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Welcome to The Literary Pig's blog - a safe haven for all those afflicted with
the unbearable urge to write.

Sunday 1 September 2013

A novel fear (or confessions of a short story writer trying to become a novelist)

Today I'm handing the blog over to The Indoor Writer as she wants to make a confession ...

In the last few weeks I've been suffering from an odd form or writing procrastination. Most writers commonly seek out any task (housework, gardening, shopping etc) to avoid writing, but I've been writing just about anything (short stories, fillers, letters, articles etc) to avoid ... working on the novel. Why? Because it terrifies me. And I can't fully explain why. I've completed one adult novel and a children's novel - so I know I can finish a longer piece of writing. I do feel under some pressure, from friends mainly, but also the writing world in general that I'm not really a writer until I get a novel published. But I think I'm scared of the commitment in time it will take to complete the first draft (not to mention editing, re-writes etc), when I could be writing other stuff that has a chance to be published.

The first novel I wrote in one year (2006-2007) when I was still working full-time and it was purely an exercise in proving I could write 80,000 words. Many of the words were okay, not bad in fact, but I've learned so much about the craft since then that I know little of the work is worth salvaging (ie it needs a complete rewrite). In 2011 I wrote a children's novel for 9 -12 yrs. Recently, this did well in the Cornerstones Wowfactor competition and I subsequently paid for a full manuscript review. The feedback was extremely positive and constructive, but before I can start submitting this again it does need a significant plot change. I'm currently letting ideas stir around in the back of my brain before restarting again.

The current WIP reached 50,000 words and then stalled, but I've recently begun writing it from scratch again. To kickstart this process I wrote several short stories around major characters. I really enjoyed this and realised that for some chapters I now have sections already completed. I also realised that I did enjoy spending time with these characters and they were easy to write. (I could go all writerly  and say they were 'speaking' to me but that sounds as if I need treatment). A further goal was to submit a synopsis and the first 3 chapters for a 1:1 review at Swanwick Summer School. I'm ashamed to admit that I sat down and completed this within 2 weeks, submitted then waited until the 1:1 meeting. In some ways this was a test. If the feedback was bad then I was prepared to abandon it before investing any more time. Wonderfully, the feedback was very positive, in fact I hardly received any negative comments at all, which was surprising for an early first draft.

When all the writing omens are good then why can't I get on with it? The 2 weeks in which I wrote the first 6,000 words were brilliant in that the words flowed, the characters did speak to me and the structure began to emerge. But I slept badly l as I couldn't shut down at the end of the day. And I was sitting in bed writing before breakfast. What's wrong with that you cry? Isn't that what novelists are supposed to do? What scares me is having to sustain this obsession for six months - as I've set the target to complete first draft by end Feb 2014 - when I have other writing goals I want to focus on as well. The joys of writing short fiction are: the craving is quickly satisfied, you can flit between genres and experiment with each new story, and a piece is ready to submit within days. Working on a full length novel (Contemporary literary fiction is my chosen genre - eeek) fails on all these points.

I am going to write Chapter 4 in September (see I've written that down now so it HAS to happen) and get the first 10,000 words ready to submit to Exeter Writer's Novel Opening Competition (closes 31 October). I'm trying to break the novel down, as if I were writing a series of short stories because I can write 1-2 a month easily. It's plotted and I'm reasonably certain I know where it's heading. But if anyone out there in blogland has any helpful hints or wise words on how to balance different writing tasks, stay (reasonably) sane and a pleasure to live with then PLEASE SHARE!

Good. Now I've got that off my chest I feel much better. Thanks LitPig.


20 comments:

  1. No helpful hints or wise words (sorry), but I can so relate to this! I feel EXACTLY the same and have had similar experiences. I wish I knew what the answer was! I love writing short stories and hate having to put them on hold for the novel.

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    1. Thanks for this. I'm sort of relieved to hear you feel the same, Jo. Good to know it's not just me. Writing short stories is an addiction, and it can pay well too. I just hope I can do both! (and all the other stuff too)

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  2. I feel the same! Though I'm a stage behind you and Jo - I haven't even STARTED a novel yet, such is my procrastination...

