Starting Over
After spending the past two years desperately trying to make a
novel work, (last year my output was under 20k) I've finally
thrown up my hands. I haven't abandoned it completely, but I've
decided to move on, write a new book and tinker with the
problematic one when I feel the desire.
My partner now appears to have lost whatever faith he had in me. He pulls a face when I mention my new book. This new story I can see unfolding in my mind. The 'old' one had gotten stuck in the middle, I didn't know how to end it, who the killers were, and I just didn't care. It didn't matter who they turned out to be, and if the writer doesn't care, how can the reader? I've got lots of ideas how to revive the bloody thing, most of which entail deleting half of my sweated-over scenes and basically rewriting the whole plot.
Am I wrong to start a new book? My partner now says he'll believe in the new book when I've finished it. I have finished books before, so it's not like I make a habit of giving up halfway through. I feel I've given a lot of time to a project I no longer have faith in, and that now is the time to do something else. I'm excited and enthusiastic about the new book, which feels amazing after such a long time of battling with my writing.
Of course, I took his criticism badly, and briefly considered an artistic tantrum of epic proportions. Far better, I decided, to prove him wrong by writing a fabulous new book, having a blast while I'm doing it, and then I can beat him to death with it when it's published!
My partner now appears to have lost whatever faith he had in me. He pulls a face when I mention my new book. This new story I can see unfolding in my mind. The 'old' one had gotten stuck in the middle, I didn't know how to end it, who the killers were, and I just didn't care. It didn't matter who they turned out to be, and if the writer doesn't care, how can the reader? I've got lots of ideas how to revive the bloody thing, most of which entail deleting half of my sweated-over scenes and basically rewriting the whole plot.
Am I wrong to start a new book? My partner now says he'll believe in the new book when I've finished it. I have finished books before, so it's not like I make a habit of giving up halfway through. I feel I've given a lot of time to a project I no longer have faith in, and that now is the time to do something else. I'm excited and enthusiastic about the new book, which feels amazing after such a long time of battling with my writing.
Of course, I took his criticism badly, and briefly considered an artistic tantrum of epic proportions. Far better, I decided, to prove him wrong by writing a fabulous new book, having a blast while I'm doing it, and then I can beat him to death with it when it's published!
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8 Comments
I read the book in a couple of lunch breaks and enjoyed it. I work in a public library and the book had been continuously out on lean. If someone asks me for any light comedy writers, I might well suggest Simon Brett.
All he does is poke gentle fun at village life and I would not be surprised to find out that he had written episodes of Midsummer Murders.
The 'old' book isn't going anywhere (just yet) - and beating yourself over the head with it won't produce a great ending - but taking a break and working on something else just might...
Write on! :)
As for your partner - well done for biting your tongue, it was probably better to save the tantrum for another time. I guess, unless he's a fiction writer himself, he might simply expect you to finish what you started. Or as my husband would see it, this project, which you have invested so much time and energy in, is now not going to pay off and regardless of your track record, the only thing that counts is applying yourself and seeing it through. I doubt I would even bother trying to explain to my project managing engineer of a husband that the creative process cannot be forced (much) and at times can be frustratingly capricious, which sometimes means abandoning a novel can be more productive than struggling through it to a possibly unsatisfactory end.
Hope your exciting new story will convince him that you did the right thing.
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