LearningFromDogs

Watched the NaNoWriMo webinar yesterday evening on editing that draft book.  Incredibly useful and interesting.  But, I think I came away with the message that my draft is a) not a novel, b) as a consequence, is weak on both characters and plot, and c) probably doesn't have a future.
          	
          	But the NaNoWriMo experience did have one golden message: that I have the ability to write 60,000 words in a month.  Back to writing the blog!

BeabeThompson

Oh, and where was the message about sending in paragraphs?  Apparently quite a few of us missed it.
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WayneZurl

My first effort looked finisheed at 45,000 words. Mistake. I  hired a book doctor, turned it inside out, added lots and then ran it through an on-line workshop. In the end, I ended up with 82,000 words, got it traditionally published, and won 4 awards. All that between summer 2006 and January 2011.  I'm not sure I like it best, but it was the first and I didn't make a fool out of myself. Good luck, guys.

LearningFromDogs

Sorry, amend second sentence to read that it DIDN'T come out as a novel.
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LearningFromDogs

Wow!  What a fabulous account.  The crux of the issue for me with my first draft was that it came out as a novel: i.e. 100% fiction.
            
            To my surprise, after my fictional opening, the story rapidly morphed into a biographical tale.  If I tell you that the hero of the story was Philip, a Brit living in a small village in Devon, England, with a dog called Pharaoh and a failed marriage in 2006 and that if one changed the name of the hero from Philip to Paul it was practically an account of my own life, you see where I went wrong.
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BeabeThompson

The webinar ended with me being more than a little frustrated with The Book Doctors.  Put my book away for a year?  Noooo. Ready to be pitched?  Noooo.  Hire a professional editor?  Not yet, not for a long time.
          
          Don't be discouraged! Keep writing, keep having fun, keep editing, and don't let someone steal your joy.

LearningFromDogs

Dear Beabe, thank you for your supportive reply. Regarding sending in paragraphs, I vaguely recall it being in the NaNoWriMo email promoting the event some time ago.  I had to stop viewing the live broadcast just before the paragraph reading commenced; we had guests arriving.  Jean and I are going to watch the recording this evening.
            
            As I said to Jeannie a couple of hours ago, I'll allow my subconscious to potter away in the writing garden and see what flowers over the coming weeks.
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LearningFromDogs

Watched the NaNoWriMo webinar yesterday evening on editing that draft book.  Incredibly useful and interesting.  But, I think I came away with the message that my draft is a) not a novel, b) as a consequence, is weak on both characters and plot, and c) probably doesn't have a future.
          
          But the NaNoWriMo experience did have one golden message: that I have the ability to write 60,000 words in a month.  Back to writing the blog!

BeabeThompson

Oh, and where was the message about sending in paragraphs?  Apparently quite a few of us missed it.
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LearningFromDogs

The point where I'm ready to share my draft book is getting closer.
          
          So, here are some questions that I have.
          
          - Is sharing a full chapter (1,500 - 3,000 words) in one go OK? (It seems logical to me.)
          - What sort of sharing frequency is preferred? As in weekly, etc.?
          
          I'm minded to start at a chapter a week sometime in February because I am very keen to get the feedback.
          
          All ideas welcomed.

EileenDandashi

Hi ya,  I've originally from Portland, Oregon.  I couldn't stand the rain so now I'm permanently established where the sun shines 270 days of the year--south California in the Inland Empire.  No animals but two canaries.  We live simply Paul.  The best to you with your endeavors with NaNoWriMo.

LearningFromDogs

Thank you, Eileen.  We moved here from AZ because our well was running out of water.  Only to experience a very dry Winter here near Grants Pass, OR.
            
            My best friend of over 40 years is a Californian living in Orange County.  Would imagine you aren't that far from him?
            
            Thanks so much for your encouragement re NaNoWriMo.
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