Boarders Writing a Novel, Part 9

[Ebenstone]

Nora, did you get me email? Just want to make sure there's no more mix ups now that you are part of the inner circle.

Stepping out of the fantasy world for a few weeks, trying my hand at something contemporary.

[SpaceChampion]

Ebenstone, there are agents that are willing to represent novellas? I thought they pretty much unanimously wouldn't touch anything except novel-length material.

[Ebenstone]

Ebenstone, there are agents that are willing to represent novellas? I thought they pretty much unanimously wouldn't touch anything except novel-length material.

The novella was done at the suggestion of my agent. He's going to act as editor for the project and we're going to put it out ourselves as an ebook.

[Nerolunar]

I so want to write a novella, but I can't seem to find any ideas... Is anyone willing to share their thoughts on how to get the right idea?

[Francis Buck]

I have one "finished" (it's still super rough, I wrote it when I was 20) borderline-novella -- just over 50,000 words, I believe -- called Perennials that's a cross between vampire and crime fiction. I have a few short stories, in various states of disarray, only one of which I would actually consider genuinely complete, or any good for that matter (I wrote it for a contest). In general I'm just not into writing short stories though. The plots don't come naturally to me. To write a short, I have to sit down and really think about it. Like, I have to manually create ideas, if that makes any sense. For novels and such, the stories come to me organically. I mean I still have to figure out the specifics of the plot, the pacing, characterization, world-building, all that jazz. But the initial kernel of inspiration almost always comes to me without deliberately looking for it.

[SpaceChampion]

Steal. Look at a story you like, but perhaps disagree with its conclusion or theme or whatever, and rewrite it with enough changes that its your own unique story.

SF is a conversation between SF writers. They respond to each other's ideas with stories. So stealing a plot is okay.

[Datepalm]

Mod:

After a bit of discussion, we're going to fold this into the general writing thread. There's simply no reason for that many writing threads in what is really not a writing board, and this one has already gone off the topic of short stories in just 11 posts.

Going forward, we're going to be limiting writing discussions to our one thread, and I cannot stress this enough, there is a whole board for getting feedback on your writing. Register there.

[Ser Camaris]

No worries - sorry about that :-)

[Starkess]

Nora, did you get me email? Just want to make sure there's no more mix ups now that you are part of the inner circle.

I did! Got started on it last night. :)

[Jaime's Wench]

I've never done well writing novellas or short stories. It's always been between 85k and 110k or nothing!!

I am going on holiday today (woooop!) so I am going to put everything I'm doing with my novel on ice until I get back. Hopefully the sunshine will help me get some ideas on how to improve it. Otherwise, it's just a welcome break!

[Zoë Sumra]

Thank you, TD. I've had another two people advise me now, and concerns keep coming back to the ending, and whether it can be sold as a stand-alone since it's meant as a first part in a trilogy. Gah! I hate it when practical publish-y things stamp on creative vision.

I've heard completely contradictory things about whether agents/publishers like to be approached with standalones or with the first in a series nowadays - adaptability on the one hand, something they can work towards on the other. Given this contradiction, you should be fine with someone at least.

[Ebenstone]

I've heard completely contradictory things about whether agents/publishers like to be approached with standalones or with the first in a series nowadays - adaptability on the one hand, something they can work towards on the other. Given this contradiction, you should be fine with someone at least.

Look, there are no tried and true rules when it comes to stuff like this. It's just like word counts. I wouldn't recommend pitching a 500k first novel or a 25 novel series to an agent or a pubsliher...not to say that you might be good enough to pull it off, but odds are you aren't. (Sorry, reality stinks sometimes!)

From my own experience, I pitched WINTER'S DISCORD as part of a series, but it was very much self contained. Originally I pitched it as a four book series but my agent felt a trilogy was an easier sell. We'll see.

I so want to write a novella, but I can't seem to find any ideas... Is anyone willing to share their thoughts on how to get the right idea?

All of my novella ideas are prequels/sidequels to the novel's I've written. It's a liberating experience to have to write in such a confined space. I'll have more news for you all soon.