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    1. Thank you! And let us know if you do start the novel....

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  3. I know all about those characters who will not shut up!!!

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    1. Thanks Margaret, guess we're lucky to get the voices - wouldn't be able to write without them!

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  4. Blimey, I could have written that post! I keep drifting back to shorts because I love the feeling of finishing something - I know I'd feel amazing if I actually finished the first draft of a novel, but it's just going to take up so much writing time!

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    1. That's it exactly, Linda, the joy of finishing something is great - and shorts are such a quick hit aren't they?

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  5. No help on the novel front, I'm afraid, as I like the short story fix but I'm happy for you to bend my ear about it over coffee this week if that will help!

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    1. Definitely up for coffee, but you may regret having your ear bent, Wendy. See you tomorrow :) x

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  6. Tracy
    I can relate to this post completely, too! I think we're afraid to 'commit'! I don't want to have to stop all my other bits and pieces of writing - I like that 'fix' of writing shorts and the (very occasional!) success. But writing a novel - if you're going to do it properly and seriously - does seem to demand that you focus on IT and nothing but IT (some novelists don't even READ anyone else's work while they're writing their novels). So that's no reading and no (other) writing, for at least a year...I don't think I can do it!! eeek! But you've already completed 2 longer works, so you CAN do it! Good luck - and keep us posted on your progress!

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    1. Think I've struck a nerve with many writers, Helen. And it is a commitment fear, isn't it? I fear the immersion and can't bear not to be reading, but worried about contamination when writing something longer. Have to keep going now I've bored everyone about it...

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  7. Although I've now moved on to fuller length fiction, I can really identify with this problem, Tracy. For me, it's partly the immediacy of short stories and articles that attracts me still. I did find that writing two children's novels and two novellas in between the full length helped. The word count was lower and I got them published - that convinced me I could do it again.

    Now, I find it helps to work on the fuller length work first thing in the morning for an hour, to get the word count up and the story progressing. Then I enjoy working on shorter items at other times of the day. If I don't do this, I would definitely neglect the novel length until I had to start all over again (which has happened with a couple that are awaiting my attention!).

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    1. Thanks for this Rosemary. Actually, I may try this and split my writing day - hopefully I can then keep all strands going...

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  8. Feel much the same as you Tracy. I have three novels part finished (all for children/YA) but get to a point and just run out of steam. Not out of ideas really, just the impetus to keep going. I keep worrying that I flit about too much - short stories, then articles, then flash - am I trying to be a jack of all trades? Seems a lot of us are the same, perhaps it's just another facet of the writer's doubt we suffer with!

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  9. Thanks Tracey. Lynne Hackles describes this as butterfly writing, and I'm not sure it's a bad habit to have. Keeps us interested in all types of writing, which must be good for us? Your short stories are superb, so keep writing! And yes I think it is another facet of our inner doubting demons - little devils!

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  10. Have you ever tried Nano Tracy? It seems to be the ONLY way i can write a first draft, because i don't go off to do other things, and i don't go back to edit as I'm writing. I know 50,000 doesn't make a whole novel, but this year I'm going to keep going until i get to about 80,000.

    xx

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    1. Yes, Vikki, I did the Nano challenge back in 2011. I wrote 50,000 words by the end of November and then never finished that novel. I found the experience really tough. Don't think I want to repeat it, but this Nov I may set a lower target say 15-20,000 words and focus on the novel for that month. Nov is a good month to lock yourself away and write. Good luck with yours too :)

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  11. Tracy, I empathise with you(and many of the previous comments above) about the fear of writing a novel. I've had many false starts (and one successful bash at Nano) but each time I switch back to shorter stuff which seems more likely to get published. No advice for you, I just wish there was a magic solution for us all!

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    1. Thanks for popping by Sally. Oh, dear I was hoping you had the magic answer! I think the quick fix, and the real chance of getting published, of short stories wins for many of us. And we shouldn't think our writing is any less worthy - writing a short story takes a lot of skill.

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