Fiction Scribe

A note before I get started. I read back over my previous posts and realized I didn’t give you the link to Word Count Journal. I apologize. I had to retype that post about three times because of technical difficulties. The site is now up and running. See you there if you choose to participate. (Oh, and here I am.)

Okay, ladies and gentlemen, it’s a new year and for the “Path to Publication” category, I’ve decided to take a step back. I’m starting a novel from basically scratch so I can really get into all aspects of being a writer.

Also, the reason I have decided to stray away from editing and sending in one of my novels, is because it’s part of a quartet (or quintet if I can think of a suitable plot for one of my ideas), and I had the unfortunate luck to write the novel and then think of prequels instead of sequels. I’m going to write the first, work on sending that one in, and go from there.

The bad thing about writing the fifth book (or third or…) before the first is the more you write and the more that happens, the more trapped you become in what has to happen in the first book. This isn’t always the case, but often can be. If you become too trapped, you’ll be more likely to become bored with your writing and abandon the project altogether.

Or, like the predicament I was facing, you’ll be forced to do a major rewrite on the book/all of the books you have written each time something comes along in the first (or whichever book you’re working) that acts as a ripple effect and changes things through all the books.

I highly suggest if you have a novel and have prequels floating around in your mind (sequels are easier to deal with in this situation), start working on Book One.

My question to you is: Have you or anyone you know written something completely out of order and it worked without anything more than the usual necessary edits?

(If so, I’d like to know how they did it. )

Having finished a few works which are either now out and being edited or waiting on the shelf for like treatement, I face an interesting question:

When and for how long do you put something aside? You’ve just finished your baby; is it time to let it go for a bit and if so, for how long?

I am a writer who, like many other writers, believes you need to put something away for a while before you can edit it properly. Coming at it with “fresh eyes” so to say.

But when do you put it away? Right away? After a first, rough edit?

Fortunately, the only thing you need to worry about with this is when you want to get it published. The longer you leave it, the longer you wait before submitting your work. However, there is another side, because the shorter time you give yourself between finishing your writing and editing (or editing again), the more likely you won’t have quite as an objective look on your work.

This, like many things I post about, is subject to personal preferences. However, there is one thing I will say about putting your work away:

To quote the brother of my high school composition teacher: If you “sit on” your manuscript, the only one reading it will be your butt.”

Don’t rush, but don’t wait too long, either.

Yes, that’s a bit vague, but I have faith in your judgement.

publishing, editing, fiction writing

I’m sure this is going to be just the first of many posts along my way to trying to get published. In deciding to take this leap, I’ve already come across many questions:

Do I submit here (Australia) or do I go for the larger American market? Or both?

Do I want to just go with one manuscript, or should I try simultaneous submissions? (Which is another issue because a lot of companies won’t accept simultaneous submissions while others will.)

Do I want to try to submit unsolicited, or should I try to get an agent?

How much of my manuscript(s) is enough to “accurately portray your tone and the direction of your story”?

Rye or wheat?

Anyway, and so it begins.

publishing, fiction publishing, submissions, agents, fiction writing