[Gabriele]

Mod:

Going forward, we're going to be limiting writing discussions to our one thread, and I cannot stress this enough, there is a whole board for getting feedback on your writing. Register there.

Makes sense about only one writing thread here, but that other board is deader than Ned Stark, that's the problem.

[Datepalm]

Makes sense about only one writing thread here, but that other board is deader than Ned Stark, that's the problem.

Well, that's because you're all posting your writing here. In this instance, it is a bit of a zero sum game. :dunno:

We're more than happy to have this thread here for general discussion of writing, advice, moral support, angst, wangst, tears, joy and all the rest, but actual critting and more involved debates that cannot live within the confines of this thread need to go over there.

[Myrddin]

Well, that's because you're all posting your writing here. In this instance, it is a bit of a zero sum game. :dunno:

We're more than happy to have this thread here for general discussion of writing, advice, moral support, angst, wangst, tears, joy and all the rest, but actual critting and more involved debates that cannot live within the confines of this thread need to go over there.

If you guys want to get a writing group going, you can't wait for someone else to start it for you. Or keep it going. You have to have the dedication, drive, and diligence to do it.

If 2 or 3 of you are serious, the other writing board will thrive.

Until that happens, I'd recommend people wanting critiques, etc to try out the established writing boards like Absolute Write or Forward Motion Writers.

My handle on both boards is Myrddin. Come join in the fun, discussions, and wisdom.

I still love this thread for hearing how my fellow ASOIAF boarder writers are doing, but I go elsewhere for crits, industry news, etc.

[Gabriele]

I am on FM already. :) More active in the chat than in the forums, and right now I'm not in any of the critique circles, but I had a good one a few years ago.

I've tried to put some life into the Historical Fiction forum, but that's as much a Sysiphos work than putting some life in that other dead board. At some point you realise that it's a waste of time flogging a dead horse. At least FM has some pretty active subforums.

[AdXRoss]

My editing efforts are still ongoing, but a stock-take tonight has thrown up some good news. I'd finished my first draft with 168,000 words, well out of the saleable zone for the UK; but with a couple of months of chopping and hacking and streamlining, with five chapters of the eighteen overall still to be looked at, I discover I'm already down to 146,000. It might all be for nothing, but it feels like the book is getting better and I'm feeling good about it.

But that said, lots to do before I get to the cover letter for rejection stage! :mellow:

[AdXRoss]

Hello everyone :-)

I know we have a "Boarders writing a Novel" thread (many of them, in fact!), but what about those of us who haven't gotten to that point, or prefer the short form? I'm always interested in chatting to other writers, and sharing joyful stories of sales or tragic stories of rejection.

So, do we have any people working on short stories/novelettes/novellas here? People who have been published?

MODS: If you think this is too close to the Novel thread, feel free to delete it - I won't cry, promise. :-)

Writing of short stories; very much so on my part.

The getting published of short stories; not so much!

I've completed six short stories (not including two Dr Who short stories I wrote for open submission competitions in 2008 and 2010) so far and three have gone out in the wide world to be sent back repeatedly.

I've got a couple more on the go. One is definitely going to get finished, one probably has a fair chance at some point, one needs serious revision but the basic idea might survive, one I keep trying to revive but it doesn't want to work and one that is just dead in the water.

So far I've mostly written sci-fi, but one finished is crime fiction and the one closest to joining the ranks of the done is also crime. Add to that one horror in the works (fair chance one) and an alt-history Western with supernatural overtones on the done (in draft) pile.

[Jaime's Wench]

I have to echo what Mryddin said - i use absolute write to seek in depth advicebon my opening chapters and, most recently, my synopsis. Theres some really knowledgeable folk there willing to give lots of time but you have to give back too. They dont take kindky to newbs arrivibg and straight away asking for a beta reader.

On my journey to London today i made a very bold decision about my ending, one that will take all summer to implement and get right. May require me to mske a few sacrifices to much loved chapters :-(

Sorry, on kindle - forgive mess!!

[Selysin]

Makes sense about only one writing thread here, but that other board is deader than Ned Stark, that's the problem.

So, is anyone interested in engaging in a bit of necromancy?