Comments on: Be Proud of Your Writing

By: Margaret Fieland

Margaret Fieland — Wed, 15 Aug 2012 15:28:27 +0000

Mary, great idea to enlist the genuinely enthusiastic as readers. I can always use another pair of eyes.

By: mary brady

mary brady — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 23:25:32 +0000

If you really don’t want to talk about your novel to someone who has unfortunately found out elsewhere that you are writing one, there is always this answer:

“So, you’re writing a novel–what’s it about?”

“Oh, it’ll be about 250, maybe 300 pages.”

Most people go away after that.

I don’t mind telling people I write. I’m proud of it! God, I’m so sick of other people who think it’s an easy endeavor. I
simply ask them when THEY intend to hunker down & write those “two or three novels rattling around in [their] head.”

I’m with Margaret–I tell them the genre & leave it at that. Or, if they are foolish enough to show genuine interest, I let them read what I’ve written. People are always supportive–
because it IS hard to write & have it come off sounding halfway decent!

L&K, MaryB

By: Keri Peardon

Keri Peardon — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 22:11:11 +0000

I feel ashamed admitting that my novel involves vampires. I have a very popular and well-received online serial novel involving a vampire lawyer (“bloodsucker” pun intended!), and I don’t feel so ashamed talking about it–I guess because it’s supposed to be a satire and I can honestly laugh when I mention it. But my first “real” novel is serious, and I guess I’m afraid of 1) someone rolling their eyes over *another* vampire novelist, 2) having someone think it’s “Twlight,” 3) people not take me seriously as a writer because it’s about vampires.

I’m honestly less embarrassed to talk about my next book, which is a historical romance.

By: Jill

Jill — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 19:42:20 +0000

I’m usually tight-lipped about my works in progress, and I rarely reveal anything about the plot (even to my close friends and family). My fear is that someone will say, “That sounds stupid.” But lately, doubts have crept in, and I’ve been the one saying that to myself! I try to stop when I catch myself doing it, but sometimes it’s hard. Thanks for the encouraging words!

By: Margaret Fieland

Margaret Fieland — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 16:16:45 +0000

If people ask me, I generally stay away from the plot:
“I’m working on two follow-on’s to my first novel. They’re both science fiction novels. One is for kids and one for adults.”

Honestly, less is more. I learned this when I was in my teens and asked about my relationship with my not-quite-Grandmother (I’ll spare y’all gory details):

Friend’s parents: “We sat behind your grandmother at the dance recital, and she told us how proud she was of you.”
Me : Opens mouth to explain relationship, then realizes it’s not important): “Yes, she told me. She had to go back to work.”

Consider simply responding with the genre and not much more. I don’t see any need to discuss the plot of my novels with kibbitzers.

By: Alan

Alan — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 15:30:04 +0000

The problem with talking about a just-started work or not yet started is that any idea will change as work on it progresses. From research, outlining, etc. to the first draft it would be slightly different and so on from draft one to draft x. You’d be talking about a book that when published isn’t the one you’d described.

By: Gerene

Gerene — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 13:46:56 +0000

I admire the fact that you can tell others you’re writing a novel. In my case, I can’t even tell others that I’m writing. I cringe when my close friends nudges me about what I do. So yes, thank you sharing this article. I’m taking this as an advice