Reading my book at Book Group!
Sun, 2011-01-23 07:28
#1
Reading my book at Book Group!
Last year I wrote and finished my first novel - a frothy little thing. Not knowing what to do with it next, I have decided to give it to my Book Group to read, preferring to read rejection in their smiles rather than in black and white from potential agents.
It's terrifying - like wrenching my heart from its cavity and placing it on a petri dish for them to poke at but how else am I to know if I have something or not than by asking those that I know and respect?
I was wondering how other people got judgments on their work, other than posting them on this wonderful site that I have only just discovered, of course!
Imogen.
Imogen Clark
Thank you. Interesting comments. It's strange because my book hasn't turned out the way I thought it might. I have always dreamed of writing a whole novel and assumed that what would emerge when I gave my creative side its head, would be something similar to my short stories. As it is, the book is distinctly chick lit. Plot driven, little imagery, easy to read. Nothing wrong with that OK but not what I pictured.
That's why it's first outing is to be with like minded women who know me well. I decided, rightly or wrongly, that as I have no idea whether it is any good or not I would test it out on them first and then decide whether to then take it any further. It's a lack of confidence thing. I'm sure some of my other stuff isn't bad but I have no idea about the book.
Anyway, the meeting is in March so I'll report back!
Imogen Clark
White Dwarf - I posted my reply before I saw yours.
I am not expecting anyone to say anything that will help me to improve the text. What I will be able to tell though (because I have been reading books with them for nearly ten years) is what they really think even when they tell me (as they are bound to) that they like it.
And that, at this stage, is all I want. If they smile politely and say it's a good first effort and the like then I shall battle on with book 2 and put book 1 in a drawer. But if I detect even a glimmer of positivity then I shall find out what I should do next without involving friends and family.
Imogen Clark
Thank you. I have to say that I have been surprised by the strength of the advice that I have received on this post which is, if I understand it correctly, to not share my book with my group.
I think you are both saying that it would be a mistake to rely on the words, however kindly meant, of non professionals in relation to getting a book to a stage where it might be considered for publication.
I can totally understand that. If you want a cake baking you don't go to a builder. What I'm interested in though, is whether the reasoning goes further than that? If not, then I can't see a problem in letting my friends see my work as a precursor to obtaining a professional opinion. If I can't even get my friends to react positively then there is little point trying to find an agent.
But, taking all that on board and knowing that anything that might be said by my friends is fuel for my ego and nothing more, is there another reason why I shouldn't do it that I've missed?
Imogen Clark
And therein lies the rub, Dom. I don't know whether I have faith in it because it's turned out light and frothy and that's neither what I expected nor what I read.
I've never put my writing forward before. I blog and get about 150 hits a week (generally people that know me but read it regularly) and I got cherry picked with my one story on here but that's it!
I think, ultimately, what I'm looking for is someone to say it's worth working on to give me a boost to investigate further - a bit of a hoick up in the confidence stakes. But it has helped chatting it through on here. Perhaps I should just have courage and try. After all, how wrong can it go?!
tcook
Imogen - the main thing is to keep writing. My first novel was a disaster - but I learnt how not to write a book! I have since 'semi-finished' two others but abandoned them as not quite good enough and now I have embarked on a very different venture and hope to have the book finished by the end of the year. It takes some of us a long time to learn how to write well, and you never stop learning. Take all the advice you can get, here, at your book group or wherever - just don't accept or believe it all! Try and pick out the bits that are helpful and make you think. Finally, the choices must be made by you. No good book was ever written by committee.
brooosh
White Dwarf says you can't take the opinions of amateurs or bookworms seriously. But you know something, sometimes you can't even take the opinion of professionals seriously either.
Some years ago (early 1990s) my wife attended a course on writing for children given by a couple of writers who have had success in that field - i.e. professionals.
One of the pieces of advice they gave her was that in children's fiction magic and wizards had had their day.
Imogen Clark
The story is the same - it's the style that's different to my intention/expectation. And I have done a rewrite but it came out much the same - just a bit longer and tighter. Maybe it IS my style - time will tell.
rjnewlyn
I think Tony's right in that first novels aren't always the best because you're learning as you go and if you're serious about writing then the implication is that you can keep them coming, so definitely get started on the second while the first is doing the rounds.
I can't offer anything qualified because I haven't published but the criticism I've found most helpful is from friends who write - i.e. who know that a degree of encouragement is needed but who also know that the only valuable criticism is to be as brutally honest as possible. Generally it has involved a manuscript swap (or at least the assumption that the favour will be repaid at some point) and helpful scrawls in the margin like 'this doesn't work' or 'I find myself getting bored here' or 'haven't you said this already?'. The comments are best when they're inserted at the first read and ideally not in retrospect, because it is the first read that counts and average readers will not start with the level of commitment that a friend will. But it's very important to emphasise that they have a free hand and that you won't get offended.
My concern about the book club idea is that, in a group, people will be reluctant to be too honest or critical (which is really what you need) - but it depends on the people concerned. A private arrangement between friends is better. Although (as others say) a professional review is even better still - but hard to come by (and moderately expensive).
Rob
Imogen Clark
Swapping manuscripts is a great idea although I'm not sure I have anyone to swap with! I only know one other person who admits to having a try at writing a novel. ( He introduced me to ABC Tales ) But my book really isn't his genre!
My book group is, in the main, made up of my close friends, the ones I would give the book to to read anyway. One of them is a journalist and two have worked in publishing in a previous life so they have some idea. Two if them will hate it because it is not their genre, any merit in it notwithstanding. Perhaps I should ask them to annotate as they read as you suggest and then have a strong drink before I look at the copies! I did wonder whether we ought to break from our traditional format and not have an open discussion about the book afterwards in the hope of them being braver and more honest with a pen than orally.
All this angst! What a waste of energy!!!
rjnewlyn
Yes, I know what you mean. I don't think it matters too much whether a friend is into your genre or not. Things like plot and character and typos tend to cross genres. And the useful part is less whether they liked it or not (because people tend to be too polite about this) and more whether the nuts and bolts worked. Annotation is helpful if people are happy to put in the time - needn't involve anything detailed, just circling the typos and indicating the places they felt lost or uninterested. And you have to be thick skinned about it because it's harder coming from friends.
Rob