And I'm not talking being torn and wasted on the floor after a night of reckless abandonment. Though... that is LONG overdue. Just kidding. I'm not like that... all the time. Today is a Nina Simone on the iTunes day.
Writer friends told me this long before my first novel was published: The first novel you write for the fun of it; after you're published, your writing is influenced not by fun but business, readers, agents, etc... In other words people outside your head.
Writers... true or not?
Because I'm staring down a nice fall deadline for a new novel draft. And I've started several different novel projects, and unfinished several different novel projects. You should see the abandoned mineshaft that is my hard drive... of novels I've started and not finished. And at some pretty alarming page numbers... 123, 87, 111, etc...
My problem. I'm torn.
Part of me loves fun, escapist, yet culturally-empowered type writing and characters. Part of me loves the idea of writing something more serious, maybe along the literary side. Not that literary can't be fun. It can... and lots of folks are doing it.
Well, some. I know writers are always dividing themselves along the lines of fun and escapist versus reflective and I spend 3 months deciding on the right word to complete my sentence. Do you stay with your niche or think about mainstream? Peer or reader satisfaction? Awards or sales?
Aarrrrrggggggh.
The thing is... I know my voice. So what's with all the questions? I'm just too darn reflective, I guess. But also wanted to let you writers who haven't finished your first novel yet... you are not alone in your process.
Writers... readers... are you torn?
fs
1 comment:
Fred,
You are not alone in this one, though you may think you are. I published my first YA novel two years ago without an agent, it was hard work. I immeditely began working on my next project a women's fiction novel; I completed it in a year and up to this point I still don't have an agent for this manuscript. Right now I'm working on my second women's fiction manuscript and I'm working on it as if an editor had given me a deadline. It's total insanity. But, let me tell you, it's an insanity that I love and enjoy.
Good luck on your project and may the muses enlighten you.
Lotus love,
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