About that novel I wrote last month...

I said I'd talk more about it. So here are some things I can say about it:

• I'm rather fond of this novel.
• I'm rather fond of the characters in this novel.
• I'm rather fond of the setting and plot of this novel (a mystery party on a train from New York to San Francisco).
• This novel comes with fewer caveats than any of the other novels I've written so far. It feels right. It feels like I don't have to explain it. It is what it is, and I like what it is.
• I just want to keep working on it. I like working on it.
• I actually want people to read this novel. This novel is not too shy for company.

I just finished another Rainbow Rowell novel (Just finished. Ate it all up in two days. Set it down half an hour ago.). I went and rated it on Goodreads and then saw a message in my inbox about a recent Q & A session with the author, followed the link, and read the interview. One thing she said really stuck with me about the risk you take in writing things like novels for other people to read: "There's nothing safe about writing a novel; it's just too personal and too big. You have to put yourself out there."

She's right--it's a deeply personal experience. You write about the kinds of things you like, the kinds of people you like, the way you see the world, and someone could pick it up and just say "Eh...not my kind of thing," or worse, "Ugh, I can't stand this kind of drivel," and just think of how awful that would feel. It would feel like the people who don't like your work don't like a part of you. So the idea of setting your novel free, putting it out there for all the world to pick up and read or, you know, not, is kind of horrifying. It doesn't feel safe; it's horribly intimidating. But then there's also this other part in the interview:

When Attachments was first published in the UK, I flew to London to meet my editor there. (I didn't have to go, but I thought it would be so cool to see my book on the shelf in another country.) So I went to this Thai restaurant with my editor, and she told me that I didn't have to write books that everyone likes, that I shouldn't even worry about that. She said that having a writing career is about finding "your people," the people who specifically appreciate you. She said, "Your people are out there. You just have to hang in there while we find them." It was so encouraging at the time.

Finding your people. I think it's like that Lewisian description of friendship--

Friendship arises out of mere companionship when two or more of the companions discover that they have in common some insight or interest or even taste which the others do not share and which, till that moment, each believed to be his own unique treasure (or burden). The typical expression of opening Friendship would be something like, "What? You too? I thought I was the only one." (The Four Loves)

I've lost count of the number of times I've experienced this kind of recognition while reading a book. The moments of "Ah! So I'm not the only one who thinks that! I'm not the only one who is like that!" This kind of mutual recognition is the force behind all fandoms in the modern world. "You love Sherlock?! I love Sherlock!" It can be a powerful, powerful thing. The idea of writing for that limited audience--your people--is comforting for those of us who are just starting out. We don't have to impress everyone. We just have to find our people.

The encouraging thing about this novel I'm working on is that I can actually imagine people beyond myself liking it. It wasn't an exercise in self discipline or a challenge to myself to see if I could even do it--to see if I was capable of writing a story, beginning to end. It was an idea I loved with characters that were right. It's a story with momentum and depth and growth. And not to toot my own horn or anything, but I think there are parts of it that are kind of hilarious.

I want to share my story with people. I am sharing my story with people. I'm cleaning up the first draft and sending it chapter by chapter to my writing group for critique (which is really intimidating, even if there's only five of them). I'm tidying the prose and picking up the pace. I'm helping get it ready to meet its people, whoever they are.

I know I haven't said a lot about what this book is about on this blog--I've been hesitant to post anything specific for fear of having to change it later. Sorry. Once I make a bit more progress on this second draft, I'm hoping to post my hook here, in case anyone's interested. The hook I wrote during NaNo is a little outdated--the whole story got a little bigger than I planned, which is an exciting problem to have. It just means I need to do a little integration and sweeping to tidy things up.

So there you have it. News from the front lines. Courage is winning the day, and anxiety is sounding a retreat. Glory, glory, hallelujah.


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All done. :)

Just to keep everyone in the loop--I finished yesterday afternoon, but I was on a road trip and didn't have abundant internet access, so thus the late update. Stats coming soon.


