I have a dilemma.
I am forty pages into writing a new book. Two of the characters especially--Claudia who dresses in various disguises for meet ups with a married man, and her Mother, who is still nameless, who has taught her four children that poetry solves anything and everything and who adores John Denver like a religion, has had a bad childhood that she's transformed into a passion for life. They are both spunky and heroic and yes too, tragic.
So I'm working my way through some kind of a schedule where I write reliably and I'm excited by this story--Claudia and her Mother and her brother Cole and sister Emily and the affair with Mr. Bigshot and his betrayal of his good and kind wife. It's already all a tangled mess and I love it.
But.
This week I received a response from a reputable publisher to whom I had on a whim submitted a query for my first book, one I self published and haven't given it the chance it deserves. The response was no, the book's not right for us because it would need to be longer--more words and pages-before we can consider it. I have the feeling that if I lengthen the story, The Light Stays On may well get picked up by this publisher. I would of course LOVE that.
So what would you do? Providing back story about the characters and introducing more about place(s) and complexities is, I think, doable. But I don't think I can work on two books at the same time.
I'd love your advice. Help!
love
kj
I am not a writer and would not pretend to have any helpful advice on the writing or publishing process.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I have found that eating a jar of Nutella while in the mountains or on a beach, seems to bring me much needed clarity : )
8, okay, with high regard for your advice, I am going to modify as follows: I will sit in my back yard with a bowl of cookie dough ice cream and of course hot fudge sauce and I will see which way my body leans
DeleteOh and I will mumble ohms
Love
kj
If it were me, I'd write the first draft of the new story first. I think it's hard to get that love affair again if you put it down. But maybe that's just me. I have several stories sitting in my laptop that I stopped working on for one reason or another, and I haven't gone back to them. My new mantra is " finish it." :) xo
ReplyDeleteThanks, Pam. That's what needed to hear xo
ReplyDeleteLove
kj
Light stays on, light stays on, LIGHT STAYS ON!!!!!
ReplyDeletethanks, mim. my ambivalence returns!
Deletelove
kj
really difficult and dependent on you and whether you would want to plunge into a book that you felt was finished, mess it up, add on. When my first and only novel was accepted by Viking, they wanted it longer so I worked hard, added a new character and new chapters. However, it had not been out there and published yet. It was in draft form so I was able to do what was needed. I am quite sure that I personally could not go into my own novel and redo it. However, that is not to say that you couldnt. You could give it a whirl and see if it works for you. If it doesnt work you still have your original published version. If it does work then maybe this new publisher will take it and give it larger distribution. I assume they want to see the revised version before they give you any money down?
ReplyDeletesuki, i'm not married to the book as it was published. it would probably be good to develop the characters of alex and lily more, their sense of place, etc. i knew the book would be too short for mainstream publishers. no guarantee whatsoever from this new publisher that they would pick up a revision of 'the light stays on'--just a willingness to read it and see if they want it. the more i think about it, there is one character in particular in the new book (the mother) who keeps calling to me, and her story seems important. so i'm going to work on that first. thanks so much for your comment here. it helps a lot
Deletelove
kj
In any event both things you write about are very exciting. the new publisher's interest in the light goes on. and your new novel that you are working on!!! Great
ReplyDeletethanks, suki. i'm not yet into the rhythm of writing regularly again, and i need that. i hope next week i will begin in earnest.
Deletelove again
kj
kj,
ReplyDeleteWishing you happy writing!
Both of these books sound interesting, and I think that whatever decision you decide on will be right for you.
Brenda
hello brenda! thanks for the vote of confidence. xoxo
ReplyDeletelove
kj
I don't know.. I think that I would have continued with the current story bcs its so in ur mind right now..and send a small chapter of that to the publisher .. and see if they are interested in this one.. how does that sound?
ReplyDeleteHdwk, that's what I 'm going to do!
ReplyDeleteHope all is well with you
Love
kj
Truth is it all depends on how well you can compartmentalize, if you have both running together then your work will suck but if you can keep them completely separate you can do it.
ReplyDelete