Hi, not sure exactly why I am posting, just wanted to connect with some other writers I guess.
I have a finished novel, which I completed as part of a masters course almost 2 years ago. It took me about 5 years to write, but that is with a demanding job and two lots of maternity leave, so by no means intensive. I think it has its merits, but also some flaws and I have completely lost objectivity on it as well as being fed up to the back teeth of it! In terms of genre it is I guess (trying to be) literary fiction as opposed to genre or chick lit - for want of a better categorisation.
Anyway, feeling I should do something with it I sent it to 5 agents a couple of months ago. So far I have received 3 rejections, which I expected, I guess I just thought I should go through the process of trying. My partner says (and he is by no means a literary expert!) he thinks the opening paragraph is a problem and is perhaps not enough to grab hold of the reader and draw them in - he is probably right and I have today written a different opening, the only problem being it means I will have to make changes in the rest of the chapter which is a pain and time consuming when I could perhaps be using my time better.
The problem is, I am now on maternity leave again and feel I have a bit of a chance to get some writing done (working round baby's sleep patterns). While I have been working and with two young children I really have not had much chance over the past couple of years so this is really an opportunity. I feel perhaps I should be moving on from this novel and maybe try to write some short stories which would at least let me feel I had accomplished something - I have had one short story published in the past but then the monster novel took over all my time and energy!
On one hand i feel that as I have invested so much time in this novel I should at least try to get it published or self publish - on the other I wonder if it is time to move on to something fresh and treat it as an apprenticeship (but then I feel that I have wasted years of my life!) Either way I feel a bit panicky - just wondered if anyone else had any similar experience/ advice?
Please or to access all these features
Please
or
to access all these features
Whether you enjoy writing sci-fi, fantasy or fiction, join our Creative Writing forum to meet others who love to write.
Creative writing
should I move on from this novel
29 replies
ataposaurus · 23/06/2014 13:12
OP posts:
Don’t want to miss threads like this?
Weekly
Sign up to our weekly round up and get all the best threads sent straight to your inbox!
Log in to update your newsletter preferences.
You've subscribed!
Please create an account
To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.