I imagine that most first-time writers follow a similar path to my own, in that we first write our novel and only then (or in my case it was about halfway through my first book) do we really start checking out 'writing' online via blogs and articles. In other words, we write our first books while relatively uneducated about all things writing/agenting/publishing.
If you are like me, you look back over each year spent online and are just amazed at how much you have learned about writing. No matter how much I love my first book, after everything that I have learned I know I could rewrite it far better than I did.
This leads to a potential trap for writers -- we realize how much more we have to learn and how much we are in fact learning all the time, so we can wonder whether we should really be bothering to put our first works out there for agents and publishers to see. I think it's a valid concern, and for many of us (myself included) I think the answer may be that we really should (at some point) go back and rewrite that first novel. I know so much more now that I am really excited about my second novel, so I plan on shelving my first until I complete the second. But I don't want my beloved first book to collect dust forever. I want it to be published. I don't think it needs a complete rewrite, but I do think I can at least rework the beginning to make it more immediately exciting for readers.
How about you? What are your thoughts on what it means to enter into the online writing world?
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What I’ve Been Listening To: November 2024
1 hour ago
This basically applies to me 100%. I could have written this exact post, especially since I ALREADY AM re-writing my first novel.
ReplyDeleteHow's it going with that, Matt? I think you were still in the early stages last I heard. It's daunting to imagine that it will be several years at least before I can be published. I also wonder what it will be like in a crit group when one member gets published.
ReplyDeleteamen to this!
ReplyDeletei'm about 30,000 words into a complete rewrite of my first wip, and totally frustrated, because now i KNOW how not-up-to-par it is! :/
Victoria, and then two years further on you will be able to rewrite again even better. That's what I mean by a trap!
ReplyDeleteI know I'm tackling revisions on my first book after the new year. It can only get better right?
ReplyDeleteI'm learning so much here! I wasn't online when I wrote my book, but I did go through some writing sites and read a couple books. I'm so much better prepared now - and I hope it shows in my second book.
ReplyDeleteI'm actually hoping to rework some things in my first one (not an entire rewrite but some definite changes...) in the next few months, so I know what you mean exactly. The problem is knowing when enough is enough (at least for me) and when to finally just call a project 'done' and close that book (literally)
ReplyDeleteHappy Holidays to you and yours, Ted!
~bru
Exactly, bru! When is it enough? We will always continue to get better, so we will always be able to go back and improve old books. I guess if we can ever sell one then that tells us we have done enough!
ReplyDelete