2009 was kind of a bumper year for me. At the very end of 2008 I switched jobs and wound up (finally) in my dream job (woot). I finished my first novel mid 2009 and successfully completely NaNoWriMo for the second year in a row. Overall, I was feeling very accomplished-- very much like everything was on track for 2010 to be the best year of all.
And then... editing struck. My first novel had some really lovely concepts and ideas-- but the book I’d written and the book I started out writing were two very different stories. Stories that would need comprehensive months of editing to merge into one readable draft. Our writing group began to set deadlines and make up schedules to swap around our stories... At the time I was completely in denial about the amount of work it would take to produce a draft I felt vaguely confident in showing to other people (even my most trusted readers). So, when the first deadline came up, I had to admit I had failed. I was unable to send out a draft-- but I still had a draft to read from my friend. So, I was now editing a rough manuscript and reading a friend’s draft. Then, the next deadline came along and I was again still working on my novel, editing my friend’s draft and then editing a second draft. Everything had snowballed quite quickly and I was buried.
For a few weeks I felt completely overwhelmed and defeated. I made no progress on any fronts-- not my own work or my friends. I hadn’t just let myself down but now I was letting down my group. I was more upset to see my group let down, if I’m honest.
Then, I began to regroup. My first novel had to be broken before I would be able to see any real progress. I had to get through they very shaky beginning (and the eight new scenes I had to write to tie the two stories together). So, I spoke to my first friend and she agreed it was more important to get my story moving. Two weeks of just concentrating on my book meant I was able to ‘break the back’ of the whole mess. I was able to set a goal for editing my novel and working on hers again. Just taking a tiny bit more time meant I was able to get everything back on track.
Here is the big lesson I’ve learned-- when you work as a group you have to do what works best for the group, but you have to remember what works best for you. I am not great with deadlines. I usually have to set one, then push it back a few times. And as I’m not a professional writer and I’m doing everything in my ‘spare’ time this is fine. If this was my ‘day job’ then I’d just have to embrace deadlines and make them happen (I do just that very successfully in my day job). I work well with small weekly goals. A tiny checklist of things I need to do to move my work forwards. A huge looming deadline doesn’t generally work for me. Maybe it’s my ADHD-- but something so big tends to boggle my brain. It makes me only see the big end result and not the small obtainable steps I need to break everything down into to get there. Now, I’ve got the quiet confidence I was lacking to admit when what I’m working on needs more time. It’s not a race, and while I’m still working on my first novel I’ve finished editing my friend’s first novel and am about two third’s of the way through my second friend’s. I am able to get their stories back to them so that I am no longer letting them down as well. Which is beyond important to me. My work can wait-- but making sure my group is getting the support they need really matters to me. I really don’t mind being behind-- because at least being ‘behind’ I’m making progress. Before, when I was in denial and trying to struggle to stay on schedule, I was just spinning my wheels.
I will never again have the freedom I did in 2008 to just write one project. Going forward I will always be writing something and editing something (maybe not at the same time-- but they will definitely overlap). So, rather than look at 2010 as a series of failures-- or missed goals, I am looking at it as a chance to learn a new skill base. A new way of working on multiple projects that ends in good results.
Monday, May 24, 2010
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Not Just a Single-Genre Writer
I’ve been working on my second novel lately while I wait for revisions on the first. Comparing both of these, I wonder if I’m a bit in trouble. The first is a fairly straightforward paranormal romance. The second has a bit of historical fiction, a bit of romance—but it’s not completely romantic and it’s really more fantasy than historical. It’s a bit of a genre-buster.
I’m wondering how both of these books will sell. The first has a specific audience in mind. The second…doesn’t. Am I positioning myself as well as I could be as a new author with two books in two entirely separate (and, in one case, undefined) genres?
It’s something to think about, but I also think it’s important just to write. How the book is marketed, and to whom, can be addressed later. I couldn’t change my second book to conform to a certain genre even if I wanted to—that’s just not the story I’m telling. And I suppose I could always write different books under different names—although presumably it’s a good idea to build a name in one genre first before getting on to the second.
Do you try to write in a specific genre only? How do you handle writing projects in numerous genres?
I’m wondering how both of these books will sell. The first has a specific audience in mind. The second…doesn’t. Am I positioning myself as well as I could be as a new author with two books in two entirely separate (and, in one case, undefined) genres?
It’s something to think about, but I also think it’s important just to write. How the book is marketed, and to whom, can be addressed later. I couldn’t change my second book to conform to a certain genre even if I wanted to—that’s just not the story I’m telling. And I suppose I could always write different books under different names—although presumably it’s a good idea to build a name in one genre first before getting on to the second.
Do you try to write in a specific genre only? How do you handle writing projects in numerous genres?
