring and it is frustrating when everyone thinks it’s fun for me to spend my free time on their work )

[LaBarbera]

Hi @thenewname, I'll PM you with details but yes, I do pay. Makes me way more comfortable (I'm a freelance myself) and besides, it means she can give really detached professional advice. My writing has improved tremendously with that extra pushback. And thanks, I'm really pleased. I've reviewed for a smaller, more specialist publication for quite a while, but when that review-essay came out I was suddenly 1000% more famous than the day before. Such an odd feeling.

[thenewname]

I completely agree with paying!

Ooh how exciting for you, hope you’re taking the time to enjoy the moment!

[LaBarbera]

Definitely! Been having a glass of wine and dancing round the kitchen to Lizzo. Like a super dignified lit'ry person

[Daphnesmate]

Watching this thread with interest. It sounds as if we have written across similar genres La Barbera. I have had a huge amount going on in general life recently but I plan to submit my work at the end of October. I have edited my novel, edited it and edited it some more and I am still editing it but I think I have more or less perfected the first three chapters. I have also written a submission letter and a synopsis. I am finding the creative writing forum here really supportive and may well need a hand hold shortly when I actually start submitting my work.

How short is short if you don't mind me asking? My novel is definitely not an epic but deemed to be an acceptable length for a novel I believe (approx. 73,000 words).

I have a second book in mind but it is just a string of thoughts at the moment due to current circumstances. I feel so much better when I actually get around to writing/editing, people say my face lights up when I talk about writing and I enjoy going along to the lovely small writing group that I belong to, so for me it's win, win all around and even if I don't get my book traditionally published, I plan to have it bound etc. and go it alone.

[IndefatigableMouse]

Thanks for the explanation LaBarbara and congrats :)

I've submitted to two more agents tonight and cleared up a couple of age discrepancies in that manuscript that I just discovered this week.

I think I'll work on the romance/contemp fic until I know which way the fantasy book is going. If it's all Rs maybe I'll forget about fantasy for a while! If I get some good feedback (even if no ultimate success) then maybe I'll stick with that genre a while.

[Daphnesmate]

Eek - editing the rest of my book for the umpteenth time this morning before I submit it and finding yet more errors in terms of sentence structure etc. The content is there but it could probably be written more tidily. It has to go soon though - I've been working on it for the past four years and it is time to move on to something new. End of October will submit it no matter what.

[Daphnesmate]

Oh and congrats. La Barbera!

[ShadowSardines]

For anyone who's waiting on anything that's out at the moment, remember the Frankfurt book fair is approaching, and even though obviously not all agents/editors attend, it traditionally tends to be a fairly dead time until the last week of October.

[Howtotrainyourhamster]

Daphnesmate, good luck with the revisions. I empathise with the amount of time invested in writing a novel - it feels like such a gamble at times, though I try to just find satisfaction in the writing rather than always focusing on the long haul outcome. My first novel took several years too, working intermittently on it though. I can definitely relate to the feeling of needing to move on to something else! Though now I’ve moved on to something else it feels like another Sisyphean task!

I went to see Zadie Smith last night being interviewed as part of a local lit festival. Can’t decide whether it was inspiring or whether to think I should just give up! She did talk about the high of embarking on writing a novel followed by finding yourself trapped in a prison of your own making - which was quite interesting.

I’ve managed to reach my 1000 word target for the day today, so it must have been inspirational!

Congrats to labarbera too!

[LaBarbera]

Thank you :) I'm kind of getting the fear about living up to my first one now!

So much good progress and forward movement on this thread. My revisions are still going steadily, but since I'm well short of 70K, I'm frustrated that for everything I add in, I seem to take something out. But I know there's more telescoping further along, and some scenes to add and expand, so I'm trying not to panic. It will probably need another structural round and that's OK (I hope).

[LaBarbera]

How are you all today? I'm stuck on a love scene. Those are so great when they work but so terrifying to write!

[AppropriateAdult]

Is it an actual sex scene, LaBarbera? I’ve only written one of those... I was pretty happy with it, but still cringed at the thought of anyone actually reading it

Haven’t got any writing done today - I rarely do at the weekends, I usually get my 500 or so words in one frantic hour while my toddler naps each weekday. But I think I’ve got over the hump on my last tricky chapter so hoping to finish that this week, do one final look over this draft and then send it to some people for feedback.

[LaBarbera]

Not a sex scene but very much one about realising unexpected feelings, and experiencing desire, which is an absolute bastard to describe. I took myself out for drinks, though, and did some free writing, and I think I've cracked it -- I need to write in the other POV. Well done on your overall progress! It will be so satisfying to send it out to your beta readers. :)

[Shosha1]

May I join in. Have always wanted to write but never had the time. Retired now and finally got around to it. I'm up to chapter 8 and 45k words. It's a mythical/medieval epic type of book. Have sent the prologue and first 5 chapter out to a few readers and had good feedback.
A few scenes I need to rewrite, it doesn't scan properly. Have rewritten the first five chapters a lot as find as I write the next chapter, I need to add in to the previous chapter.
Never thought I would be finding out how long it would take to get places on a horse. Nor how long it takes to make charcoal either

[LaBarbera]

Hello @Shosha1! waves

My sympathies with the never-ending need for research. Sounds an intriguing project!

[Shosha1]

Thought writing a book on a fictional land. With faint magic. I could wing it on most things. Not so. Still need research. I am a bit concerned how long this book is going to be.

[LaBarbera]

Yeah ... no. It turns out verisimilitude is as tricky to get right as historicity (which is largely speculative anyway, especially in pre- and early modernity). But you will be able to go back and take out a fair bit of the scaffolding once you have a complete draft, I'm sure of it!