Writing Update

[jpskewedthrone]

For those keeping track of whether I'm still writing or not . . . I am. I'm working on the new project while I wait to hear from my editor about Well of Sorrows. The new project is the first book in a new series. I wrote the first four chapters in January, got critiques of those, revised the first 3 chapters and wrote the plot synopsis . . . and then I set it aside for a few weeks.

Now I'm on break from school, so I've been writing the last few days and chapter 4 has now been revised to fit the changes to chatpers 1-3 and the plot synopsis. Much stronger chapter now. I'm hoping to start work on chapter 5 today and finish that before school resumes on Monday. We'll see. It's all from scratch now, and that usually goes slower.

But during all of this, Geogre R.R. Martin did a post about receiving "fan" mail wondering where the next book in the Song of Ice and Fire series was and why it wasn't on the shelf yet. I thought I'd comment on that as a writer.

I have, so far, managed to get all of my novels written and turned in by deadline. And I think they've been good books. Maybe not great, but that's what editors are for: helping turn good books into great books. However, I totally expect that at some point in the future (assuming I continue to get published of course), there will be a time when I won't make deadline. I'm hoping there will be perfectly good reasons, such as:

1. Life. I mean, seriously, who hasn't had something unexpected happen that derails everything and puts you behind schedule?

2. Respect. By this I mean that I'd hope I'd force myself to write something late but good, rather than something on-time that sucks, out of pure respect for the reader. I personally hate reading a book by an author I love that sucks or that sounds like it was just dashed off. I never want to hand in a "dashed-off" book.

3. Struggle. I experienced this with The Vacant Throne. Sometimes, you have a nice idea of what the book will be about, the plot, the character arc, etc, and then when you sit down and start writing the book wants to do something else. At first you struggle with the book, because you DO have a deadline and going off in a completely unknown direction takes time. But eventually you cave and do what the book wants (I hope) and it turns out to be a better version than you'd originally imagined. Unfortunately, this takes time in two ways: you waste time while struggling with the book in the first place, and then once you cave, it takes time to recover and find out what the book is really about.

I had a few other reasons, but now that I look at them, I think they (and the point of this entire post) all boils down to Number 2: respect. I know I constantly worry while writing about whether what I'm producing is good enough, and all of this stems from the fact that I don't want to disappoint the readers, because I respect them. (They do, after all, completely control whether or not I sell another book by whether they buy my books.)

I don't know George R.R. Martin personally, and I have no insight into why it might be taking him longer to finish the new novel than expected . . . but I have a strong suspicion that it has to do with the "respect" option. He must be thinking he has to please his fans (and he's got A LOT more fans that I do), that he has to write the best book possible so as not to disappoint them. And unlike me he has created a much wider story and world, so I can only imagine the horrors of trying to keep all of those plot threads straight and pull off the best story possible at the same time.

I've read elsewhere that it's not really the fact that the book hasn't materialized yet that is upsetting the fans (although they would like to see it sometime soon), but that there was a misinterpretation of what happened with Feast of Crows. Supposedly, he had a much larger book that was too large to print, so they split the book in two, with Feast of Crows as book 1 and with some tweaking Dance of Dragons would be released shortly afterwards as book 2. I don't know if this is true, but as a writer I know that "tweaking" sometimes means ripping the entire book apart and rewriting it from the ground up. If this did happen, I still think it comes back to the respect thing. You only do something that drastic as a "tweak" if you think the end result is going to be much better than the original.

I also haven't read the series so don't know if he ended on a cliffhanger or what. (I read book 1, realized it was a series, and have bought all of the books in the series since then since book 1 was good, and intend to read them all once the last book is out.) But again, if the new book hasn't materialized, I would think it comes back to the respect thing again.

In the end, I'd hope that my fans would be understanding in the future if I missed a deadline in order to produce a better book, for whatever reason.

Comments

[http://users.livejournal.com/la_marquise_de_/]

Curiously, I'm currently reading The Vacant Throne and enjoying it very much. You've written a damn fine book, sir!

[jpsorrow.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I'm looking forward to getting my hands on your book in the next week or so as well!

[http://users.livejournal.com/la_marquise_de_/]

Oh, I hope you don't hate it.

