Testing the waters....

[Divides the Waters]

Well, since my first novel was just rejected because the editor couldn't get through the first three chapters (ironic, since the "action" really picked up at the end of chapter three), I'm thinking I have to re-work my approach. The "prologue" was actually the first several chapters, which were not backstory, but set-up. Necessary as all get out, but apparently boring to this editor (who, I might add, doesn't know the purpose of an Oxford comma, but that's just sour grapes). So I guess that the moral of the story is, you can get away with just about anything if you're a published author, but the rest of us poor saps have to write whiz-bang openings that never let up the pace.

[CastleLyons]

Nov 21, 2008 20:30:17 GMT -5 Divides the Waters said:

So I guess that the moral of the story is, you can get away with just about anything if you're a published author, but the rest of us poor saps have to write whiz-bang openings that never let up the pace.

Divides, I feel your pain. I once tried to read The Dragonbone Chair by Tad Williams. My son, who recommended the book to me, warned me that it's rather slow for the first 100 pages. 100 pages! Well, I drudged my way through those first 100 pages and then some, and the action still didn't pick up. When I mentioned this to my son, he said that maybe it was more like the first 150 pages before the action picked up. I tried reading a bit more, but that was all I could take.

I suppose Tad Williams can get away with it among his faithful followers, but I did not become a follower of his.

[Divides the Waters]

Mine went a lot faster.

[CastleLyons]

Also reminds me of a comment I read in a book about writing. I think it was in Self-Editing for Fiction Writers. The comment was about the Bourne novels (Bourne Identity, etc.). The reviewer said something like, "I don't care how many billions of copies it sold, it's still crap."

I guess some people can get away with crap.

[J Jack]

Too that some people can get away with crap. Look at all the celebrity novels. And my personal archenemy Paolini and Eragon. Terrible. Made me cry a bit inside, and the worst part was that an aspiring (albeit not very good) author recommended it to me.

[Divides the Waters]

What I don't understand is how some people can get away with crap, while more literate authors get shunted aside as unpublishable. Have we lowered the bar that much? It's not that I mind the junk being out there; there are whole markets that have always been geared for pulp fiction. But when things that are legitimately better written are rejected on a regular basis, you have to wonder a bit what's going on.

[J Jack]

Question. Why is Steven King still publishing books!? They are the most random and worst books ever, I think something is up with that. Why not take that money and publish some aspiring and talented authors books?

[Christian Soldier]

STOP! Griping a bit is one thing, but naming names is something else altogether. Divides, I understand your pain, but most authors get turned down that first time. The trick is to drive on! Find another editor or an agent and drive on.

We've mentioned Paolini. Anyone know his story? True, the books weren't that great, but the story behind them is! He got turned down, so what did he do? He self published the thing and then went around his end of the US selling and signing his book. Well... let me rephrase this a bit: his mother did. He just wrote it and signed it.

As for the unfairness of it all, you're all right. It's not fair, nor should it be. These editors are buying what they think will sell. Anything with "King" on it will sell. Period. Asimov was always making jokes on the subject. Just read the introduction to his "Foundation" series. HE felt bad about the drivel he had written and gotten published, which is why he wrote that series in the first place.

So, what should we all take from this overly long reply? Life sucks, but we, as Christians, know that we have a hidden gambit that others don't have: we have the Holy Spirit, which guides us and helps us to learn from life. Take comfort that we have help through all of life's hurdles and pains that the rest of the world knows nothing of.

Writing a novel, by itself, is an incredible accomplishment. Divides, you should be proud of yourself. How many of us here have actually written an entire novel that was consistent to itself and the story it tells? Not me. I'm lucky if I can get a short story out, much less an entire novel.

So lift up your chin, square your shoulders, and drive on! Send that sucker out to several more editors, agents, and whoever else might like to read it! Get some extra feed back while you wait on the next series of replies. You never know, maybe someone else will catch what you missed. If you get rejected again, just know that that is one company that is missing out on a great opportunity. Meanwhile, add in the changes from the last round of peer support and start writing the next one(If you haven't already).

I guess I have nothing else to say
*Looks around, confused, and climbs off of his soap box*

God Bless -- CS

[morganlbusse]

Well said Christian Soldier!

[scintor]

Hey bro. CS has a good point. You and Jeff (a different one) started this story all those years ago. I am proud of my contributions (and I would have contributed more if I wasn't such a scatterbrain.) You've reached a great plateau, don't stop striving for the top.

Scincerely,

[e-mail]

[e-mail]

[torainfor]

I'm part of a writers' group, and people occasionally bring in book proposals to be critiqued. I was surprised, the first time, to note one of the items the editor wanted addressed was how the author was prepared to market the book. Donita K. Paul says that "marketing" is one of her favorite parts of writing--she loves to get out and meet her audience. That's a bit of a foreign concept to me as the solitary aspect of writing is probably my favorite.

I'd be interested in hearing from Jeff and Frank about their experiences with that side of writing.

[J Jack]

well said CS. I am ashamed to say jealousy made it's way into my opinion...even the best fall and I am far from it.

However, you are very right in the push and push again and again until reaching the point where the good do get published. We do live in a time where names sell and unknowns don't, but those of us unknowns can try our best until we get out there.

[metalikhan]

I haven't been able to read all the writing posts yet, so I have no previous knowledge of what else you've written. I mention that only to make clear that this is a response on a reading without a warm-up — totally cold.
It grabbed my attention. I understood that as a dream it was not a matter of the sleeping brain entertaining itself; this was a visionary dream, tightly conveying the dread of the hunted even though the hunted one was another person.
The brevity made it almost like prose poetry. Only some minor tweaking would make it free verse. Poetry with a razor.