Newbie here

[Stephen Drake]

Recently joined and have read a few of the posts. I used to be a computer programmer and changed over to writing sci-fi after becoming disabled. I have been and always will be an avid reader of sci-fi. I have written one book (rejected) and currently working on the sequel.

Anyway, just wanted to say "hey" so..."Hey!"

 

[Carol Rose]

Welcome!

 

[Stephen Drake]

Thanks, Tara!

 

[tabby3]

Welcome aboard!

 

[Stephen Drake]

Thanks, Tabby!

 

[Lex Black]

Welcome to the Colony!

 

[James Marinero]

Bienvenu, I hope you enjoy the interaction here!

 

[Alistair Roberts]

Welcome also. I hope you haven't given up on the first novel, they say each novel takes eight re-writes and edits before it's ready, but I won't say how many rejections is normal. No need for a sledge hammer lol. enjoy the writing

 

[Marc Joan]

Welcome! What kind of scifi do you write?

 

[Jennifer Stone]

Hello and welcome, plenty of advice and encouragement here

 

[Matnov]

Hello fella !

 

[Meerkat]

Welcome -- and rejection, pah! I read that the first Harry Potter book was rejected by the first 19 publishers. Keep trying!

 

[Stephen Drake]

Thank you, one and all! I don't think I've had such a warm reception!
For those that want to know, my first book is sci-fi with survivalist and martial arts elements and has been edited by me well over 24 times and my editor has gone through it another 8 to 10 times. Rejections are never good, but the worst is not knowing why it was rejected.

My second book is a continuation of the first and my third is a sword and sorcery type.

 

[Karen Gray]

Greetings and welcome to the colony

 

[EPHahn]

Thank you, one and all! I don't think I've had such a warm reception!
For those that want to know, my first book is sci-fi with survivalist and martial arts elements and has been edited by me well over 24 times and my editor has gone through it another 8 to 10 times. Rejections are never good, but the worst is not knowing why it was rejected.

My second book is a continuation of the first and my third is a sword and sorcery type.

SO TRUE. It's the wondering of why that gets me as well! Just tell me what you want!!! But if every agent/editor/etc told me what they liked and didn't like about my MS, I would probably go crazy attempting to change it to fit their preferences for naught. The child-of-divorce in me gets dizzy and depressed just thinking of that. Hang in there and welcome!!!!

 

[Frances Gow]

Hi Montana Man - nice to meet you!

 

[Stephen Drake]

SO TRUE. It's the wondering of why that gets me as well! Just tell me what you want!!! But if every agent/editor/etc told me what they liked and didn't like about my MS, I would probably go crazy attempting to change it to fit their preferences for naught. The child-of-divorce in me gets dizzy and depressed just thinking of that. Hang in there and welcome!!!!

True, but a hint would be helpful.

 

[Stephen Drake]

Hi Montana Man - nice to meet you!

And to you as well!

 

[Katie-Ellen]

Hello Congrats on finishing a book. As to whether it shall remain forever rejected, it ain't over so long as you're writing and looking about.

 

[Stephen Drake]

How true! Finishing 148,000 + words is hard! I'd never thought I had that much to say about anything!

 

[Katie-Ellen]

Impressive. And enough to give a writer a pain in the a...... I mean derriere. Literally.

 

[Stephen Drake]

Impressive. And enough to give a writer a pain in the a...... I mean derriere. Literally.

Not to mention pains in the fingers, wrists, neck, and back; and the ever popular "eye strain".

 

[Katie-Ellen]

Indeed, she said, blinking like a cross-eyed bat in the sun. Goodnight all!

 

[Jay Aitch]

As cliches go, the (paraphrased) doozie of: "Write what you like, not what you think others will like", has to stand fast as perhaps in the top 5 when it comes to writing. I believe that if any of us attempt to write for others expectations, several unhappy things are likely to occur. Firstly, you will not satisfy the readers. Secondly you will be unhappy yourself. Thirdly, it is likely to be derivative (an almost impossible task to avoid today, perhaps).

Ultimately I suspect you will get bored, dissatisfied or worse begin to hate the work, the ideas, storytelling as a whole, even (in the worse case scenarios) yourself.

I also tend to believe that deep down we all know when our writing sucks, or at least needs improvement. It's that niggling sensation at the back of the mind when you read it back to yourself and it just somehow grates.

So keep at your own work, your own dreams. The writing is the goal, the storytelling the accomplishment. Publishing is the icing on the cake.

 

[Stephen Drake]

As cliches go, the (paraphrased) doozie of: "Write what you like, not what you think others will like", has to stand fast as perhaps in the top 5 when it comes to writing. I believe that if any of us attempt to write for others expectations, several unhappy things are likely to occur. Firstly, you will not satisfy the readers. Secondly you will be unhappy yourself. Thirdly, it is likely to be derivative (an almost impossible task to avoid today, perhaps).

Ultimately I suspect you will get bored, dissatisfied or worse begin to hate the work, the ideas, storytelling as a whole, even (in the worse case scenarios) yourself.

I also tend to believe that deep down we all know when our writing sucks, or at least needs improvement. It's that niggling sensation at the back of the mind when you read it back to yourself and it just some grates.

So keep at your own work, your own dreams. The writing is the goal, the storytelling the accomplishment. Publishing is the icing on the cake.

I knew all that by the time I was half-finished with the first draft. As it improved, I started thinking about publishing it, and forgot for a time, that it wasn't written with publishing in mind. It was written to try to get it out of my head; for me.

 

[Marc Joan]

The tension between writing what you want, and what the editor / public wants. I suspect most people have to compromise at some point?

 

[Stephen Drake]

The tension between writing what you want, and what the editor / public wants. I suspect most people have to compromise at some point?

Well, I've always thought that if you try to please everyone, you'll end up pleasing no one...not even yourself. Yes, it is a balancing act. As good as Asimov and Heinlein were, I found people who didn't like their work.

 

[Richard Sutton]

Hey there, Montanaman! I see you've gottent he usual cheery welcome. Glad to see you made it. BTW, my great-great uncle, Walter homesteaded in a valley high above White Sulphur Springs in the mid-1870s. The cabin was still intact in 1959, last time I visited it.

 

[Stephen Drake]

Hey there, Montanaman! I see you've gottent he usual cheery welcome. Glad to see you made it. BTW, my great-great uncle, Walter homesteaded in a valley high above White Sulphur Springs in the mid-1870s. The cabin was still intact in 1959, last time I visited it.

That is a nice valley! Been to that area several times.

 

[Meerkat]

The tension between writing what you want, and what the editor / public wants. I suspect most people have to compromise at some point?

I was looking over a story of mine on Monday with an eye to readying it to submit. I found myself well aware that the writing, while exactly how I want it to be, is probably not a popular style -- too stream-of-consciousness. With most stories, I can "fix" the SOC writing without detriment to the story . . . but this one, I don't think I can. I've decided I will try, but not without irritation at having to compromise the voice.