Focus

[vcmorris.livejournal.com]

My biggest problem now is being able to focus on one project. I feel pulled in four different directions. I get to a certain point in the storyline and then.... I dunno. It's not that the ideas aren't there - I know where I want to go - but when I sit down to write I seem only able to peck out a page or two and all the grand notions in my head evaporate.

Have you ever experienced this and how have you gotten over it?

Re: Focus

[jpsorrow.livejournal.com]

I count myself lucky if I can get 4 pages of new stuff out per day. That's only about 1000 words. But yes, when you sit down to actually write the material, the "grandness" of the idea gets set to one side because you have to be focused on that one scene, the emotions and action in that particular moment.

So I wouldn't worry about your grand ideas not appearing in each page you write or while you're writing those pages. Just make the scene as powerful as possible with an idea that you're HEADING toward the grand idea . . . and I think things will work out.

[libwitch.livejournal.com]

Yes, that is exactly what he said happened - and he also promised (that was his words) DoD to be published no more then two years after FoC. He has since then set at least one more deadline (last June), which he broke.

Its not that I disagree with your post, but I think that there is another angle to the respect - you don't set deadlines (or at least announce them) and break them without a word, especially when you have other new works being written and published in the meantime.

It doesn't matter if that you, as a writer, doesn't know your fans personally. But the fans feel like they know you. And a promise is a promise, a deadline is a deadline. Things happen, they get missed. But if you felt you owed your fans one to begin with (or were cocky enough to put one up); then you should at least be honest when you miss them.....

And yes, I am a fan of Soif, so this does irk me personally; but I have seen this happen again and again and again...I mean, my god, don't even mention the supposed third book in the Koontz Frankenstein series to any bookstore employee! *twitch*

[arhyalon.livejournal.com]

Writers really have much less control over the creative process than people pretend. Martin's books are as long as two or even three books other people write. I think the deadlines that they have been setting for him are too short.

[jpsorrow.livejournal.com]

But I know that I say (to myself granted) that I'll have this chapter done by Friday, and yet I know that might not happen because of how it turns out as a write, etc.

But I can totally see why fans might be upset if he said he'd have it finished by June, then December, then June of the next year, etc. He probably shouldn't be announcing those deadlines unless he knows he can keep them in good faith at the time.

[libwitch.livejournal.com]

exactly.

[sboydtaylor.livejournal.com]

Quality vs. Quantity is definitely the story I keep hearing all over. It almost makes me want to write a whole series before I sell the first one (j/k).

[jpsorrow.livejournal.com]

But when you're trying to make a living off of the books, waiting to finish the whole series doesn't help your budget at all. *grin*

[sboydtaylor.livejournal.com]

you mean you want to EAT too??? you just want everything! ;) (joke)

[jpsorrow.livejournal.com]

Us writers always do. That's why we talk so much about minions and taking over the world. (Which will happen, just wait.)

[wandermansrealm.livejournal.com]

Well, I'm just a games designer, not a real author :) but I struggle with deadlines as well! I guess that a good author wants to deliver only his very best (I know I do...), and from a reader pespective... I want to read only the very best.

GRRM is the absolute best in his field, so who cares if he takes another year or two to finish the book, it'll pay off in the end and we'll all be the richer for it.

My problem is, however, that I can't really get myself to read A Feast for Crows. I tried, but it really does feel like half a book. My plan is to read AFFC alongside Dance of Dragons, so as to get the true feel of the story.

[arhyalon.livejournal.com]

I bought it and put it on a shelf...to read when Dance of Dragons comes out.

[jpsorrow.livejournal.com]

That's why I'm waiting for the final volume to be out, so I can read it all without running into any possible cliffhangers or whatnot.

[arhyalon.livejournal.com]

George R.R. Martin's series is really good! Worth reading and worth the wait.

Frankly, I think what is going on is that a huge book like that, with so many storylines just takes time to write. It can't be done on the one-a-year plan.

As impatient as I am, I'd rather he do a good job than rush.

[jpsorrow.livejournal.com]

I'm certainly looking forward to the final book coming out so I can read what everyone is so enthusiastic about.

