About twenty years ago, I started writing a fantasy novel with a friend. It was based on a D&D campaign I was dungeon mastering. My friend used the ideas, characters and my plot outline, to write and I then rewrote his initial words, until eventually we had a 1st draft of Book 1, at near 1000 pages.
My co-author grew less interested but I've never given up. I've also never finished the project. Over the last decade I started re-imagining it, and rewriting, and rewriting, and rewriting; starting at the beginning over and over again. I'm further from the end of Book 1, then I was a decade ago.
The novel is now far removed from anything recognisable as D&D, and is very much my vision; and my torture.
By age 40 I vowed to have Draft 1 ready for publication. That vow passed uncompleted in January 2011.
I want this story out of me. I want this dream realised.
But my motivation is fickle, and family and work life all encompassing.
As has been said, 'writing is 10% inspiration, 90% perspiration'.
I noticed while blogging how comments you all gave me, and seeing a few followers appear, inspired me to write more.
I started to wonder if this might be what I need for my novel. Writing to my own strength of will, has brought me nowhere. Perhaps I need to try a different tack.
So I've joined scribd. And uploaded the prologue of my novel.
I have nine chapters written, around 200 pages. My intention is to release one chapter / month, like a serial, and hopefully, here's really hoping, I will find the perspiration to just keep writing.
So click and read Mandorla: Gods and Elves - Prologue - The Death of Stem Faar
And feel free to comment, correct and criticise - either via this blog or a new email address I have started
mandorlastory@gmail.com
It is thus with great fear and trepidation, I attempt once again to see this dream realised.
It's great that you're making such a push toward getting it completed -- sounds exciting!
ReplyDeleteYou may want to hold off putting it up anywhere online (in whole or in part) if you want to get it published. I'm no expert on non-academic publishing (my only experience is with academic publishers), but I've heard that many trade publishers won't touch a work if it's been published anywhere else (including online -- blog, website, etc.). Perhaps you have readers who know more about the trade publishing world than I and who can give better advice. I'd at least recommend checking with someone who knows, before you put more material up on the scribd site. I could be entirely wrong and you may be perfectly okay doing so, but it's better to be safe.
Congrats though on how much you've gotten done and good luck finishing up!
Good luck!
ReplyDeleteNever stop moving toward the dream.
ReplyDeleteNot ever.