When do you know a novel is done?
When do you know when a novel is done?
I think it must work in stages. Last year I was all hyped up when I pitched "Arms of the Enemy" to Silhouette and they asked me for a full ms. I was on cloud 9. You must have heard me whoop it up -- the shout that was heard 'round the world. LOL. Then I settled in and tried to make my self-imposed deadline. Finally sent it in and waited. For one month. Not bad huh? The news wasn't good, but constructive and there was an invitation to send more material. Uh--no mention of sending back THAT novel.
So, I put it away and worked on something else. Got stuck on chapter 15 and pulled out Arms again. I finally finished it (a second time) after getting stuck on chapter 15 (what is it about me and chapter 15?)
But, I'm too close to it. I have no idea whether it's in publishable category or not. Maybe I shouldn't even worry about it. Just dig out that old synopsis that enticed Silhouette to begin with--write a query--make a list of agents and go to town. Or maybe I . . .
To be continued. I'm going off to read Nora Roberts. I KNOW her novel is done.
Pat
I think it must work in stages. Last year I was all hyped up when I pitched "Arms of the Enemy" to Silhouette and they asked me for a full ms. I was on cloud 9. You must have heard me whoop it up -- the shout that was heard 'round the world. LOL. Then I settled in and tried to make my self-imposed deadline. Finally sent it in and waited. For one month. Not bad huh? The news wasn't good, but constructive and there was an invitation to send more material. Uh--no mention of sending back THAT novel.
So, I put it away and worked on something else. Got stuck on chapter 15 and pulled out Arms again. I finally finished it (a second time) after getting stuck on chapter 15 (what is it about me and chapter 15?)
But, I'm too close to it. I have no idea whether it's in publishable category or not. Maybe I shouldn't even worry about it. Just dig out that old synopsis that enticed Silhouette to begin with--write a query--make a list of agents and go to town. Or maybe I . . .
To be continued. I'm going off to read Nora Roberts. I KNOW her novel is done.
Pat
posted by Unknown at 4:32 PM
3 Comments:
Are you writing category? Many of the lines are shorter than 15 chapters. So you may already have a long enough story.
Hi Dixie,
I guess I wasn't referring so much to quantity as I was to quality of the ms. Yes, Arms of the Enemy was category. I can't do much with it right now as it was rejected last year. I might try a contest or wait until I have another category to send them.
Pat
Pat,
Write the best book you can and send it in again. Again. And again.
You may not sell them now, but after you sell, you might be able to work w/ your editor nad find a way to publish them.
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