[glitteringlynx.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you brought this up, as it's a topic I've seen popping up all over my LJ friends list lately. Personally, I don't understand the nastiness a lot of fans have over GRRM's delay. Some say it's because he's mentioned over and over again when it would be done and has never come through. Maybe I'm just more relaxed about it becauese I've been a video gamer long enough to know that sometimes.. things take years longer than originally expected (e.g., Half-Life 2). To me, I don't think he necessarily owes an explanation to his fans and one assumes he and his publisher know what's going on. For all we know it could be very personal stuff that he just doesn't want to discuss. Could be health, could be mental abilities going, could be that the series is taking off in an entirely new direction (as you mentioned) or it could be that he's been so inspired to start other things, he hasn't sat down to finish. From my view, people who are upset should take a deep breath and go read something else. It's not as though there is a shortage of sci-fi or fantasy novels out there to enjoy and discover in the interim. It will be finished when it's finished and no sooner.

I also have a question for you:

What have you done when you've hit writer's block? You have a vague idea of what you're writing, but nothing specific is coming forward. You're trying to force it or generate it, and you sit at the blank paper and nothing works (I find I have an easier time writing on paper first). EVen if you just start writing what's on your mind (i.e., your inability to write), you just end up writing your thoughts, and nothing helpful. Is there anything you do to break that? The other related problem is having various scenes from the book, but nothing linking them together. Almost as though it would work better as a series of shorter stories instead of as a novel. ARGH (Though that could be an idea of how to write it for now)

[jpsorrow.livejournal.com]

Well, I can't say I've hit writer's block, but that's probably because I allow myself to write crap. I think it's a good mantra. I have days where I don't want to write, or I'm not in the mood, or I am but the words "just aren't coming to me" or whatever, and on those days I force myself to write something and just don't worry about it being good or bad or whatever. I don't write my thoughts. I write something on the story. Whatever comes to mind for that scene or whatever. And I worry about fixing it up (or trashing it) later.

I can't say anything about the unconnected scene issue though. I always write the story from beginning to end. That's just my process. So I don't end up with disconnected scenes. In fact, my scenes end up so connected that it can become a problem during revision stage, when I need to add in a whole new scene or something like that. All of the connections with the current scenes have to be severed and reestablished with the new scene, which can be a pain in the ass.

[glitteringlynx.livejournal.com]

Yeh, typically I've always written the same way, which is start to finish. This is the first time I've had something only come in bits and pieces sporadically all over the timeline of the story. However, at one point while writing I also ended up on antidepressants and I've heard some people say they couldn't write while on them (I think that's a psychosomatic thing, mostly). Part of my issue was that I wasn't stable, either. I've more recently pulled together a great short story that I'm basically ready to submit to either Weird Tales or Asimov mag (I have a friend looking it over for me first.. I don't really have any people yet for that sort of thing). So I think I just have to sit down and tackle the long one again. I'm almost certain it will end up a novel. There's only one thing that I complain about to my characters.. they never tell me the story in advance. It's like watching a movie you've never heard of before.. you only find out who's in it and what happens as it plays out for you. When I write fiction, I feel more like I'm dictating something which created itself, rather than generating it manually. It sounds crazy to me, but others have the same feeling so I guess it's one type of normal.

I might have a bit too much perfectionism, so I will try out the notion of writing crap. It will get itself sorted out eventually, I'm sure.

[jpsorrow.livejournal.com]

It sometimes requires alot of effort to break that perfectionism barrier down (because I have it too) and let the crap flow, but what I've learned is that often only 40% of what you write is really bad and the rest can be salvaged with a good rewrite. So it ends up being productive in the end (so to speak).

And I certainly hope a novel never presents itself to me in disjointed pieces. I think my mathematical brain might go apoplectic if it does.

[glitteringlynx.livejournal.com]

I think my mathematical brain might go apoplectic if it does.

LOL Let's hope in your case that all plots remain linear, then. :)

[wolfsilveroak.livejournal.com]

I was so disappointed. I went looking for your other 2 books (The Cracked Throne, The Vacant Throne) at one of my local B&Ns. THEY WEREN'T THERE.