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Choosing Readers Carefully
I’m waiting on my last reader to get me back an edit on my first novel. It’s a nerve-wracking wait. I know my book will (hopefully) be available for anyone to read someday, but right now I limit who gets to see it to a very small, very trusted circle. It’s a first draft—and it’s a mess. And even though I’ve developed a thick skin, I also know that too-critical comments could get me down and lessen my excitement for this project. Still, I do need readers who aren’t afraid to offer constructive criticism.
So the right readers for my first draft are carefully chosen. They’re people I know will be supportive, but who will still tell me what I need to fix and won’t just shower me with praise or criticism.
They’re also people who read and write in the same genre I do—so they know how a book in this genre is supposed to go, the conventions I’m working with, and what will likely appeal to my audience. They are my audience—the type of people who would read a book like mine. So I know they won’t dislike it just because it’s romance or fantasy, and they’ll “get” what I’m doing a little more than the average reader.
After they’re done with edits and I’ve gotten a chance to rework my draft, I plan to send out my draft to a wider circle. Some are also romance and fantasy fans but not writers themselves. Some are good friends but not regular readers in those genres. Their feedback will be more useful when I know my draft is stronger, and when I want to judge how the story flows to a reader less familiar with the work—as well as whether it has crossover appeal.
Occasionally someone in my life feels bad because I don’t want to show them my first draft for some reason. Naturally I hate hurting the feelings of people I care about, and I try to explain—but it’s not always easy. Because I’d love your feedback—how do you deal with that kind of issue?
So the right readers for my first draft are carefully chosen. They’re people I know will be supportive, but who will still tell me what I need to fix and won’t just shower me with praise or criticism.
They’re also people who read and write in the same genre I do—so they know how a book in this genre is supposed to go, the conventions I’m working with, and what will likely appeal to my audience. They are my audience—the type of people who would read a book like mine. So I know they won’t dislike it just because it’s romance or fantasy, and they’ll “get” what I’m doing a little more than the average reader.
After they’re done with edits and I’ve gotten a chance to rework my draft, I plan to send out my draft to a wider circle. Some are also romance and fantasy fans but not writers themselves. Some are good friends but not regular readers in those genres. Their feedback will be more useful when I know my draft is stronger, and when I want to judge how the story flows to a reader less familiar with the work—as well as whether it has crossover appeal.
Occasionally someone in my life feels bad because I don’t want to show them my first draft for some reason. Naturally I hate hurting the feelings of people I care about, and I try to explain—but it’s not always easy. Because I’d love your feedback—how do you deal with that kind of issue?
Friday, May 7, 2010
Mac Freedom Saved My Novel
Sometimes when I’m really feeling like I’m just not getting anything done on my novel, I leave the house and go to a coffee shop, park or library to work. Anywhere, really, where I CAN’T get online. It’s not that easy nowadays—especially in a big city like New York, even hotel lobbies and sandwich shops have wireless access. Sometimes I run around the city to find a place with no access as desperately as I do to find it when I’m on vacation somewhere else.
Getting offline is a very important part of my writing method. Do you have any idea how much time we waste Facebookcrastinating (i.e., procrastinating on Facebook), writing long, non-urgent messages to childhood friends, poking around on other people’s blogs and incessantly checking our emails? And it’s not enough for me to just consciously forbid myself to get online. I’m compulsive. I can’t help it. When there's a problem with a plot point or a tricky character issue, I proactively avoid it by checking my email, again, because somebody might have sent me something important in the 2.5 seconds since I checked it last. Gotta stay on top of these things. So I have to find a place where I really can’t get online if I really need to be productive. And sometimes finding an Internet dead zone when you want one can be as hard as finding access when you need it.
Now I don’t have to leave the house to go somewhere there’s no Internet access. I’ve discovered Mac Freedom. It’s an extremely useful program that will block your Internet access completely for a set amount of time, up to eight hours. Mac Freedom won’t respond to pleads, bribery, or tantrums—no Internet til it says you can. One time I even got desperate and forced the program to quit, and it still wouldn’t let me get online. Now that’s resolution. And there’s a version for both Mac and PC users, so anyone can use it.
When I use this program, my productivity shoots through the roof. I get ahead on my blog posting. I finish edits and marketing projects I’ve been putting off. And I get time to work on my novel, too. It’s 100% worth the price—which is not saying much, because it’s free.
Getting offline is a very important part of my writing method. Do you have any idea how much time we waste Facebookcrastinating (i.e., procrastinating on Facebook), writing long, non-urgent messages to childhood friends, poking around on other people’s blogs and incessantly checking our emails? And it’s not enough for me to just consciously forbid myself to get online. I’m compulsive. I can’t help it. When there's a problem with a plot point or a tricky character issue, I proactively avoid it by checking my email, again, because somebody might have sent me something important in the 2.5 seconds since I checked it last. Gotta stay on top of these things. So I have to find a place where I really can’t get online if I really need to be productive. And sometimes finding an Internet dead zone when you want one can be as hard as finding access when you need it.
