Had my initial tutorial with Emma Sweeney my mentor yesterday in Cambridge...it was very helpful BUT made me realise just how much of a huge task writing this novel will be. I have to now get back into some kind of disciplined writing routine - something which has gone out the window of late - in order to get 5k of new material to Emma by 5th August in prep for our next tutorial on 9th. I am going to begin at the climax and write these scenes in first person present tense protagonist POV - god help me1
I read - over the weekend - the draft of the middle section of Nicki Cormwell's new Novel - Romeo and Romeo - and popped round last night to give her my feedback and we shared words of encourgement! I need it to get my flow back. Will bite the bullet at the wekend. I want to do this. I can do this.
BG
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Yes. It's like climbing Everest isn't it? Or perhaps another analogy might be to climb a whole range of mountains -- when you think you've finished you've got to go back and revise and revise again.
ReplyDeleteIn the current climate I heard someone say that they thought new authors now would be given only two books by an agent or publisher to prove their commercial success (i.e. sell loads or win a big prize). Otherwise they'd be dropped and put on the scrapheap.
That's why it's perhaps better for the likes of us to take it very slowly and carefully because even if we do get published then that book really has to do the business.
It may even be a case of finishing the novels we're writing at the moment, putting them to one side if they're not ultra commercial, and then maybe taking the advice of an agent about writing something they are confident will sell. Then if all goes well the original novel can be published on the back of the success of the new one?
I can think of maybe two or three people's works off the City course that were potentially very commercial. Most other people's were fairly literary I'd say -- which is I think what they were all aiming at.
I would hope that mine is both of literary interet AND commercial - initial interst from agents would suggest that it is...
ReplyDeleteBG