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Homestretch

Wow, I owe you guys an update. It's been long, hard work this month, but I am loving this year's story. As long as it comes together in the end, and I really think it will, I think this is "the one": the one I'm going to clean up and begin pursuing publishing with. There's lots I could say about it, and I'll have more details next week about what writing it has been like, but for the time being, since I'm less than 10,000 words away from the end (and since I finally am caught up on my word count again), here's something to tide you over:

The last week of my life involved the following:
- Jury Duty
- A bat (the nocturnal mammal variety)
- Teaching (Augustine and Romeo and Juliet)
- Emergency subbing for two classes (Wesley and Formal Logic)
- Compiling and editing many many pages of Supreme Court Cases for coursepacks
- Choir practice and church
- Finishing Legend by Marie Lu
- SO MUCH CHOCOLATE
- Insomnia (*waves* hiiii!!!)
- Writing almost 20,000 words (Thanks, Mom B, for praying--I think we can call this answered prayer!)

Yep, that about sums it up. I'm on Thanksgiving Break now (no classes, but I'm working a few hours in the office through noon on Wednesday). I'm going to see if I can finish by the end of the day on Thanksgiving. :)


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For those who like charts and things:

Captain's Log, Part 1

Here inscribed is the full account of mine adventures hitherto:

Day 1
*sings* Just typin’ typin’ typin’, typin’ up mah story!
2262 words, exceeded goal by 595.

Day 2
Writin’ writin’ writin’, writin’ a kind of boring travel sequence… *Lots of private rail car and New York research*
3823 total, 1561 words added, 489 words ahead.

Day 3
I have spent a surprising amount of time in the last 48 hours wandering around Midtown Manhattan using Google Maps street view. Also, Central Park. This has been a pleasant and informative day of writing.
5769 words total, 1946 words added, 768 words ahead.


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Here we go! Off to NaNoLand!

Look at that beautiful blank page! Can you smell the possibilities???!

:)

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Almost.....There......

Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuggghhh this story has been brewing in my head for over a month now, and I really just want to start writing it, but I can't because it's not Nov. 1st yet. I've got lots and lots of notes in preparation, and I've done a few hours worth of research, but I really just want to start already. I've written the synopsis, and even entered it in the "30 covers, 30 days" contest. Come on, November!


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Character Crafting and Empathy in Writing

Also this: Robert Jackson Bennett on Empathy in Writing. (Swears warning, if you're sensitive to that kind of thing.)

I haven't read anything of his, but I'm all for other people striving to understand other people complexly! And I have noticed how poorly some men write women. C.S. Lewis was accused of writing women poorly until Till We Have Faces came out, and even then, a good number of people argue that it is successful only because of Joy's contributions.


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Interview with Arnold Lobel

Arnold Lobel is the author of possibly my favorite children's book: Owl at Home. His stories are simple, but strike deep. A Facebook friend posted this interview with Lobel, which I highly recommend. And go pick up a copy of Owl at Home if you don't have one already!


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More Info

Hi there!

So I decided to start this blog to keep my writing posts separate from my regular posts because probably not everyone who follows my regular blog is interested in NaNoWriMo updates and whatnot, and because I'm hoping to really begin a concerted effort to get more of my writing out into the world this year, and probably not many people who are interested in my writing are also interested in my cats or family vacations or what recipes I've been digging recently. So here we are.

Exciting news: I've joined a writing critique group! We meet every other week. I'll be presenting a piece next week that I've been working on off and on for the last year. It's a spooky story for Halloween. My sibs and I all challenged each other to write a scary story to read aloud this year and mine's almost done. Other than that, I've been taking as many notes as I can in my spare time to plot this year's NaNoWriMo novel, tentatively titled Acquaintances on a Train (get it? ha...ha...). I'll be installing the NaNoWriMo tracking widget here in the coming weeks.

I'm also on Tumblr now if you want to follow me there (theaebarber.tumblr.com). For kicks. Or whatever.


Wish me luck!


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Gearing up...

Plotting in progress.


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What? Another blog?

Absolutely!

Hello, world! :)


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