Now I don’t have to leave the house to go somewhere there’s no Internet access. I’ve discovered Mac Freedom. It’s an extremely useful program that will block your Internet access completely for a set amount of time, up to eight hours. Mac Freedom won’t respond to pleads, bribery, or tantrums—no Internet til it says you can. One time I even got desperate and forced the program to quit, and it still wouldn’t let me get online. Now that’s resolution. And there’s a version for both Mac and PC users, so anyone can use it.
When I use this program, my productivity shoots through the roof. I get ahead on my blog posting. I finish edits and marketing projects I’ve been putting off. And I get time to work on my novel, too. It’s 100% worth the price—which is not saying much, because it’s free.
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Poking a Jellyfish with a Stick... And Hoping not to Get Stung
It seems I'm having a few problems this week getting the process going. I'm currently editing two stories concurrently (try saying that three times fast....), mostly because I figure that when I hit a roadblock on one, I can do something with the other.
This is, of course not always the case, but it does seem to be working for now.
The problem is that I'm finding myself leaning more towards the one that reads more easily than the other that needs more work. The one that needs more work needs almost a full re-write. The story just doesn't work as is. The characters are flat, the story comes to it's conclusion far too quickly, and like Pandora's Box, having unlocked the endgame, it's proving hard to stuff the crap back in there to make the darn thing work. The easy one, I'm finding I'm just skimming along. Occasionally, I hit some little thing, make a note about it and move on. Easy as pie. I can almost see the end from here (although I know I'll be telling myself to "work on this").
I just end up feeling guilty because, like last week, I spend the larger part of my time reading the good one -- ten, twenty pages at a time --, while I'm doing maybe a page a week for rewrites of the other. But, at the same time, it's hard for me to balance that out more. I just don't know, right now, how to fix the story that needs work.
Ugh. Well, I'll take the blessings with the burdens. Hopefully, by the time I've sorted the edits on the easier story, I can come back to the harder one with renewed purpose.
But, does anyone have any advice?
Butt-in-chair method has gotten all of the stories I've written thus far (4!) together, and while editing is always slow, I've been pretty fortunate that the one that's got me stumped has been the only one with the problems I'm having. Along with everything else -- shaky plot, faded characters, hard-to-work with character with perhaps too unique a problem for my writing ability -- I'm also having Premature Ending Syndrome. I feel like I've stumbled over this ending and found "Surprise! You've got nothing else here!"
And it's got me scratching my head, looking at a re-write. Maybe the sea monsters came in over night and stole the rest of the book. Things go missing, perhaps it was the kelpie. Who knows?
So, come on people. The floor is yours. What should I do? Keep on keeping on with the one that works and set this aside? Or should I set aside the easy path? Is there a real compromise between the two that can be had? I'd appreciate any and all feedback.
This is, of course not always the case, but it does seem to be working for now.
The problem is that I'm finding myself leaning more towards the one that reads more easily than the other that needs more work. The one that needs more work needs almost a full re-write. The story just doesn't work as is. The characters are flat, the story comes to it's conclusion far too quickly, and like Pandora's Box, having unlocked the endgame, it's proving hard to stuff the crap back in there to make the darn thing work. The easy one, I'm finding I'm just skimming along. Occasionally, I hit some little thing, make a note about it and move on. Easy as pie. I can almost see the end from here (although I know I'll be telling myself to "work on this").
I just end up feeling guilty because, like last week, I spend the larger part of my time reading the good one -- ten, twenty pages at a time --, while I'm doing maybe a page a week for rewrites of the other. But, at the same time, it's hard for me to balance that out more. I just don't know, right now, how to fix the story that needs work.
Ugh. Well, I'll take the blessings with the burdens. Hopefully, by the time I've sorted the edits on the easier story, I can come back to the harder one with renewed purpose.
But, does anyone have any advice?
Butt-in-chair method has gotten all of the stories I've written thus far (4!) together, and while editing is always slow, I've been pretty fortunate that the one that's got me stumped has been the only one with the problems I'm having. Along with everything else -- shaky plot, faded characters, hard-to-work with character with perhaps too unique a problem for my writing ability -- I'm also having Premature Ending Syndrome. I feel like I've stumbled over this ending and found "Surprise! You've got nothing else here!"
And it's got me scratching my head, looking at a re-write. Maybe the sea monsters came in over night and stole the rest of the book. Things go missing, perhaps it was the kelpie. Who knows?
So, come on people. The floor is yours. What should I do? Keep on keeping on with the one that works and set this aside? Or should I set aside the easy path? Is there a real compromise between the two that can be had? I'd appreciate any and all feedback.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
