The most I've written was a 35,000 word novella (that bursted through my fingers as I typed a whole month non-stop on.) I would instantly roll outta bed and write for hours til it drained from my mind. After cleaning it up and submitting it to about 30 or so publishers, I recieved a whole lotta rejections...for months they would trickle in my email. It got to the point I was sick of opening them knowing it was a decline. Since then I've been writing short stories and never go over 2000 words, Some have been accepted (luckily). My dilemma is, I totally do NOT have the strength to write a novel like I did in the first place--my dream, my goal in life...ruined over so many disappointing responses. BUT...I have recieved very encouraging words about my short stories that I want to try again, but wonder if it is even worth it. I don't want to spend months and months on one thing and get nothing. What should I do to get back into the swing of writing something BIG?
just decide to do it... fyi, nobody has ever said writing a novel is easy... or can be done quickly... millions of would-be novelists HAVE spent and DO spend months and months [even years!] on one thing and never get anything from it, but a pile of paper nobody else wants... many of those do it over again, with another novel that never gets anywhere... some may keep doing it over and over again, never selling any of them... and a lucky, talented few eventually get to see their 'baby' in print... one of my own 'greatest lines' is something you need to keep in mind: nothing is impossible until you quit and nothing is possible, unless you start!
great advice Mom! None of us will ever achieve the dream of being published if we quit or never try. Remember: you'll never win if you don't get into the game!
Thanks guys, I appreciate that. You're right, I should at least try again...it wouldn't hurt. THanks for the support!
I agree with what the previous posters have said, but you also have to be realistic with yourself, with your talent, and your ability to convert that talent into something that takes a tremendous amount of effort and time to complete. There's no shame in admitting your skill lies in shorter works, or in admitting you just don't have the energy. Of course, you can't base success or failure on a single work that was rejected. That's no excuse for not starting up again! Perhaps it didn't make it into the right hands, or missed the mark, but only by a fraction. If you have ideas, and this is nagging at you (as it seems to be), you owe it to yourself to give it a go. There's no shortcut, so if you make the commitment to go BIG again, you've got to stick with it and, cliche as it sounds, give it your all, which can be difficult in longer works. My vote is to forget your failure (or build from it) and try again.
I feel like writing should be for yourself, not for a huge attempt to be published. Everyone dreams of eventually writing a sweet book and sharing it with the world. It should be a challenge to yourself, to give life to your idea and do justice to it. That is why I want to write a novel, or even an epic series. But yeah, don't be disheartened by publishers, write for yourself!
Why not try a compilation of short stories? They don't have to be connected. Short story books are my favorite because of the challenge involved in creating a fetching plot, character development, and imagery in very limited amount of space. Brevity in literature is difficult, those who could pull it off are very talented. You could still try a long novel, but it would be wise to focus more on what you do best.
The chance of an unknown writer being able to sell a compilation of shorts is slim in today's market.
I agree with the basic subject here, just get back into writing, don't think about it, just do it. For the longest period of my life I wrote a story that was forty-eight chapters long I think, it took me five years to complete. When I finally did, I saw it get torn up before my eyes, so yeah, I was devistated and thought I could never write again. Sometime later though I suddenly picked up a pencil and started writing away, I didn't have a story in mind, it just came out. Before I knew it I had already written basically the first half of a novel. So just pick up the pencil, or keyboard, and go. You don't have to have a story in mind, but I don't suggest you give up just because of rejection. So what, it happens to the best of the best, instead of letting it get you down just keep on going, I'm sure one day you'll get there.
Artists, actors, writers, musicians, print makers, photographers, people who pursue creative endeavors, all face the same 'fact of life'; making a good living off of 'the arts' is difficult at best. The chance of success is thin but if it does come, the payoff is great. You just have to question if you have the dedication to stick it out and wait for your opportunity to knock. ( and hope you'll be home if it does ) Just don't quit your 'day job'.
