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Lengthy writing.

JoJo
edited March 2006 in - Writing Tales

Comments

  • Am I the only one who has taken as long as I have to write a novel? Having the seed of an idea planted way back in 1969, it took me till around ten years later to actually start writing it. Since then, for various reasons, it has been very on and off till today, when I have the main story written and plot almost worked out but research still to do and more rewriting and cutting. Yes - around 21 yrs writing!

    Jo
  • Hi Jo
    Look at the Booker prize winners.  They talk of writing the book for 20-30 years. (I'd expect a flipping Oscar too, for still remembering the plot)  Best part of writing is there is no time limit, age division, standards of any kind, as far as I can tell. Have confidence and keep going.  We all get there in the end.
  • I agree with that, I think the most important thing is to remain inspired and confident. It doesn't matter how long it takes. :) I have got an idea for a novel since the late nineties, so it's almost coming up to 10 years now. I know it will get written eventually though.
  • Jo, I'm so impressed that you found an idea which has interested you for so long.  You must really feel like you have a story to tell!  So many people want overnight success, the media is full of celebrities who are famous for just being celebrities, and the value of working long and hard for something you really want seems to be forgotten.  I do hope your novel brings you success when it's finished.
  • Thankyou all so much for your responses. It's so encouraging to read them, because you do wonder if you're doing all this work for nothing, sometimes. And this is the very reason for my having joined the group - to find encouragement, inspiration and feedback, although, I have to say I worry that criticism will include that it's rubbish. That something like this would never happen....etcetc. But it's my baby and I don't want it pulled to bits. But I knew I had to face the music and have some feedback, sometime.

    It's true - there's no time limit to something like this, I haven't got a deadline. Therefore, because I'm working as an artist, I'm treating writing as a hobby. I know it kept me sane as a young mum! I have to say I don't always have the confidence but I will keep going. I'm pretty inspired most of the time, and certainly excited by my heroine and much of the plot. I daydream about her a lot, and have been known to nightdream about her! I don't know if any of you have read the basics of the story, but I was inspired to write the life of (or part of) a Calamity Jane persona who looks like a devastating, androgynous female Robert Redford as the Sundance Kid (without the 'tache.....!)lookalike. Because the wild west is my chief hobby, gutsy, unconventional women being my persona - (well, feisty is more me (!), I wanted to write the story of this woman's life and how it developed. How she struggles for acceptance etc. As time wore on, I found she became more and more devastating in both appearance and persona, and this adds to her problems. A blessing or a curse. She struggles with her sexuality and discovers that she is bisexual (although that word did not exist at the time). Throughout life, she is a cowgirl (that title didn't exist till later, either!) outlaw leader, deputy sheriff, posse member, rancher, and finally rancher and town mayor. Considering that many old west characters took on numerous roles throughout their lives, this is not too surprising. I have spent hours and hours researching and rewriting. I need to get it right, but at the same time I don't have to nitpick, which I do find I have done, and need to relax a bit. I also have to remember that this is a work of fiction, not a historical treatise! As years have passed, and I've looked back at old work, I can see how it's progressed, which is satisfying. Goodness knows how many rewrites I've done over the years. Umpteen million probably! But I do find I want to write it and the enthusiasm and story keeps me going. I am having problems with the plot, and certainly with the first chapters, which is the hardest part, so I think I might have to let the group read parts and see what you think.

    Jo
    www.kitty-le-roy.co.uk
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