A Virgin Writer
First, Thank you everyone who commented while I was gone, sent well-wishes and turned green with envy. :-) I had an awesome time in the Keys, and am now browner, blonder, and more freckled. :-)
So, we've all had a first manuscript. Have we all made the same mistakes with it?
My first, unfinished manuscript lays forlorn on my computer drive. Over the course of two years I refined this 30,00-word plotless morass of backstory.
How I loved my first story! (that I wrote as an adult)
But eventually, as I fumbled through it, I realized that it was directionless, that something was seriously wrong.
Now I know that my attempt at writing a full length novel failed for obvious reasons. The story has no genre (think YA, women's fiction, romantic suspense, LOL), it's filled with backstory and meaningless conversations. And yet, I feel like I learned so much just from sitting down and daring to dream a story.
What does your first attempt at writing look like? What did it teach you?
So, we've all had a first manuscript. Have we all made the same mistakes with it?
My first, unfinished manuscript lays forlorn on my computer drive. Over the course of two years I refined this 30,00-word plotless morass of backstory.
How I loved my first story! (that I wrote as an adult)
But eventually, as I fumbled through it, I realized that it was directionless, that something was seriously wrong.
Now I know that my attempt at writing a full length novel failed for obvious reasons. The story has no genre (think YA, women's fiction, romantic suspense, LOL), it's filled with backstory and meaningless conversations. And yet, I feel like I learned so much just from sitting down and daring to dream a story.
What does your first attempt at writing look like? What did it teach you?
Comments
My first adult attempt is the baby I continually revise. It was loaded with backstory in the beginning and just plain horribly written, but the story still speaks to me, so I continue to tweak.
My first MS was a mess! Thanks to a bunch of great people on RWC, I was able to realize that while I might write decently, I had a TON to learn. Chance will stay under my bed until he and his story - call out to me again. LOL
I think every novel I've written since then I can look back and wonder at the growth I make each time.
Candi
Thanks for stopping by. :-) Genre may not be such a big problem. If it's a really good story, I think the genre problem can usually be overlooked. Maybe relabeled as plain fiction? :-) So no worries.
My first attempt at writing The Great American Novel happened at the tender age of about 10. I think I reached page 5 before giving up.
Later, I started a story loosely based on my life. Twenty pages later, I ran out of steam.
Those early forays into writing made me realize I needed training. I'm grateful for all the opportunities we have to learn.
Blessings,
Susan :)
I had a huge issues with genre too...the beginning and end and VERY adult, dealing with very mature subjects, but the bulk of the story is a flashback to the MC teen years...so that mostly fits into YA.
And it seems like the learning never stops. It's definitely an exciting, though exhausting, journey. :-)
Writing that first book taught me alot, but mostly that I had it within myself to not only write a book, but finish one. That's an inspiring lesson.
I'm sure you've grown. I feel like I have too.
Thanks for commenting!
I'm grateful too. I'm really thankful for the authors and more established writers who take time to put writing tips on their websites or articles or blog posts. That's been one of the biggest blessings in my growth, just the amount of help given to newbies through the internet.
Thanks for stopping by. :-)
Wow, you did a great job whittling it down. You sound like you know where the story needs fine tuning, etc. It sounds intriguing. You know, sometimes YA needs to have the tough/mature stuff in it. Not always, but sometimes. I hope you find the perfect balance with that.
You're right about these being our babies. The one I'm querying is my first finished manuscript. I think I'll query it to death, just because I love it so much. :-)
I'm sure you're right about the depth and craft. You're already so ahead of the game just by learning all this stuff with your first manuscript!
That's awesome!
I totally agree. Finishing is inspiring.
It is pretty awesome to look back at old work and see the improvement, hunh?
The first manuscript I tried to be published was pretty much a mess as well. It was two books later but I was still young, only 19 and didn't know much about the craft.
I just finished my 10th manuscript and I am still learning but happy because I know progress has been made. It's been a long journey but it's so fun to look back at old manuscripts and (after wincing some maybe) realizing that we've come along. Fun post, thanks!
I am going over my first ms. right now, cleaning it up to send to a professional editor. I hope she doesn't cringe, cry and send it back!
What i have learned:
Pray before you type the first word of the day;
Love your readers and write for them, not to please yourself;
Don't take yourself so seriously! Have a little fun!
Jen
Yes, it is awesome. (and sometimes scary, snicker)
Ten manuscripts under your belt is pretty cool! So you've been pursuing this writing thing for quite awhile. That's awesome. :-)
Yes, it's SO nice to have my beloved internet back. LOL!
Great advice.
I'm sure no one is going to cringe at your book. :-) It's cool that you're sending it to an editor.
I was the same, thought my story was so beautiful, so captivating...
Snort.
My first story was set during the time of Jesus and I just couldn't get past the first two chapters. There wasn't any direction for it; I couldn't figure out what the climax would be and the importance of the actual story...although it's still on my computer too and I hope that I may able to salvage something from it in the future (it was supposed to be the first of a trilogy).
The second one (?)was set during the American Revolution and was supposed to be a romance. Alas, never past the first two chapters (seeing a trend here...). I did just recently rewrite a three page single spaced rough summary for it, so perhaps in the future that's another one I can focus on with a bit of re-evaluation.
I suppose I'm on the third of my novel attempts. Fourth if you count the novel I actually completed when I was twelve :P The other previous attempts (as well as probably a half dozen others that never got past the character creation point and fragment of an idea) taught me to persevere and not focus on just the first two chapters :P They were also a bit on the cliche and unoriginal side too, so it also taught me to come up with somethinig unique.
I've already got a couple of other ideas; one that's another historical set in Japan based off of a real person and another that's mixed between history and mythology. I've just got to get this one finished before I can even consider the others :P
I learned that POV, GMC and writing tight are important. But I also learned how much fun crafting a story can be, and for that I'll always have a soft spot for my first story.
Your story that you're working on now sounds intriguing. You'll finish. :-)
I think I'll have a soft spot for mine too.
LOL! I love the POV part. That's hilarious. Thanks for stopping by!
What an interesting comment. I've heard that many writers do that and it's just part of the learning curve. I hear you on the tepid hook too.
Good for you in finding your own style and story! That's really important.
As for growing through writing - I fully agree! But the most growth for me was not in the craft of writing as much as it was in ME. Because I was writing my own story, rather than a novel, putting the story into words that someone else could read and understand caused me to do a lot of growing personally. I had to think about what I really felt and had experienced. I had to understand myself enough to write about it for someone else. And I remember saying to my husband, "Even if this book never goes ANYWHERE, writing it has been a wonderful experience!"
Backstory is the character's lifestory. Sometimes a book opens and all the first pages are the character thinking about their life, their friends, etc. When really, a good book opens with some sort of action. :-)
Don't worry, the voice will come. :-) So, did you know Harlequin has an inspirational imprint called Love Inspired? That might be a good place for you to submit. :-)
Thank you for stopping back by mine. I'm interested in seeing how your homeschooling journey goes.