My Debut Novel
I want my first published novel to be amazing. Something worthy of one of those medals they put on the front of the really good books. I don’t want it to be something I cranked out that fits into a publishable mold.
Reality check! If that’s the case I’ll probably be fifty before I’m published!
Unfortunately, I think my first novel won’t be anything spectacular which is probably not such a bad idea. Think about it, if you have an amazing first book, everything else has to be better. What if it isn’t?
So if I start of with a run of the mill (albeit Gina-style novel) should I really look down on myself? If it’s just good, then there’s a whole lot of room for improvement.
The one thing I know that is standing in the way of that amazing novel is the voices outside of my head squelching my inner voice. I’m learning there’s a fine line between voice and bad writing. I’m trying to figure out where that line is.
But until then, I will try and craft the best story I can, now! If it sells, great! If it’s not great, I’ll live to writer another day.
Still a part of me dreams of writing that amazing, heart tugging story that just makes the reader sigh at the end and think about it for days!
Maybe someday!
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I think writing a just-plain GOOD novel is a magnificent achievement. Don’t kill yourself trying to write the Great American Novel right out of the gate!
September 23rd, 2007 at 2:56 pmBeck, I know your right and it was confirmed at conference this weekend. I’ll post more on it later, but let’s just say I was seriously doubting my writing talent and abilities, then after meeting with two agents and an editor, got renewed hope. They all liked the project and gave me great ways to improve it!
September 23rd, 2007 at 4:00 pmI think we’re all scared that if it’s not a Donald Maass “Breakout Novel” we’ll be lost in the cracks and editors won’t want to give us another chance…but I like to think back to how long it took me to discover Francine Rivers and others. I read one of their later books and was hooked, having to own ALL the previous ones. It was like Christmas over and over again, having all these goodies to devour at once. So don’t be like me, har-har, and fret to death over the first novel. I think we are actually quite alike in that…we wonder if it will ever be good enough in OUR eyes to send it off…
Am interested in hearing what all you got confirmed at the conference, can’t wait, actually!
Hope your sister continues to recover well!
September 25th, 2007 at 2:32 pmSince I went to ACFW, I’ve been fretting over the first CHAPTER. I rewrote it, thanks to suggestions from two awesome agents, but still there’s always this doubt whether or not it’s RIGHT! Guess I’ll never know, but I Can’t wallow in wonder. I need to move on!
September 25th, 2007 at 6:20 pm