Question to ask published writers/authors or literary agents - FICTION!

[QuintessentialShadows]

I have a question. Can I ask your opinion?

Shoot!

Ok here goes. I wrote a novel, it was "finnished" 2 years ago. It was very nearly published, did all these alterations wtih the publishing house, the chief editor loved it. Prior to officially taking it on he had to present it to the board, and an external consultant had reviewed it and was also at the meeting. The consultant said "it was not entirely withing the ideology of the publishing house". The board listened to the consultant, and that is where it ended. The chief editor resigned shortly after.

Sort of lost faith, been working so hard and so long. But now, I have seen a competition for a series by a very reputable publishing house. It is fronted by a very well known author within the genre, who will be on the judging panel. They want 6 books (not necessary to have all six books finnished, you need a synopsis and show a large part of the book/books done) and a commitment to keep writing further books in the series.

I am wondering if it is worth trying to divide it up, I think I can divide what I have into 4 books, I had also been toying with ideas for a sequel, so could get 2 more books out of that.

I am just not sure I have the guts, stamina and staying power to ride this out again. I hate rejection. It is a meagre consolation that I was "very nearly there".

But could it be feasible?

It would have to be quite a novel to be stretched out into ideas for SIX books. You'd need to look at the story arc, the character development, etc. Is there enough meat?

It sounds like quite an ask to me.

There is enough "meat". Also there is quite a large gallery of people, big family, so can easily shift emphasis.

Only you can tell QS.

Doesn't sound like you're up for it right now and that you are toying with the idea of running before you can walk.

You and I both know that rejection is part of this game - the ability to toughen up in that area is what separates the women from the girls. You also know that you need almost super natural stamina and a certain level of arrogance/self belief to pull off something like that.

On the other hand I can see the allure; I'm all for competitions as carrots - few people can create something so ambitious without a strict deadline. And you clearly feel you have a well written chunk of work already completed that you could recycle/stretch & 'run with'.

But I feel at your foundation there must be a will to do this; a forceful will & love of writing - otherwise the sacrifice isn't worth it, the experience will be hellish for you. It sounds like you lost that love of writing a bit with the sh*tty experience you had and no wonder. I'm so sorry.

Perhaps you want to treat yourself to an Arvon Foundation course to kick-start your new life as a writer? And then see how you feel about the above competition. Perhaps you'll discover that you should be spending your precious time writing something totally different - and better. These course thingys can really help re-build confidence, focus and drive, and that essential core belief in yourself as a writer.

Fingers crossed, will be thinking about you. xx

It's so hard when you've written something you don't want to let go of. Done this myself - hung on like crazy to bits of novels that 'nearly made it' and turned them into something else because there was an opportunity to maybe get at least some of it looked at again.
I hate to say it but I think the truth is it never really works because it always feels forced.
Writing would be so much easier if we didn't have to deal with the publishing industry
Do you have an agent?
It's always worth sending novel out again.
I know stories of books getting published and editors/agents saying 'I'd have taken it on' when manuscript had been read by someone in same company who had rejected it.
I'd forget the competition and keep sending it out.

If you don't have the gusts, stamina and staying power then a writing career is not for you. Alas.

Rejection is inevitable and most writers make hardly anything anyway.

Why not send your novel to some agents? I don't understand how the one into six might work. Sounds intriguing. I think I'd go for that option before I tried re-writing massively for a competition.

Guts even.

Thanks guys, you have given me a lot to think about. I stopped writing when my second child was born and I found it really hard to find both time and "mental space", but as someone said to me, if you really burn for writing, you FIND time. I am not sure how it is going to work either.

You came so close, QS. Is it worth blitzing the script round to a few more agents and publishers before reconciling yourself to reworking it?

The trouble is, this is a small country. There are no literary agents. And only a handful of publishing houses. After the first went belly-up, I sent it to another (with a totally different ideology) and they too seemed interested, but it fizzed out. I thought it could easily be a seriers when I first started writing it, as it was so easy to tell the story, and it lent it self to expanding by focusing on different characters, and it would be easy when the main story was told, to continue with the emphasis on different characters, as the main story seemed to be "only the beginning".

The deadline for the competition is in October. It wouldnt have to be rewritten much, only divided up, and I have severel places in mind where it could be divided.

I havent seen any equivalent "genre" in the uk. But this is a small country, and there are not many writers here that can bear a comparison with the likes of Calvino, Perez-Reverte and Coehlo. Popular literature is found as paperbacks in kiosks, and you hook the audience, it is in a way like soap, but in book form. It is "heavier" than chic lit, though.

Realizing I am no poetic genius, and can of course not compare my writing to the likes of Coehlo and Poe, I can maybe step of my own literary pedestal and into the sphere of tobacco and chocolate. ?