Couldn't even find them in my favorite used/rare book store.}:(

I guess I'll just have to order them online. Horrors.}:P

[jpsorrow.livejournal.com]

Well, the good news for me is that they weren't at the used book store. *grin*

The B&N should be able to order the books in as well. I'm surprised they don't have Vacant Throne on the shelf though, since the paperback came out within the last 2 months.

If you do order them through Amazon.com online, click through one of my Amazon links on my user page. Anything you order from Amazon after clicking through the link gives me a few cents in "kickback", which is what I use to help fund the free books I give away here and at dawbooks.

[wolfsilveroak.livejournal.com]

I don't usually order through Amazon, but I'll make an exception this time, just for you}:P Friday, after I get the brakes done on the car, lol.

[jpsorrow.livejournal.com]

No, no need to order through Amazon if you don't do that already. The kickback really isn't all that much, and if you aren't getting enough to get free shipping it's certainly not worth it. Just thought I'd mention it in case you were ordering from there.

[wolfsilveroak.livejournal.com]

But see, that kickback adds up in the long run! }:P

I never order enough from anywhere to get free shipping, so no worries there.}:P

[elven-wolf.livejournal.com]

Hey, funny you should post this now because I have a draft in my Semagic on a slightly similar note that I wasn't sure if I wanted to post publicly or just as a comment on various blogs.

I'm working on what's technically my second novel writing project. (I worked on the first one for about ten years before deciding to put it away for a bit because it got stale in my head.) But much like the first project, this wants to be a trilogy. Which is fine, but I've set out on this course and I'm left to wonder how to handle one thing.

When you finished The Skewed Throne, did you dive into writing The Cracked Throne right away or did you wait and see if the first one would sell? Did you sell the first one as part one of three? How did all that work for you? I hope you don't mind me being nosey.

[jpsorrow.livejournal.com]

The Skewed Throne was actually the fourth book I wrote. Like you, I spent a good ten years on the first book, revising it, learning to write, etc, etc, etc. I then started sending it out to agents and editors and began working on the sequel. When that first book started getting rejected (although with good rejections, like "we like the writing, but this story isn't a good first novel," but at the time I didn't know that), it took me a while to realize that working on the sequel wasn't all that smart, because it certainly wouldn't sell if the first book didn't sell.

So I learned then that working on the sequel wasn't all that wise, that I'd wasted a bunch of time working on a book that couldn't sell when I could have been at work on something new that might even if that first book didn't.

When that revelation hit, I stopped working on the sequel and began a new book. And while I was sending that book out to agents and editors (with the same kinds of rejections) I began working on The Skewed Throne. Needless to say, I didn't work on The Cracked Throne right away while sending that one out. I began something new. In fact, I didn't start working on the sequel to Skewed until I had an actual contract for it.

And I initially presented Skewed as a standalone novel. However DAW was interested and asked if there were more books after that and I said yes and sent them very rough plot synopses of Cracked and Vacant. They bought all three at that point, which is when I began work on Cracked.

I'd suggest you try to write the first book (even if you know it's a series) in such a way that it has a nice, solid, coherent ending with the possibility of more to come . . . but not the necessity of more to come. This is likely to be the most appealing to an editor looking at the manuscript.

[elven-wolf.livejournal.com]

Yay thanks for the advice! That makes a lot of sense. :)

[jpsorrow.livejournal.com]

I agree.

[shanrina.livejournal.com]

As a reader, book delays don't bug me much anymore because I've learned to wait until the entire series is out to start reading something. I've got more than enough to read to keep me going until then, and now I'm starting to hit the point where the last book in a series I've been interested in comes out and I don't even remember to look for it for awhile because I'm so busy reading other things. I also have a crap memory when it comes to previous story details, so for most series I have to reread all the earlier books every time a new one comes out. So waiting for them all to come out is also more efficient in the long run.

Do you have a link to the post? I have more things to say on this topic, I think, but I don't think I want to say them until I've read the post and I know a little more, since I'm not familiar with GRRM.

[jpsorrow.livejournal.com]

Here's the link to the original post where GRRM confronts his detractors (http://grrm.livejournal.com/75053.html), and then a follow-up link where he thanks his supporters (http://grrm.livejournal.com/75396.html).