Friday, April 9, 2010

My Baby's in the Drawer. Now What?


I blogged before about putting my first born in a drawer. Horrific thought, right?

Well, I’ve since eaten my words on that one, so maybe I shouldn’t even mention this, but I’ve also heard that until you write a million words, you shouldn’t even try to get published. So does that include everything I’ve written? In my whole life? Or is that just since I decided I’m awesome enough to write a full-length novel that other people will actually want to read?

What do you all think? Should that first novel be put aside as just a practice run? Do you really need to write a million words before you should even consider querying?

28 comments:

  1. Great post, great questions. I've been thinking about this a lot.

    I've already got a finished novel and I'm working on novel number two. And I'm pretty sure that I've written a million craptastic word in the last ten years. But does that mean that what I'm writing now is anything anyone wants to read?

    Seriously, sometimes I think sporking myself in my eye would be better and more fun than this writing thing.

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  2. i also wonder about that million words thing. Does that count blog posts? i sure as heck hope it counts all my crappy high school fanfic

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  3. I learned via the hard way (which is how I tend to go about things) that I should've kept the first one aside as a practice novel.

    As for the million words, I'm not sure. It depends on what you count, but I definitely haven't written a million "novel" words. And although my second novel isn't published yet, it has won first in a contest and a publisher currently has the full after liking the partial. So, even if I doesn't work out, I'm hoping that it means I've at least improved.

    For me, I don't think the number of words was as important as finding kickass crit partners.

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  4. I think that may be a bit of hyperbole...y'know, just to tell folks that their first novel is probably not going to be publish-ready.

    Am I going to wait until I've written a million words to query? Nah. 'Course, I've probably already passed that benchmark, but I'm sure as hell not counting!

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  5. I will keep this in mind but I don't think I will wait for one million words. I'm going to try to query my first novel no matter what. A girl can dream. I'm not expecting too much though. I love to write too much to stop.
    That picture is crazy. :)

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  6. I'm working on novel #3, but I'm not giving up on #1 and #2. The second one is awaiting revisions suggested after a publisher read the full, so I'm definitely going to make those changes after I finish the wip and get it back out the door to some other places. #1 is going to take some rewriting, but I still really like the premise and think I can make something of it. So I'm not sure I agree with the million words thing, maybe the baby just needs a little more attention.

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  7. I think for most people it ends up being close to that. There are the lucky few that get there first novel published. I think it means a million words once we've started writing seriously. And it depends on so many other factors.

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  8. I did. I queried first baby for a year. She's asleep now. My second is better. My third even better. Sadly... it's all true.

    BUT: there are exceptions. I thought I was one of those. But I wasn't. And the book wasn't. Some of us just have to follow the well worn path.

    Keep writing Abby!

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  9. LOL, my first hundred forty thousand words should never see the light of day.

    But I'm thinking that this doesn't take into account all the work and lessons a writer learns during revision.

    I know a lot of writers take years to finish a first draft, then polish it six months and get it published.

    While I'll whip out a first draft in a few months, and then send years revising. ;) Okay, maybe it just feels like years.

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  10. Send, spend, whatevah!

    What I should have said was, if you really believe in a story, then you shouldn't give up on it.

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  11. I wrote for ten years before writing my first novel. I refuse to put it in the drawer (although sometimes I think that would be easier).

    As for the million words, I'm just not sure. I have a feeling I've written at least that much.

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  12. That illustration totally cracks me up. Awesome.

    I don't think we're even close to a million words yet, so maybe that means we're eventually going to be horrified that the books we publish before we get there. That would suck.

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  13. I would first have it go through a (good) crit-group, and beta readers. If they all love it (assuming they are intelligent, quality betas), and you've polished it to a shine? Query it. You have nothing to lose, and lots to learn. But don't send it out before it's polished to a gleaming shine, and your query letter is perfect.

    While it is out on query, start cracking at the shiny new novel.

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  14. I have two novels that are never going to be seen by human eyes again. I'm currently writing my third novel. I think that every writer is different. Some can get published on the first book they ever write while others write and write and write until they find the one project that strikes a chord with someone.

    Me, I think I fall into the latter category.

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  15. I second Roni's comment - I think she is spot on!! :-)

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  16. There doesn't seem to be just one way that this thing works. At best, we can hope our crit partners and beta readers will let us know if we need to shelve a project. Occasionally, you hear of someone who tried to sell a book for a decade and finally did. What if they'd put it in a drawer?
    I know I keep learning new things, so I figure I will keep improving.

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  17. I think it's very important to keep writing, but that doesn't necessarily mean early projects are trash. I wrote my first and I've learned a lot since then. I still think that story is worth telling and I will go back to it one day. I've always been one to work on something new while one project was out on submission. Always keep moving forward!

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  18. My very first finished MS is in a drawer. The second MS is, too, if you think about how I completely revised it (I mean, different conflict, chopped story lines, etc.). I got pubbed on the second revision of that novel.

    But by then, I'd written two more novels that languish in a drawer. So, hmm, 80K x 4 is the better part of a half-mill words, and that doesn't count all the Chapter Three's I abandoned.

    It's nothing to be ashamed of. Every book has its time, and it's obvious that it's not time for those books ... not yet!

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  19. Nope...I don't buy it! At least not some arbitrary number like that. I do believe that each subsequent book is better than the previous, but at which point you've reached a point considered publishable (which...btw...is determined by agents who have vastly differing taste), that is different for everybody.

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  20. I think that you should just write the best book possible and see where it leads you. I truly think a story written with love and passion is evident to a reader whereas a book that's just written to sell a buck? I think that's obvious too but in a more unpleasant way. Not that I'm saying that's what you're doing. I'm just saying that for me, I've got to remember the love of the idea and go from there.

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  21. Does the million words count the words we add while editing?
    ;)

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  22. Well, my mother tells of me sleeping in a drawer. Maybe that explains a lot now!

    As for the million words?? Sheesh! C

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  23. Personally, I don't think the first one should be put in the drawer until a person has exhausted every effort. Even if he/she puts it in the drawer for a while, I think they should go back to it later. If it's horrible let it stay there. If it shows some potential work on it some more.

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  24. Love that picture

    My first baby's in a drawer, too. As is my second, my third, my fourth. Sigh!

    I might go back to some of them but for now they're resting comfortably.

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  25. Interesting question! I have sooo not kept track well enough to talk about a million words. I mean, I started writing when I was seven. Does every story about blond orphans and talking animals add to my word count? Or does this have to be a million words written as an adult, in the last ten years, what?

    I claim arbitrary rule, and I'll try for publication whenever the mood strikes!

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  26. all that matters is to keep writing - no matter how many words are behind...it's only in the now that we find grace, joy, breath

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  27. i think you should put that first novel (or two or three) away...but i don't think you should ever chunk them. but anyway...good luck on your journey!

    jeannie
    The Character Therapist

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  28. Great post - been on my mind as well!

    I think I read about this in the book OUTLIERS - amazing read for anyone, btw - about success and how we measure it. They touched on the theory that it takes 1000 hours to reach the pinnacle of perfection in a field. For musicians I believe they said this takes 10 years, for a writer maybe it equates to 1M words. I don't know if I believe in that magic threshold, but I do know that the more I write, the better my writing becomes.

    I think you can count all of your mindful writing when you tally up the total. (not dear diary stuff, you know?) I have been writing essays and short stories for years before starting my first novel, and I know it is flawed and will be revised *again*... but I couldn't have written that book 5 years ago.

    Interesting stuff.

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