Progress on my novel faltered every time I wrote short
stories. In January, I received Ramona
Long’s edits on my manuscript. I vowed to focus on
revisions, which were going well until I realized that there were three
opportunities for short stories with March 31st deadlines. I caved,
wrote the stories, and took myself away from revisions. In addition, I decided
to enter my novel, Toasting Fear, into the RWA Daphne Du Maurier Contest in the
unpublished paranormal category as that seemed like the best fit. Its deadline,
too, was March 31st. I scrambled.
The upshot? I’ve been dealing with a lot of rejection this
year. Overcoming fear of failure, keeping a thick skin, and boosting my
self-confidence are posted on my “to do” list along with losing weight and
going to the gym. A remedy of success would please me more than mantra.
The feedback I
received from the Daphne Contest gave me hope. Most of the comments were
positive. I received high marks. Trying to present a coherent story, written in
four POVs, while adhering to the minimal word count required by the contest
elicited a few negative comments. Many of those comments included the word
“disjointed.” No kidding. With four POVs, Mission Impossible. But the readers
thought it would be a good read despite that problem.
By the end of March after two months away from my novel, I
lost steam and spring chores beckoned. Another editor put out the call for
short stories. I again heard the siren’s call, wrote my fourth short story, and
submitted it. Today marks the deadline of that last anthology. I’ll know soon
whether this fourth one lands in the rejection pile, too.
Spring turned to summer. Although I’d love to call myself a
full-time writer, my time isn’t my own. Our business and family comes first. When
I first started to write fiction balancing it all was a problem. Nothing has
changed. Between real life and blog interviews, five months have passed since
I’ve worked on my novel’s revisions. I’ve promised myself and beta readers that
I would see this book through.
But then, I have to think of a Christmas short story for
this blog.
What is the longest time it has taken you to complete a novel?
It sounds as if short stories are your stronger calling, but keep at that novel. You don't seem to have a deadline, so let it work it's way through your brain.
ReplyDeleteI find that there are times when the words don't come because they aren't ready yet. When you've got the edits resolved in your head and are ready, the novel will call almost as strongly as the short stories.
Good luck.
What's the definition of complete? My current writing task is to rewrite Ant Farm, which will now be a prequel to the Seamus McCree series that started with Bad Policy.
ReplyDeleteI worked on Ant Farm (originally called Actuarial Gains in late 2002 or early 2003. I hope to publish it in 2015 so that will be over twelve years from start to finish.
But -- I do have numerous short stories that never made it to completion.
Actions often do speak louder than words and your actions seem to indicate you'd prefer to write short stories. Are you writing your novel because you think you should or is it a story you really want to tell or something else?
~ Jim
This is my third manuscript. It's complete, but I'm still revising. One of my problems is that I don't have time to sit down for eight hours each day. I'd like to consider this my job so I can concentrate on it. Until I can do that, I'm unsure of it and/or a big chicken to release it for public consumption. I'm also a bit of a perfectionist.
ReplyDeleteI read a lot. One book I downloaded onto my Kindle the other day (a cheap read) had a terrific plot. But the newbie author made a few plunders. That's not who I want to be.
Sure, I like short stories, but I need to get some of my manuscripts to the marketplace. It's more a matter of the time it take to do the forms well. Short stories just don't take the time novels do.
I will complete my revisions. I'm two thirds of the way there.
Congratulations on the positive feedback from the Daphne Du Maurier Contest and for having the courage to enter your story!
ReplyDeleteI worked on a novel for two and a half years but wasn't satisfied with the outcome. So, I rewrote it as a screenplay (almost a year) because I'm more creative using that format. After finishing the script I planned to rework the book. But I felt burned out so it's sitting in a drawer patiently waiting for me to regain my motivation.
I'm with you on the short stories, E.B. My novel sputtered to a halt last spring when I had a few health issues and was having trouble concentrating on a long piece. I wrote a few short stories (three accepted in anthologies, two still out on submission, but usually if they're going to be accepted, that happens quickly) and two more I have partially done and want to submit. Just last night, I got one of them pretty much done, and out to my readers. All of whom will have suggestions, I'm sure.
ReplyDeleteThen I have 3 novels in various stages of completion. I have a rough draft of the first in a series with a mid-50's woman protagonist, but I have an agent interested in a YA that could turn into a series, so I'm thinking I should concentrate on that.
But it's a nice problem to have, and since I retired in July, I do have more time to pursue writing.
It's great that you got good feedback on your story from the Daphne DuMaurier contest!
ReplyDeleteAnd you are already two thirds done with your revisions. My math skills are nothing to shout about, but that means you're mostly done. I keep hearing about people putting themselves in "book jail" until they get a particular project done. I've found a good book jail at my local library - a cramped, dim, brick walled study room that lets in little light or air or distraction. It's perfect. I'm trying to finish a novel too (based on short stories I wrote about 15 years ago!) and I've decided it's book jail for me until it is done. I hope you can find a good book jail and wrap up those revisions.
I anticipate having a few days in another week. It's surprising how much I can get done when I can find the time without company. Solitary time is the biggest challenge. I have more confidence in it since Ramona edited it in concept and language.
ReplyDeleteE.B. I think it's great you had such positive comments on your Daphne de Maurier submission. That should keep you going.
ReplyDeleteI can't begin to tell you how long my first book took me because I started it when I was teaching which is a ten hour a day job that melds into weekends, too, with grading papers and planning so much of my writing was only in the summer in between gardening and summer vacations, etc. Then came the years of revisions, etc. My next two books didn't take as long because I had my main characters and many secondary characters fleshed out, and, of course, I've been retired for a few years, too.
Like you, however, I love to read as well has have a lot of other distractions that interfere with writing. For instance, now that the first draft of my 4th book is finished, I should be working on the revisions and final editing which I'm dying to start, but where am I? Vacationing out in California for ten days. Gloria
Have fun, Gloria! To write an exciting book, the author has to experience life and put it all in the book. Go forth and conquer.
ReplyDelete